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[0:00] Please take your Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter 19.! Matthew 19. We'll begin reading at verse 16 and read through the end of the chapter.

[0:12] Matthew 19, verse 16. Now a young man came up to Jesus and asked, Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?

[0:25] Why do you ask me about what is good? Jesus replied. There is only one who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.

[0:38] Which ones, the man inquired. And Jesus replied, Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony. Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.

[0:54] All these I have kept, the young man said. What do I still lack? Jesus answered, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

[1:08] Then come, follow me. When the young man heard this, he went away sad because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

[1:25] Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, Who then can be saved?

[1:41] Jesus looked at them and said, With man, this is impossible. But with God, all things are possible. Peter answered him, We have left everything to follow you.

[1:55] What then will there be for us? And Jesus said to them, I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

[2:15] And everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or fields, for my sake will receive a hundred times as much, and will inherit eternal life.

[2:30] But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Eternal life. It's a subject that people have been very interested in right down through history.

[2:48] Indeed, the scriptures tell us that we were made for more than just the 70, 80 years that we have here. That eternity is bound up in our hearts.

[3:01] And men have been trying to figure out, how do we enjoy this eternal life? Now, in all human history, God has revealed only two ways for man to enjoy the blessedness of eternal life.

[3:18] Only two ways. First, he revealed a way to enjoy eternal life by man's own works. And the second way that he revealed was by Christ's works alone.

[3:36] Now, let's look at these two plans this morning. First of all, plan number one. Where did God reveal that man could enjoy eternal life if he would just obey God perfectly?

[3:51] Well, that was in the Garden of Eden, wasn't it? He promised a sinless Adam that if he would continue to obey God, that he would enjoy life forever.

[4:04] But if he ate from the tree that he was told not to eat, he would surely die. You're free to eat from any tree in the garden, including the tree of life.

[4:18] But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die. So you see, the way for sinless Adam to enjoy eternal life was to go on continually, perfectly obeying God's law.

[4:37] But Adam disobeyed, didn't he? He ate from that forbidden tree, and so he suffered the punishment his sins deserved.

[4:47] He died. What's more, he passed on to his descendants, to all of us, his sinful nature, and his condemnation. For he was indeed representing us.

[5:04] He was our representative in the Garden. And so in Adam, all sin and all die. There is none righteous.

[5:15] No, not even one. So we all come into the batter's box with three strikes against us. We're already out. We're already condemned.

[5:27] And we need to be saved. So that's the way to eternal life. And it's over. It's a road that's closed as far as any sinner's concerned, isn't it?

[5:39] Because we must obey perfectly, and if we've sinned, we're already sinners. It can't help us this way to enjoy eternal life.

[5:49] So that means that no one will ever get to heaven because of their own good works. That way required perfect obedience. It was only possible for sinless people, namely Adam and Eve in the Garden.

[6:08] Now before we consider the other way to enjoy eternal life, we need to pause and realize that God didn't owe us another way. God would have been perfectly just to have left us to perish in our sins and given us the deserved hell that we had earned by our sin.

[6:29] In fact, when the angels fell into sin, he didn't provide a way of salvation for them, but sealed them in their everlasting doom.

[6:39] So God didn't owe us sinful humanity any more than he owed the angels a way of salvation, another way to eternal life.

[6:54] And so it's amazing grace that God did not leave mankind to perish in a state of sin and misery, but purposed to save his people by sending a redeemer, a redeemer.

[7:07] That's from the children's catechism. Some of you children will remember that. God made another way to enjoy eternal life. And this way was not for perfect people in the garden, but for sinners.

[7:22] Sinners like you and like me. This is not the way by man's works that failed. This is the way by Christ's works and by Christ's works alone.

[7:35] Because he did keep the whole law perfectly. He obeyed at every point. And he suffered the punishment that sinners deserved.

[7:46] So that any sinner who turns from his sinful way and trusts in what Jesus has done for sinners will not perish, but have eternal life.

