Good morning, church.
It's such a joy to be able to preach God's word with you this morning.
! My name is Ed. I'm one of the pastors here at Trinity Cambridge.
! We're going to continue on in our series in Matthew.
We're in Matthew 19, verses 13 to 26.
Matthew 19, verses 13 to 26.
If you don't have a Bible and you would like to use one,
we'd be happy to gift you a Bible, so feel free to raise your hand
and we'll get you a hard copy if you'd like to use it.
Okay.
Won't you bow your heads with me as we go to the Lord in prayer.
Heavenly Father,
we come before you
knowing that we have nothing to offer.
You need nothing from us.
And yet we so often think that we can prove ourselves to you.
I pray, Lord, today, over the course of the next 40, 50 minutes,
that you would challenge us by your word.
You would help us to feel the freedom of childlike faith.
more than anything, that we would renounce all of our unrighteous ways
and turn to you alone for our righteousness,
the all-sufficient merit of Christ.
Expand our eyes.
Help us to have a bigger vision of you, Christ, above all,
and a lower view of ourselves.
And that you would transform us as we remember that it is only possible to make it to the kingdom of heaven
because of your work.
So we look to you, Lord Jesus.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
If you would rise for the reading of God's word to honor him.
Starting in verse 13.
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray.
The disciples rebuked the people.
But Jesus said,
Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them,
for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.
And he laid his hands on them and went away.
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.
He said to him,
Which ones?
And Jesus said,
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness.
Honor your father and mother.
And love your neighbor as yourself.
The young man said to him,
All these I have kept.
What do I still lack?
Jesus said to him,
If you would be perfect,
Go, sell what you possess,
and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
And come, follow me.
When the young man heard this,
he went away sorrowful,
for he had great possessions.
And Jesus said to his disciples,
Truly I say to you,
only with difficulty
will a rich person
enter the kingdom of heaven.
Again, I tell you,
it is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle
than for a rich person
to enter the kingdom of God.
When the disciples heard this,
they were greatly astonished,
saying,
Who then can be saved?
But Jesus looked at them
and said,
With man this is impossible,
but with God
all things are possible.
This is God's holy
and authoritative word.
Please be seated.
Amen.
On October 12, 2024,
around 2 a.m.,
my life was forever changed.
Because on that day,
my bright-eyed,
big-bellied baby was born.
From head to toe,
he was perfect.
We took him home
and every day since then
have marveled
at his growth and development.
Feels like every day
he's learning a new skill,
exploring a new part of the house,
figuring out how the world works.
And he laughs through it all.
But just as much as
he's learning every day,
I feel like I'm learning
even more from him,
specifically about
what it looks like,
what it sounds like,
what it feels like
to be a child again.
For example,
my 16-month-old son,
as all parents know,
makes an absolute mess
when it comes to dinner time.
It's like someone planted
a cherry bomb
in his pasta dinner.
And yet,
when he's absolutely disgusting,
covered in sauce,
if you give him the chance,
yet without any second guessing,
he will run up right to you,
arms up,
begging for you to hold him.
Or right now,
my son is at the stage
of his development
where he knows what he wants,
but doesn't have
the vocabulary to say it.
And so those two factors combined
means that he screams.
A lot.
Relentlessly.
He unashamedly screams
for us to get more cheese,
to pick up that ball,
to sing that song again.
Whatever it is,
he's screaming for it.
I see my son
when I read this passage.
Jesus welcomes
these needy children,
arms up,
mess and all,
and says,
to such belongs
the kingdom of heaven.
They come with nothing,
and they leave
with everything.
But I read on
and then I see
someone like me.
A young man approaches
Jesus to see
what he can do
to have eternal life.
He has the spiritual resume.
He has the morality.
He has the resources.
In many ways,
he is the polar
opposite picture
from what we see
in the kids.
So of course,
Jesus would love
to have him
in his little posse.
So he invites him
to join,
and they go conquer
the world together.
But that's not
at all what happens.
To the man
who comes to Jesus
clean and competent,
capable and confident,
to the man
who comes with everything,
he leaves with nothing.
This is the upside-down kingdom.
And with both interactions,
Matthew is trying
to illustrate this
one simple truth.
Only by childlike faith
in Jesus Christ
is it possible
to enter
the kingdom of God.
