What Else Do I Need? - The Rich Young Ruler's Question

Text: Matthew 19:16-22
Preacher: Minister Mishael Anota

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The Universal Feeling of Inadequacy

As human beings, we cannot avoid the feeling of inadequacy - that sense that we are lacking, that we cannot do something, or that we are not enough. Inadequacy means the state or quality of being inadequate, lacking the quantity or quality required, insufficient for a purpose.

We are all different from each other, and we have different sources of inadequacy:

• The need for affirmation from others - parents, siblings, spouse, friends
• Deep insecurities about ourselves and things we don’t like about ourselves
• Different circumstances in life - job loss, failed business, missed promotions, broken marriages

“Every human being understands the depths of inadequacy. We believe long enough to realize that intelligence and skills isn’t enough, yet we continue to justify our insufficiency.”

The Limitation of Human Effort

We have a tendency to think that hard work and unwavering dedication are enough to accomplish anything. As children, we are taught determination, persistence, and consistency - positive qualities that help us achieve much in the natural world.

However, when we come face to face with spiritual opposition, we cannot handle it. This emphasizes our inadequacy even more because we are only trusting in ourselves, in what we can do, in our intelligence and skills.

When we face spiritual opposition, we realize that tenacity, persistency, and dogged determination is not enough. But I know someone who is enough - we need Jesus!

The Rich Young Ruler - A Man Who Had Everything

“Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’” — Matthew 19:16

The word “behold” signals us to listen carefully to what will be said. This “one” refers to a rich young ruler - someone who had everything:

His Characteristics:

• Young - mentioned in Matthew
• Earnest and sad - shown in Mark
• A ruler - called in Luke
• Very wealthy - in Jewish society, wealth was often wrongly seen as God’s favor
• Good religious upbringing - kept commandments from his youth
• Morally upright by Jewish standards
• Serious interest in eternal life

His Sincerity but Misguided Approach

This young man was sincere but misguided. His question revealed he was looking at works-based salvation - thinking he could be saved by doing good works, attending church, participating in prayer meetings, or serving in ministry.

The good thing about this young man was his sincere interest in eternal life. Unfortunately, these days believers ask different questions:

• “What must I do to speak on stage?”
• “What must I do to preach in church?”
• “What must I do to be part of the music team?”
• “What must I do to replace the singer/bassist/teacher/minister/pastor?”

Jesus’ Response: The Standard of Goodness

“So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.’” — Matthew 19:17

Jesus corrected the young man by questioning why he called Him “good.” The Greek word for “good” is agathos, meaning moral excellence, moral perfection, and divine goodness.

Jesus was hinting at His divine identity while teaching that there is no human being with moral excellence and moral perfection. Therefore, there is no human being that is good except God.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23

No one is morally perfect, and no one can earn salvation.

The Conditional Nature of Eternal Life

“But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” — Matthew 19:17

Jesus attached the word “if” to eternal life, meaning there is a condition. Something must happen in order for something to follow.

We must understand, that there is a cost to salvation. There is a condition, there is a price to be paid for eternity.

The Visible Commandments vs. The Hidden Heart

Jesus quoted six commandments to the young man - all commandments that people can see you keeping:

• You shall not murder
• You shall not commit adultery
• You shall not steal
• You shall not bear false witness
• Honor your father and mother
• Love your neighbor as yourself

These are commandments that when people see us keeping them, they automatically assume we are Christians and saved. The young man confidently responded: “All these things I have kept from my youth.”

This was a moment of pride - he was assured and confident because he had kept all these visible commandments.

The Dangerous Assumption

We think that because of our outward appearance - what our fellow believers see - we are automatically right in God’s sight. We assume:

• Perfect attendance at church and prayer meetings
• Being the highest giver of tithes and offerings
• Always lending equipment to church
• Buying things for the church

“What else do I need to do? I’ve done everything!” But we think that because of our outward look, we are automatically right in God’s sight.

