Amy C Walters

The Rich Ruler | Luke 18:18-30

The crowd listening to Jesus’ interaction with the rich ruler seem to believe a prosperity theology–that God’s blessing means wealth and comfort right now. But Jesus keeps pointing them toward rewards in heaven. The lesson is, don’t trade the eternal for the temporary.

Several weeks ago, we looked at Jesus’ teaching on the cost of discipleship from Luke 14:25-35. In that story, Jesus said some very difficult things about how his followers must be willing to give up everything in order to follow him. 

This story, with Jesus’ interaction with the rich ruler, feels very similar. Jesus says some very difficult things to that ruler about being willing to give up his wealth and how hard it is for those with wealth to enter the kingdom of God. 

What is the crowd’s question to this statement? They say, “Who then can be saved?” They’re startled and confused. If the rich can’t be saved, who can? 

It seems that underlying the crowd’s question is some prosperity theology. They thought that having wealth was a sign of God’s blessing. In fact, maybe that’s even why this ruler thought that he was good. “I have so much wealth, God must be pleased with me.” 

Some people today have similar beliefs, that wealth is what God wants for you here on this earth. There are preachers on TV who say that Jesus wants you to have your best life now. That you just have to believe, you just have to name it and claim it, and you can have everything you want right now. 

How does that square up with what Jesus is teaching here in this story? “How difficult it is for those with wealth to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through with the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those messages don’t line up. Kent Hughes said that, in relation to spirituality, wealth is a handicap, not a help. 

So anytime you hear teaching that doesn’t line up with the Bible, you need to discard that teaching. Ignore it and believe what the Bible says. This goes for any preacher, any book, even this blog.

I do my best to faithfully represent God’s Word, even the difficult things. I pray, I lean on him, I study hard to try to present God’s Word faithfully. But if I ever write anything that is contrary to Scripture, you need to tune me out and listen only to the Bible.

That being said, is following Jesus all sacrifice and sour grapes? Not at all. Hopefully you’ve noticed in this story that there is a huge emphasis on rewards. But they’re not necessarily rewards right now in this lifetime. 

Jesus tells the rich ruler, “Sell everything you have and distribute to the poor.” And what? “And you will have treasure in heaven.” Treasure. That’s some serious wealth, that’s some serious rewards! And I don’t think Jesus is just speaking metaphorically here. 

Later on, Peter jumps into the conversation and says, “See, we have left houses to follow you.” I don’t know why Peter is jumping in here with this, if he’s trying to prove himself to Jesus, or comparing himself to the rich ruler, I don’t know. But Jesus’ response doubles down on rewards. He says, “I tell you, no one who has left houses or wives or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive all that and more in this age and in the age to come, eternal life.” 

Let’s pull this apart. Notice first that it’s “for the sake of the kingdom of God. The goal is the spread of the gospel, not earning one’s way into heaven. 

Also, notice how similar this list is to what Jesus says in the cost of discipleship, “father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life” (Luke 14:26). These tough words come with a promise that following Jesus has eternal rewards.

And that is our key truth for today: following Jesus has eternal rewards. 

Did you notice that the rich ruler started out by asking how to inherit eternal life? Jesus gives him the answer. In fact, this story is bookended by Jesus talking about eternal life, at the beginning and at the end. But Jesus’ answer is not what the rich ruler wanted, because to receive it means letting go of the things in this present age that were holding him back. 

The ruler wanted his comfort now. He wanted his riches now. He wasn’t willing to look ahead to the long term, to eternity. 

We face that same challenge. We want our rewards right now. We don’t want to have to wait for comfort or ease or things. 

But when we insist on those things now, we miss out on the comfort and treasures and rewards that could be ours for eternity. We trade the eternal for the temporary. Don’t make that trade. We’ve got to trust that what Jesus says is true, that whatever you give up in this life will pale in comparison to what God has in store for you in the afterlife.

Now, if you’re feeling like this key truth feels like a repeat of one that we’ve had before, you would be right. Jesus has taught on this same idea several times, making the same point in multiple different ways. 

In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham tells the rich man, “You had your good things in life, and Lazarus is bad, but now Lazarus is comforted, and you are in torment.” The rich man had traded the eternal for the temporary. 

In the parable of the dishonest manager, Jesus teaches that wise managers prepare for heaven. “Spend your wealth to make friends so that they can welcome you into eternal dwellings.”

Wealth is not meant to be a comfort here on the earth, but as an investment towards eternity as we tell others about the kingdom of God.