Too Good to Come

In Luke 18 we read about the 'rich young ruler' who approaches Jesus and asks how he might inherit eternal life.

Jesus tells him, "You know the commandments: 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" 

"All these things I have kept since I was a boy," he answers Jesus. 

When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me."

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.

Image this meeting: a "rich young ruler" comes to Jesus. That is how the crowd would have described the man. But he is approaching Jesus, who is richer than any words could describe,
and He is 'young' - He never ages, and He is the real Ruler - of everything!


(In this picture who is really the 'Rich Young Ruler'?)

So in the gospels we have poor people coming to Jesus - powerless, meek, lowly people, and also rich and powerful, self-satisfied people.

Certainly the man had not kept all the commandments all his life. That was obviously an exaggeration. But he was probably a basically good, not evil, man.

Some people I know say they cannot come to Jesus until they 'clean up their act,' polish up some of their blemishes. And that is foolish.

 But this man walks away sadly, not because he was not good enough, but because he was, as he considered himself, very good.  

So his very goodness kept him away from Jesus.

And now that I think about it, I know people like that, too...what a truly tragic story.

Remember this old gospel song? Goes back to pioneer days, and greatly loved by those hearty frontiersmen and women.  Daniel Boone's followers sang it often and gratefully.

Come, ye sinners poor and needy, 

weak and wounded,  sick and sore;

Jesus ready stands to save you, 

full of pity, love and power.

Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,

God's free bounty glorify;

true belief and true repentance,

every grace that brings you nigh.

Come, ye weary, heavy-laden, 

lost and ruined by the fall;

If you tarry till you're better

you will never come at all.

Let not conscience make you linger, 

of fitness fondly dream.

All the fitness He requireth 

is to feel your need Him.

                                          --Joseph Hart, 1750

So all He requires is that we need Him?