Jesus tells us how to be perfect = aka how to obtain eternal life:

Five (5) powerful action words (verbs): go, sell, give, come and follow! Luke 18

a. Repentance/Godly sorrow for our sins

Human sorrow

Matt. 19:21a; 22

21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor…..

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

Godly sorrow

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (NASB)

9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.

10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Luke 9:23 (NLT)

23Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

Luke 14:33 (NLT)

33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

• Example of repentance/divestiture
  

Luke 19:8-10 (NLT)

8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham.

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

b. Believe/follow Jesus

Matt. 19:21b

21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

John 6:28-29 (KJV)

28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Ezekiel 36:26

Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Acts 16:30-32 (NLT)

30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”

32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Romans 10:9- 11;13 (NLT)

9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”

“In the Word with Will and Marie” weekly podcast on

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDuFDRI2etH-Qm_WjVdE7qA

Summary

The central theme of the sermon is the call for believers to live a radically different, counter-cultural life characterized by genuine heart-transformation (humility, repentance, seeking God), which manifests in specific actions like de-escalating conflict and, crucially, is empowered and sustained by the spiritual disciplines of Word, prayer, and especially praise, which acts as a potent spiritual weapon.

Key Points:

1. Counter-Cultural Conflict Resolution: Christians are obligated to pursue peace, even if it means taking the burden or going the extra mile (turning the other cheek). This means actively de-escalating conflict rather than retaliating in kind (0:00-1:11).
   
2. Heart Attitude Over External Actions: Using the Rich Young Ruler as an example, the sermon stresses that outward religious actions (like kneeling or calling Jesus “Master”) are meaningless without genuine inner humility and repentance for sin. Salvation isn’t earned by doing “one good thing,” but flows from a heart attitude of contrition and desire to please God (2:16-4:39).
   
3. True Repentance Involves Change: Mere sorrow or feeling bad (“sorrow of the world”) is insufficient. Godly sorrow leads to true repentance, which is a fundamental change of mind, direction, and actions, turning away from sin (4:39-8:02, referencing 2 Cor 7:9-10).
   
4. Commitment Requires Looking Forward, Not Back: Following Christ demands turning from selfish ways and not looking back longingly at the old life (like Lot’s wife). The past life should be viewed with regret, thanking God for rescue, not nostalgia (8:02-10:30, referencing Luke 9:23, 9:62).
   
5. The “One Thing” Needed is Seeking God: The primary desire and pursuit of a believer should be an insatiable appetite for God Himself – to dwell in His presence and gaze on His beauty (10:30-11:30, referencing Psalm 27:4).
   
6. Transformation Through Spiritual Disciplines: Consistent engagement with the Word (trains thoughts), prayer (changes actions), and worship/praise (changes attitude) is the process through which God transforms believers (11:32-12:02).
   
7. Praise as a Powerful Spiritual Weapon: Praising God, especially amidst trials and overwhelming odds, confuses, disorients, and disarms the enemy. It is a source of strength (“The joy of the Lord is your strength”) and victory because God fights on behalf of those who praise Him (12:02-14:59, referencing Jehoshaphat and Nehemiah 8:10).

Conclusion:

The sermon concludes by reaffirming that God fights for His people and has already secured the ultimate victory through Jesus. It finishes with a prayer of thanksgiving for the Word and the worship experience, asking God to accept their offering of praise and to be exalted through their service. (14:59-16:20).