So in turn,
I'm going to be speaking
first about
the children's humility,
and then the young man's
hindrance,
and finally,
the father's help.
Once Jesus finishes
his radical teaching
on marriage,
children are brought
to Jesus,
presumably by their
well-meaning parents
or relatives,
to receive the prayer
and the blessing
of a holy man.
This was quite a common
practice back then.
But yet,
despite the innocence,
the earnestness
of their request,
the disciples
seemed to get
quite annoyed
by all these kids
around them.
Perhaps the kids
were just being kids,
being rowdy,
making too much noise.
Back then,
much like the
aristocratic Victorians,
ancient Jews
often thought that
kids are to be seen,
not heard.
Or perhaps their
anoint stems from
their general low view
of children.
Remember that in
ancient Israel,
kids were at the
bottom of the social
ladder for their
lack of utility.
The Old Testament
in general does
uphold children
as vital blessings
and a heritage
of the Lord,
but at the same time,
the culture
collectively
didn't have
baby fever
or romantic
idealistic view
of children.
They knew that
kids could be
a lot of work.
Depending on their age,
kids can't work,
cook,
drive,
tie their shoes,
or even go to the
bathroom on their own.
Also, Matthew
doesn't mention
any major issues
with the kids.
They aren't
oppressed by demons,
they're not sick
or about to die,
they clearly have
loving parents,
they seem healthy
and functioning,
so all things
considered,
the disciples are
probably just feeling
like,
come on guys,
we have bigger
fish to fry.
Let's get a move on
and go conquer
Jerusalem.
We have better
things to do.
Yet once again,
the forgetful
disciples lose
sight of Jesus'
teaching.
Just from a
chapter ago,
Jesus' words
should have echoed
in their ears.
Unless you turn
and become like
children,
you will never
enter the kingdom
of heaven.
Whoever humbles
himself like this
child is the
greatest in the
kingdom of heaven.
Just consider
how radically
unusual
Jesus'
teaching is here.
Never once
do you find
in any
contemporary
Jewish
or Greco-Roman
teaching,
are children
held forward
as model
examples
for adults.
In fact,
that could be
construed very
easily as
insulting.
But to Jesus,
the children
seeking his
blessing are not
annoying,
not disposable,
but they're the
perfect example
of the ideal
prime candidate
to enter the
kingdom of heaven.
Imagine this
kind of job
interview.
Thanks for
coming down
to chat
with us,
to interview
for this
role of CEO
at this
Fortune 500
company.
Needless to say,
this is the
most important
role at this
company,
so we're
going to be
really selective
on who we
choose.
Just to be
frank,
I'm rooting
for you in
particular,
so let me
give you
insight of
what we're
going to be
looking for
over the
course of
this interview.
We're really
looking for
someone who,
number one,
has no
formal education,
number two,
has no
job experience,
and number
three,
has no
demonstrable
skills.
To Jesus,
the unskilled,
unschooled,
unseasoned
children will
be co-heirs,
co-rulers,
co-judges with
him in the
new kingdom.
And that's
why he says,
let the
little children
come to me,
and do not
hinder them,
for to such,
and Jesus is
speaking not
just about the
kids directly
in front of
him now,
but broadly
to all,
for to such
belongs the
kingdom of
heaven.
And he
prays for
them.
To all those
who humble
themselves like
children,
who are needy
and unimportant
and know it,
they know that
they have nothing
to offer,
they're the
ones who
are put in
these great
positions of
high esteem
and honor.
Yet,
how prone
are we to
wander away
from this
kind of
childlike
humility?
in one
of my
seminary
classes,
Tom
Schreiner,
a prolific
author of
more than
40 books,
one of the
world's most
respected New
Testament scholars,
talking to the
man,
the man
basically
bleeds
Bible,
just knows
Bible like
the back
of his
hand.
He's one
of the
most respected
figures in
all of
evangelicalism.
And yet,
this great
figurehead
shared that
in one season
of his
life,
he felt
incredibly
dry.
Reading
scripture felt
tiresome,
worship felt
flat,
praying felt
unnatural.
It wasn't
until God
spoke to him
through these
very passages
in Matthew
18 and
19 to
wake him up
to see what
he was
missing.
He realized
all the time,
almost
unconsciously,
he fell
into a
pattern where
he thought it
was all
up to
him,
that he
had something
to offer
God.
Look,
I know how
to study
the Bible.