[7:58] Now that's the only way to enter eternal life ever revealed for sinful men. Remember, this way to eternal life was only for sinless men.

[8:09] The only way God has ever revealed a way for sinners to receive eternal life is through Christ's works and Christ's alone. And the Bible goes to great lengths to say this, doesn't it?

[8:23] Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy. It's by grace through faith that we're saved. Not of works so that no one can boast.

[8:37] And then our Lord Jesus stood on this earth and he said, I am the way, the only way. I am the truth, the life, and no one comes to the Father and that eternal life that's in him except through me.

[8:52] So again, we're seeing the Bible is dead in earnest in telling us that we as sinners have only one way left open to us to enjoy eternal life. It is through Christ and what he has done.

[9:04] It is not at all based upon our works and what we have done. And what about the sins of those who trust in Christ?

[9:20] Well, because Jesus obeyed perfectly, he has a perfect righteousness. to give to sinners. He has the report card with perfect A's to give to any believing sinner that that might be credited to their account.

[9:36] And as for their sins, he took them upon himself and suffered the punishment those sins deserved on Calvary. That's how anyone is saved. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous one for the unrighteous to bring us to God.

[9:53] And so by Christ's perfect work, sinners can be right with a holy God and enjoy eternal life with him. Eternal life is now found in Christ alone.

[10:08] Jesus, the sinless God-man. Jesus, God in the flesh, is the one who merited eternal life by his perfect obedience. So he has eternal life to give to us who don't deserve it.

[10:20] Indeed, this is the record that God has given eternal life to us and this life is in his Son. He that has the Son has life.

[10:32] He that has not the Son of God has not life. So this life, this eternal life that men are so interested in, how do I get eternal life? It's found in Christ alone.

[10:44] If you have Christ as your Lord and Savior, it's yours. If you do not, you do not have eternal life. In Adam, all die.

[11:02] So in Christ, all are made alive. Where are you? In Adam? And that old plan of salvation by works? Or are you trusting in Christ and in his works for eternal life?

[11:16] Well, that's the big story that the Bible is telling from Genesis to Revelation. A covenant of works in Adam, a covenant of grace in Jesus Christ. In Adam, we're left to gain eternal life by perfect obedience.

[11:34] And we've all failed in Adam. In Christ, we're given eternal life as a free gift based on his obedience that was perfect and his death that took the punishment our sins deserve.

[11:48] Now that's amazingly good news for us sinners. And so the Bible keeps telling this story over and over. We've broken God's commandments. We deserve damnation.

[11:59] But God's own Son has come to obey the law perfectly and to give that righteousness to those who didn't deserve it if they will but turn from their sin and trusting themselves and receive it freely as a gift.

[12:14] What a deal to receive eternal life freely based on what Christ did rather than what we do. Now, it's upon a life then that I did not live, upon a death that I did not die, another's life, another's death, that I can rest my whole eternity.

[12:36] Eternal life comes based on Christ's life and death. And yet, though that is told throughout the scriptures, man keeps telling himself that if he's good enough that he can make it to heaven on his own good works.

[12:50] Man keeps reverting to this way of enjoying eternal life, the way of man's works. If my good works outweigh my bad works, maybe I'll make it.

[13:05] If I've not done anything really bad, and so people are leaning on their own works to get them to eternal life instead of on Christ's works alone.

[13:16] And that is the most popular religion of all. It comes in all sorts and shapes and sizes and denominations and world religions, ways that men seek through what they do to get to heaven.

[13:31] Whereas the only way for sinners is to quit this trust in self and to cast ourselves upon Christ and what he has done for sinners. But you see, being good enough is not good enough for God.

[13:50] It's not good enough for God. The road of man's works was for sinless people and it required perfect obedience. So if you're putting your weight on man's works, on your own works, you need to know this.

