And we're we are going to begin this morning by reading from Romans three nineteen. Romans three chapter three verse 19. Then, we're going to flip back over to Matthew sixteen nineteen actually this morning. Matthew 19 and verse 16. So, but first Romans three nineteen.

A little review here quickly. Paul is writing the book of Romans. He introduces himself to the people in Rome there as the servant of Jesus Christ, as the apostle of Jesus Christ, sent to preach the what? Sent by God to preach the gospel, okay? That is for the Jew and also for the Greek or the Gentile.

He said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God and the salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Then, he takes a couple of chapters, rest of chapter one and chapter two. Beginning of chapter three, in order to demonstrate to the readers that everyone needs a savior. Everyone needs a savior. There are none of us that are exempt from that need because all of us are what?

All of us are sinned. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. None are righteous, no, not one, not one religious person, not one Jew, not one Gentile, not one rich person, not one poor person, not one educated person, not one, no, not one. Is righteous in himself and worthy of heaven. Except the Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself for us.

We all need a savior and that savior is Jesus Christ. Many of the Jews in particular thought themselves to be able to earn heaven by their good works, by keeping the law. But this is what Paul has to say here in Romans three nineteen. Now, we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and that all the world may become what? Guilty before God.

Paul said, why did God give the law? Why is it made known to us? So that we will recognize that we are guilty before God. We have failed him. We have not kept the law.

No matter how hard we may try, we do not are not able to keep it in its entirety. We are all guilty. Verse 20, therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge of sin. The law does not justify.

In other words, the law does not find you guiltless. It finds you guilty. When we are judged according to the law, our good works as those who have rejected Christ will be judged in Revelation 20 at the Great White Throne judgment. They are all found what? Guilty and if we don't do something about our problem, we too will be found guilty.

The law cannot justify us. You say, but I'm I'm doing a pretty good job. Pretty good isn't enough. You say, but I've kept nine of them. Nine out of 10 is not enough.

It's not enough. And James were told, if you offend in one point, you are guilty of what? Oh, if you broken the law, you broken the law. If you broken a law, you broke the whole law. The law condemns us.

It simply reveals to us our problem and our problem is we're sinners. We're law breakers and we failed to bring glory to our creator. That would be sad if that's where it ended. That would be not the good news, that would be the what? The bad news.

But Paul doesn't end there. Verse 21, but now the righteousness but now, I love that there's some places in scripture where it says, but now or but and that is a wonderful word in this context. We are sinners. We are condemned. We are guilty before God because we have failed to keep the law but there's something coming that changes all that.

That is not the end. There is something else but now, the righteousness of God without the law is manifested or revealed being witnessed by the law and the prophets who foretold of the coming of the Messiah. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference. The righteousness of God the only righteous ness, the only righteous one who kept the law was who? Was Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ died for you and me on the cross and he took our penalty.

He paid our price. That all who put their faith and trust in him might be forgiven. Of all their sins, redeemed from the penalty and power of sin. The Old Testament prophets foretold of his coming. He came, born of a virgin, as the prophets foretold, born in Bethlehem, as the prophets foretold, died on a cross, as the prophets foretold, rose again from the dead, as the prophets foretold.

To save his people from their sins as the prophets foretold. And one day will come back as the prophets foretold. Our righteousness doesn't measure up. Our righteousness, it says in Isaiah sixty three six, are as filthy rags. You're trying to impress somebody, you don't bring your nasty, oily, dirty, filthy rags and say, here, I have a present for you.

Wouldn't you love to have these? No. You bring them nice, pretty, new, clean ones. When we offer to God our righteousness apart from the righteousness of Christ, we're just offering him what? Filthy rags and he's not impressed.

But there was one who did impress him. There was one who did keep the law. There is one who is righteous and is not worthy of death, who instead died for the sins of mankind. So that all who put their faith in him might be saved. And that word all is very important.

Verse 22, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. For there's no difference. Rich or poor, Jew or Gentile, religious or not. Whatever the case may be, Jesus died for all and all who come to him and put their faith in him. Can be saved, redeemed, and forgiven of their sins and received his gift of eternal life.

This is the what? This is the good news. The good news is, yes, we are all guilty based on the law but Christ who kept the law took our penalty upon himself that he might offer to us a way out, a way of redemption, a way to be forgiven through faith in him. Now, Jesus offered this while he was upon the Earth during his ministry. In John chapter three, you read about Nicodemus.

