Matthew 19:23-24..Ready

Matthew 19:23-24..Ready

19:23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, (Expresses a call to pay close attention and listen up, that what’s about to be said is important-(New) it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Expresses God’s rule & reign. Hearts that have been converted and submitted over to God’s Saving work/grace-(New) 24  Again,  I tell you 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.” (Expresses a figure of speech that was common to the listeners at the time. Today it would sound something like; “Money lovers will enter the Kingdom of heaven when pigs fly”.  (For a complete Expository see Book)

Extended Sermon Notes

“Warns how money and success can lull a person into thinking they are self-sufficient and see no need for God.” ⇒ They think I can do this, I can fix this, I can afford this. As a result they no longer get on their knees recognizing they’re dependance on God. They no longer seek God’s help. This false sense of self-sufficiency can blind individuals to their spiritual needs and their dependence on divine grace. When people rely on their wealth and success for security and identity, they may become complacent and indifferent to the spiritual void within them. The pursuit of material gain can overshadow the hunger for spiritual fulfillment, leading to a life devoid of true meaning and purpose. The allure of wealth and the comfort can dull one’s awareness of the spiritual void that material possessions cannot fill. As individuals amass wealth and gain social status, they may become increasingly reliant on their own abilities, neglecting the deeper spiritual truths that offer true fulfillment. This mindset can be a significant barrier to developing a relationship with God, as it fosters pride and a false sense of independence.

“Even today, it’s hard for people to give up a luxurious lifestyle, financial security, social status, they have invested and worked so hard to attain for an uncertain future and way of life.”⇒ Many are reluctant to relinquish their comfort zones, fearing the unknown and the potential loss of their hard-earned status. The allure of material wealth often blinds them to the spiritual riches that await those who place their trust in God. As society continues to equate success with financial abundance, it becomes increasingly challenging for individuals to prioritize their faith over their fortunes. True fulfillment, however, lies not in the accumulation of possessions but in the surrender to a higher purpose and the embrace of divine providence. The teachings of Jesus challenge us to evaluate our priorities, to put our trust not in transient wealth but in the eternal riches of God’s kingdom.

“Jesus is not saying God’s against wealth. Or Rich people can’t be Saved. Clearly God Saves Rich people; Abraham was wealthy, David was wealthy, King Solomon was rich, Joseph of Arimathea was rich, Lydia of Thyatira was rich.  But rather it’s the heart’s attachment to things that can become an obstacle in coming to God”⇒ God doesn’t care if you have money or don’t have money. He cares if money has you!  God is concerned with the state of our hearts rather than the size of our bank accounts. Salvation is not determined by our financial status, but by our willingness to surrender our lives to God and acknowledge our need for His grace and mercy.*

Additional Notes & Applications

Warns if not careful generosity can be done in the wrong spirit, for what we can get out of it in earning credit with God and recognition of others. When we should do it out of our love for Jesus and His glory.

Warns how riches are not always a blessing, but in fact sometimes the exact opposite. It can be a disadvantage. The allure of wealth can become a stumbling block, clouding our judgment and diverting our focus from what truly matters. Instead of relying on material possessions, we should trust in God’s provision, knowing that His riches are eternal and far surpass temporary earthly gains.

Warns not matter what kind of redeeming qualities money and wealth has in life in the end it’s  superficial and temporary . There’s one thing about it that is certain. It does not always remain present and it’s value is subject to change. All it takes is a dip in the economy or a personal crises to make that happen.

We should not be limited to just rich people. Jesus only used riches for the that man’s particular issue. Whereas other obstacles can include family, friends, approval, pride, independence, shame, guilt, covetousness, etc.

Some suggests the “eye of the Needle” Jesus is talking about was a small door in large wooden gates of a city called “The Needles Eye”. Which was meant to keep marauding invaders out. That if a camel wanted to pass through, it would have to unload it’s pack first, and then kneel on its knees and crawl through, and only with much difficultly. (The same way the rich would have to unload all they’re burdens first.) Most bible scholars dismiss this as having zero evidence of anything supporting that idea. There is no archaeological evidence for there ever having been a gate in Jerusalem called “eye of the needle”. Sorry, it’s just not there. Also, if you have ever been to Jerusalem, around all the walls of the city. you will find No such gate. And besides, there is no way possible that any merchant would unload his goods from a camel, as that would make it easy to steal before they got into the city. Some suggest that because of the similarities to both spelling and sound, the word for “camel” (Kamelos-2574) was mistranslated from the Greek word for “cable” or “rope” (Kamilos-4979) and that Jesus is really making reference to a large “Rope” measuring up to 2 inch’s in diameter used aboard ships rather than an actual camel. Therefore if you really wanted to you could pare down the rope strand by strand until at last it could fit through the eye of the needle. Others argue you could put the Camel into a blender and liquefy it and squeeze it through the eye of the needle that way as well.

Wealth in and of itself is not evil. The Bible says the love of money is the problem. A poor person can lust after money just as a rich person. Money can be used for good or for evil. A good person should desire money for all the good things they can do with it. We shouldn’t want money so we can spend it all on ourselves. But rather we should want money so we can bless our family, our parents’, our church. We should want money to spend more time with our family. To bless people. give to charity, and support God’s Kingdom and His vision. We can use our wealth to buy Gospel t.v. adds, social media posts, Facebook adds, etc.