Aloha Ocean View Baptist Church and welcome this morning today we are going through Luke chapter 18 verses 15 through 30 so let’s jump right in alright chapter IV chapter 18 verse 15 says and they were bringing their infants or even their infants to him so he would touch them but when the disciples saw it they began with him but Jesus called for them saying permit these children to come to me and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these truly I say to you whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it you know here Jesus commands us how we’re the handle children basically do not hinder children from Jesus I’m going to Jesus we live in a time when children are given choices as to whether they want to go to church enough to make the matters worse they pretty much only hear about Jesus at church when we allow other things keep our children from learning about God and what Jesus has done for us then we are guilty of hindering his children I’m going to Keyser’s the other thing is showing us here is that we need to learn from children to have faith now when we talk about a childlike faith we’re talking about faith that is simple but strong now the older we get the more we try to reason things out and place logic around it but what we needed to make sure that we’re not doing anything that would hinder children from going to Jesus we’re the ones that God is using to lift Jesus up to these children so that they their lives can actually be changed forever in this next section and my Bible is entitled the rich young ruler and which starts here in verse verse 18 which says a ruler questions in saying good teacher what shall I do to inherit eternal life and Jesus said to him why do you call me good no one is good except God God alone notice how this young man approaches the Lord Jesus he actually addresses him as good teacher in maybe an attempt to flatter him I don’t know Luke identifies him as a ruler so he was no doubt wealthy well-educated possibly a member of the Sanhedrin or synagogue ruler but he’s willing to admit that Jesus is good and most likely an enemy of Jesus would not have gone that far he wanted to know what to do to earn eternal life and that’s the question that he asked Jesus his question implies that he wants to perform some work that might gain him eternal life the whole salvation through works concept jesus replied to the young man’s question by asking a question why did you call me good when he said no one is good except God alone he’s an he’s saying in effect if you see that I’m good it’s because I’m God and he is directly directing his thinking so that he might accept him as price the son stuff in Matthew 19:17 it says and he said to him why do you ask me about what is good there is only one who is good he would enter life keep the commandments Jesus added if you would enter life and it kind of implies that the young man was still outside of such a life he was lost the idea is that if you want to gain eternal life first of all you must enter it and how do you do that well it’s pretty simple I think and that’s just simply by receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior but instead but it is interesting to note that Jesus said keep the commandments instead of saying you know believe in me I think he was making a point about pride and self-righteousness Jesus did not believe that the mere outward act of keeping the commandments brought anyone to salvation he had already told Nicodemus earlier that he must be born again why then did he tell this young man to keep the commandments the rest of the story reveals that answer Jesus will go to great lengths now to show him that he had not kept the commandments and therefore is in need of God’s grace verse 20 says you know the commandments do not commit adultery do not murder do not steal do not bear false witness honor your father and mother and he said all these things I’ve kept for my youth the only man asked Jesus to tell him which Commandments he was keeping Jesus only listed those commandments that deal with one’s relationship with the neighbor or with parents young man could say that he had kept all these Commandments and yet he recognized that there was something missing in his life our Lord did not give him the first five commandments which deal with man’s relationship with God because he was leaving this young man along in his thinking but now he does direct his thinking to his relationship with God in verse 22 it says when Jesus heard this he said to them one thing you still that sell all your possessions distribute it to the poor and you shall have treasure in heaven and come follow me now following Jesus would have led him to see that he was not keeping the commandments dealing with man’s relationship with God Lord Jesus was on his way to the cross and if this man followed Jesus it would have led him to the foot of the cross something however was keeping him from going after the Lord his riches for his stumbling block for you and me it might be something entirely different in my life I struggled with alcohol for years and years and it kept me away from God I kept turning up I was mad I was sad I turned to alcohol didn’t matter I just kept turning there and it wasn’t until that I turned away from alcohol and turned my entire life over to Christ that I’m able to sit here and talk to you guys and bring this to you guys I think the final message that Jesus gave the man was not go sell what you have but rather let go of this earth come follow me verse 23 says but when he had heard these things he became very sad where he was extremely rich this is money that was keeping him from coming to the Lord Jesus Christ and our day there are many things that are keeping people from Jesus riches are only one thing there are multitudes of other things actually even something as simple for his calmness church membership could be keeping many people compressed because it puts them into a little cellophane bag that prevents them from facing their sins it feels secure because they’ve been through the ceremonies or because they’ve made a confession and yet they could still possibly be be as unconverted as any sinner in the darkest places of Jesus his emphasis was always on the attitude of the heart and not teens Jesus showed the young man that he had failed even in areas when she thought he had done pretty well it his wealth was not his problem this problem was that his heart was divided jesus said in matthew 6:24 no one can serve two masters for either he