We ended last week in the middle of a text where Jesus is teaching about receiving eternal life and inheriting the eternal reward. Jesus has knocked down the idea that there is something good we can do to have eternal life. The disciples were astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25). Jesus responds that if salvation depends on us, then it is impossible. But since salvation depends on God, then all things are possible. In the middle of this teaching Jesus also gave a very hard teaching that it is very difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus exposes the holes in our holiness and does so with this young man who had many possessions. Jesus tells him to sell all that he has, give it to the poor, and to follow him. The problem is that the more we have, the harder it is to deny ourselves. The more we have, the more likely we will value what we have higher than Jesus. The young man in Matthew 19:16-22 went away grieving because he would not give up what he treasured. But this sets up Peter’s question and Jesus’ answer to him. Open your copies of God’s word to Matthew 19:27…

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