Our Rich, Young, Ruler Church Generation
We want Jesus and the everlasting life he offers but we don't want anything that has to do with giving up everything we possess---and especiallly giving up riches to give to the poor. We can be religious, even "spiritual," being so active in church and expressive in worship, liking sermons that bless us, but we outright reject the idea of giving our own money---a big amount of it---to the needy. This is the kind of church we have today.
The Rich, Young Ruler Generation: An End-Times Reflection
The Word of God is so vast and rich that no one can claim to have learned everything there is to know about it. It's inexhaustible in wisdom. A single passage can unfold countless meanings, yet all point back to Jesus Christ. The story of the rich, young ruler in Matthew 19:16–30 is not just about one man—it is a prophetic mirror for the church in the last days.
When Peter asked Jesus what reward awaited those who left everything to follow Him, the Lord promised that at the “renewal of all things” (Matthew 19:28), the apostles would sit on thrones judging Israel, and everyone who sacrificed homes, families, or fields for His sake would receive a hundredfold—and eternal life. This is clearly eschatological, pointing to the end-times reign of Christ.
But before that promise, Jesus confronted the rich, young ruler—a man whose qualities eerily resemble today’s church generation: rich, immature (young), and power-driven (ruler). Let’s unpack this.
Rich: Wealth Without Surrender
The ruler’s wealth was his stumbling block. Jesus told him, “Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). But he walked away sorrowful, for his riches owned him. Today, no church organization would do this. Sell all their possessions to give to the poor? Church properties, vehicles, bible schools and seminaries?
It clearly shows me how today’s church mirrors this. Never has the church been wealthier in material terms—properties, memberships, and influence. Big denominations and mega churches. Yet greed and competition dominate. Churches chase numbers, not souls, because more members mean more income. Even those who claim to denounce prosperity preaching often pursue land, prestige, and financial security under the guise of “evangelism" or "mission work.”
This is the Laodicean spirit: “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17). The rich, young ruler generation trusts Jesus not as Lord, but as a “wealth protector.”
Young: Immaturity in the Spirit
Though the ruler was young, he was also immature in faith. He wanted eternal life but lacked understanding of total surrender. Likewise, today’s church is youthful in attitude—obsessed with staying “relevant,” chasing trends, and resisting maturity in the Spirit. They can "surrender" their time to be super active in church but terribly lack knowledge and application on surrendering their lives and especially their material possessions.
Paul warned, “Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults” (1 Corinthians 14:20). Yet many leaders today are novices in the supernatural ministry of Jesus. They rely on programs, procedures, and human wisdom rather than the Spirit’s power. The church appears sophisticated outwardly but remains adolescent in spiritual depth. And this translates to zero wisdom on how and what to totally surrender to Jesus.
This immaturity is dangerous in the end times. The enemy is not afraid of titles or seminary degrees. Only those rooted in Christ’s authority can stand. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
Ruler: Power Without Submission
The young man was not only rich and young—he was a ruler. He had authority, but he was unwilling to submit to the higher authority of Christ. This is the spirit of many churches today: power-hungry, prestige-driven, eager to dominate rather than serve. They all want to lead. This is why there's so many leadership training today but no followership training. Ever heard of a followership seminar or conference? They all want to be lecturers.
Jesus warned His disciples, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them… Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:25–26). Yet the modern church often mirrors worldly leadership—hierarchical, competitive, title conscious, and status-obsessed, with feigned skin-deep humility and artificial servanthood.
This ruling spirit is a counterfeit of true kingdom authority. It seeks influence without the cross, prestige without humility, and recognition without loss of possessions.
The End-Times Warning
The rich, young ruler walked away from Jesus, unwilling to surrender. That is the tragedy of this generation if it does not repent. Jesus declared, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). Wealth, immaturity, and pride are the triple chains binding today’s church.
But there is hope. Jesus also said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). The call of the end times is radical surrender—forsaking riches, growing into maturity, and submitting to Christ’s lordship.
The rich, young ruler generation must become the faithful servant generation, ready to inherit the promise of eternal life and reign with Christ in the coming millennium.
✨ Lesson: Riches, immaturity, and pride can keep us from the kingdom. But surrender, maturity, and humility will prepare us for the renewal of all things when Christ sits on His throne.
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