Sermon – Is Salvation Possible for All?
Matthew 19:16 Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why ask me about what is good?”Jesus replied.“There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 20 I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 20 I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 27 Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?” 28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”
Introduction: Just because a thing is possible for all does not mean it’s easy! Is this even possible for me? How often have we thought or said those very words? Hearing about the possibility of salvation or healing or deliverance, we think that’s impossible! Scripture has examples of impossible things becoming possible. The Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, walking across the Red Sea, drinking water from rock and the list goes on. All things that seemed impossible. Isaiah foretold that a virgin would be with child. Mary was told she would give birth to a son, an unmarried virgin, all impossible! Yet, an angel visited them both with God’s message. "For nothing will be impossible for God” (Luke 1:37).
1. Salvation is Possible for All Who Believe - Matt 19:21 “Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”
The young rich ruler’s desire for eternal life was noble and praiseworthy. Jesus makes it clear that salvation is possible for all who comes God’s way. This is discouraging for many who have use their money or influence to get what they want in life. In this life, money and power seem to answer all things. Jesus was not criticizing wealth, or the acquisition of wealth but He cautions us about the danger of trusting wealth as a means to salvation. The amount of money and the earthly influence ones has will have no bearing on salvation or spiritual perfection in the kingdom of God. I know many may see salvation’s way as too narrow and spiritual perfection as an unrealistic goal, yet Jesus says it’s possible now and possible for all. Although It can not be earned by human effort, we can all receive it. By faith we can receive salvation and pursue spiritual perfection as a free gift from God.
The rich young ruler was a law abiding Jew, who had earned much by his personal efforts. This man centers everything on himself and his ability. Still empty, he ask, “What should I do that I might have eternal life?” “Lord, I know how the gain the respect and trust of others, to acquire wealth and prosperity. I gained all I have by doing, now what good thing can I do to earn salvation?” Jesus answers this man’s question with what he expected to hear. Do the commandments, keep the commandments and Jesus started to list them. You can almost see the man checking each one on the list. After all, the man was trying to earn his salvation by doing his best and do them all. Now he is thinking, “Which one did I miss?” The Lord Jesus keeps this man’s attention on the second table of the law. The man needed to learn to love his neighbor as himself. Jesus was teaching that the best demonstration of ones love for God is showing love to ones neighbor. Salvation is possible for all who love God enough to practice love for others. .
2. Pleasing God is Possible for All Who Act on His Word - Romans 10:1-4 “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
This young rich ruler wanted to do some additional good thing to earn salvation. For he did not even recognize the only One who was good was God the Father. Like the Jews in Paul’s day, many will not submit to God’s way, but to find their own way without success. Too many today think they can earn their way into heaven by all the good things they have done or will do. Pleasing God and striving for perfection is possible. Our very thoughts, words and our actions are stained with sin. None of us have the capacity to offer up acceptable sacrifices to God. We are infected with evil thoughts every day. Our mouths are filled corrupt words. There is no one who does good all the time, not one. "All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a filthy cloth. All of us have withered like a leaf, and our guilt carries us away like the wind" Isaiah 64:6).
Our only hope for pleasing God and becoming perfect flows from our relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. All who believe on Him as the Savior of the world and act on His Word are accepted in the beloved. How sad it is that so many think that if they can make the impossible become possible by human effort. We perform good deeds because we are saved, not to get saved. Believers in a zeal to do right, must not reduce the gospel to a list of rules to keep and deeds to perform. We are not called do more, work harder, earn your place in heaven. We are call to believe more! The gospel message is that Jesus paid the price that we might be reconciled to God by Faith. The gospel motivates us to do right, do good and to do no harm in God’s sight. “For this reason, no one will be declared righteous in his sight by works of the law, for through the law we become aware of sin” Romans 3:20. Pleasing God and striving for scriptural holiness is possible for all who believe and follow Jesus.
3. Perfection is Possible for All Who Pursue It. – Matt 19:20 I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
What a high standard and lofty goal Jesus set, “If thou would be perfect”. This kind of perfection cannot be earned or bought. Even though the young rich ruler had many amiable qualities, he felt something was lacking. This young man had influence in many circles yet he over estimated his own importance and trusted in his acquisition of great wealth. He has come to Jesus because he believes Jesus has the answer he needs. How impressive that is, many who are down and out, in great need never come to Jesus, nor do they believe Jesus has the answer for their situation. The possibility of perfection begins by coming to Jesus, and choosing to follow him.