I know how
to pray.
I'm a
pastor.
I'm a
seminary
professor.
I know
how this
Christian
thing works.
Yet,
it was
precisely
that kind
of attitude
that sucked
all the
vitality,
all the
joy out
of his
Christian
life.
As
Pastor Rob
Golding
wrote,
it is the
foolish child
who forgets
that it's
the Father's
hand that
makes him
fly.
We feel
this tendency
to drift
too,
don't we?
For Bible
reading,
what once
was an
opportunity
to simply
receive your
daily bread
from your
Heavenly
Father,
now turns
into a
stressful
assessment
to make
sure that
you interpret
the passage
correctly,
read the
right commentaries,
meditate on the
passage,
memorize,
memorize.
In evangelism,
what was once
an opportunity
to simply
share the
joy of the
gospel,
to explode
with joy
in evangelism,
now becomes
a test
to see if
you can get
all the
theological
facts just
right.
In prayer,
what was once
an opportunity
just to pour
out your
heart before
your Father,
your Abba
Father,
now becomes
a performance
of saying
the right
things,
quoting
enough
scripture,
convinced it's
up to us
now,
we forget
how to
laugh at
ourselves,
and we're
always on
because we
need to
keep up
the act.
But Jesus
knows the
thin veneer
of self-sufficiency.
Children
playing house
don't convince
anyone that
they're grown-ups.
As much as
we try,
we don't
convince God
either.
And if we're
not convincing
anyone,
we might as
well learn
to own
up to
our
neediness.
I've shared
with those
closest in
my life that
ever since
I've been
ordained as
a pastor,
and honestly
before that,
I've been
struggling with
imposter
syndrome,
wrought by
the sin
of comparison.
I find it
hard not to
when you have
such gifted
men in
Sean,
Todd,
and Andrew.
I find it
hard not to
when our
church,
is stacked
with faithful,
knowledgeable,
evangelistic,
loving members
such as
yourselves.
So I see
my flaws.
I see my
weaknesses,
and my gut
instinctual
reaction is to
cover them
up,
to hide
them.
Or,
really ideally
for me,
is to pour
in all my
effort into
working on
this thing,
these weaknesses,
weaknesses,
through some
hopefully quick
training montages,
so that in
the end,
in the grand
cinematic reveal,
they're now my
greatest strengths.
But the
Apostle Paul has
a different
approach when it
comes to his
perceived weaknesses.
He doesn't hide
them,
pretend that they
don't exist,
but he
counter-culturally
boasts in them.
He says,
if I must
boast,
I will boast
of the things
that show my
weakness.
Just imagine
what our
church could
be if we
all own
the fact
that we
are needy
children.
All of us
Christians
generally
acknowledge
that we
are sinners.
Fewer
of us
share
specifically
how we
are sinners.
But do you
know what
others will
say when we
boast of our
weakness?
When we
let others
see our
limitations?
When we
refuse to
build a
reputation,
but confess
that we
fall short
as husbands
and wives?
How we
struggle with
bitterness?
How we're
prone to
anxiety?
It's not
how ridiculous
you struggle
with that,
but it's
I'm not
the only
one.
And only
then do
we learn
to welcome
and receive
fellow
needy
children
like
ourselves.
We
don't
shoo
them
away,
tell
them
they're
a
waste
of
time.
But
vulnerability
alone is
not the
end that
we seek.
If we
merely
confess sin
in our
accountability
groups and
only say,
yeah,
me too,
yeah,
I struggle
with that
too,
that does
nothing to
mature us.
We receive
others ultimately
for the goal
of pointing
them to
Christ.
God
has
to
come
to
me,
Christ
said.
Some
Christians
think we
grow and
change by
working on
our heads,
reading more
books,
sharpening our
theology.
Others
think that we
grow working
on our
hands,
purifying our
behavior,
living more
in line with
a moral
code.
Others
still think
that we
change by
changing our
hearts,
searching our
feelings,
cultivating
deeper spiritual
experiences.
None of those
things are bad,
but in
isolation,
they're
ineffectual
to change
us.
The only
catalyst to
change is
a relationship.
It's a
relationship with
the living
Christ.
And the
one requirement
that he has
is that we
simply come
with open
hands,
empty
pockets.
And if
that's true,
how does
this next
character fare?
