A Light House Sunday Message | November 1, 2026
Have you ever read a story in the Bible and wondered why someone didn’t just do what God told them to do?
I think that’s something we can easily do when reading about the rich young ruler in Luke 18.
Here was a man who seemed to have so much going for him.
He was rich. He was young. And he was a ruler.
By many of the standards we use to measure success today, this man was doing exceptionally well.
Yet he came to Jesus asking a question:
“Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” — Luke 18:18 KJV
He recognized that something was missing.
And as we continued our Sunday discussion, we discovered that this story is about much more than one wealthy young man.
It’s about each of us.
He Had Everything, but Something Was Missing
The rich young ruler had possessions, influence, and youth.
He also believed he had kept the commandments from his younger years.
Yet Jesus told him:
“Yet lackest thou one thing.” — Luke 18:22 KJV
In our previous session, we discussed how interesting that statement was.
Jesus said the man lacked one thing, but then instructed him to sell his possessions, distribute to the poor, and follow Him.
It sounded like several things.
But as we continued examining the passage, we came back to a central truth.
He needed to trust Jesus.
The ruler had been relying on what he possessed and what he had accomplished.
But now Jesus was inviting him to place his confidence somewhere else.
In Christ Himself.
Coming to Jesus Is Not the Same as Trusting Him
One of the important distinctions we discussed was that this man actually came to Jesus.
He asked Jesus a question.
He listened to Jesus’ answer.
But when Jesus told him what to do, he walked away.
That made me think about something.
We can come to church.
We can attend Bible studies.
We can read and even memorize Scripture.
But are we willing to do what Jesus tells us?
Trusting Jesus requires more than acknowledging His words. It requires responding to them.
That doesn’t mean our obedience earns salvation.
Salvation is through Christ, not through our accomplishments.
But genuine trust changes how we respond to His instructions.
What Have We Made Our Identity?
Another point we explored was how this young man was identified.
Rich.
Young.
Ruler.
Three descriptions that represented important parts of his life.
His wealth represented financial security.
His youth represented something valuable that he possessed.
His position represented authority and influence.
And Jesus’ instructions challenged the things that helped define him.
This raised an important question for us.
What have I allowed to define who I am?
Perhaps it’s my career.
My financial position.
My family role.
My accomplishments.
My reputation.
Or something I’ve spent years building.
Some of these things may be very good.
During the session, I even mentioned being a husband and father. Those are wonderful responsibilities.
But none of these things should come before my relationship with Christ.
In fact, following Jesus should help me become a better husband, father, and person.
Our identity must ultimately be rooted in Him.
What If Your Life Were Written in the Bible?
This was one of the most personal questions from our discussion.
Imagine that your life was recorded in Scripture.
Imagine other people reading about the things you were unwilling to surrender.
Would they wonder why you kept holding onto something when Jesus had something better for you?
That’s exactly what we can do when reading about the rich young ruler.
We wonder why he didn’t just release his possessions and follow Jesus.
But maybe we’re doing something similar.
Maybe there’s a relationship we know isn’t helping us grow in Christ.
Maybe there’s a habit we’ve become comfortable with.
Maybe there’s something we’re pursuing that continually takes priority over God’s Word.
Or maybe we’re trusting our own understanding rather than His direction.
It’s easy to recognize someone else’s struggle with surrender. It’s harder to recognize our own.
And that’s why this passage is so important.
It invites us to examine ourselves.
The Problem Wasn’t Simply His Money
During our discussion, we made an important distinction.
The Bible isn’t teaching that having wealth automatically prevents someone from having eternal life.
The issue was where this young man’s trust had been placed.
His possessions had become something he was unwilling to release.
And when Jesus invited him to follow, the ruler walked away sorrowful.
Luke 18:23 tells us:
“And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.”
Think about that.
The very possessions that appeared to make him successful were now connected to his sorrow.
He had what many people spend their lives trying to obtain.
Yet he walked away from Jesus without receiving what he had originally come seeking.
That should make us consider whether the things we’re depending on are truly giving us the security and peace we expect from them.
What Is Your Soul Worth?
Toward the later part of our discussion, Karen brought us to Matthew 16.
Jesus said:
“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” — Matthew 16:26 KJV
That’s a powerful question.
What does it profit us to gain everything this world has to offer if we lose what matters eternally?
The rich young ruler was faced with a decision.
And each of us faces decisions about what we value most.
We can spend our lives pursuing possessions, accomplishments, recognition, and comfort.
But none of those things can take the place of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Offers Something Greater
One thing I love about this passage is that Jesus wasn’t simply asking the ruler to give something up.
He was offering him something greater.
Treasure in heaven.
And the opportunity to follow Him.
Sometimes we focus so much on what following Jesus might require us to surrender that we overlook what He has already given us and what He promises.
Jesus Christ gave Himself for us.
He took the penalty for sin that we could never pay ourselves.
And He offers eternal life to those who place their faith in Him.
What could be more valuable than that?
Matthew 6:33 reminds us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
When we place Him first, our priorities begin to change.
A Question for This Week
As we concluded our session, I wanted everyone to recognize that this wasn’t simply a story about someone who lived thousands of years ago.
It’s a message for us today.
So here’s the question I want to leave with you:
What am I holding onto that I’m unwilling to trust Jesus with?
Maybe it’s something you’ve worked hard to accomplish.
Maybe it’s something you’re afraid of losing.
Maybe it’s your own way of doing things.
Whatever it is, don’t allow it to become more important than following Christ.
We don’t have to earn eternal life through our own goodness.
We need to place our faith in Jesus Christ.
And as we learn to trust Him, we can follow His Word with greater confidence.
Don’t hold onto something temporary at the expense of what matters eternally.
Trust Jesus.
Continue Growing With Us
We invite you to join Samuel and Karen Stewart for our interactive Wednesday Bible Studies and Sunday sessions at Light House Ministries.
Visit https://www.iamlighthouse.com to connect with us and learn more.
The Light of the Lord shines on me, lives in me, and passes through me to others.
Samuel & Karen Stewart
Light House Ministries
