LESSON 13: A rich man who seeks eternal Life
LESSON 13
A RICH MAN WHO SEEKS ETERNAL LIFE (Mt 19:16-30, Lk 18:18-30)
One day, a religious leader came to Jesus and asked Him, “Good teacher, what should I do to get eternal life?” Jesus asked the man why he called Him good. He said that only God is truly good. What the man didn’t know is that Jesus is the Son of God.
Jesus told the man, “You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not lie. Honor your father and mother.”
The leader said that he had followed all of those commandments since he was a child. Jesus told him that he still needed to do one more thing. He needed to sell everything he had and give the money to those in need. Jesus said, “Then come, follow me.”
But the man became sad, because he was very rich. He did not want to get rid of everything he owned. He did not love God more than money. So he went away from Jesus.
Do you think the rich man will do what Jesus said and sell all of his things so that he can help poor people?
I don’t think he will. I think the rich man loved his money and his things more than he loved God. I think he would rather keep his things and his money than follow God. Jesus was testing the man to see what was more important to him – God or his money – and the man decided that his money was more important.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “It is hard for the rich to enter God’s kingdom. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
“When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’
“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ Peter answered Him, ‘We have left everything to follow You! What then will there be for us?’
“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for My sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.’”
Peter asked what people would get if they gave up things for God, and Jesus said that when He comes back to earth, He will reward people who gave up things for God and will give them a hundred times more than they had in the first place.
We only have to remember to make God most important in our lives and to do whatever He tells us, and then, He will reward us when Jesus comes back again.
What have you learned from the Rich man?
Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man should humble all who desire to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Entrance is not based upon efforts to keep God’s commands or the apparent possession of God’s blessing. The only way any will come to salvation is if God does the impossible—changing their hearts so they see their sin, repent of their sin, and believe in Christ as the sacrifice for their sin. All who confess to be saved must examine their hearts to see if there is anything Jesus could require from them that they would be unable to part with. If they leave Christ in preference for other desires, then God has not yet done the impossible in their hearts.
Video Reference:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHuFQnjqweY
Questions:
- What was the desire of the rich man?
- What did Jesus say for entering eternal life?
- What was the hindrance for the rich man to enter eternal life?