The incident comes on the back of a rich young man who rejects the Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus often used local situations to teach
Jesus often used life situations to teach
How much do we learn from life?
Do we see such events through biblical eyes?
We live in a wealthy society
80% of the worlds good are consumed by 20% of the worlds population
The 85 richest people in the world have the combined wealth of half the worlds population (3.5 billion)
We live in a capitalist society
We live in a consumerist society, despite the recent downturns in the economy
The number one past time in the UK is shopping
We need to be careful about detracting form the word
The problem is not just riches but the love of money
The problem is the sinful heart
There are many other issues that Jesus speaks about in other passages
We must not take away from the message that Jesus is giving
It is difficult for people who have many things to enter the kingdom of heaven
Why are riches and the having of riches a danger in and of themselves?
Riches are an idol
They often have a hold on us
Every good gift is from above
We are not those that think the less we have the more spiritual we are
There is a danger to become proud of the things we have
That they give us a sense of prestige or status
That they lift us up above other people
We need to be careful in our thought life
How much stuff we could buy
How much money we could make
How much holidays we can take
It must not take up all our thought life
Has this become a pursuit, a major part in our life?
Have we been taken over by this?
The love of money becomes an idol
Do we make money a god - covetousness
People forget God
Forget to love Him, to enjoy Him
There are biblical references to this
Riches are a snare
"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Tim 6:9-10
Think of Judas
Power is often accompanied by some part of corruption
Danger to not pay fair wages
People with wealth enjoy their high life: parties, drugs, women
People who win/gain money quickly are often not prepared for him
Examples of people winning money on national lottery who couldn't handle wealth
God does entrust some people with great riches
People who are righteousness and trustworthy
Abraham
Joseph of Arimathea
Not many of us can handle wealth
Jesus must be our Lord and Saviour
It is hard for a rich man to entrust Jesus as a Lord and Master of his life
Jesus repeats this twice - He is emphatic
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven" (v25)
Some speculate that this might refer to a narrow gap in the temple wall through which camels had difficulty squeezing through, but this should be interpreted literally
The response - who then can be saved? (v26-27)
Does Jesus's teaching apply just to the rich man or is there a part in all of us that desires riches?
"With men it is impossible, but not ?with God; for with God all things are possible"
With men it is impossible to gain salvation
The starting point of salvation is not with man but with God
With God all things are possible
When we are at our lowest and thinking what can I do to be saved, we must look to God
Think of Zacheus and the great change that was wrought in his life
We might look at some people and say that it is impossible for them to be saved, but not with God
Jesus' death on the cross
Dying for the ungodly, dying for our sins
They begin to hate their sin and to love God
The a Great Promise (v28-31)
Jesus is saying that there is a cost in your life
The promise is this - if you give up anything in this life for Jesus, God will bless you a hundred fold
Peter received much hospitality in other people's homes
Peter received a much larger spiritual family
Can we not say, how good God has been to us?
Jesus is honest and says that there will be persecutions also
The greatest promise is to eternal life
The last shall be first and the first shall be last