A man
comes up
to Jesus,
sincerely
asks him,
teacher,
what good
deed must
I do to
have eternal
life?
At this
point,
everyone's
ears must
have perked
up,
because this
is the
most important
question,
the most
important answer
of all time.
What do we
need to do
to make it
to the
kingdom of
heaven?
As important
as all other
questions of
theology,
like baptism,
spiritual gifts,
maybe even
divorce and
remarriage,
they're all
dwarfed by the
magnitude of
this weighty
question.
If you joined
us today and
you're not a
Christian,
I just want to
quickly say
again,
we are so
glad that you
are here.
I especially
invite you to
tune into Jesus'
answer here,
because if you
understand it,
it will change
not just your
life here on
earth,
but your
eternity
forever.
Initially,
Jesus gives a
curious response.
Why do you
ask me about
what is good?
There is only
one who is
good.
This response
has led to
great confusion,
debate,
leading some,
often Muslims,
to conclude that
Jesus is denying
his own deity
here.
But I don't
think that's a
reasonable
interpretation,
because the
focus in the
Greek is not
on the word
me,
but it's
on the
thrice-repeated
adjective
good.
Jesus really
isn't focusing
on himself
right now.
He's not
trying to
comment about
himself.
He's simply
probing the
young man on
how he
defines goodness.
How do you
understand what
is good?
As a quick
plug,
during our
ongoing bridge
course at our
church,
the first session
addressed this
question,
how good
are you?
I
screenshotted
this little
image,
the good
old meter,
on one of
our pamphlets
associated with
bridge,
sensing that
this man thinks
that he is
at ten,
which is only
confirmed later
by his
answers.
Jesus is
reestablishing
the standard
of goodness
here.
Why do you
ask me about
what is good?
Don't you
already know
that there is
only one who
deserves that
ten,
and that's
not you?
But Jesus
continues to
play along,
and he gives
them basically
the most
Jewish answer
ever.
If he would
enter life,
keep the
commandments.
Jesus knows
that the law
was given
to expose
and to
exacerbate
sin,
for through
the law
comes knowledge
of sin,
as Paul writes
in Romans
3.20.
James 2.10
writes of the
impossible
standard of
keeping the
law,
for whoever
keeps the
whole law
but fails
in one
point,
just one
point,
has become
guilty of
it all.
So when the
young man
replies,
which ones?
I don't really
think that he's
picking up what
Jesus is putting
down here.
Still stuck in
his Jewish
culture,
he's thinking
about what
others,
what other
rabbis have
essentially done.
They've ranked
the commandments
in tier lists
of the most
important laws
to keep.
So he wants
now Jesus'
tier list.
of how these
613 Old
Testament laws
stack.
Okay,
Jesus continues
to play along
and you can
tell he's
playing along
because he
doesn't even
include the
greatest commandment
to love your
God with all
your heart,
soul,
mind,
and strength.
But instead
he focuses on
the second half
of the Ten
Commandments,
which are all
observable and
doable,
at least to
how the Jews
defined it.
Interestingly
enough,
only Matthew,
not Mark
or Luke,
includes this
sixth command,
love your
neighbor as
yourself.
I think it's
conceivable that
there are some
who haven't
murdered,
cheated,
stolen,
borne false
witness,
or publicly
rebelled against
their parents,
but to love
your neighbor
as yourself,
that should
have made the
young man hit
pot and
second guess
whether he
truly has lived
a good life
until now.
But even
that commandment
doesn't stop
this train.
He believes
that he's
kept all of
these.
And in Mark
and Luke,
it says that
he says that
I've kept all
of these
from my
youth.
The young
man apparently
missed all
of Jesus'
sermon on
the mount.
He missed
how Jesus
didn't come
to relax
one of the
least of
these commandments.
There he
didn't lower
but raised
the bar
for obedience.
So looking
at a woman
lustfully
is adultery.
Anger for
another is
murder.
Divorce for
any cause
leads to
adultery.
And to cap
it off,
he commands
you must
be perfect
as your
heavenly
father is
perfect.
Remembering
that context
then,
we can see
very clearly
that this
man is
spiritually
blind.
He's
spiritually
out of
touch.
Contra
the man's
belief
by no
stretch
of the
imagination
has he
perfectly
kept
these
from
his
youth.
But
then again,
perhaps,
this young
man might
actually be
more spiritually
in tune
than we
think.
