The disciples were terrified. Jesus had just discouraged and depressed a rich man with his demands for entrance into the kingdom, and now he is telling his disciples how difficult it is for the rich to enter into heaven.
Here is this rich man in Luke 18.18-31, a faithful Israelite who is obviously blessed by God. He desires to be a part of this kingdom that Jesus is announcing because he believes that this is the inheritance long-promised to his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. He asks Jesus how he might inherit the life of this promised age. Jesus tells him, in sum, that he must be faithful to the covenant. This faithfulness to the covenant involves adopting God’s way of life embodied in the commandments such as, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not bear false witness,” and “Honor your father and mother.” This man, with all sincerity, tells Jesus that he has kept these from his youth.
Don’t misunderstand him here. Sure, he has sinned. Everyone in Israel sinned. But they all knew that the same Law that commanded them, “Do not commit adultery,” also commanded them to bring offerings to deal with their sins. He had been faithful to the covenant. But even faithful covenant members in Israel were confronted now with the claims of Jesus as the Christ, their King, and had to make the decision as to whether or not they would leave the old age behind and enter the new one or remain right where they were and try to make the best out of a world that was passing away.
Surely, since the ruler been faithful all these years God would allow him to take everything he had from the old world–his riches, his deep investments in Israel–right on into the new world without much of a change. Much to his dismay, he heard the teacher whom he proclaimed to be “good” tell him different. He had to sell all that he had, give it to the poor, follow Jesus, and then he would have treasure in heaven; God would keep his investments in an incorruptible “vault,” where it would earn good interest, and then be given back abundantly in the future (cf. 1Pt 1.3-5).
The question is now, is this man willing to liquidate all of his assets in this present world and invest in the world to come? He won’t. He’s too comfortable. It’s too much to give up. Besides all of that, it is Israel in which he is invested; Israel, the land and people of promise. Giving up on Israel would seem like throwing 1,500 plus years of history in the trash. Divesting himself from Israel means separating himself from the Temple eventually, a Temple worship established with Moses and brought to more maturity under David and Solomon. That’s quite a bit to give up.
Of course, in each of those previous stages of history, people had to move from one age to another, forsaking things in the old world. The people of Moses’ time, for instance, had to give up their family altars and move to a central altar at the Tabernacle. People like Korah, Dathan, and Abiram didn’t like it then (Num 16.1). What was new to them is now old to the people of God and established tradition. But now Jesus, who embodies God himself, is moving them to a new age. Everything is changing. If they don’t give up the old ways–even the ways that God commanded for that time–those things will be considered idols. Idols will be destroyed with all those who pledge their loyalty to them.
This man’s roots, like many of the rich in Israel, were too deep in the old soil. But what was once a garden of fruit and herbs would soon turn to a plot of thorns and thistles. It’s time to move on.
The demands of the kingdom upon us may not take the specific shape that Jesus demanded of this ruler. But they may.
Ultimately, this man’s problem was idolatry. He refused to give up what God prohibited by his word. He put his own word or the word of another above the word of God. That is idolatry.
The disciples were right to be astounded and even frightened at Jesus’ words. This was a faithful and blessed man. If he can’t be saved, who can? It looks impossible. Jesus doesn’t say, “Well, it’s not at all impossible. If you try a little harder, you’ll be alright.” Rather, he says, that what is impossible with men is possible with God. Man can’t change his heart loyalties. He can’t give up on his idols. We’re too deeply invested in them. We believe God is a liar and we can and do have life in them. Our minds and hearts are darkened by sinful reasoning. But God can change our hearts. He can turn our loyalty towards him. And he does. Now he calls us, as Paul says, to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in us to both will and do of his good pleasure (Phil 2.12-13).
How do we know that God is working this heart loyalty in us? You must ask yourself, Am I serving the kingdom of Christ? When the Spirit touches those idols in our lives through the penetrating words of a friend, from the pulpit, or as you’re reading the Scriptures, are you ready to turn from those idols to serve the living God? Is every other loyalty in life subservient to Christ’s kingdom purposes? Is your surname or your citizenship in this country more important to you than the name given to you in your baptism? Is your blood heritage more special to you than the fact that you are a member of Christ’s kingdom? Are you a Christian above everything else in your life so that if anything or anyone challenges that loyalty, you are willing to forsake it and them? Like the ruler, we all have some examining to do to see where we are deeply invested.