Nicodemus came to Jesus. He said, sir, what must I do to enter the kingdom? Jesus said, you must be born again. He said, how can I possibly be born again? You can only be born one time.

Jesus said, no. That which is born of flesh is flesh, that was born of the spirit of spirit, marvel not I say unto you, you must be born again. How how are we born again? Born of the spirit, reborn spiritually. Well, he tells you in John three sixteen, the same chapter.

For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus said to Nicodemus, believe on me and I will give you eternal life. Nobody else has that power. Nobody else died for us and rose again. Nobody else can save a human soul but Jesus Christ.

He is the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by me. Look, if you would in Matthew chapter 19, we have another story here. Of another man, who came to Jesus wanting to know how to enter the kingdom. Heaven essentially, the kingdom promised to the Jews, God's kingdom.

In John three, we have Nicodemus, the Pharisee. In Matthew 19, we have a man unnamed, identified as a fairly wealthy young man. And this wealthy young man comes to Jesus with an important question. Let's read beginning in verse 16 and let's read down through verse 22. And behold, one came and said unto him, that is Jesus, good master.

What good thing shall I do? That I may have eternal life. He that is Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one that is God but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He say it unto him, which?

Jesus said, thou shalt do no murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Honor thy father and thy mother and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

The young man said unto him, all these have I kept from my youth up. What lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, if thou wilt be perfect or complete, go and sell that thou hast. Give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful.

For he had great possessions. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you Lord for recording this incident in your word that we might look into it to the day and we might see and gain spiritual wisdom and instruction that is vitally important that we understand. We pray Lord if there's one in here today that's unsure of their relationship with you that they would not leave here unsure anymore.

In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen. First, this morning, I want to see this man's request. What was his request? We read it in verse 16.

He said, good master, what good things shall I do? That I may have eternal life. This young man recognized that he was lacking something. He just wasn't confident that his identity as a Jew that his upbringing very moral and legalistic was enough to assure him entrance into the kingdom of God. He just wasn't sure.

He seemed to innately know that there was something that was what? Something that was missing and he didn't know what that was. He didn't know what it was that he needed to do what good thing he needed to do to to assure him a place in God's kingdom. Secondly, he recognized that Jesus was one who could answer his question. He became the right place.

He came to Jesus. The right place to come. We're not sure why he felt that Jesus was the one to answer his question and give him this this assurance concerning his eternity. Maybe it was Jesus miracles that he had done. Maybe he'd seen his miracles.

Maybe it was his teaching. Maybe he had heard a good bit of Jesus's teaching. But he seemed to recognize that Jesus was a person to ask this question to. And he did come to the right person. He came to the right place.

If you're here this morning to hear the word of God and the message from God concerning Jesus love for you, you've come to the what? You've come to the right place because that's what you're going to get today. Number three, he called him good master. For indeed Christ was a good master. The word master is the in the Greek.

It means instructor or teacher. He is being respectful and reverent. In calling Jesus a teacher and there were many like Nicodemus that recognized that Jesus was a good, a a trustworthy teacher. However, he likely would have referred to several people by that salutation. Other rabbis, teachers, and leaders in his country.

This would not necessarily be unique to Christ. This term of respect. Well, what was Jesus's response to his question? What good thing must I do? And you can already see he's getting off on the wrong foot because he's like saying, what good thing can I do but we'll get to that in a second?

What is Christ Christ response? Well, initially, Christ says, verse 17, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one that is God but if thou will enter into life, keep the commandments. So, Jesus's response is this, initially, why call you me what? Good.

There is only one who is good and that is who? God. God. Okay. Why Jesus?

Why did he say that? Well, Jesus was not denying his deity as some have tried to convince people of. Rather, he is affirming it. Seen as only God is good and if Jesus is good, then Jesus is who? God.

God, okay? He didn't deny he was good. He simply said, why are you calling me good? Because if I am good, if I am indeed what you are calling me, then I also am who? I am also God.

He's not denying his deity. He's essentially confirming and affirming his deity. He did not deny that he was good. And also by Jesus pointing this out, he's not only affirming his deity, he is also beginning to drive home a very important point to this young man. There is only one that is good and that is who?

And that is God. So, that is not who? That is not the young man that is standing before him because that young man is not who? He's not God and he knows he's not God. And Jesus has said, if you're not God, then you're not what?

