He Went Away Sorrowful

Matthew 19:16-22

The young man who came to the Lord Jesus Christ was rich.

He was esteemed in religious circles.

He was a ruler, probably an official in charge of the local synagogue (Luke 18:18).

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He asked the Lord Jesus Christ, “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

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He might have sincerely felt that he had kept the Ten Commandments.

But he was ignorant of the state of his own heart.

He forgot that he had sinned and broken God’s commandments from a very early age!

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His wealth was a great idol in his life and a proof that he was guilty of breaking the first commandment.

He also failed to understand that salvation is by grace alone and his good works couldn’t save him.

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Had he given away his wealth, it would have been an evidence of his repentance and trust in Christ.

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He was wealthy and religious, but these things did not meet his deepest need.

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He wanted eternal life, but he also wanted to hold on to his possessions.

His wealth was his god.

His riches meant more to him than his religion.

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He went away sorrowful because he was not willing to face up to the cost of following the Lord Jesus Christ.

This involved getting rid of anything that had become a god in his life.

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Some thoughts...

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Becoming a Christian is more than making a decision for Christ.

It means taking up the cross.

The cross is a symbol of self-denial, of shame, of suffering, and of death.

We must die to the old selfish life if we want to be disciples of Jesus.

We must embrace his lordship.

If He is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all!

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Many have turned away from the Christian faith disillusioned because they find the cost of following the Lord Jesus Christ too great.

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There is a price to pay for treasure in Heaven.

But what blessing is enjoyed by all who truly follow Christ!

There is a greater price to pay for refusing to follow Christ.

It is an eternity of separation from God!