Sermon Cloud

So here we are, right at the end of another year, may be a good time to look back, take stock and look forward.
Earlier we heard the story of the rich young ruler; and we are going to have another look at it again now, I reckon that Jesus has something to say to each one of this morning, so let’s take another look at this chap, come with me on a trip to Judea, it is warm dry and dusty and it is around about 32AD, we’ve been listening to Jesus preaching… wow can you even begin to imagine that..?
Jesus had been baffling the Pharisees with his teaching on divorce, and then there were dozens of parents taking their children up to Him for a blessing. We are just thinking of heading off to find some lunch when we see a young man in some very well cut clothes falling at Jesus feet and kneeling in the dust, now this has to be worth a closer look so we go back within hearing, a few of the crowd around us know this young man, they tell us that his father has left him a fortune; he owns a lot of the livestock on the hills around and he holds a high position locally. But what is he doing, as we jostled forward a bit we hear him say, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" Then Jesus says, "Why do you question me about what's good? God is the only One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you." this young man is looking a bit uncertain now, "What in particular?" he asks. “Well”, says Jesus, "Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, honour your father and mother, and love your neighbour as you do yourself." OK says this young bloke, "I've done all that. What's left?" “what am I lacking”, there is silence, you can almost hear a pin drop, and as you look around at the others in the crowd you can see that question being silently considered, just as it is by you, “what do I lack….
The silence is broken, as Jesus looks the young man in the eye….
"If you want to be complete, then you need to give it all you've got," says Jesus, "go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me." Wow look at his face, can you see his expression? That was the last thing he expected to hear. And so, disappointed, he walks away. He must have been holding on tight to a lot of things, which he couldn't bear to let go of, as we see him wandering off head down, let’s jump in the tardis  back to Ely 2006.

Grab your Bible if you have one to hand and turn to Matthew 19:16ff
 16And behold, a man came up to him, saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" 17And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." 18He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbour as yourself." 20The young man said to him, "All these I have kept. What do I still lack?" 21Jesus said to him, "If you would be complete, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

In the worlds eyes this man had it made, but he obviously saw that there was something missing, there was a gap – a big hole in his soul, he was rich to overflowing in the worlds eyes, but inside, he was running on empty.
How about us sat here this morning? Is it time to mind the gap??

 “Good Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” he might have expected a reasonable response, because he knew that he wasn’t a bad ole boy, he tried hard with his religion, he had inherited a good amount of wealth, he kept the laws (well as well as anyone could, he probably thought). But Jesus said, hey, you’re talking about good, well if you want to talk about good look at the source of goodness, only He is really good, look to God, and keep his law.
I can almost hear the response, after Jesus outlines the laws to be kept, this bloke thinks I’ve cracked it as he says, well I’ve always been a pretty well behaved and stayed within the law, ever since I was young, what else do I lack?
Jesus saw straight through this response, he knew this young man has a problem. Jesus can see the problem, the problem is that in his life this man didn’t put His God first, And that is Jesus question to you and me this morning, where are you, where am I putting Jesus? Does he have the place he should have in your life?
Back to the young man in the text, yes he was religious, he knew right from wrong, but he was looking for an eternal life handed to him on his own terms, an easy inheritance as he had from his good old rich daddy.
Jesus says to him, no, look you have got it wrong, boy have you got it wrong, you are failing to keep the law because people are going without, whilst you have more than you need, your wealth is an idol, you really haven’t got it – don’t you see – your wealth is a serious hazard to you.
So this man had a choice, money and eternity in Hell or to follow Jesus, ooo that sounds a bit harsh doesn’t it?

Let’s take a look at the common misunderstanding that has been peddled about this passage. Basically, if your rich, then money will be a problem for you; so either keep it and go to hell or get rid of it and follow Jesus.
That is wrong
That is not what Jesus said
That is seriously missing the point:
So what is the point? Well for this man it was money, he had it and he loved it, he loved it a lot, and he loved it a lot more than Jesus, and for some today it will be the same thing, but for others it might be our work, our homes, our hobbies, or our family, if we turn back to Matthew 8:21 we see that, another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." i.e. I’ll come in a few years when my parents have died.
It can be, even our ministry, if we put anything else before Jesus, we make an idol of it.

This young man had met with Jesus his Messiah, and he certainly wasn’t left with a sense of confusion, he fully understood what Jesus was saying to him, but he also understood what a hold this world had on him, it wasn’t an easy choice. It should be an easy choice because it has eternal ramifications. The upshot is eternity in glory or eternity in hell, but so often our decisions are based on what we want now, it would have been no different for him.