Good. Okay? He's this is the beginning of his argument. Jesus knew this man did not yet understand the extent of his sin and his lost condition. This man thought, well, I just need to do this one more thing or this one more thing and I'll be okay with God.

He didn't understand the extent of his problem. So many in this world today, they don't understand the extent of their problem. They think, okay, it's, you know, it's like you got some big, bad internal disease and I'm going rub a little ointment on on my skin out here and it's going to take care of it. No, there's a bigger problem that you gotta deal with. This man had an internal heart issue He didn't understand how deep it went and how incapable he was affixing it himself.

He used the man's salutation as an opportunity to teach him as he told him that only God is truly good and the rest of us are sinners. None are righteous. No, not one. Romans three ten. Like a cup of water, with just a couple drops of cyanide in it.

Isn't drinkable. Why? Because the cyanide permeates the what? It spreads out and permeates the whole of the water and makes none of it drinkable. Praise God.

This doesn't have cyanide in it and I'm thirsty. But you see, just a little of little sin defiles the whole what? Defiles the whole of humanity. If you've offended in one point, you are guilty of all. Now, let's be honest.

We haven't committed just one sin. We haven't broken just one commandment. We haven't committed just a few sins. We have committed one boatload of sins either by our activity or in our thought, mind, and heart we've broken almost every command. And that is because we are sinners and since the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord, that sin has spread from generation to generation.

Condemning us. It is unpalatable to a holy God And there's nothing we can do in ourselves to eradicate it and no amount of good works will erase it. You know, if I dropped few drops of cyanide in this water and I said, okay, well, there's cyanide in here. It's no good. Well, you know what I'll do?

I'll add some more water and I'll fill up the cup and then, I can drink it. Still wouldn't do that. Still wouldn't do that. Still got what in it? Sinai.

Sinai. Still wouldn't do that. You know, just add, I'm going add good works in and God's going say, okay, I'll ignore the sin that's still what? Still in there. Still in there.

Didn't get rid of the sin. Nope. Still a problem. He asked him about his own goodness. He asked this young man about his own goodness.

Whether he had kept the law to which the young man said, which? Which laws? What laws are you talking about? Well, Jesus gave him commandments five through nine from the 10 commandments. Thou shalt honor thy father, mother, thou shalt not murder, shalt not commit adultery, shalt not steal, shall not bear false witness, and then added from you shall, you must love your neighbor as your self which is kind of synonymous with commandment number 10 or sums up all the last six altogether.

The tenth being thou shalt not covet your neighbor's things, his house, his lands, his wife, so forth, and so on. You're not going to do that if you love your neighbor. What was the man's response? He said, oh, I've done that. Okay?

You've done that. You know, Christ did not mention these commandments in order to give him a means to eternal life by keeping them. But rather as a test, so the man would recognize that he didn't want. He didn't measure up. That's why Christ said, how have you been doing in keeping the commandments?

Oh, I've been doing pretty good. Which ones? So, Christ gave him these and he said, yeah, I've been doing pretty good. He's failing the what? He's failing the test.

He does not recognize. Keeping the commandments means obeying them to what extent? All of them to their nth degree He hadn't heard Jesus speak evidently at the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus explained to the people there at the sermon. He said, you say, I'm not a murderer because I've never murdered anybody but you've murdered them in your what? In your heart because you hate them and you wish them ill and you are guilty of breaking God's law.

You say, I have not committed adultery but you've looked upon other women to lust after them. You've already committed adultery where? In your heart, Jesus said. So, you say, well, I haven't gone all the way I haven't committed an outward sin but God said, God who sees the what says, you failed him already. Even before you go through with the action, You've already sinned in your heart and you are guilty before God.

This young man may have endeavored to keep the commandments. But he had not kept them entirely just like the rest of us. He didn't recognize his failings or at least he was not willing to admit them. Mark two seventeen says, they that are whole have no need of position but they that are sick. Jesus said, I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

Does he mean that there are people who do not need to repent? No. He meant he's come to call the people who recognize and admit their failing to repent. If you don't think you need a savior, you're not going to what? You're not going to repent.

If you think you're good enough on your own, you're not going to come to Christ. Because you don't see the need. I beg of you today, see the need. See the need. And if you're a Christian here, please be reminded.

Of who you were before you met him. And that what you are today, you're only are because of him and in him. Robed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. There are many people out there that believe themselves to have been pretty good people and do not know that they are worthy of death and hell. Though they've come to the wrong conclusion, it's quite understandable.

