Sweden Church
  • Home
  • Listen
    • Sunday Services
    • Real Time >
      • But God...
      • Incompatible With Life
      • Heroes of Faith
      • Matthew 9 Series
      • Where We Find Jesus Series
      • Temptations of Christ Series
      • Sermon on the Mount Series
      • Prodigal Son Series
    • Revival 2022
    • Sweden Celebration 2020
    • Revival 2019
  • Sermon Series
    • Revelation Series
    • One Thing Series
    • Deuteronomy Series
    • 1 & 2 Kings Series
    • Titus Series
    • Jonah Series
    • What Kind of Man Series
    • Advent 2019
    • Ten Commandments Series
    • "No More" Sermon Series
  • Pictures
  • Our Blogs
    • The Pastor's Pen
    • The Layman's Pen
  • Upcoming Events
  • Contact Us

Don't Walk Away

10/10/2021

0 Comments

 
Ecclesiastes 3:11 talks about God planting eternity in the hearts of men.  There must be a lot of truth to this.  It’s a topic that has been pursued by mankind down through the ages.  Even the hard-hearted atheists have scoffed at the idea and lent some measure of truth to its’ existence by their very denial of it.
There is a story in Luke 18 that our pastor spoke about in the sermon.  It’s about a rich young ruler.  He’s rich, he’s young, and he has authority.  And, yet, he’s concerned about eternity.  He was probably one of the many standing around and heard Jesus tell the story of the Pharisee and the publican. 
The Pharisee and the publican went to the temple to pray.  The Pharisee beat on his chest and thanked God that he wasn’t like the publican and other low-lifes that he could think of.  The publican, however, standing over in the corner smote his chest and asked God for mercy because he was sinner.   The blow came when Jesus said that the publican went home justified and the Pharisee who exalted himself would be abased.
It’s plain from the text that the rich young ruler has a high opinion of Jesus.  He, at the least, believes that Jesus is a Good Master because he calls him that.  Jesus corrects him and says that only God is good.  There’s a little question here.  Did Jesus know that the ruler didn’t really consider him the Messiah?  The ruler’s non-response would suggest that he didn’t think he (Jesus) was.
"What must I do to inherit eternal life?" he asks.  Jesus refers him to the commandments which is kind of a brush off.  But the ruler comes back with the fact that he has done all those things since his youth (bragging like the Pharisee).  Now, Jesus hits him with it.  “Sell all you have and follow me.”  This is the ruler’s chance.  Does he really believe Jesus is the Messiah?  What do you think?
We know he turned Jesus down and walked away sorrowful.  Why?  Were his material accomplishments worth more than eternal life?  He walked away and he’s never heard from again.  The story is about salvation.  His chance came.  He turned it down.  He walked away.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Linda Johnson

    Linda Johnson moved to Douglas County with her husband Tom 12 years ago after retiring from teaching. Following Tom's death in 2016, Linda began facilitating a grief support group called GriefShare through Sweden Church.​ She serves as the Sunday School teacher for our High School class. Her "Layman's Pen" articles are also published in the local paper, The Douglas County Herald. 

    Andrea Strong

    Andrea is Pastor Joshua Strong's wife. She also serves Sweden Church as Church Secretary, website administrator, and Sunday School teacher to the Intermediate Class.

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    February 2015
    November 2013
    October 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012