[14:02] They must be really good. Perfect works. Nothing else is accepted. So if you're going to go this route, you need to understand something.

[14:13] It was perfect obedience that's required when man, by his works, enjoys eternal life. That was the condition to Adam. But in the day you eat, you will surely die.

[14:24] No eternal life for you. You see, you need to know the way God is going to judge you in the end. If you're going to lean upon your own good works, you need to know the grading scale.

[14:35] There's no grading on the curve. It's all pass fail. You either obey perfectly or you don't. Obey perfectly, eternal life. If you don't, it's eternal damnation.

[14:47] So, that's what Paul reminded those people in Galatia who through their own good, thought their own good works would contribute something to getting to heaven and enjoying eternal life.

[14:59] He says to them, you need to know just how good you need to be. And this is what he said in Galatians 3.10. All who rely on observing the law to get to heaven are under a curse.

[15:12] Because it's written, cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law. So, if you're going to go the way of works, you've got to obey all of God's commands all the time for your curse.

[15:30] That's this works plan of man. And so, Paul concludes, clearly, no one is justified before God by obeying the law.

[15:41] That road is forever closed to sinners. They need not apply. Rather, the righteous will live by faith, faith in Christ's work. For Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.

[15:55] Indeed, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Now, in our scripture reading today, in Matthew chapter 19, we find this young man who's very interested in the subject of eternal life and how he gets it.

[16:15] And we need to see it in light of these two ways that God has revealed whereby men can enjoy eternal life. It is by man's works, perfect obedience, or by Christ's work, his perfect obedience.

[16:30] And so, here he is. He's desperate about eternal life. And we might say he's concerned about the right thing. and he seeks out the right person.

[16:43] He comes to this new rabbi, Jesus, and he thinks that maybe he can answer my questions about how to get eternal life. And so, he says, teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?

[16:57] Can you see in his language which plan he's leaning on? What good thing must I do to get eternal life? He's leaning on the works plan.

[17:08] I'm going to do something to get eternal life. He's been doing pretty well as he'll tell us, but he just needs to know the one good thing still needing to be done to cinch the deal and to give me eternal life.

[17:25] What good thing, one thing, must I do to get eternal life? He seems sincere, he seems willing and ready to do whatever Jesus would say to him. Well, we notice that though he's very religious, he has no assurance that eternal life is his.

[17:43] Does he? He's done a lot, but he's fearful that he hasn't done enough. There's something more. His conscience is telling him there's something more that must be done in order for me to gain eternal life.

[17:58] I'm still lacking. And you see, as long as a man is looking to his own deeds, he'll never know if he's done enough. But if a man will trust in Christ's work, that's a finished work.

[18:08] It's over. It's done. It's complete. And there is peace and assurance in resting in what Christ is. This man is resting on his own works and so he's not at rest.

[18:19] He's not able to sing as we did. It is well with my soul because he still doesn't know what other works he must do to gain eternal life.

[18:30] And so Jesus says, why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. You talk as if you're a good man.

[18:42] Like, doing good is an easy thing that you can accomplish. Just tell me the good thing that needs to be done and I'll do it. That's how you've come to me.

[18:54] But you must know there is only one who is good. And the inference is clearly it's not you. Now, Dale Carnegie would say that's hardly the way to make friends and influence people.

[19:09] Why is Jesus so abrupt with this young man to say, to make an issue about him asking about what good thing must I do?

[19:21] Well, this man will never have eternal life as long as he is seeking it by his own good works. And as long as he has this high opinion of himself that thinks he can accomplish this whatever that good thing is, he will never run to Jesus to trust in what Jesus does for sinners.

[19:40] And so Jesus loves this man enough to tell him the truth. He loves this man enough to confront him with his self-righteous pride and his faulty opinion about earning eternal life.

[19:53] And so he says to him, if you want to enter life, keep the commandments. You're after eternal life and some good thing you must do to enter it, to gain it, then obey the commandments.

