Matthew 19: Kingdom Counsel (4)
Pray Psalm 63.1, 2
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
Sing Psalm 63.1, 2.
Nun Danken: Now Thank We All Our God
O God, You are my God, and earnestly I seek You!
My soul thirsts and my flesh in weariness now greets You!
Thus I would see Your face, with glory and pow’r arrayed,
in this Your holy place—Your beauty here displayed.
Read Matthew 19.1-22; meditate on verses 16-22.
How is the relationship between “life” and “commandments” working in your life?
Prepare.
1. What was the young man seeking from Jesus?
2. What prevented him from being able to gain that?
Meditate.
Three times in this vignette, Jesus said to the young man, in effect, “Not so fast.” His purpose in each case was to make the young man stop and think. Which he did, although he didn’t like the conclusions he reached. First, Jesus interrupted the young man when he referred to Him as “Good Teacher”. Hold on, friend; not so fast. Jesus wanted the young man to think about that, and to think about the Person he was addressing.
Second, Jesus led the young man to reflect on the Law of God, and its requirements for knowing “eternal life” (v. 16). “Not so fast, young man. You want eternal life? In the terms you and I know you’re thinking about? Fine. All you have to do is keep God’s Law perfectly, entirely, and at all times.” The young man’s reply, “Done that,” showed where his true thinking was. He was coming with his own works to gain the salvation God alone gives freely: “What do I still lack?”
Then, finally, Jesus says, “Not so fast” to the young man by putting his finger on the real problem keeping this man from following Him into eternal life—his stuff: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Matthew says the young man turned away sad, “for he had great possessions.” In fact, his possessions had him, just like everything has us that we cannot or will not give up to follow Jesus more fully. Value our leisure time more than time in the Word or in serving Jesus? Like your stuff more than Him? Enjoy the convenience of doing what you want when you want, without having to consider how this or that contributes to your witness for Christ? Like not having to read and study God’s Word so that you can sleep longer? Like any of those things more than Jesus, and you’re kidding yourself if you think you believe in Him truly.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
The young man thought he was doing so well with Jesus.
But then, as it turned out, he wasn’t.
Jesus’ “not so fast” rejoinders stopped him in his tracks,
and sent him back to the drawing board to see where he actually stood
in his faith and desire to follow Him (Matt. 19.18-21).
The early Church took Jesus’ guiding words to heart as they formed within their communities.
“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
and sold their possessions and goods,
and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple,
and breaking bread from house to house,
they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
praising God and having favor with all the people.
And the Lord added daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2.44-47).
“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul;
neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own,
but they had all things in common.
And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
And great grace was upon them all.
Nor was there anyone among them who lacked;
for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them,
and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
and laid them at the apostles’ feet,
and they distributed to each as anyone had need” (Acts 4.32-35).
How are we doing?
Would Jesus be saying “not so fast” to us?
Imbedded right within the giving of the Ten Commandments God said this:
“For I, the LORD your God, AM a jealous God…” (Ex. 20.5).
And at another time:
Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you,
and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything
which the LORD your God has forbidden you.
For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deut. 4.23, 24).
As with all the Christian life and walk, it is our heart that God is after.
And our heart’s attitude towards everything besides Him, that matters.
Is it holding onto stuff that keeps us from wholeheartedly following Jesus?
Is it our reputation?
Is it our status?
Is it another person, place, or thing?
Whatever it is, needs to be given up for Him—with a priority switch.
God first, all else secondary.
The “not so fast” things of import, need to be let go—for truly,
anything that keeps us from life now, and eternal life hereafter, is not worth hanging onto.
“I will love You, O LORD, my strength” (Ps. 18.1).
Reflect.
1. We’re not saved by good works; but we’re not saved without them. Explain.
2. Why was the young man sorrowful? Is there anything in your life you haven’t given up for Jesus?
3. Look at Jesus’ reply: “If you want to be perfect…” Do you want to be perfect? Can that happen now, in this life? Should you continue to pursue it?
Many abandon their wealth but do not follow the Savior. To follow the Savior is to be an imitator of Him and walk in His steps. Jerome (347-420), Commentary on Matthew 3.19.211
Pray Psalm 63.3-11.
Praise the Lord for His steadfast love, and call on Him to help you love Him and your neighbor more completely and consistently.
Sing Psalm 63.3-11.
Nun Danken: Now Thank We All Our God
Your steadfast love, O LORD, than life is better to me;
so I will praise Your Name, and bless You, LORD, most truly.
My soul is richly blessed; to You my hands I raise,
and open now my mouth to offer joyful praise.
By night, LORD, fill my mind with pleasant meditation;
for You have been my help as ’neath Your wings I station.
My soul clings, LORD, to You; I rest in Your Right Hand;.
May all who seek my life in Your displeasure stand.
Unto the sword’s strong pow’r let our foes be delivered!
Pursue them to devour their mortal lives forever!
In God will we rejoice and glory in His grace;
but all who live by lies shall perish from His face.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: Our Read Moore podcast continues our readings from the book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing a series on the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column is working through a study of the role of reason in the life of faith. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