As most people would like to think themselves good and worthy of blessing rather than chastisement. Nobody likes to be rebuked. Everybody wants to think that they are, well, I wouldn't say everybody. Most everybody wants to think that they are what? That they're good.

And you hear people say that all the time. Oh, well, humanity's good. You know, they have a good heart. They want to do the right thing. But that's humanity speaking about itself.

God says we are sinners. God says, we are not righteous. God says, there's none that doeth good. No, not one. God says, our righteousness is are as what?

Filthy rags. That's what God says. That's what matters and if you look deep in our heart, you would have to admit. That we are sinners and that we do not by nature the things that God has commanded us to and apart from Christ, the commandments of God are not a blessing. They seem to be a restriction.

Because we are fighting them because humanity is not good. This man thought he was good. Jesus was trying to point out to him, he's not. For no one is good but who? But God.

He needed a savior. He needed Jesus He did recognize somehow that he did not possess eternal life. So, he asked again, what is it that he lacked? For the keeping of these commandments or the attempt to do so, had not given him peace. Verse 20 again, the young man says, all these things have I kept from my youth, what lack I yet?

He still, even though he was confused about his keeping of the law, he still knew there was something he lacked. Something yet need more he needed. Sadly, he was confused and thought that it was something that he could what? That he could do. To earn it.

Again, we're reminded in Romans three that the law can't save you, it can only what? Condemn you because we don't keep the law. The only one who can save you is the one who did keep the law and that's who? Jesus Christ, who died for you on the cross but this man was still trying to earn his way to heaven by keeping the law. Reminded me of a man in the Old Testament named Naaman.

Naaman was a leper from Syria. He was a general in the Syrian army. He came down with leprosy. Somebody told him, a young servant girl, slave girl, told him from Israel, told him that there was a man in Israel who could heal him of his leprosy. So, he went to Israel.

He found the man eventually. It was Elisha and he came to his house and before he could essentially knock on the door, Elisha sent his servant out and his servant told Naaman, go to the Jordan River, dip in the river seven times and you'll be clean and Naaman said, thank you and he went down the Jordan River, right? No, he got angry. Why? Because he wanted some great task for him to do so that he could impress everybody so that he could impress God so that he could earn his deliverance.

You cannot earn your deliverance. He couldn't earn his deliverance from leprosy. He just needed to trust and what? Obey. Trust and obey.

Go the river and trust who to heal you. The God of Israel. The only way you can get to heaven is trust God to heal you. When you come to him in faith and say, here I am, a lost sinner in need of a savior. Please save my soul.

On the basis of what you did for me on Calvary. Naaman missed the point. Praise the Lord. Eventually, he got the point. He he went to the river and he dipped and his leprosy was healed.

That's not going to work today. That's okay. Reminded in Ephesians two eight nine, for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Instead of seeking for something that he could do to earn eternal life, he should have been seeking to find the answer to this question, in whom must I trust or to whom can I entrust myself? My soul, and my eternity.

There's one person you can entrust that to. That is Jesus Christ. Jesus command to this young man found in verse 21. He says, if thou wilt be perfect or complete, ready to enter the kingdom. Go and sell that thou hast, give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me.

What is Jesus asking this young man to do? To earn his salvation by giving his goods away? Is that what he's asking? No, he's asking this young man to do what? He's asking this young man to trust him.

That's what he's asking. He's asking this young man to trust him and to stop trusting in his what? Possessions. In his upbringing and himself. And entrust himself to the Lord, to trust Jesus.

Go sell those things that you're trusting in and trust me and follow me. That's what he's telling this young man. He's not telling him the way of salvation is to give all your stuff away. No, this man has a problem and though he may have in part kept the law that thou shalt thou shalt not murder or steal or commit adultery or to bear false witness. He definitely had a problem with the commandments that Jesus didn't mention.

Particularly commandments one and two. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not bow down and worship them. This young man had an idol in his life.

What was that idol? What was that God? It was his wealth. It was his pride. It was himself.

And in order for him to be saved, he had to turn from his trust in those idols to put his trust in who? In Jesus Christ. In Matthew six nineteen through 20, it says, lay not up for yourselves treasure on earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and thieves thieves thieves breakthrough and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. So, Jesus says, I know where your heart is, young man and it's in your great possessions.