[20:09] Now, you say, what is Jesus doing? He sounds like a legalist, like a Pharisee telling this man to obey the commandments. Well, he's sending him to the law because it's by the law that he'll become conscious of his sin.

[20:25] Until he sees what a sinner he is and how impossible it is for him to perfectly obey the law, he'll never forsake his own self-righteousness and seek for salvation through Jesus.

[20:36] And so he says, okay, you want to know what the good thing you need to do to get eternal life? Well, you need to obey. You're going to need to obey perfectly the commandments of God.

[20:50] if this is the plan you're seeking, that's what's required of you. So if you think you can gain eternal life by your own doings, then just do it.

[21:02] Obey the commandments and eternal life is yours. Which one? The man asks, rolling up his sleeves. And Jesus takes him to the Ten Commandments.

[21:12] He takes him to the summary of all God's commands. They can be summarized in ten words. And he takes him to the last half, the second table of the law that has to do with the way we treat other people.

[21:25] And so he quotes five out of the last six of the Ten Commandments, the last table of the law. Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.

[21:41] And as Jesus is reciting them, this man in his mind is ticking them off. Done that, done that, done that. Haven't done that. Good there.

[21:53] And then Jesus even adds the one commandment that sums up all of man's duty to his fellow man, love your neighbor as yourself.

[22:04] Love your neighbor like you love yourself. And the young man is unimpressed. All these I have kept. What do I still lack? Let's call a time out here.

[22:17] Let's talk about this a moment. This young man may be sincere, but he's got a very shallow view of what God requires by his commandments. A very slim view that he's able to say, I've kept all of God's commands.

[22:37] He doesn't see himself as a lawbreaker, does he? He's a law keeper. He's one of the good guys who keeps God's commands. He's not like those other guys. And so he doesn't think he's a lawbreaker because he's not murdering.

[22:52] And he thinks to not murder simply means that I keep my knife out of my neighbor's back. And I've never done that, so I'm good with the sixth commandment. But earlier in this same gospel, Jesus has said that hatred and anger is murder of the heart.

[23:12] that you can break the sixth commandment not just by putting a knife in your neighbor's back, but by talking behind your neighbor's back in an angry way.

[23:26] That in so doing you break the sixth commandment. He thought that he had never committed adultery. He'd never been to bed with someone else's wife.

[23:36] But Jesus had earlier made clear that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart with her and is so breaking the seventh commandment.

[23:51] So here is Jesus standing before this man. Jesus, the one and only lawgiver. And he says that the commandments reach deeper than outward behavior.

[24:02] They make demands upon our hearts, our thoughts, the desires and motives that we have. Man indeed looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart. So I ask you, do you think for a moment that this young man had always, every time, told all the truth and never deceived anyone?

[24:26] Do you think that he never took anything that had not belonged to him? That he never disobeyed and dishonored his parents?

[24:39] But he always did it with a right hard attitude and always right away and always completed the job. Do you think he did these things perfect?

[24:50] Do you think he really loved his neighbor as much as he loved himself? Jesus clearly could have taken any one of those commands and pressed it home to this man's heart and said, you haven't kept any of those commands that you claim that you have kept from your youth.

[25:09] But instead he lets the man's own heart condemn him. You think you've kept all these and want to know what you still lack? Well, if you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, then come follow me.

[25:27] There it is. There's the thing you must do. The one commandment of the last six that Jesus did not speak of is the last you shall not covet, possessions.

[25:40] And Jesus saw to the heart of this man that possessions and money were his God. And so he puts his finger on that.

[25:53] The young man wants to hang on to his idol and yet serve God. two. And Jesus says you can't. You cannot serve two masters.

[26:05] Either you'll hate the one and love the other or you'll be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. And so Jesus shows that his idol must go.

[26:17] You must reject your idol if you're to follow me. So the demand for discipleship for this man is sell your possessions, give it to the poor, and then come follow me.

