Turn back in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 19. Matthew 19. Look again at beginning with verse 24 of Matthew 19. Our Lord spoke and he said again, I say unto you it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And when his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, who then can be saved? And our Lord beheld them, and he said to them, with men, this is impossible. But with God, all things, all things are possible. Take the title of the message from verse 25, where he says, they ask this question, who then, who then can be saved? Well, let's look at this passage together here this morning. and consider just a few points. First in verse 22, we read that this one who came, he was a young man, a young man. Now listen, I know of, listen, there's no wrong time. There's no wrong time to come to the Lord Jesus Christ. We read in scripture of men and women, old and young. I think of Simeon. I don't know how old he was, but I just picture him as a pretty old fella, pretty close to the end of his walk on this earth. Remember that when Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus in and Simeon sees him and he says, let thy servant, depart in peace. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation." I believe he was probably an old, old fellow, up in years. And truly, listen, it's a great mercy. It's a great kindness that the Lord would show mercy at any age. But here in our text, this man was a young man. Ecclesiastes 12.1, you don't have to turn there, but it says this, remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. Lamentations 3.27, it says, it's good for a man that he bears the yoke, when? In his youth. We read of Josiah back in the Old Testament, it says, while he was yet young. He was still a young man, but it says, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David, his father. So here in this text, this man, he came at the right time. He came as a young man. Second, he came to the right person. He came to the right person. I don't know if he realized that or not, but he did come to the right person. He came to the Lord. In verse 16, it says he came to Him. Isn't that what we plead? Isn't that what we plead with men and women to do? To come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Third, he came with the right purpose. He came seeking eternal life. Isn't that what he was asking about there in verse 16? He says, that I may have eternal life. He came with a sense of urgency. It's not recorded in Matthew's account. But over in the book of Mark, when we read this same account, it says that this young man, he came running. There was a sense of urgency there, a sense of real need. And when I read about this young man, I can't help but think this as well. He was sincere. I think about not just his sincerity, but listen, we have family members. We have friends. We have people we work with, neighbors. The vast majority of the folks in this world that are in false religion, very sincere about it. But listen, despite their sincerity, despite the fact that they talk about a man named Jesus, despite their talk of eternal life, there's a lot of words, common words that they use, they remain lost, lost in their sin. This young man here, we read in verse 22, listen, despite all these things, all these things mentioned about him in this scripture, after this encounter with the Lord, he went away sorrowful. I don't ever want us to leave this place sorrowful. I would like to see each of us this day and every time we gather together like that Ethiopian eunuch. Remember that after Philip had preached the gospel to him? What did he do? He went on his way rejoicing. Let's look at this passage together this morning. Again, this rich young man, he came to the right person. But when he came to him, he came to him as just a man. He gave him a title of respect. He called him good master. That was the title reserved for the teachers in those days. It would be like the title of a doctor at a college or something like that. Earthly men like titles. They like to be referred to as this. It does something for the ego, I guess. He must have been shocked. He must have been shocked when our Lord looked at him and said, why do you call me good? Over in Psalm 50, here's part of the problem. Psalm 50, he says, thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as yourself." Sadly, that's how men look at Christ. That's how men look at God, as if he were just like them. There's only one good, only one, and that's God. Men today, they take titles upon themselves. Things like most holy, reverend. You know that word reverend that men so quickly take upon themselves? That word is only used one time in scripture. Over in Psalm 119, it says, holy and reverend is his name. His name. He alone is holy and reverend. This rich young ruler, he stands before the king of kings and the Lord of lords. He stands before that one whose name is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, and he sees him as nothing but a man. But he is much more, much more than a man. In Philippians 2, we read, wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. He has no equal, he has no rival, a name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Of things, listen, of things in heaven, of things in earth, of things under the earth, Every tongue confess that Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Well, let's read on here in our text. We read here of how a man, a woman, a young person is not saved. This young man says, what good thing? What good thing shall I do to be saved? Salvation is not in what we do. Turn to Romans 3 verse 20. Romans 3 verse 20. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. What good thing? What good thing? Let me ask you this question. What good thing can a man do for God? That's a foolish, somebody said there's no such thing as a foolish question. That's a foolish question. What can a sinful man do for a God who is absolutely holy? You know, in the Old and New Testament, this is repeated. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Our best, our best works are described in scripture as nothing but filthy rags. Our Lord answers him. He meets him where he's at and he says, he says this, keep the commandments. If you would be saved by what you're going to do, keep the commandments. And listen, you've got to keep those commandments perfectly. Not give it your best, perfectly. The law requires perfection. Every one of them have to be kept perfectly. And listen to this arrogant young man's reply. He says, which one? Which one? Which commandments do I need to keep? Over in the book of James, James chapter 2, it says, whosoever shall keep the whole law. Now imagine that, if a man could keep the whole law and yet offend in just one point. One tiny little point. What's the result? He is guilty of all. Guilty of the whole law. Look at verse 18 again of our text here, Matthew 19. Again, this young man says to him, verse 18, he saith unto him, which? And our Lord says, thou shalt not do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Honor thy father and thy mother, and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Now listen, we see something of this young man's blindness. And listen, what we see in this man, this young man, we can see in all of ourselves. his ignorance of his sinful condition. Now again, he says, I've kept all of these from my youth. He may have himself been convinced of this. And he may have convinced others of this. We have too high thoughts. Way too often we have too high thoughts of ourselves and too low thoughts of who God truly is. In Jeremiah 17, scripture says that the heart is deceitful above all things. It's desperately wicked. Who can know it? There's one who knows it. The Lord searches the heart. He said, I, the Lord, search the heart. I try the reins, even to give every man according to his way and according to the fruit of his doings. God doesn't see as man sees. God looks on the heart. And what did we just read there about our hearts? Deceitful, desperately wicked. Deceitful enough, listen, not just to fool those around us, but even to fool ourselves. But it's all just an outward show of the flesh. Listen to what our Lord says to this rich young man. He says, thou shalt do no murder. No murder. You know, we could probably tell ourselves, I hope everybody in the room, I hope we could all tell ourselves, we've never murdered anyone, right? But look at, turn back a few pages to Matthew 5. Matthew 5, verse 21, you've heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill. Whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. Whosoever shall say to his brother, Rekha, thou fool, shall be in danger of the council. Whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire." He says, thou shalt not commit adultery. Back in Matthew 5 again, our Lord says, to look on a woman, to lust after her, he that does that has committed adultery in his heart already. Thou shalt not steal. Have you ever taken someone that belonged to someone else? Home, at work, anywhere, huh? You just pick something up and take it as your own. He said, thou shalt not bear false witness to lie. He said, honor thy father and thy mother. Listen, to respect them, to show reverence to them. to respect their opinions, to listen, to provide for them when they're sick and up in years. I was thinking about this last night. You know, our children, they don't cease to be our children when they turn 18 and move out of the house, do they? And our parents don't cease to be our parents when we move out either. And this rich, young ruler, he says, all of these, all of these done, I've done from my youth up. The heart's deceitful, isn't it? My friends, we couldn't keep one rule. They're in the garden. Men post the Ten Commandments out in the front yard and talk about all these. Listen. It'd be great. It'd be a wonderful place probably to live if that were the case. We can't keep one. Adam proved that, didn't he? Remember that? God said to Adam, of all the trees in the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that you eat thereof, thou shalt surely die. We know the rest of that story, don't we? Adam sinned. And in him, we've all sinned. Adam fell. When Adam fell, we all fell in him. Scripture says, therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh shall be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Well, let's read on in our text. Matthew 19, verse 21. Our Lord speaks to this young man. He says, if thou will be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me." If you would be perfect, if you would be perfect by your deeds, by your doing, by your dying, if you would be complete, then you go sell everything you have and you give it to the poor. and thou shalt have treasure and come and follow me. How empty handed with nothing. Our Lord said in chapter 22, the law says, listen, that we're to love the Lord. How are we to love him? With all our heart, with all our soul, with all our might. Nothing. Nothing is to come between us and God. Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. He tells this young man, you sell what you have, you give it to the poor, and come and follow me. Come and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Would a man really do that? Turn with me to just a few scriptures. Matthew chapter 9. Turn back just a few pages. Matthew 9. Jesus passed from this, Matthew 9 verse 9. As Jesus passed from thence, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of custom, and he saith unto him, follow me. And he arose, and he followed him. There's Matthew sitting there collecting taxes, doing what he did every day. The Lord passes by. And he speaks to him and he speaks in power and he says, follow me. Scripture says he arose and he followed Christ. Turn to John chapter 1. John chapter 1. Look at verse 43. John 1, 43. The day following, Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip, and he said unto him, follow me. Philip was at Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and he said unto him, we have found him. of whom Moses and the Law and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Philip, who found who? The Lord came to him. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there anything good come out of Nazareth? And Philip said to him, Come and see. Come and see. Philip, he went and he told others. Turn to Matthew, back to Matthew again. Matthew 4. Verse 18. Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, they were fishers. And he said unto them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Verse 20, and they straightway left their nets. They didn't argue, did they? They didn't fuss about it. They didn't say, what are we gonna do with these nets? What are we gonna do with our, They left him and they followed him. All these men, they followed the Lord Jesus Christ. But this rich young ruler, it says, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. He turned away from the Savior. Well, why is that? What's the difference? How is it that one man can hear Him and leave all and follow Him, and another can go away sorrowful? Our Lord said in John 10, 27, He said, My sheep, they hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me. All that he would make us, followers. Followers of Christ. And then our Lord said this, again, back to Matthew 19. He said, in verse 23, Jesus said to his disciples, verily I say unto you, that the rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. Again, I say it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And the disciples, they ask this question, who then? Who then can be saved? Well, God's elect, God's elect will be saved. Turn to Ephesians 1. Just a few quick points here, and I'll close. Ephesians 1. Look at verse 3 of Ephesians 1. It says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated unto us the adoption of children by Jesus Christ himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Who then can be saved? His elect, those he chose in Christ from before the foundation of the world. Who then can be saved? Every sinner that was bought and redeemed and purchased by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn to Romans chapter 8. Romans 8. Look at verse, begin with verse 31 of Romans 8. What shall we say to these things? Who can be against us? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything? to the charge of God's elect. It's God that justifies. Who's he that condemneth? It's Christ that died. Yea, rather, that is risen, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword As it's written, for thy sake we're killed all the day long. We're counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we're more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor power, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature. I tell you, that covers it, doesn't it? shall separate us from the love of God, and oh, don't leave off these last few words, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Who then can be saved? All for whom Christ died. All who are called by the Spirit of God, that personal, effectual, irresistible call that goes forth all his sheep. Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus, come down. I tell you, I was climbing a tree one time and I fell out of it. I came out of it quick. I believe Zacchaeus probably came out of that tree even quicker when the Lord called him and said, come down, come down. I must abide in thy house. Lazarus, as he laid there in the grave, Can a dead man, can a dead man live again? When Christ speaks in power, Lazarus, come forth. We read the same of Matthew and Philip and Peter and Andrew, James, John, all of his sheep. When the Lord speaks in power and says, come. Psalm 110, his people, his people, not everybody, His people are made willing in the day of His power. Who then can be saved? All of God's elect, every sinner, every sinner bought, redeemed, and purchased by the blood of Christ, all who are called by the Spirit of God, and listen, every sinner that believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved. In 1 John 5 verse 3, he said, these things I've written unto you that you believe, that you believe on the name of the Son of God that you might know. Know what? Know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. Well, turn back to Matthew 19. Matthew 19, and I'll close. Look at verse 26. This thing of salvation. Our Lord, he looked at his disciples, and he beheld them, and he said, with men. With men, this is impossible. Salvation, this thing of salvation. If you're going to save yourself, if you think your works, or if we ever think we have something to offer a holy God that's going to save us, what's he say? With men? It's impossible. Just count it out. Just forget it. Just get that out of your head. With men, this is impossible, but look at that next word, but, but. Brother Roland brought a message down at Kingsport, just on that one word, but. Don't we love the buts of scripture, huh? But, with God, with God, all things are possible. Even the salvation of a dead sinner. Salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. All things are possible with God. Hebrews 7.25, it says, wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him, seeing that he ever liveth to make intercession for us. What are we to do? Cease from our works. Cling to Him. Cling to Christ. Salvation is of the Lord. It's all of Him. What's that leave us to do? Just look to Him. Rest in Him. Follow Him. All right. Isaac, come lead us in a closing song.