Matthew 19, Matthew chapter 19. I'm taking the title or the message
from the question the apostles ask in verse 25, Matthew 19,
25. When his disciples heard it,
they were exceedingly amazed and they said, who then can be
saved, who then can be justified before God. The Lord answers
that question. He beheld them, looking at them,
and said unto them, with men, this is impossible. Impossible. But with God, with
God, all things are possible. So I'm taking the title for the
message from what is asked in verse 25, who then can be saved? Who then can be saved? Well,
we know the Lord Jesus Christ came to save sinners, didn't
he? He came to seek and to save the
lost. Our Lord gives a direct, bold, and plain answer, with
men, impossible. But with God and only with the
Lord Jesus Christ, who is God our Savior, is salvation possible. not only possible, but also absolutely
certain and absolutely sure. Absolutely certain with Christ,
absolutely sure. The scripture asks this, anything
too hard for God? Anything too hard for God? If
He's the Almighty God, and He is, nothing too hard for God.
You remember Hebrews 7.25, He's able to save them to the uttermost
that come to God by Him. He's able to save to the uttermost
those that come to God by Him, seeing that He ever lives, He
ever lives to make intercession for us. So with God, with God
all things are possible. Listening to the religion and
philosophy of this generation of our day, they have turned
the statement of the Lord upside down and inside out. They have. They've turned it upside down
and inside out. They would have us believe with
men all things are possible, with men nothing is too hard,
with God it is impossible. Don't they say things like, God
wants to save you? that you will not let him have
his way? Don't they say things like God is trying to have his
way with you, but wicked men stop up his way? Don't they say
God's trying to do this? God wants to do that? My friend,
God doesn't try or want to do anything. He does all His pleasure
all the time. The God of the Bible does as
He pleases, with whom He pleases, always as He pleases. No one
can stay His hand. No one can say unto Him, what
are you doing? No one can challenge His will,
His power, His way, His hand. He's almighty. God is God. God is God. We read in Ephesians
chapter 1, He worketh all things after the counsel of His own
will and purpose. Does that include everything?
He worketh all things after the counsel of His own eternal purpose. In Daniel chapter 4, we read
that all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing,
and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and
among the inhabitants of this earth, and no one can stay His
hand, no one can say unto Him, Lord God Almighty, what doest
Thou? Whatsoever the Lord pleases,
that's what He does, in heaven, earth, sea, and all deep places. Psalm 135. Whatsoever the Lord
pleases to do, that's what He does. Now this is a very important
day in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's given to us
here in Matthew 19 and Mark chapter 10 and Luke chapter 18, given
to us three times. It's preserved for us that we
might learn the vital lesson that salvation of sinners is
of the Lord Jesus Christ, of Him totally, only, and completely. Man has no part in the accomplishment
of it or the distribution of it. He said, I will have mercy
on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion on whom
I will have compassion. So then, it's not of him that
willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth But God,
who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved
us, even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us together
with the Lord Jesus Christ. This young man says, here in
verse 20 of Matthew 19, he said unto him, all when the Lord said,
do the law, he said, all these have I kept from my youth up,
Do I lack anything else? Do I need anything else? Do I
need something else? What lack I yet? The Lord tells
this man that he was lacking one very vital thing. If you read over in Luke 18,
verse 22, where the Lord said, Yet lackest thou one thing. You lack one thing. That one
thing this sinner lacked was the essential thing which every
unbeliever lacks, which is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Life
in Christ. Faith in Christ. Without faith,
it's impossible to please God. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. A man without faith is a man
without Christ. Without Christ, it's impossible
to please God. John writes this. This is a record
that God has given to us eternal life. First John 5, 11 and 12. This is life eternal. This is, and this life is in
his son. He that hath the son hath life.