It's in the things that you have amassed on this Earth to take care of yourself. You need to divest your trust in those things and put your trust in me. That's what he's telling the young man. Jesus hid hard upon his sin of idolatry and his God of wealth. Jesus gave him an opportunity to recognize it, to repent of it, and to trust Christ instead.

Verse 22, we need to reread the man's decision but when the young man heard this saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. What did the young man do? Well, he hung his head and he did what? And he walked away. Why?

Because he wasn't willing to take, to turn from his trust in himself, in his possessions, and instead to put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ in order to get where? To heaven. See, he would have done anything almost except for what? Except for that. And that was the sad.

That's how our sad story ends. The young man is sorrowful. The fact that he was sorrowful was good. But not sufficient. In itself.

Salvation requires repentance which this man was not willing to make. Choosing to put your faith in Christ to be saved not by your good works, not by your accomplishments, but by the accomplishments of who? Jesus Christ on the cross. Of Calvary. And as we read in verse 23, Jesus says in verse 23, verily I say unto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

He's talking to his disciples. Verse 24, he says, again, I say unto 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 his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed saying, who then can be saved? Can you stick a camel through the eye of a needle? No, that is what?

Impossible. You can't do that. So, his disciples said, who then can be saved? Verse 26, Jesus beheld them and said unto them, with man, this is impossible but with God, what? All things are possible.

With God, all things are possible. This young man evidently walked away unrepentant but there was another wealthy man His name is Joseph. No, not Jesus's legal father, Joseph but Joseph of Arimathea, a man who with Nicodemus of all people helped to take Christ's body down off the cross and prepare it for burial. A rich man who put his faith in Jesus Christ. A rich man who trusted Christ and was saved.

Because with God, all things are possible. If you're saying your heart, God can't save me, you're wrong. He can save you and he will. There's no sin too great. That God cannot save you.

For Jesus died for them all. The only sin that keeps you from heaven is your sin of rejecting Jesus Christ. That friend, that relative of yours, that you think they, there's no way they can be saved, Keep praying and don't give up. Because with God, all things are what? Possible.

Keep praying for them. It's often times when we are ready to give up. That we see God do mighty things. What was holding this young man back? What was keeping him bound in sin and on a path that led to hell and not heaven?

In his case, it was his possessions. You see, he did not possess them, they possessed him. They enslaved him. Sin enslaved him. Pride enslaved him and the law was incapable of freeing him as it is you.

His good works were insufficient to free him as are yours. His attachment to it kept him from eternal life. Jesus pointed out, pointed out also in Matthew nine six Matthew six. You cannot serve two masters. You must choose.

You cannot serve God and mammon or material possessions or money. Which is your God? Which will save your life? Christ or the things that you have accomplished, Christ, or your good works, Christ, or your possessions? The answer is Christ.

Do not remain bound. By the other things. Trust Christ. And he will make you what? Free.

Free from those things that enslave you. What does a profit if you gain the whole world and lose your own soul? One of the saddest stories in scripture is about a woman whose name I do not know. We simply know her as Lot's life. Lot moved his family into Sodom.

There, they gained great possessions and notoriety. And when the time came for God to destroy the city of Sodom, he sent angels in to war lot to warn Lot and bring his family out. But he told them, don't look what? Don't look back. There's nothing there for you.

The Lot's wife just could not let go. Those possessions and that life had become a god to her and she had to turn around and look and immediately, God turned her into a pillar of salt, a statue. And thus her life on earth ended. What a sad story. What is even sadder?

Is for us who have heard the gospel, us for whom Christ have has died, to walk out of this place, and possibly into an eternity. In the lake of fire. Because the things of earth are of greater value to us than the things of eternity. I plead with you today. We're going to give an invitation.

We'll sing just a verse or two. I'm not going to sing 10 verses to get you to come but if you're here today and you've never put Christ, your faith in Christ, you've never trusted him, you've never made that decision. You can today. And if you'll come while we sing. I'll meet you down here and we can talk about it.

Let's pray. Dear Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you Lord for Jesus Christ, our savior. Thank you, Lord. That you made a way for condemned sinners to be saved and have eternity in heaven by the giving of your son, Jesus Christ on the cross, who took our punishment, who ascended up to heaven, who is waiting for us there if we will but receive and trust in him and what he did for us.

Lord, I pray if there's one here today that's unsure. I pray if there's one here today that's never made that decision to put their faith and trust in Christ that today they come as we give this hymn of invitation. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.