[26:28] That's what it costs to be my disciple, the renunciation of all idols, all rivals to the throne of your heart. So do you see how Jesus got around to answering this question?

[26:40] What must I do to get eternal life? Well, you must follow me because eternal life is found nowhere else but in me.

[26:53] He has the son, has me, has life. And so you need to come follow me. But you cannot follow me unless you forsake all your competing idols and masters.

[27:07] And for this man, that meant selling his possessions, giving it to the poor, and then coming and following Jesus. You see, Jesus isn't teaching a different way of salvation for this man.

[27:20] He's pointing him first to the fact that if you think you can get to heaven by something you do, you've got a lot of doing to do, far more than you realize because one sin breaks the law.

[27:32] This is a broken way to heaven. It's not for you. Furthermore, you've got to come to me in order to have life. And as long as you've got an idol in your heart, you can't even do that.

[27:43] You have got to get rid of your idol to come to me. You see, Jesus is humbling him. He thinks he's got it in the bag. There's this one more thing I need to do and then we're going to be fine.

[27:58] And Jesus draws him up short. You need to come to me. You need to trust in me. You see, he would never do what Jesus told him to do unless he trusted Jesus.

[28:10] This pastor was saying earlier, who will say have thine own way? My riches, they're gone. Sell them, give them to them. I want you. Who will say that?

[28:20] Who will do that? It's only the one who trusts him. And Jesus is saying, come to me, trust me, and give up your idols, and give up the control of your life, and wanting everything your way, you must be done with that.

[28:33] That idol must go, you must come and just want me, and trust me enough to lead you through life. love. And when the young man heard this, he went away sad because he had great wealth.

[28:50] His departure exposed the idolatrous love of money in his heart. Oh, he wanted eternal life, but not as much as he wanted his possessions.

[29:04] He was hoping to have both in the end, wasn't he? But he found out that discipleship to Christ demands the exclusive devotion of his heart, demands the forsaking of all of his idols, other masters that he served with such devotion.

[29:20] And he was unwilling to part with his money, but he was willing to part with Jesus. And he turned on his heel, and he went away.

[29:31] Sad, yes, he hoped to have both, but in his going, he showed which ruled his heart. It was his possession. It also exposed how insufficient his goodness really was.

[29:47] He hadn't kept the law of God after all, had he? The greatest command is to love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, and strength. And here is God in the flesh before him.

[29:59] He does not love him. He loves his money more than God. He had other gods before him. And whoever breaks the law at just one point is guilty of breaking it all.

[30:13] So he really is a lawbreaker. He really is not so capable morally to just do one more thing and buy his own works to make his way to eternal life. No, he is a sinner, and so this way doesn't fit him.

[30:28] And he's so married to his money that there can be no salvation apart from a new birth and a new heart given to him. And that's what Jesus goes on to teach his disciples. As this man is walking away, Jesus turns to his disciples and he says, I tell you the truth, it's hard for a rich man.

[30:44] It's hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

[30:59] Now, kids, the eye of a needle is the hole on the back end of a needle. And it's so small that sometimes mom's got to get her glasses and a magnifying glass to see it clear enough to put the thread through it.

[31:12] It's a small thing, isn't it? And Jesus is talking about not getting thread through that hole, but getting a camel, humps and all, through the eye of a needle.

[31:28] Now, some people have thought, surely, that the Greek language is confused here and that's not the right translation and the hole is some other thing, much bigger and it's really not a camel, it's a cable and trying to make it work.

[31:45] But you see, the whole point is that Jesus is saying it is impossible. It is impossible. It's laughably, ridiculously impossible.

[31:57] Now, it was the common thought that wealth was a sign of God's favor. God's smiling with favor upon the wealthy, so surely they're doing all right with God, but now Jesus is saying, no, wealth is a hindrance to this man.

[32:11] Wealth is keeping him away from God, away from eternal life, and they're greatly astonished. They are struck, dumb, and saying, well, then who can be saved?

