The clearest Biblical example of the shallow, submerged rock soil is the Rich Young Ruler of the Gospels. He is emotional, says all the right things, and makes a splashy profession (with joy receiving Christ’s word), but then, when the hard reality of obedience and submission comes at the insistence of Jesus – he withers right before our eyes.
The massive rebellion (rocky ledge under the soil) caused the Son of God’s shining the Light of truth upon his life – to scorch and wither that shallow profession of desire to follow Jesus. His rebellion to the rule of God, his resistance to the law of God, his unwillingness to acknowledge his lostness — all show the shallowness of his profession.
Christ’s story, which we look at this morning, illustrates how we often unconsciously blend together the details of all the Gospels into one story. We usually call this the story of the Rich Young Ruler. All the gospels tell us that this man was rich. That is the point of the story. However –
• only Matthew says that he was young (Matthew 19:20); and
• only Luke says that he was a ruler (Luke 18:18).
So when we say Rich + Young + Ruler, we have joined together elements taken from all three gospels (Matthew 19:16–22; Mark 10:17–22; Luke 18:18–23).
One of history’s most extraordinary meetings occurred almost 2,000 years ago. It is one of the best-known stories in God’s Word – the Rich Young Ruler. A young businessman came to Jesus. He came willingly, excitedly, publicly, and directly.
And what was his request from the Savior of the world? He asked for eternal life.
And what was his method? He came by all outward appearances genuinely. He was on his knees, holding onto Jesus and looking up into the face of Jesus.
Wow, that is what we all long to someday do – kneel and look up at the One who loved us, and whom we have loved more and more with all our hearts.
By any measurement standard, this should have been the greatest day of his life. But it ended up being the worst! He became the only person who came willingly to the feet of Jesus who went away unchanged, unhelped, unforgiven, unhealed, and unsaved.
God captured This day in Scripture to communicate a disaster of eternal proportions.
This man missed the opportunity — of an eternity. A moment to determine his ultimate destiny was lost.
God left this story with a sad ending – on purpose. God wrote the ending of this story the way He did to illustrate once and for all the SHALLOW HEART.
Please stand with me and follow along as we read Christ’s words in Mark 10.17-22.
For a moment, examine this account. In these verses, we find so much right about this young man. He seems to have sought the right person – Jesus alone has salvation. He came with the right approach – enthused and humbly. He came truthfully – he knew that he needed eternal life and did not have it. But he left empty-handed and lost-hearted. Why?
There are two parts to Christ’s parable. First, he told of the quick response to the Gospel. Then he told me about the rock getting in the way. Look at the immediate response to Jesus this Rich Young Ruler had.
10:17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” NKJV
He Came to Jesus Unashamedly! This man was young (Matt. 19:20) and rich (v. 22). In Luke 18:18 we learn that he was a ruler (archōn in the Greek text), which most likely means he was a ruler of the synagogue (cf. the same use of the word in Matt. 9:18). Thus it appears that he was a Jewish religious leader—devout, honest, young, wealthy, prominent, highly respected, and influential. He had everything.
He Came to Jesus Enthusiastically! Mark 10:17 says the man came running.
He Came to Jesus Humbly! He also came publicly. Unlike Nicodemus, who came by night, this man came in broad daylight and in front of other people. Mark says that the Lord was on the road, having just set out on a journey. No doubt there was the usual crowd around him. This fellow ran right through the crowd, unhampered by the fact that the people knew who he was. He was bold enough to confess publicly and openly that he did not possess eternal life. For a man in his position to ask such a question took tremendous courage. He had a lot to lose by openly admitting that he lacked eternal life.
(WWJ-51; 040509AM)
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