He that hath not the son of God hath not life. And the Lord said
in John 14, I am the way. I am the truth, I am the life. No one comes to the Father but
by and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ himself is the
only essential, vital, critical only factor in our salvation. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. The Lord in his sovereign and
eternal purpose was pleased to preserve this record of this
man, this young rich man who came seeking salvation by the
deeds of the law. We know by the deeds of the law,
no man will be justified. This man thought by his works
of righteousness and his morality, he thought he had accomplished
salvation. He thought he just needed The
Lord to approve of what he had done and accept what he had done
so he could merit salvation by his doing rather than the Lord's
doing and dying. How deceitful is our wicked heart,
our own wicked heart. Our Lord said in Mark 10 where
this is given, the Lord met him at his point of rebellion. He
said to him, sell out, take up your cross and follow me. And
it says here in our story that he went away sorrowful. He went
away sad and grieving his heart. He refused to depart with his
idols, his works, his riches. He refused to bow to the lordship
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He loved his money more than
Christ. He loved his money more than
salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. And we know from studying the
scripture, the love of money is the root of all evil. What do I lack? Verse 21, Matthew
19. If you'll be perfect, go and
sell all that you have, give it to the poor, and you'll have
treasure in heaven. Come and follow me. And the young
man heard that saying, he said, oh, I can't do that. I ain't
going there. I can't do that. for he had great
possessions. The problem was that great possessions
possessed his heart. His possessions was his idols,
was his idol. Let's not be deceived were it
not for the overpowering, invincible, sovereign grace of God, we too
would walk away without believing the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. and perish clean through idols
of self-righteousness and morality, rather than trusting ourselves,
rather than trusting the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Our Lord
said to those Pharisees, you or they would trust yourselves
before men. God knows your heart. That which
is highly esteemed is an abomination in the sight of God. You are
those who justify yourselves before men. Trust yourself before
men. But that which is highly esteemed
before men is an abomination in the sight of God. Now there
are many vital lessons taught in this story about the way of
salvation in Christ. And I pray that God would be
pleased to teach us this morning. Wouldn't it be great to sit at
the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ and learn of Him? To be taught
of Him? Now here's the first thing we
see, the first lesson. I've got five of them. The first
lesson is this. The first lesson is, A religious
zeal does not produce a righteous salvation. Saul of Tarsus was
the most zealous religious man, but he didn't know God in saving
mercy, did he? If you would look over here to
Mark chapter 10. If you don't want to turn, let
me just read it to you. Where this is given in Mark chapter
10 verse 17, we see a little more information. Sometimes you
need to read all three records. Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke
18. But in Mark 10, 17, when he was
gone forth into the way, there came one running, kneeled to
him, and asked him, good master, what shall I do that I may inherit
eternal life? Just give me something to do
that I may merit. So we see a religious zeal does
not produce a justifying righteousness before God. This man came running
to the Lord, boldly. He came to the Lord, but he didn't
come to Him as God our Savior. He came to Him as Master, Teacher,
Good Master. He even came to Him with respect.
He kneeled down. He kneeled down. He never called
on God for mercy. He came to the Lord with a title
of honor. He said, Good Master. Which means,
that word master means teacher. You remember what Nicodemus said? We know you're a teacher come
from God. Same word, master. We know you're a teacher come
from God. He came to the Lord Jesus Christ
with a good question, a serious question. I have an interest
in eternal life. What good thing shall I do that
I may inherit or merit, earn salvation? Now, let us be careful
we don't make the same religious mistake. Let us be careful we
don't make the same mistake. Religious excitement is not salvation. My pastor used to always say,
that which is born in a storm dies in the calm. Let us be careful
we don't make this same mistake. Salvation is to know and truly
live in God as He's revealed in the Word, not just to get
pumped up in religious excitement. You remember our Lord said, all
powers given unto me in heaven and earth, I will have mercy
on whom I will. And then he said, this is eternal
life, that they might know thee the only true God, Jesus Christ,
whom he has sent, the one who finished the work that God gave
him to do. Saul of Tarsus was a very zealous
religious man. He said, according, I kept all
the tradition of my fathers before. Pharisee of Pharisees, counting
the law, he said, I was blameless. But when he met the master, he
said, I count all things lost that I might win Christ and be
found in him. Here's a second lesson. The Lord
declares all men are sinners and that he is the only true
God. This young man, young rich ruler, self-righteous man, he
said, good master, What good thing shall I do that I may inherit
eternal life? Verse 17. Why callest thou me
good? Why do you call me good? There is none good but one, that's
God. There's none good but God. You
mean there are no good men among mankind? None righteous? No, not one. Does that include
you? Does that include me? There's
none that understandeth. There's none that seeketh after
God. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. There's not one. The only one
who is good is God. The only one who is good is God.
