The Way of Entry
A Sermon on Mark 10:17-25
Originally preached June 23, 1963
Scripture
17¶ And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but …
Sermon Description
All try to find satisfaction in this life, but they must first seek God’s kingdom. Do not be deceived—not only will the unrighteousness not enter the kingdom, even the good one does is not enough. It is a peculiar, yet common fallacy. In this sermon on Mark 10:17–25 titled “The Way of Entry,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at the story of the rich young ruler to explain how Christianity is not just an addition to life, but a new life entirely. There are only two inevitable responses to Christ: either go after Him and forfeit everything, or be offended by Him and run away. No one can be indifferent to Christ. Find out how this young ruler was sorrowful due to both what Christ said, and what He did not say. All must come to the one who knows them better than they know themselves. God alone truly knows what everyone needs. Humanity’s problem is not intellectual; it is moral. God makes an impossible request that can only be fulfilled in Christ; do not walk away from Him. The listener is encouraged to not rely on anything other than Christ; turning away from Christ will only to lead to sorrow and condemnation. Find rest in Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The rich young ruler came to Jesus seeking eternal life but went away sorrowful because of his misunderstanding of the kingdom of God.
- The young man expected Jesus to confirm his preconceived notions about gaining eternal life by doing good works. However, Jesus did not say what the young man expected.
- Jesus told the young man that simply following the commandments and being morally good were not enough to gain eternal life. More was required.
- Jesus exposed the young man's real trouble - his love of money and power. The young man trusted in his riches, not God.
- Jesus presented the kingdom of God as surprising and different from what the natural man expects. Entry requires humility, faith like a child, and surrendering preconceived ideas.
- The young man went away sorrowful because of Jesus' demands - to sell his possessions, give to the poor, take up his cross, and follow Jesus. The young man was unwilling to surrender control and trust Jesus.
- The young man failed to realize his true need for salvation, who Jesus really was, and the glory of the treasure in heaven. He was ignorant of the joy of forgiveness, new life, and sonship with God.
- Relying on one's own goodness, works, or possessions for salvation is fatal. Apart from Christ there is only sorrow and misery.
- To turn away from Christ leads to sorrow in this life and eternal sorrow in the next. There is no rest or peace apart from Christ.
Sermon Q&A
What Challenges Did the Rich Young Ruler Face in Entering the Kingdom of God?
What was the main issue that prevented the rich young ruler from entering the kingdom of God?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the rich young ruler's main issue wasn't simply his wealth, but his trust in his riches and his inability to surrender control. Lloyd-Jones explains: "The trouble with this young man was not merely that he was a wealthy young man. It's not a question of riches. It's a question of pride in riches. It's a question of confidence in riches." The young man went away sorrowful because he couldn't give up the power and control his wealth provided him.
Why were the disciples astonished by Jesus' teaching about the rich man?
The disciples were astonished because they had the same misconception about who could enter the kingdom as most people did. Lloyd-Jones points out: "And they were astonished, out of measure, saying among themselves, who then can be saved?" Their surprise came because if this moral, wealthy, respected young man couldn't enter the kingdom, they wondered who possibly could. This revealed their misunderstanding about how one enters God's kingdom, which is not by human goodness or achievement but by divine grace.
What did Lloyd-Jones identify as the common modern misconception about Christianity?
Lloyd-Jones identified that the common modern misconception is that goodness is enough to make someone a Christian: "I believe one of the main troubles at the present time is that people have got hold of the idea that the one thing that is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God and be all right with God is to be good." He notes how people say things like "I'm living the Christian life" while rejecting Christian doctrine, or claiming someone was "the finest Christian" though they didn't believe Christian teaching.
What did Jesus' response to "Good Master" reveal about the young ruler's understanding?
Jesus' response to being called "Good Master" revealed that the young ruler didn't truly understand who Jesus was. Lloyd-Jones explains: "He regarded him as just a very good man and an exceptional teacher... Christ pulls him up. He says, 'Good master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?' And Jesus said unto him, 'Why callest thou me good?'" Jesus was challenging him to realize that if Jesus is truly good in the absolute sense, then He must be God, since "there's only one who's good. That's God." The young man failed to grasp Jesus' divine identity.
What are the three main reasons Lloyd-Jones gives for why the rich young ruler went away sorrowful?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines three main reasons:
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"He went away sorrowful because of what Christ didn't say to him" - Jesus didn't confirm his expectation that he just needed to add something to his existing goodness.
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"He went away sorrowful because of what Christ did say" - Jesus exposed his real problem (trust in riches) and made a totalitarian request for complete surrender.
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"He went away sorrowful because he went away from Christ" - He didn't realize his true need, who Christ really was, or the value of "treasure in heaven" compared to earthly wealth.
How does Lloyd-Jones interpret Jesus' statement about it being easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye?
Lloyd-Jones interprets this statement in light of Jesus' clarification about "them that trust in riches." He says: "Jesus answereth again and says unto them, children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God?" Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the problem isn't wealth itself but the trust placed in wealth and the power it provides. The impossibility of a camel going through a needle's eye illustrates the impossibility of entering God's kingdom through human means, highlighting Jesus' conclusion: "With men it is impossible, but not with God. For with God, all things are possible."
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the real obstacle to entering the kingdom of God?
Lloyd-Jones says the real obstacle is whatever we're "holding on to" or "taking pride in" that prevents total surrender to Christ: "We are all holding on to something. We are all taking pride in something. And that's the thing that constitutes the obstacle to our entry into the kingdom of God." While for the rich young ruler it was wealth, Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the obstacle could be anything we refuse to surrender - intellectual pride, physical desires, or any form of self-reliance that keeps us from complete dependence on Christ.
How does Lloyd-Jones contrast intellectual problems with moral problems in coming to Christ?
Lloyd-Jones challenges the notion that people primarily have intellectual difficulties with Christianity. He states: "No, the problem is not intellectual. It's moral. It's always moral. The difficulty about the kingdom of God is never intellectual." He argues that intellectual objections are often "camouflage" for deeper moral resistance to surrendering to Christ. People claim they have questions about doctrine or theology, but according to Lloyd-Jones, Christ "exposes the trouble" by identifying the specific sin or attachment that prevents submission to Him.
What does Lloyd-Jones teach about the cost of following Christ?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that following Christ involves taking up the cross, which means hardship and sacrifice: "It may mean separation from your nearest and dearest...It may mean persecution from your own home...It may mean tearing your heartstrings and breaking your heart. It may mean going out as the off-scouring of the world and being regarded as a fool." He emphasizes that Christianity is not about worldly comfort or popularity but about sacrifice, potentially being "despised" and "reviled" as "a fool for Christ's sake."
What final warning does Lloyd-Jones give to those who might turn away from Christ?
Lloyd-Jones warns that "to turn away from Christ always leads to sorrow." He states that those who reject Christ "have nothing to look forward to but sorrow" both in this life and eternally. He makes the sobering point that "to turn your back on Christ in this life means eternal misery in the next." His final appeal urges listeners not to go away from Christ like the rich young ruler did, because "if you leave him, you have left your last hope. You've left your only hope. There's nothing remaining but misery, grief, sorrow, unhappiness, everlasting."
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.