Matthew 19 Discipleship

“And behold, one came to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing
should I do that I might have life eternal?” 17 “Why do you ask me about
what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you
want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
21
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions
and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come,
follow me.”
22
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had
great wealth.

There is one resounding point that rings out from this exchange
between the rich young ruler and Jesus. It is that discipleship is costly. It
may cost the thing that is dearest to your heart. Jesus did not say to the
young man to follow him, he placed a condition on discipleship which
would in turn lead to life eternal. This young man who was so sincere, in
reality, valued his great wealth more than eternal life. He was bound to
earthly things more than he was prepared to admit. Jesus later
emphasized the dilemma the rich would face with respect to choosing
between God’s kingdom and worldly riches.
A small point to be clarified is the possible confusion about the Law.
Was Jesus advocating two ways to eternal life? Christian discipleship or
the Law? The fact is the Law promised life to those who kept it
perfectly. But as James points out in his epistle, if there is one infraction
then the whole Law is broken. It is a pity that James is labelled as one
who promotes righteousness by the Law when in fact he with clarity
explains what keeping the Law righteously entails – it requires perfect
obedience – something beyond any mortal’s reach. James did not
advocate works of the Law as a pathway to heaven. James was simply
advocating for a sincere faith demonstrated by works rather than an
empty faith made up only of words.
Jesus offers the young man the opportunity to inherit eternal life. He
points out that to be his disciple he will be both perfect and inherit
eternal life. Jesus presents the young man with the pearl of great price.
Will he sell all he has to obtain it? Will he be like the other man in Jesus’
parable of the pearl of great price? Will he sell all he has to obtain
eternal life? The privilege of following Jesus – to be his disciple – on
personal invitation from Jesus was one seized by the twelve apostles.
They said to Jesus – we have left all for you. Could the young man’s
wealth replace the earthly privilege of sitting at the feet of Jesus
hearing him teach? Or perhaps seeing his glory on the mountain as the
three disciples Peter, James and John beheld? Surely, no price could be
too high to have all these privileges. Yet wealth has its hold on this
young man.
Why did this young man stumble at an invitation to follow Jesus? Why
was he sorrowful to be offered treasure in heaven and eternal life? It
should have been a moment of great joy. But he put his wealth before
God’s kingdom and being a disciple of Christ. How many perished
without the opportunity he had? It was squandered. We must not
squander opportunities that Jesus presents to us to inherit eternal life
because the cost is too high.
Today, the gospel does not require every disciple to forsake their wealth
but to forsake their sins. Scripture states our sins cling so closely to us.
They find a home in our minds and the roots of sin run deep. Like the
young ruler who was attached to his wealth to the point of rejecting
eternal life in favor of his riches, our attachment to sin is equally strong.
It gives us great sorrow to part with pleasures and worldly things. But
the gospel empowers us through the cross that mortifies and crucifies
sin in us and breaks the dominion of sin, and rather than a sorrowful
disposition, with gladness we forsake all things to serve Jesus.
It does not mean that we can’t enjoy the things of this world within the
limits that God has laid down in his Word, but it means that in our
affections, the Kingdom of God and the glory of Christ is the one
reigning affection and attachment in our minds. We must seek his
kingdom first because according to this dialogue between the young
man of great wealth and Jesus, it was for the young man’s best interest
and ultimate purpose to follow Christ above all else. But this can only
be accomplished by the grace of God who empowers us to do all things
in Christ. His kingdom must come first, then all things will be added
unto us. We must forsake all to gain all. This is the cost of discipleship.