Mt 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
The young ruler had misaligned priorities. He sought wealth first. Now he is seeking to earn Salvation as a reward. He has a great goal to be perfect, to be the best. Jesus gives him a simple task: sell everything, give to the poor and you will have great treasures in heaven. Treasures that moth, rust do not destroy. “Then come, follow me.” Jesus wanted him to count the cost, to Seek first God’s kingdom. Jesus gave this man the answer he wanted to hear. Do this and you will have salvation and eternal life. The kind of perfection Jesus mentions is the spiritual maturity necessary to believe God’s word and embrace our identity as the righteousness of God in Christ,
2Co 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.. .2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Every believer is already accepted in the beloved and proclaimed to be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. The believer stands in right relationship with God which makes it possible to be in right relationship with others. This is kust who we are, what we are called to and what should stand in. We are holy and without blame before God our Father who called us and saved us
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4. Paying the Price is Possible, Necessary, and Worth it. Matt 19:22 “But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”
We all must pay the price. Every believer must pay a price even though Jesus paid it all. We are not asked to pay it all or give it all, but there is price to pay. The young man had too many possessions to give them up, to sell them and the proceeds to the poor. Christ offered him everything he wanted, but he thought the price too high. What he had was more important to him than what he had to gain. He thought he had riches, but his riches had him. Self-trust made salvation and eternal life impossible for him. So he leaves Jesus and his search continued, looking to do more, to get more, to be more, but every step led him away from salvation and into more dissatisfaction. Everyone must pay the price.
Our nation is abundantly blessed. One might even say “over-blessed”. We have enough to live comfortable daily lives. We actually have more than enough to enjoy in our earthly lives and give portions to others. Satan knows this. It is no surprise when the devil tries to distract us from our treasures in heaven by offering more wealth on earth. We fall into the trap in this world which keeps promoting newer, bigger, better and more. There is nothing wrong with improving our lives. But this can turn into an unhealthy obsession. That’s what happened to the young rich ruler. What’s holding you back? What’s hindering your decision for Christ? Whatever it is, is the price you must pay.
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon" (Matt 6:24).
Mammon includes all earthly wealth. Possession can never bring salvation, inner joy or lasting peace. We are familiar with paying for products and services. It is our way of life. Oh, we may grumble and complain a bit about the cost of things. Generally, we pay the price. Some have tried to buy their way into heaven. That’s impossible! The rich man had everything on earth. The rich man ended up with nothing of value in heaven. Poor Lazarus had nothing of any earthly value, but was rich toward God. He had everything waiting in heaven. We cannot pay for one single sin. We cannot buy a ticket to enter eternity. The old saints use to sing, “what can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
"But no one can by any means redeem himself. He cannot give God a ransom for himself. Yes, the ransom for their souls is costly. Any payment would fall short" (Psalms 49:7,8). The disciples of Jesus heard him speaking with the rich, young man. Jesus clearly tells them it is very hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven because he trusts in what he has and is not rich towards God. It is so hard that it is nearly impossible as it is for a loaded camel to go through the needle’s eye. Drawing this example from the gates of the city being closed at night with only a small door called “the eye of the needle” available for entry. The camel’s load must be removed before entry is possible. Jesus’ disciples ask the right question. “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at the disciples, demanding their full attention. “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” The impossible is possible! Scripture cannot be any clearer. “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Try as hard as we might we cannot earn salvation or heaven for eternity. Whoever breaks one law is guilty of breaking all of the commandments. Sin is an ever-present disease contaminating our very souls, ruining every effort and polluting every offering. It is impossible to save ourselves. Thanks be to God! Jesus makes the impossible possible. "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward mankind appeared, he saved us—not by righteous works that we did ourselves, but because of his mercy"
“With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Not all of the wealth in the world can pay for a single sin. The price is too great. All the worldly wealth available to man cannot compare with the gracious offer of our loving, heavenly Father. Lord God of creation, so rich in mercy, made the offer to Adam and Eve after they sinned. Sin ruined the perfect world the Lord created. God demanded a price for disobedience. For sin. The price God required he paid with the sacrifice of his Son, our Savior Christ Jesus. "For this reason, he had to become like his brothers in every way, in order that he would be a merciful and faithful high priest in the things pertaining to God, so that he could pay for the sins of the people" (Heb. 2:17). Christ took on human flesh to live on earth. He was tempted in every way as we are tempted. Jesus did not sin. His perfect obedience paid for our disobedience. The righteousness of Christ covers up our unrighteousness. He made it possible for all to be saved, pleasing, perfected and accepted in the beloved.
The Lord God has made those things possible for all who would believe. We have the gift of faith. We are God’s children. We are born as enemies of God, separated by sin but by faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit came in our life and changed our hearts. Now, our sins are forgiven; we are free and full of joy. We know our names are written in the book of Life. Our disobedience earns eternal punishment but Jesus’ innocent suffering and death, his precious blood paid the price. "Indeed, it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Is Salvation Possible for All? God saves all by grace alone. By faith alone. By scripture alone. 1. Salvation is Possible for All 2. Pleasing God is Possible for All Who Act on His Word 3. Perfection is Possible for All Who Pursue It. Finally, 4. Paying the Price is Possible, Necessary, and Worth it. Amen.