Because
even when
he thinks
he's
blameless
to the
law,
even when
he thinks
that he's
that 10
on the
good-o
meter,
he's
earnest
and self-aware
enough to
sense that
he's missing
something.
All this
rule-following
can't be
it.
Commentator
Bill
Mounts
suspects
that the
man's
uneasiness
reveals
an
instinctive,
intrinsic
human
awareness
that
legalism
falls
short
of God's
intention.
Or as
church
father
Augustine
famously
said,
our
hearts
are
restless
until
they
rest
in
you.
the
irony
is
striking.
The
man
with
many
possessions
is
still
missing
something.
So
restless
and uneasy
he asks,
what do I
still
lack?
Then
Jesus
finally
goes for
the
jugular.
He
finally
gets to
the very
heart
of what
this
man
is
lacking.
If
he
is
to
be
perfect
like
our
heavenly
father
is
perfect
then
Jesus
commands
him
go
sell
what
you
possess
and
give
to
the
poor
and
you
will
have
treasure
in
heaven
and
come
and
follow
me.
Although
he's
kept
up
so
far
when
the
young
man
hears
this
final
command
he
goes
away
sorrowful
because
of his
many
possessions.
If
we
weren't
so
familiar
with
this
passage
we
would
be
shocked
first
we're
stunned
at
how
bad
Jesus
is
at
closing
a
conversion.
Doesn't
Jesus
know
that
all
we
need
to
do
is
just
believe
we're
saved
by
faith
alone?
Wouldn't
we
in our
sophisticated
21st
century
knowledge
of
us
who
know
how
to
close
a
conversion
just
say
just
believe
our
works
don't
save
us
all
you
need
to
do
is
just
ask
God
into
your
heart
but
Jesus
doesn't
make
that
pitch
he
asks
him
to
give
not
10
not
50
not
99
!
but
shockingly
all
of it
and the
man
can't
do
it
even
when
Jesus
tries
to
motivate
him
with
greater
secure
treasures
in
heaven
he
still
goes
away
sorrowful
and
empty
handed
the
first
question
in
everyone's
mind
reading
this
probably
is
Jesus
asking
the
same
of
me
is
this
the
same
requirement
for me
to make
it to
the
kingdom
of
heaven
and the
answer
is
yes
sort
of
selling
all of
one's
possessions
is not
presented
anywhere
else as
a
universal
prescription
for every
disciple
Jesus
doesn't
make
the
same
requirement
for many
of his
other
followers
like
Mary
Martha
and
Lazarus
the
wealthy
wife
of
Chusa
or
even
Zacchaeus
who
gives
only
half
of
his
net
worth
away
but
while
he
does
demand
nothing
rival him
in our
hearts
that's
the
spirit
of
the
command
I
don't
think
Jesus
commands
us
to sell
everything
that's
the
letter
of the
law
we
do
need
to
follow
the
spirit
of
the
law
that
we
cannot
have
anything
rival him
in our
hearts
but if you
just breathe
a sigh of
relief
thinking that we're
free from the
letter of the
law
you might be
the exact
kind of person
Jesus would
say this
to
in fact
in preparation
for this
sermon
I found
myself
all too
keen
to try
to soften
the blunt
!
edge of
Jesus'
demand
on this
young
man
we
try to
justify
this
because
this
can't
possibly
apply
to
us
right?
Surely
this
young
man
is
a lot
richer
than
me
but are
you
so
sure?
First
the text
obviously
doesn't
specify
how much
the
man
had
and
secondly
we
live
in
a
time
and
place
of
unparalleled
affluence
a country
where the
poverty
level
exceeds
the
average
standard
of
living
in
nearly
every
other
society
in
human
history
past
or
present
so
perhaps
we'd
be wise
not to
just
move
on
from
this
passage
immediately
for
Jesus
knows
how
difficult
it
is
for
a
rich
person
to
enter
the
kingdom
of
heaven
that's
verse
!