[32:22] We're talking about salvation, entering the kingdom, salvation, eternal life, it's all the same thing. And they're questioned, if the wealthy cannot be saved, if it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, for them to be saved, who can be saved?

[32:39] And Jesus looked at them and said, with man, this is impossible. All men, rich, poor, all the different differences we have, and it is impossible with mankind.

[32:51] And we need to get that message. Jesus is making that point, isn't he? With man, this is impossible. impossible. Let's not miss what he's saying.

[33:01] Salvation is impossible with man. Why? Because he's a sinner. And because he's a sinner, he's not capable of perfectly obeying God's commands. He fails. It's impossible for him to attain to eternal life.

[33:16] He's not even able to forsake his own idols, the God replacements that he gives his heart to, his loyalties to. He's not even able to get rid of those things.

[33:27] And set himself free from his sin and bondage to sin and self. He's not even able to renounce his self-righteousness and say, oh, I'm a hell-deserving sinner.

[33:40] My only hope is in Jesus. No, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for that to happen. And he doesn't have within his fallen nature the ability to even turn from his sin and trust in Christ in every way, from every angle.

[33:56] Jesus is showing that salvation is impossible with men. Why is he doing this? Because he's making the point that the Bible makes right throughout that salvation is of the Lord.

[34:07] It's something God must do to the sinner. It is not something that the sinner does to gain eternal life. Salvation is God's work. He saves sinners. Salvation is something sinners receive and have done to them.

[34:21] And so Jesus makes it plain salvation is indeed impossible for sinners. But, but, with God all things are possible.

[34:41] You see, he doesn't stop there, does he? He goes on to say, yes, impossible to men, but not with God. What is impossible with man is possible with God, namely salvation, eternal life.

[34:52] Because what man could not do by his own works, God is done in Christ by his perfect works. His perfect obedience has one favor with God for all who trust in him.

[35:06] His death on the cross has covered forever the sins of all who trust in him. It's a finished work. It's a sufficient work. And he has power to break the reigning sin that holds any sinner to his money, to his control of his life, to addictions, whatever it is that keeps a person from coming to Christ, Jesus has power to break reigning sin.

[35:31] For any who come and say, God, be merciful to me, the sinner, for Jesus' sake, they give, they receive eternal life. This coming Saturday morning, we do plan to bury the body of our beloved Ed Withrow.

[35:49] And this very text, this encounter of Jesus with the rich young ruler, was special to Ed. In fact, he says, I was that young man.

[36:04] His words. Ed grew up in a Christian home. He was religious. He went to church. church. He did all the things he was told to do.

[36:17] Self-sufficient, self-confident, but deceived, you see. He was baptized at age 12. He was elected president of his youth group. He read the Bible. He prayed openly, publicly, when the congregation was praying.

[36:32] He thought he had eternal life in the bag, and yet he was as lost as could be. Jesus Christ did not have his heart. Jesus Christ was not his only trust.

[36:46] He was sadly deceived. Then one day at the age of 20, around 29, someone gave him a book to read. And the book was given over to explaining the story that we've just read and had preached.

[37:00] Jesus' encounter with this rich young ruler. And the Holy Spirit used it to open Ed's eyes to see that he was just like that young man.

[37:14] Religious on the outside, doing all the right things, thinking he's good enough to make it to heaven, but in reality so deceived. And he was convinced by this passage of scripture that he was lost in sin.

[37:30] And the next six months for Ed were the most miserable days of his life, because now he knows he's a lost sinner, deserving hell. And yet he tried to clean up his act, and he failed.

[37:45] And he tried again, and he failed. He tried to obey the commands of God, and he failed. You see, he's trying to build this ladder to receive eternal life by his own works, and he kept failing, and he kept failing, and he kept failing.