God, our Savior. He's the only one that's good.
There is none good, none righteous. And the Lord here is quoting
from Psalm 14. And the Apostle Paul also quotes
that in Romans chapter 3. We are totally depraved with
no ability to please God in anything we do. You don't really believe
in total depravity unless you believe personally that you are
the depraved sinner, guilty as charged. guilty before God. The scripture says, there's not
a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not. All
have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is very
important that we understand this lesson, as long as we're
not totally convinced that we are wretched, guilty sinners
before God, we'll never seek mercy where it's found. As long
as we are not totally convinced that we are guilty before God,
we'll never sue for mercy. Like that publican, God, be merciful
to me, the sinner. We'll always go about trying
to manufacture a righteousness of our own, of our own doing,
rather than submitting to the righteousness of God that's revealed
in the gospel. You remember Paul writes about
those Jews in Romans 10, they being ignorant of the righteousness
of God and going about to establish a righteousness of their own,
have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God revealed
in the gospel. And then he says, for Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believe it.
Romans 10 verse four. Here's the third lesson. Our
Lord wisely deals with this man on the ground that this young
man wanted to stand, doing, obeying the law. That was his point of
rebellion, and the Lord met him at that point of rebellion. If
you desire salvation by doing the law, then keep it. Look what
he says in verse 17, the last part. But if thou wilt enter
into life, keep the commandments. Do you want salvation by doing
the law? Well, keep it. If you could keep the law, you
would have salvation. But the law was never given to
save, it was only given to condemn us and drive us to Christ. And he said unto him, well, which? Which one do I need to do? And
the Lord said, do no murder, do no adultery, don't steal,
don't bear false witness, honor your father, your mother, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man said unto him,
all these I've kept for my youth up. I don't like
anything. Do you like anything? What like
I yet? What like I yet? All these have I observed. This
man, like many people, naturally think they can merit salvation
by the deeds of the law. By the deeds of the law, no flesh
shall be justified. Now, I love that scripture in
Galatians chapter 2 verse 21. If righteousness come by the
law, then Christ died in vain. That's powerful, isn't it? If we can keep the law, No need
for Christ to die. He redeemed us from the curse
of the law being made a curse for us. This man, like many people,
naturally thought he could merit salvation by the deeds of the
law. This man was totally ignorant of his own character as a sinner,
totally ignorant of the holy character of God. Many people
think salvation is by something they do. Do. Do. There are many problems with
that. One big problem is this. The
law of God demands absolute perfection in word, thought, motive, and
deed. And be assured, no sinner can
meet that rigid demand, that strict, holy demand of God's
law. Life by the law can only come
by keeping the law perfectly, without blemish and without spot.
The Apostle Paul writes this in Galatians, as many are as
of the works of the law are under the curse. Cursed is everyone
that continues not in all things which are written in the book
of the law to do them. We study in the book of James
chapter 2 verse 10, to offend in one point of the law is to
be guilty of the whole law of God. Just one minor inflection,
one minor offense, Affliction. Offense. By the deeds of the
law shall no flesh be justified. Thank God for the gospel. The
Lord Jesus Christ came to redeem us from the curse of the law.