In fact
money
is
one
of
Jesus
favorite
topics
he
speaks
far
more
about
money
than
about
heaven
hell
faith
or
prayer
in
all
the
gospels
Jesus
focuses
on
money
because
he
knows
that
there
is
a
powerful
relationship
between
our
true
spiritual
condition
and
our
budgets
it's
true
of
our
church
too
every
year
we
present
a
budget
and
you
could
see
very
clearly
on
paper
for
better
for
worse
what
is
important
to
us
and
what
is
not
important
to
us
and
the
same
is
true
of
you
and
your
budgets
the
way
you
spend
your
money
is
the
expression
of
the
inner
workings
of
your
heart
it's
questionable
whether
he
actually
said
this
but
Martin
Luther
is
often
quoted
having
said
there
are
three
conversions
!
necessary
!
the
conversion
of
the
heart
the
conversion
of
the
mind
and
the
conversion
of
the
purse
elsewhere
Paul
writes
to
Timothy
those
who
desire
to
be
rich
fall
into
temptation
into
a
snare
into
many
senseless
and
harmful
desires
that
plunge
people
into
ruin
and
destruction
for
the
love
of
money
is
a
root
of
all
kinds
of
evils
it
is
through
this
craving
that
some
have
wandered
away
from
the
faith
and
pierced
themselves
with
many
pangs
the
love
of
money
is
the
root
of
all
kinds
of
evils
but
the
greatest
evil
is
that
it
numbs
our
sense
for
need
for
God
it
creates
the
illusion
of
self
sufficiency
that
kind
of
sin
goes
all
the
way
back
to
the
garden
where
Adam
and
Eve
they
ate
of
the
forbidden
fruit
to
be
like
God
self
sufficient
independent
in an
abundance
of
money
can
have
that
same
subtle
effect
on
us
a
stocked
fridge
a
stacked
401k
and
a
stately
house
can
easily
grip
you
grip
you
into
a
choke
hold
and
lull
you
to
sleep
until
you
begin
sleep
walking
through
life
living
in a
false
reality
where
you
think
that
you're
independent
secure
and
in
control
that
doesn't
mean
that
we
should
all
quit
our
secular
jobs
and
now
take
vows
of
poverty
as
go
be
monks
right
if
in a
sense
we
know
we
struggle
with
materialism
asceticism
isn't
the
solution
again
Martin
Luther
he
famously
compared
humanity
to
a
drunkard
who
falls
off
his
horse
to
the
right
and
gets
back
on
and
then
falls
off
to
the
left
money
is
a
gift
and
a
tool
not
a
plague
and
a
disease
but
while
we
are
not
afraid
of
money
we
do
need
to
guard
ourselves
to
handle
it
rightly
then
in
the
same
spirit
of
childlike
vulnerability
is it
time
for us
to share
with
others
openly
about
how
we
spend
our
money
and
be
held
accountable
for it
our
culture
has
taboo
topics
to
avoid
in
conversation
such
as
religion
and
money
we've
overcome
the
latter
but
it's
time
to
re-evaluate
our
privacy
with
sorry
we
overcome
the
former
but
it's
time
to
re-evaluate
our
privacy
with
the
latter
do
we
have
trusted
people
that
know
how
you
spend
your
money
how
much
you
give
or
do
you
consider
that
your
private
business
we
have
to
take
radical
measures
with
money
because
Paul
pulls
no
punches
the
desire
to
be
rich
has
plunged
people
to
ruin
and
destruction
and
Jesus
was
on to
something
when
he
commanded
the
young
man
to
give
all
that
he
had
to
this
day
one
of
the
best
ways
to
break
our
crip
and
allure
of
money
is
simply
to
give
it
away
to
have
less
of
it
proverbs
30
captures
this
well
give
me
neither
poverty
nor
riches
feed
me
with
the
food
that
is
needful
for
me
lest
I
be
full
and
deny
you
and say
who
is the
Lord
or
lest
I
be
poor
and
steal
and profane
the name
of my
God
and
if
you
have
riches
all
and
could
the
Lord
be
calling
you
to
give
generously
for
those
who
are
in
need
around
you
for
both
your
and
for
their
benefit
as a
win-win
situation
for
all
we've
been
confronted
by
Jesus
hard
teaching
on
riches
!
