Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"
And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."
So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"
But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."
So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."—Luke 18:18-30
Beloved…Don’t be like the sorrowful, rich young ruler, who in turn made Jesus sorrowful because of his twisted priorities. Whatever you have on this earth…whatever you might be holding on to in this world, put it aside. If you are unsaved, bring your weary and heavy laden self to Him. If you are saved, do the same thing. Surrender all of you into His loving care and watch Him bring beauty from the sorrows of your life….day by day…moment by moment. Read His promise to you here in Luke 18 again.
So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."
There are many hindrances that vie to keep us from the kingdom of heaven or impede our spiritual progress even after we belong to Him. Worldly allurements prevented the escape of Lot’s wife. (Genesis 19:26) David’s attempt to use the equipment offered him by Saul delayed him. (1 Samuel 17:39) Discouraged people opposed the building of the wall of Jerusalem in Nehemiah 4. Unbelief hindered Christ’s work in Nazareth. (Matt 13:58) In this story worldly possessions kept back the rich young man from discipleship. Family ties prevent a man from following Christ (Luke 9:59). Hebrews 12:1 speak to us of weights and of the sin that so easily ensnares us that we are to lay aside so that we can run the race set before us with endurance.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,—Hebrews 12:1
Verse 2 tells us how we are to do this:
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.—Hebrews 12:2
Beloved…look to the One who is bigger than anything that might keep us from His kingdom. Where our sin abounds His grace abounds much more. He has promised to complete the good work He started in us. With Him all things are possible. He who brought us up from the miry clay and set our feet on a Rock…He is faithful. He will do it.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.—1 Peter 5:6-7
I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the LORD.—Psalm 40:1-3
I sought the LORD, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.—Psalm 34:4-7
In Him, we are overcomers.
For His lovingkindness prevails over us [and we triumph and overcome through Him],
And the truth of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)—Psalm 117 (Amplified)
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.—Revelation 12:10-11
