Matthew 19:16–17: And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”
Yesterday was about what Jesus didn’t say, which revealed the young man’s misguided question. We established that our salvation (eternal life) isn’t based on works, but on God’s mercy given to us in Jesus (Titus 3:5-7). Today we read about what Jesus does says: “If you would enter life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17). This same concept is referred to many times in John:
- If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15).
- As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. (John 15:9–10).
- For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).
- And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it (2 John 6).
How beautiful that these words written in John point back to what Jesus says in Matthew’s gospel: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).
Lord, forgive us when we make following you too hard. That reminds me of one Matthew’s lines in the Chosen Season 4 episode 2: “I have only one thing to do today. Follow Him. The rest takes care of itself”. That sounds a lot like the Sermon on the Mount recorded not by a character on a show but your real disciple named Matthew. Change our priorities so we seek you and your kingdom above all else as we submit every detail of our lives to you. Give us your heart.