but
he's
not
done
yet
it's
not
just
difficult
for
a
rich
person
to
enter
the
kingdom
of
heaven
but
now
he
says
that
it
is
impossible
just
as
a
six
foot
tall
2,000
pound
camel
can't
fit
through
the
eye
of
a
needle
a
one
millimeter
eye
of a
needle
some
attempt
to
soften
Jesus
teaching
here
by
surmising
that
there
was
a
small
but
yet
large
enough
gate
in
Jerusalem
called
the eye
of the
needle
that
only
if
you
stripped
the
camel
completely
bare
had
it
bend
at
the
knee
and
as
perfectly
poetic
as
that
sounds
there
is
no
legitimate
historical
evidence
of
such
a
gate
Jesus
teaching
is
clear
and
undeniable
if
you
are
rich
and
you
love
being
rich
it's
not
just
difficult
but
impossible
to
make
it
to
the
kingdom
of
heaven
to
this
the
disciples
are
simply
floored
to
them
riches
were
the
true
sign
of
God's
blessing
revered
men
like
Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
David
and
Job
they
were
all
uber
rich
they
thought
that
the
rich
were
the
best
of
us
and
so
when
they
see
that
this
young
man
walk
away
with
nothing
to
show
for
it
how
he
how
Jesus
now
rejects
all
people
all
rich
people
their
immediate
wonder
is
whether
anyone
even
the
poor
even
themselves
could
be
saved
who
could
possibly
have
a
chance
this
is
precisely
Jesus
point
as
he
delivers
the
key
verse
of
our
passage
today
verse
26
with
man
this
is
impossible
but
with
God
all
things
are
possible
friends
you
want
to
grow
as
a
Christian
you
want
to
find
victory
in
your
battle
against
lust
or
your
marriage
to
transform
and
find
contentment
at
work
stay
in
this
verse
meditate
on
it
let
it
fill
every
corner
of
your
mind
on
your
knees
pray
through
it
don't
leave
until
you
get
this
verse
and
once
you
feel
like
you
got
it
then
come
back
again
to
these
12
simple
words
consider
the rich
young
man
again
he
comes
to
Jesus
knowing
that
he's
missing
something
sure
but
you
sense
in
his
mind
in
his
pattern
of
thought
that
he
thinks
he's
almost
there
in
reaching
eternal
life
or at
the
very
least
it's
within
his
own
power
at
times
we
reflect
the
same
kind
of
thinking
too
we're
mostly
good
we're
mostly
fine
apart
from
that
one
little
issue
that
one
little
lust
thing
that
one
little
laziness
issue
that
one
little
drinking
thing
but
don't
worry
I'm
working
on it
I'm
praying
through
it
I'm
reading
books
on it
once
I
fix
that
one
thing
then
you
know
I'm
good
to
go
but
see
how
Jesus
demands
the
young
man
to
sell
everything
and
give
to
the
poor
why
to
expose
this
man
to
hold
up
a
mirror
in
front
of
his
face
so
that
he
can
get
a
really
good
look
at
himself
see
for
yourself
who
you
really
are
you
think
that
you
are
a
pious
nearly
perfect
man
but
you
aren't
anywhere
close
to
the
goodness
of
God
you
can't
even
keep
the
first
commandment
you
shall
have
no
other
gods
before
me
Jesus
is
trying
to
show
him
the
unachievable
standard
of
goodness
needed
for
salvation
and
how
far
he
!
short
of
it
and
when
we
look
at
ourselves
through
the
mirror
of
the
law
isn't
that
true
of
us
brothers
and
sisters
isn't
it
true
that
we
remember
who
we
once
were
how
we
made
an
absolute
wreck
of
our
lives
and
how
our
relationships
with
God
were
broken
that
apart
from
Christ
we
have
each
and
every
single
one
of
us
rebelled
against
our
loving
gracious
father
I
love
and
delight
in
my
son
so
much
far
more
than
I
could
have
imagined
and
along
with
all
my
heart
to
have
a
relationship
with
him
in
the
future
and
I
cannot
imagine
the pain
of having
him
reject
me
or
replace
me
but
I'm
a
sinful
father
I
do
and
I
will
fall
short
but
our
heavenly
father
has
never
done
us
any
wrong
and
we
have
rejected
and
dishonored
him
saying
I
don't
need
you
I
don't
want
you
don't
we
know
that
for
that
sin
we
deserved
eternal
and
don't
just
skip
over
that
word
eternal
everlasting
never
ending
condemnation
damnation
are
we
not
amazed
by
the
mercy
and
grace
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
the
one
who
made
the
impossible
possible
who
breached
the
impassable
