23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 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 a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Here we find our rich young ruler saddened over Jesus’ response to his question on how he could (or anybody could for that matter) inherit eternal life – by living life with open hands clinging only to the Rock of Jesus rather than the created things of this world. Lest those of us without an extraordinary amount of worldly wealth get too comfortable here, the word used for “rich” is made up of two Greek words meaning to have or to hold on to or to keep something useful. Sounds like perhaps we all could fall into that category – I know that I myself am guilty as charged.
“He who wants anything from God must approach Him with empty hands.” Robert C. Cunningham
I am confident that is why Jesus relays the following so clearly, in some form or fashion, in all four gospels:
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Matt 16:24-26 (NIV)
“The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this, and could not contradict him, but they sneered at him. Let us consider this as their sin, and the fruit of their covetousness, which was their primary sin. Many who make a great profession of religion and abound in the exercise of devotion, are yet ruined by the love of the world. These covetous Pharisees could not bear to have that touched, which was their Delilah, their darling lust; for this they derided him, they turned up their noses at him, or blew their noses on him. It is an expression of the utmost scorn and disdain imaginable. They laughed at him for going so contrary to the opinion and way of the world. It is common for those to make a joke of the word of God who are resolved that they will not be ruled by it.” Matthew Henry
No person can enter the kingdom of God through their own merits. It is God who draws us with cords of loving kindness – it is God who calls, pursues, woos and empowers us:
1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. 3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. 4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them. Hosea 11:1-4 (NIV)
Everything points to God and His handiwork yet we are often so busy with the tyranny of the urgent that we miss the movement of His hand. He comes calling us and we cover our ears and stomp our feet and refuse to acknowledge. We foolishly take hold of the creation instead of the Creator perhaps even “playing” at religion like our rich young ruler, seeking to win God’s favor through our works.
“All false religions have at least one thing in common: they attempt to win divine favor through deeds of service or sacrifice.” “You can never sacrifice enough, work hard enough, pray long enough, or bow low enough to earn God’s pleasure.” Chuck Swindoll
It is through the emptying of ourselves and the turning from our sin (repentance) through the cleansing blood of Jesus that we are able to embrace the will of God through the Holy Spirit’s power. Indeed the verses following ours for today seal this thought:
26 Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Luke 18:26-27 (NIV)
“A sinner can no more repent and believe without the Holy Spirit's aid than he can create a world.” Charles Spurgeon
“The Christian is a new creature, born and taught from above...and has renounced the confused, distant, uncomfortable notions he/she once formed of God...He/she sees God in Christ, reconciled, a Father, a Savior and a Friend, who has freely forgiven him/her all his/her sins and given him/her the spirit of adoption; he/she is now no longer a servant, much less a stranger, but a son/daughter; and because a son/daughter, an heir already interested in all the promises, admitted to the throne of grace, and assured expectant of eternal glory.” John Newton, Letters of John Newton, 1781
“Just as surely as God implants the life cell in the tiny seed that produces the mighty oak...as surely as He instills the heartbeat in the life of the tiny infant yet unborn...as surely as He puts motion into the planets, stars, and heavenly bodies – so He implants His divine life in the hearts of those who earnestly seek Him through Christ...But has it happened to you? If not, you are not only unfit for the kingdom of God – you are cheating yourself out of the greatest, most revolutionary experience known to any human being. By a simple prayer of faith ask Christ into your life right now. He will come in, and you will be born again!” Billy Graham