[38:00] God was stripping him of his own self-confidence, his own trust in his goodness, his own righteousness, until Ed came as a hell-deserving sinner who was helpless and just cast himself on the mercy of God.

[38:18] God, be merciful to me, a sinner, for Jesus' sake. Save me. Forgive me. And new life followed, eternal life. This is eternal life, to know thee, the one true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

[38:35] And Ed began to enjoy eternal life, and he's still enjoying it this very day. How many are there in churches today who are just like Ed or like this young man in the text?

[38:49] Law-abiding citizens, outwardly moral, as good as the next guy, better than most, thinking that hell is only for the real down-and-outers, the really bad, certainly not me.

[39:00] Perhaps some of you here are just like Ed was, thinking your works could gain you a place in heaven. You need to see that as long as you are outside of Jesus Christ, that you are under the works plan.

[39:13] This is where you are, my friend. This is how you will be judged, okay? You're not trusting in my son that I sent, then you're standing here on your own merit, then here's the way I grade, perfect obedience to all my commands, all the time.

[39:27] You must know that. Ed came to see that, and he came to see what a desperate condition he's in, and he must flee from any trust in himself and his own works, and to come to Christ.

[39:40] Just one sin makes you a lawbreaker and exposes you to God's eternal wrath. death. But you see, if you will completely renounce any trust in your works and cast yourself upon Christ's works, he will receive you.

[39:56] He rejoices to show mercy. He's plenteous in mercy. He delights in mercy. And that eternal life that you could not earn by your own works, Jesus Christ will freely give you as something he bought with his works.

[40:10] That's the gospel. It's the gospel that Ed believed. It's the gospel that many here have believed. and how sad indeed for sinners to walk away from Jesus. What a sad story is Matthew 19.

[40:24] This man wanted eternal life but not enough. He's still holding on to something that he held dearer than Christ in eternal life. I wonder, what are you holding on to?

[40:35] With this man, it was money, possessions. Is it a person? Is it a thing? Is it just you calling the shots in your life? You being the one who is going to determine what you do and don't do, you're not ready to surrender that sweet surrender of faith to Jesus.

[40:51] Let me just ask you, what will that thing be worth two seconds after you're dead? What was all this wealth worth to this rich young ruler two seconds after he died?

[41:04] It was worth zero. What would a place in Jesus Christ be worth two seconds after you're dead? Eternal life. That's what it'd be worth. Don't value anything above the Savior.

[41:19] Come to me. Come, be my disciple. Come, follow me. Come, put your trust in me. Don't go away sad this morning. Go away glad. Go away with eternal life because he who has the Son has life.

[41:33] And if you will come and receive Jesus Christ this morning, you will have eternal life. You'll begin to enjoy it today with the rest of us who are enjoying it here and now and then you will enjoy it forever and ever after you die and it will get better two seconds after your death.

[41:50] And the fourth second will be better than the second second and it will only get better until we've been there ten thousand years bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun.

[42:05] Come and welcome to Jesus. Come and take him at his word. Come and believe his gospel. Come and renounce any trust in your works and put all your weight of trust in Jesus' works.

[42:18] You can do that right where you're sitting. You can do it as we sing this final hymn. Let's turn to number 441. Thy works, not mine, O Christ.

[42:31] 441. Let's pray together. Lord Jesus, you have made our hearts glad when we were sinners who had sinned against you and shut up the way to heaven by works.

[42:43] You came, God in the flesh, by your perfect life and atoning death you might have a righteousness to give to poor hell-deserving sinners.

[42:55] We thank you that you worked by your spirit in our hearts to where we gave up all hope of ever doing anything to contribute to our salvation and gave us to cast ourselves lock, stock, and barrel upon the Lord Jesus and what he has done.

[43:12] We thank you that his work is finished. It's over. It's a complete work. There is nothing left to do. Bring sinners to receive that work of Christ this day and so to enjoy eternal life.

[43:27]  We give you thanks in your own precious name. Amen. Amen. Amen.