LESSON FOR THE JUNIOR CLASSES
STUDY SCRIPTURE:
MATTHEW 19: 16- 30
Key Verse
“And again I say to you, 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”.
Matthew 19: 24
INTRODUCTION
The ways of God who created us and His advice for the best way to live has always grated on the nerves of many human beings. Though men have seen the beauty of what God has created, and have known of His mercy, goodness, and compassion they still resist following His commandments and His advice on how to live so that they will be able to successfully overcome the difficulties and the trials of life.
God wants to be first in our hearts and mind and actions. If you are in any other position it means you are in idolatry and worshipping and following idols. This is unacceptable to God. These idols have Satan behind them and so idol worship is dangerous.
Our Study tells us of an extremely wealthy or rich young man. He had a high position in the country of Israel. He was a follower of the religion in Israel at the time and he believed in the Commandments. He believed that obeying these Commandments Moses the great lawgiver had taught them would lead to acceptance by God and he would have eternal life and the many rewards God had promised to His people. But he had some doubts about his position with God and since he had heard about a great Teacher named Jesus he came to Jesus and asked Him what he had to do to inherit eternal life. This rich young man who said he had followed all the Commandments he had been taught was troubled in his spirit for he desperately wanted to please God, be saved, and enter the Kingdom of God.
Jesus told him he had to keep the Commandments of God and he replied that he had done just that from his youth. Jesus listed some of the Ten commandments found in the Second section of the Ten commandments which outlined behaviour toward people, which included treated those telling people they should treat people well and loving them.
This young man obviously did not fully understand the meaning of the first two of the Ten Commandments and the need to love God with all his heart and might.
The Ten Commandments told us to love God and also love our neighbours. So Jesus told this wealthy young man who had a high position in the society that if he wanted to enter the Kingdom of God he should make up what he had omitted to do. He should sell what he had, give it to the poor, and then come and follow Jesus. The young man was shocked. He was stunned at this command from Jesus. He turned away from Jesus with sorrow for he had a great amount of possessions. He did not want to give them up. He though he loved God but he did not really love those people around him. He did not want to obey all of God’s commands. He wanted to do only part of God’s commandments but not the other ones that he did not like. That meant he preferred to set up his own rules to enter the Kingdom of God. He preferred these to the rules and standards set up by God for Kingdom followers.
Jesus then warned the bewildered disciples that it was harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God than they had thought. It was easier for a large camel to go through the little eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.
Riches would more often than we think blind the eyes of people to the heart of God. But Jesus then told the disciples that though it was difficult for the rich not to trust in their wealth and position and the things they did for salvation and earn entry into the Kingdom of God, God had the power to save even those who were rich whose heart was turned to make Him the priority in their life, and to love God with all their heart, and soul and mind.
Remember God wants all of you. He will help you and keep you and your rewards in this world and the reward of eternal life with Him will be exceptional and infinitely great.