So where have we got to so far?
• Well, we have learned that the only true goodness is of God (v17);
• That this story doesn’t just address the miserly rich amongst us;
• That Jesus claim on a believers life requires a real commitment;
• That knowing the truth and not acting on it is as useful as a chocolate fireguard.
We’ve a few minutes to just look at these in a little more depth, (don’t panic I said minutes not hours).
These four short points are possible gaps between us and our God – we Need To Mind The Gap.

So number one Jesus says, “you want good, that’s great, look to your creator”, but what does the world say?
What do we see and hear as we live our lives? 
The world says, hey what’s your problem, we can all be good, there are good Atheists, good Hindus, good Muslims, and anyway says the world, who say’s what is good and what is bad? We live in a post-modern, funky, trendy, politically correct world, if you think it’s good it’s good, and what right have you got to tell me what is good and what isn’t.
Jesus said then and says now, there is a fundamental flaw in seeking goodness without God, He is the source of all goodness. As they say in Sierra Leone, God is good all the time, all the time, God is good!

Number two – Jesus wasn’t just talking to the misers amongst us, obviously if that rings a bell with you then you need to do something about it, but if that’s not my problem, then I, must consider what my problem is. What are you hiding behind, what are you clasping so tightly, so tightly that you think you can’t let go, what is your security blanket? If it isn’t Jesus you are holding on to, whatever it is, it will fail you.
Let me tell you this morning: Jesus will never, never fail you…NEVER.
If it isn’t Jesus you are holding on to you need to ask Him to help you let go of whatever it is, and take hold of Him with both hands.

So we see that Our God will not share our worship, we must be fully committed to Him, and that is our third point, the third possible gap.
Maybe you have been a Christian for many years, and you are thinking, look I know all of this, I’m OK, this is stuff for non-Christians, and yes of course you would be right, and I would invite anyone here this morning who doesn’t know Jesus yet to listen to that knocking on the door of your heart, Jesus died for yours and my sin, and He wants you to accept an eternity with Him, more wonderful than you could ever imagine, please don’t go another day, another year without Him, come and talk to us today.
5 second G A P
But Christians amongst us, this passage still to speaks to us today; about our commitment to Jesus!! He said to each of us, come follow me * not follow me a little way, * or follow me a little bit, * or follow me whilst it is convenient, but Jesus said, follow me first and foremost, and we know don’t we? That when we put Jesus first, then everything else follows.

We come to our last point
When you know the truth and decide not to act on it, what use is that?
You know some times I picture Christians as spiritual adolescents – do you follow my drift? Think about it for a minute or two. If you have ever experienced living with, or can remember what it is like to be an adolescent? Have a think about the similarities.
God says, “look I really would like you to do this because it is the best thing for you in the long run, and when you get on and do it you’ll find it is just amazing”.  Now we know it’s the right thing, but what’s our response all too often? Yeah, but, no but, oh c’mon give me a break, you don’t understand, I’ve gotta do this instead, cos that’s what me mates are doing and and……
Sometimes we can be just like that can’t we? We k-n-o-w He is right, we can see the truth, and every now and then, not always but and every now and then we stamp our feet, or sulk, or do that other brilliant adolescent trick, we practice selective remembering, we “”forget”“.
But Jesus knows just how much we struggle, if we look to Mark’s account of this young mans encounter with Jesus we see that Jesus looked at him with amazing love as he told him what He needed to do, and that is how He looks at you and me, with incredible love, He knows how we struggle, Hebrews 4:15 – 16 says” Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.”

Now I don’t know what Jesus is saying to each one of you today:

Perhaps you are understanding that amazing gospel message for the first time, and you need to let go of something so you can truly take hold of Jesus, maybe you want to talk or pray with someone, we would love to do that with you.

Perhaps you are being challenged by the vision the Lord has given us as a fellowship, to be a Church like the Church at Antioch, a Church who love to share His love, who have a heart for one another, have a heart for the people around us have a heart to work with other Churches and send people out to plant or revitalise Churches, maybe there are things you have to let go of to really grasp Gods’ vision for this place.

Perhaps there are areas of our personal walk with our God that we are being challenged about, perhaps there are things we have to let go of to fit through the doors that He would have us go through, Gordon brought that picture the Lord had given him of those various doors that are set before us didn’t he?

Jesus has called us, and continues to call us to follow Him, so as we step over the threshold into a New Year, Let’s mind the Gap let’s keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus.

And rather than go away head hanging down in sadness like the rich young man let’s go move on with heads held high under His banner, under the banner of Jesus!