will hate one and love the other or he will be devoted to one and despise the other you cannot serve God and money but that’s exactly what this young man was trying to do verse 24 says and back in Luke and verse 24 it says Jesus looked at him and said how hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter into the kingdom of heaven further comment how hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven shop the disciples note their reaction in verse 26 where they asked who then can be saved they accepted the common notion of the day that the rich were blessed of God and therefore certainly were saved to correct that misunderstanding Jesus explained the human difficulty for the rich to be converted the word hard implies that for the rich salvation is extremely difficult and all they’re not hopeless Jesus is not condemning wealthy people for example Abraham Isaac Jacob David Solomon or even Joseph’s heir heir of Arimathea we’re all wealthy but the Jews often interpreted it as a sign of God’s blessing in a sense of a third ticket instead Jesus saw the inherent and dangers in wealth and taught that only a few with God’s help could handle wealth properly those who are rich in material possessions could be tempted to depend on their earthly wealth rather than on God it is almost impossible to find an extremely wealthy person who doesn’t trust in their riches verse 25 says for it is easier for a camel to go though the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God now the camel was the largest commonly seen animal and the eye of a needle was well the smallest opening and she just used this well-known figure speech about camel going through the eye of a needle to emphasize the difficulty rich people have in turning from their riches to find salvation let me ask you a very plain question it’s impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle now I think you know the answer he won’t make it it’s not possible it is very impossible but would it be possible for God to put a camel through an eagle’s eye well God’s not in the magic business but you could do it now only God can regenerate a man that is the point that our Lord is making here it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God many people today think that they’re going to be saved by who they are or by what they have you are truly saved when you find out that you’re a sinner in God’s sight there’s nothing to offer him for your salvation and you come to turn your life over as long as a person feels that he can do something or pay God for salvation he can be no more safe than a camel can be put through the eye of a needle verse 26 says those who heard it then said then who could be saved the disciples were astonished because they believe that riches indicated the blessing of God and as a result they were surance of heavenly reward riches himself or neither good as bad but when they had taken place of God by being the object trust that trust indicates that money had become an idol and listened to Jesus disaster in verse 27 but he said the things that are impossible with people are possible with God this teaches this is this is Jesus’s explanation as far as any person is concerned regardless of who you are you are a candidate for salvation if you recognize that you have nothing to offer God but come to him with empty open hands and being ready for him to change the life when you come to him like that he can’t say with God all things are possible this passage teaches the seriousness of true discipleship it is in but in no way teaches that the average man was Seles possessions in order to be a Christian the salvation of a rich sinner is just as miraculous as the salvation of a poor sinner both are only possible with God verse 28 Peter said behold we have left our homes and followed you now it’s easy for us to think that Peter is revealing a very selfish streak here and but you know what the Lord doesn’t scold him here listen to Jesus’s answer and this is in verse 29 and he said to them truly I said you there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents of children for the sake of the kingdom who will not receive many times more in this in this time and in the age to come eternal life now did you notice that in his answer our Lord did not scold him for that selfish attitude instead he told them what a great room what great reward it would be and that would be his the rule the Apostles would rule over Israel according to Paul in first corinthians 6:2 says that that well it says all his followers would have a partner in judging the verse actually says or do you not know that the Saints will judge the world the world is just by you are you not competent to constitute the smallest courts of law have you ever wondered what you might be doing in heaven well we know one thing we will have a part in ruling the world without a doubt all who have responded to his call just call to follow him well receive not only eternal life but hundreds bowls of rewards verse 29 says and he said to them truly I say to you there is no one left the house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of kingdom of God will not receive many times more this time in this time and in the ages to come eternal life there’s to be a reward for the safe ones who have sacrificed for Jesus many unknown Saints whom the world has heard nothing about will be given first place in his presence some day in that day I believe that there is many outstanding Christian leaders who received wide acclaim in this life who will be ignored while many unknown saints of God will be rewarded and kind of painted a wonderful glorious picture for us what is holding you back right now from choosing God 100 percent choosing Jesus 100 percent I challenge you this week to let go of this world have the faith of a child to grapple Jesus and His free gift that he offers it’s closing a word of Prayer Lord God I just lift up each person here that’s hearing this message lord I pray that you would touch their hearts you would draw them to you heart I pray that if anyone here does not know you that they would be drawn to you and into relationship with you my friend salvation in you and Lord for the rest that I thank you that you have given us salvation and given us hope and given us light in a future that we have all right I thank you for all you do for us for your many blessings that we receive and for just your constant protection and guidance that you give I’ve heard all these things in your precious name Jesus