As Jesus walked along the road, his mission field came running up to him in the form of man. Even though the man had everything that our culture thinks is needed for the good life (youth, power and wealth) he was not satisfied with what he had. What he wanted was eternal life. We see his urgency as he runs and falls on his knees before Jesus, begging to know the way to have eternal life.

"Good teacher," he asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" The man desires to earn eternal life by works righteousness. Works righteousness is when you try to figure out what you can do to make things right with God in order to earn a spot in God’s family. It is a natural attitude, but it is not the Gospel. The Gospel starts with God’s grace and love, not with your doing. Inheritance is not a matter of doing, but of being in a certain family. The Gospel is about God making you part of his family in Christ.

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good except God alone." Jesus challenges the works righteousness attitude. We do not inherit eternal life because we have been good. Only God alone is good enough to satisfy the demands of God’s glory. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Jesus begins with the law as he rolls through the commandments that deal with our duty to other people. The young man answered, "All these I have kept since I was a boy."

This man was not hung up on pride and station, even though he had position and money. He earnestly wanted to know how to have eternal life. He was zealous for the law of God. Jesus looked at him and loved him (v 21). Remember that the hard thing Jesus is about to say to the man is not intended as a put down or put off. Jesus’ heart went out to him so he said, "One thing you lack. Go, sell everything that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

The man was crestfallen. He went away sorrowful because he had great wealth. What must have saddened him most was the fact that he was not the man he hoped he was. He thought he cared for eternal life more than ceremony, wealth or ability. When Jesus told him what he needed to do, he realized that his wealth had a deep hold on his heart. All of his things and all of his money were very important to him. Were they even more important than having eternal life?

The Law says you are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind soul and strength. The young man’s problem was that his things had a greater hold on him than his love for God. Jesus himself had invited the man to follow him and be a disciple. What could be better than that? Yet, the man was too attached to his possessions to accept the offer of Christ.

The man thought he had kept the commandments since he was a boy, but he did not. The man did not have a good grip on the first commandment. Other things had captured the affections of his heart. This is a passage we Americans do not like to hear because we have more wealth than this rich young ruler. We struggle with what it means to be good stewards of what God has given us. We do not want to be told to sell all we have any more than this man did. We are hoping that Jesus will not ask that of us.

Are you hesitant to give all you have to the Lord? I have news for you—he already owns it. You must acknowledge that you are merely a steward of the things you have. God already has the ability to control your wealth. All the things you have, all the wealth that you have amassed may be taken away in an instant. It will not guarantee you the good life. Don’t place your trust in them. Don’t place your affections on them.

Here Jesus comes back to the Gospel. No one is good enough to enter heaven on his merit. With man, this is impossible, but not with God. Eternal life is not a matter of doing and earning, but being joined to Christ through faith. Does the desire of your heart trust in your faithful Savior or in your ability and wealth? What holds your affections and occupies your mind? Does something stand between you and your desire for eternal life?