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The Rich Young Ruler  Sermon Summary  Gill Khoury  18^th Feb 2018

The Story of the Rich young Ruler in Luke 18 has lessons for us.

It follows the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican and the lesson about children, where Jesus attacks  common concepts that people took for granted.

The story has a special shape. A first part, a central parable and a third section that mirrors the first section.

Rich young Ruler asks what he needs to do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus challenges his confidence in keeping the commandments because they feed his deep seated desire to maintain family ties, home, family lands and local culture.

Jesus sees this as a hindrance and tell him to sell everything and give it to the poor?

The young ruler walks away sad because the price is too great

The question begs for us?

What is Jesus tryng to tell us?

Jesus says the same thing in so many different ways. The gospel doesn’t change.

We can be so entrenched with what we have and what we value that it gets in the way of us obeying Jesus. Cost of discipleship is high.

But like the camel through the eye of the needle, that is an impossible task for us.

But with Jesus all is possible.

Its important to self examine at Lent time and ask Jesus to help us to put the things that we value in to the right perspective.

We mustn’t let things get in the way of obedience.

He can help us make the right choices

In the last section, Which mirrors the first , everything that the ruler won’t give up, Peter says they have given up.

And Jesus acknowledges the reward that they will receive.

Luke 18:18-30 New International Version (NIV)

The Rich and the Kingdom of God

18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a]”

21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, 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.”

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”