The Call to Perfection - Complete Surrender

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’” — Matthew 19:21

Understanding “Perfect”

The word “perfect” here is not just about being flawless but about spiritual maturity, completeness, and wholehearted devotion. Perfect means being whole, undivided, and fully aligned with God’s kingdom.

“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” — James 1:4

Jesus was responding to the young man’s claim of keeping all commandments, but He goes deeper: If you want to be fully aligned with God’s kingdom, surrender the one thing you haven’t - your wealth.

The Test of Total Surrender

This exposes that the young man’s obedience was only partial. His heart was still divided, and we cannot serve both God and money.

Perfect here is shorthand for total surrender - undivided allegiance, prioritizing eternal treasure over earthly security.

Are we still prioritizing God and His kingdom, or are we becoming too busy with our jobs, businesses, and personal lives?

The Criteria for Heaven: Perfection

Perfection is the criteria for heaven - moral excellence and moral perfection, as if you are God Himself. But this gives us a question: If perfection is the criteria for heaven, who then can earn their way there?

No one, not one of us qualifies for the criteria of heaven except God.

For those who are heaven-bound, this is a reminder that we should not be prideful or arrogant in our salvation. We become complacent, thinking it’s normal to:

• Only go to church on Sundays
• Occasionally attend Bible study
• Sometimes join prayer meetings
• Make devotion irregular

The Invitation: “Come, Follow Me”

“Come, follow Me.” — Matthew 19:21

This is the greatest invitation we can receive in life. There is no greater invitation than an invitation from Christ.

No matter your condition:

• “I have insecurities” - God says, “Come”
• “I have flaws and many sins” - God says, “Come, follow Me”
• “I am broken, I have a bad past” - God says, “Come”

He knew what He was getting when He told you to come. He knows what you have been through, what you are going through, and what your past is, yet He is still inviting you to come.

Yes, we are inadequate, but God is inviting us to come.

The Tragic Response: Walking Away

“But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” — Matthew 19:22

The young rich man walked away from the greatest invitation a man could ever receive. Imagine being face-to-face with Jesus, God in the flesh, inviting you to join His ministry, and turning away from it.

The Hidden Commandment Revealed

What the Lord was really trying to show him was that he was breaking the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Jesus quoted the visible commandments first, and the young man was confident he had kept those. But Jesus wanted to deal with the one that people can’t see - the idolatry in the young man’s heart.

The commandment the young man could not keep was the one people could not see - idolatry.

Our Response: Stop Boasting, Start Following

Stop boasting in your talents, gifts, and all the things you think are why God saved you:

• We are not saved because we sing well
• We are not saved because we teach well
• We are not saved because we play instruments well
• We are not saved because we’re good at church design, administration, or management

We are nothing apart from God. We have nothing to boast about except the cross and the work of Christ alone.

The Standard and the Solution

The standard for heaven is perfection because sin cannot dwell in the presence of God. Since we are not morally perfect, we must be clothed in the moral perfection of someone else - we must be clothed in the moral perfection of Jesus.

“Put off the old man and put on the new man… put on Christ.” — Ephesians 4:22,24

A Personal Invitation Still Extended

Jesus is simply telling us that we are not perfect and that we need a Savior - we need Him. This is our theme for the month: “Traversing Back to Basics” - and this is the basics.

Don’t turn away from the Lord’s invitation in your life: “Come, follow Me. Experience what I can give.”

What else do we need? We don’t need anything else, but Jesus.

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A Call to Surrender

In our journey back to basics, we must confront the question: “What else do I need?” The answer is both humbling and liberating - we need nothing else but complete surrender to Jesus Christ.

The rich young ruler’s tragedy was not his wealth, but his unwillingness to surrender it completely. What is keeping us from total surrender? What idols in our hearts are we protecting while maintaining an outward appearance of righteousness?

Today, Jesus extends the same invitation to each of us: “Come, follow Me.” He knows our inadequacies, our past, our struggles, yet He calls us to come. The question remains: Will we walk away sorrowful like the rich young ruler, or will we surrender all and follow Him completely?

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“The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” — Numbers 6:24-26

What else do we need? We need Jesus - and Jesus alone.