chasm
are we
not
overcome
to see
the
death
resurrection
and ascension
on behalf
of hopeless
helpless
ones like
us
if this
young man
knew
if he only
knew
the price
it took
to atone
for his
sin
that the
only way
was for
the heavenly
father to
send his
one and only
begotten
son
and for
the son
to humble
himself
by adding
to a
human
nature
to
himself
live
a
life
of
perfect
obedience
and then
be hung
on a
bloody
cross
to look
down
the
barrel
of
full
wrath
of a
just
God
in the
stead
of
undeserving
sinners
if he
knew
that
if he
knew
the
precious
cost
of the
blood
of the
lamb
he
would
have
sold
everything
right
then
and
there
what
he
should
have
done
right
then
is
to
fall
on
his
face
and
declare
that
he
is
in
childlike
faith
but
he
doesn't
because
there
is
no
appreciation
of
verse
26
in
his
heart
compare
him
to
another
character
in the
book
of
Luke
7
one
of the
Pharisees
asked
to
eat
with
him
and
he
went
into
the
Pharisee's
house
and
reclined
at
table
and
behold
a
woman
of
the
city
who
was
a
sinner
when
she
learned
that
he
was
reclining
at
table
in
the
Pharisee's
house
brought
an
alabaster
flask
of
ointment
and
standing
behind
him
at
his
feet
weeping
she
began
to
kiss
his
feet
with
tears
with
her
tears
and
wiped
them
with
the
hair
of
her
head
and
kissed
his
feet
and
anointed
them
with
the
ointment
sensing
the
Pharisee's
judgment
Jesus
then
says
to
the
Pharisee
a
certain
money
lender
had
two
debtors
one
owed
500
denari
and
the
other
50
when
they
could
not
pay
he
canceled
the
debt
of
both
now
which
of
them
will
love
him
more
Simon
answered
the
one
I
suppose
for
whom
he
canceled
the
larger
debt
and
he
said
to
him
you
have
judged
rightly
then
turning
toward
the
woman
he
said
to
Simon
do
you
see
this
woman
I
entered
your
house
you
gave
me
no
water
for
my
feet
but
she
has
wet
my
feet
has
not
ceased
to
kiss
my
feet
you
did
not
anoint
my
head
with
oil
but
she
has
anointed
my
feet
with
ointment
therefore
I
tell
you
her
sins
which
are
many
are
forgiven
for
she
loved
much
but
he
who
is
forgiven
little
loves
little
do
you
see
the
difference
between
the
woman
of
the
city
and
this
rich
young
man
unprompted
without
the
reassurance
of
valuable
treasures
in
heaven
she
willingly
offers
probably
what
is
her
most
prized
possession
her
alabaster
flask
of
ointment
the
rich
man
doesn't
give up
a dime
why
because
those
who
are
forgiven
much
love
much
and
those
who
are
forgiven
little
love
little
you
don't
give
to
become
a
forgiven
accepted
protected
child
of
God
you
give
because
you
already
know
you
are
one
love
of
money
has
no
grip
on
you
anymore
because
of
your
greater
love
for
God
and
you
can
leave
everything
at the
drop
of a
hat
to come
and follow
Jesus
my son
Theo
understands
this more
than me
every
Sunday
morning
practically
every time
we go
out
whenever
Christine
and I
start to
get ready
Theo
immediately
starts
to get
anxious
he
demands
that we
hold
him
pays
close
attention
when we
get
changed
and he
follows
us
wherever
we
go
in the
house
when it's
finally
time to
go
whatever
he's
holding
whether
he's
holding
his
favorite
toy
favorite
doll
all of
that gets
immediately
dropped
to just
run
after us
not just
dropped
but he
practically
throws it
away
he doesn't
need to
bring anything
we don't
need to
announce to
him or
convince him
to come
along
he just
wants to
follow us
I pray that
we all
learn to
follow Jesus
like my
son
let's pray
heavenly
father we
boast in our
weaknesses because
ultimately we
boast in you
we thank you
Lord Jesus for
your death and
your resurrection
on behalf of
needy desperate
broken sinners
like us we
know we have
made a wreck
of our lives
but we thank
you that you
have transformed
us
everything that we
have is yours
every breath
every dollar
every day
every hour
it's all yours
so empower us
by your spirit
to go forth
and to live
in that
to know that
we are yours
we are forever
yours and you
are our
Abba father
in Jesus name
we pray
amen
Thank you.