Salvation is by the grace of God alone. God saved us and called
us with a holy calling. not according to our works, but
according to His own purpose and grace given us in Christ
Jesus before the foundation of the world. This man revealed
his ignorance by declaring that he observed the law. He just
broke the law by saying that he observed the law. Now listen
to me. Let me be real plain and honest
with you. As I said this morning, I'm a simple man. I can only
understand simple things. We have not kept one law at one
time. Not one. Not one time. Not one. To be guilty of anything
is to be guilty of all the law of God. We are sinners through
and through. The only thing sinners can do
is sin. We cannot not sin. But the good
news of the Gospel is, if you know that, Christ came to save
sinners. I'm the chief one. I know I'm
the chief offender. Here's the fourth lesson. Our
Lord deals with this man at his point of rebellion. At his point of rebellion. It
says in Mark chapter 10 verse 21, Jesus beholding him loved
him. Now that's an amazing statement,
isn't it? I think the Lord in mercy, in pity and mercy, had
grace upon this man. Not at this particular time,
but some point. If the Lord said He loved him,
that means He loved him from everlasting. And at some point,
this man was taught the gospel of the grace of God. He was sad
and grieved. Maybe he went away and asked
the Lord for mercy. Maybe the Lord showed this man
mercy. Now, I'll let the theologian
debate about whether this man was a true object of God's eternal
sovereign love and mercy, but I know the Lord met him on purpose,
didn't he? I do know that the Lord had pity
on this poor sinner, groping about in darkness of his depravity,
his sinful nature, and confronted him at the point of his rebellion.
One thing you lack, which was everything, he lacked union and
faith with Christ. He lacked love for the Lord Jesus
Christ. He lacked true, justified righteousness
that's only revealed in Christ. The Lord looked into the window
of his heart He knew that he was a covetous man. He knew that
he had accumulated great wealth, great possession. He hoarded
it up, and that was his idol. That was his idol. When the Lord
exposed him, he was sad. Verse 21, if you will be perfect,
if you will be justified before God, you go and you give everything
away. Give it to the poor, and you'll
have treasure in heaven. and you come and follow me. And
he went away, when he heard that, he went away sorrowful. Sorrowful. He was confronted with the command
to sell out, give everything away, take up the gospel and
follow Christ. His religious zeal soon melded
away in grief, didn't it? Let us examine our own heart,
whether we be in the faith. Or do we have forsaken all our
idols of works and self-righteousness? Is there any false delusion that
we're clinging to? Any false refuge that we're resting
in? Or have we given up everything?
Have we given up all our idols and resting in Christ alone? That's what true faith does.
That's why Paul said, I count all but loss that I may win Christ
and be found in Him. If you truly believe and if you
truly belong to the Lord in that eternal covenant of grace, He
will cross your path with the truth of the gospel. He will
meet you at your point of rebellion and cause you to bow to His lordship,
submit unto the Lord, and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as everything
in salvation. He will strip us of self and
clothe us with Christ, our righteousness. He will empty us of self and
fill us with himself. He will wound us with the sword
of his word and then heal and operate upon us with the power
of God. The gospel of God, the power
of God and salvation. He'll kill us and show us that
we're dead in sin Without hope, without life, without God, and
then He raises us from the dead. He strips us, clothes us. He
wounds us, He heals us. He kills us, He raises us up.
Here's the fifth thing. Salvation is only possible by
the almighty power of God. In verse 25. Let's go back to
verse 23. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
the Lord said that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom
of heaven. Again, I say unto you, it's easier
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, and for a rich
man, those who are trusting in their riches, or trusting in
their righteousness, trusting in their morality, to enter into
the kingdom of God. Then his disciples, when they
heard that, they were amazed. Who then can be saved? And the
Lord said, with men, this is impossible, but with God, with
God, all things are possible. Salvation, we know, is of the
Lord and His planning. The Lord Jesus is the Lamb slain
before the foundation of the world. Salvation is of the Lord
and His performance, right? He performed all things for us.
