I Am Third - Matthew 19:16-30

The “I am third” attitude that Coach Bill Easton impressed on Gayle Sayers and that John Ferrier also lived life by is exactly the attitude that Jesus wanted to impress on the ‘man like us’ we meet in today’s passage.

Many of those who have ‘accepted Jesus’ don’t expect God to have much input in their lives. On some Sundays they will give Jesus a little of their ‘spare’ time and resources. They are first in their own lives; Jesus is just in the background for a little emotional support and hell insurance.

Matthew 19:16-30

A man trusting his own goodness asks Jesus how to go to Heaven - V. 16-17a

Jesus knew the first thing a good person has to be confronted with is that they are not good people in Heaven’s eyes, they are sinners in need of the Savior (Matthew 7:11; Romans 3:23-24; Romans 6:23).

If we could hear Jesus’ tone in verse 17, we’d understand that Jesus was communicating 2 things – the man wasn’t as good as he thought he was, and the God who is by definition good was standing before Him!

Jesus exposes the man’s “I am first” attitude - V. 17b-26

The commands Jesus includes are all the horizontal commands on human relationships, called the second table of the Ten Commands (decalogue), with the summary statement to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

The commands Jesus leaves out are the vertical commands on relationship with God, called the first table of the Ten Commands, with the summary statement to “Love God with all your heart.”

God is supposed to be first, others second, and ourselves third. Jesus showed the man from the second table of the Ten Commands that this man didn’t put others before himself, let alone God first. Jesus’ statement in verse 21 merely exposes that the man is unwilling to put God first.

Do you grasp how what Jesus says to this man in verse 21 is what He says to every person here? Will you now by faith change your mindset from “I am first” to “I am third,” with Jesus truly being the Lord of all in your life.

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul? - Matthew 16:26

Verse 25 lets us know the disciples were astonished at Jesus’ words that outward prosperity doesn’t necessarily mean someone is right with God.

When the great reversal comes, putting Jesus first will have been worth it! - V. 27-30

Here as elsewhere (Matt. 6:20) Jesus promises that those who live with “I am third” faith will be richly rewarded in the ages to come (1 Cor. 3:11-15).

The word for “new world” in verse 28 is palingenesia (new genesis!). It could be a reference to either the coming 1,000 year reign of Christ (Rev. 20) or the new earth (Rev. 21-22) or BOTH. Jesus’ point is that any sacrifices we make now as “we are third” will be more than compensated on the other side of this present age.

Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom Heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets long ago. - Acts 3:19-21