He finished the work the Father gave Him to do, salvation of
the Lord and its planning, its performance, its purchase. He
bought us with His own blood and His power. We're saved by
the power of God. Saved by the power of God. The
Gospel is the power of God and the salvation. We're bought with
His precious blood. His precious blood. Upon hearing
the declaration of the Lord to this lost religious man, and
seeing this man walk away from the truth of the Gospels, The
disciples stood in utter amazement. They thought this man was a prime
candidate. They thought he was going to
be a follower of the Lord. He walked away and they were
astonished, saying among themselves, well who then can be saved? Our
Lord's powerful and truthful answer, By their merits, their
works, their deeds, their righteousness, salvation is impossible. It's
not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away
sin. It's impossible as it would be to push a large camel through
a very small hole. The law, by the deeds of the
law, shall no flesh be justified. It's impossible as it would be
for God to lie. Every word he speaks is absolute
truth. It's impossible for God to lie.
It's impossible with us, just like it would be for a dead man
to give himself life. Impossible as it would for a
leopard to make himself clean. Our Lord said this in Jeremiah,
can the Ethiopian change his skin? Can a leopard change his
spots? Then you may also do good who
are accustomed to doing evil. With men, salvation is impossible. You got that? Second thing, but
with God, with God, the impossible is possible. With God, all things
are possible. With God, by his purpose, his
grace, with God, by his mercy, his merit, with God, by his righteousness
and redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ, all things are possible,
are they not? You remember the scripture? Let
me just read it to you. You're familiar with this. God
who spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all,
how shall they not with him also freely give us all things? Who
shall anything to the charge of God elect? It is God that
justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is
Christ that died. Romans 8.34. Who is even at the
right hand of God who also makes intercession for us? Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? No one can separate us
from the love of Christ. Nothing can separate us from
the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ
is absolutely certain and sure. Salvation in Christ is definite,
ordered in all things, and is sure. Anything too hard for God? Jeremiah 32. O Lord, behold,
thou hast made the heaven and the earth. By thy great power
is stretched out With eyes stretched out arm, there is nothing too
hard for thee. You see, my friend, the Lord
Jesus Christ came to save sinners. With Him, all things are possible. This is a faithful saying and
word of all acceptation. The Lord Jesus Christ came to
save sinners. With man, it's impossible. But
with God, all things are possible. Verse 27, in closing. Then answered Peter, and said,
Behold, we've forsaken everything, and we have followed thee." What do we have? They had everything
in Christ, didn't they? They had everything in Christ.
You see how dull we are? This is Peter, the apostle. We're
so dull of hearing. We're so dumb and we're so ignorant.
The Lord has to teach us over and over and over again. We've
left all, we've followed you, what's our reward? Well, there's
a good definition for faith there, forsaken all and followed thee.
Someone said, faith is spelled F-A-I-T-H. Forsaking all, I trust Him. Forsaking all, I trust Him. Those who forsake all for Christ
will find all in Christ. Christ is all and in all. Will
receive all with Christ. Heirs of God and joint heirs
with the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord said verily, verse
28, truly I send you that which have followed me in regenerating
grace, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory,
we'll be seated in Him, in the heavenlies, in Christ, and we'll
sit upon the throne of glory in Christ, and judging the twelve
tribes of Israel, God's elect by the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and everyone that hath forsaken houses, Brethren, or
sister, father, or mother, wife, or children, lands, for my name's
sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall inherit eternal life. Forsaking all and trusting Christ,
we have all spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Verse 30, but many that are first
shall be last and the last. shall be first. The Lord does
not view things as we do. We think that the first should
be first. The Lord says the last shall
be first and the first shall be last. This is the way of grace,
totally contrary to the way natural men think. In Luke 18, where
the parable is given of the Pharisee and the publican, one would naturally
think the Pharisee would win salvation by his deeds. Remember,
he said, Lord, I thank you. I'm not like that man. I fast. I tithe. I give my everything
away. I do this. I do that. And the publican would not even
lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote his breast and said, God,
be merciful to me, the sinner. So the Pharisee thought he would
be first. The man who was last was justified
before God. The man who justified himself,
the Pharisee, was condemned, and the man who condemned himself
was justified. The last was made first. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, God
hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise. God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound
the things that are mighty, and the base things of the world
and the things which are despised hath God chosen, and the things
which are not, to bring to naught the things that are, that no
flesh should glory in his presence. The last shall be first, and
the first last. That's the way of grace in Christ
Jesus.