A Morning Cup of Tea:The Rich Young Man

Good morning! I'm running a little late this morning. I had a little excitement with the cats last night. Things finally returned to normal so I could get back to sleep.
 We are finishing up chapter 19 of Matthew today, verses 16-30.  A man came to him and asked Jesus, what good thing should I do to have eternal life. Of course Jesus said keep the commandments, and mentioned 6: Thou shalt do no murder, that shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honor thy father and thy mother, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (v 16-19)
  The young man told Jesus he kept the commandments since he was a young child. Was there anything he lacked doing?  Jesus said if you are to be perfect, go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and come and follow me. The man went away sorrowful because he had a lot of possessions. He did not want to give them up.
  Jesus told his disciples it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter into heaven. He did not mean that only poor people will gain eternal life, but that you cannot buy your way into heaven.
  Here on on earth we tend to become attached to things -- collections, homes, family, friends, money, etc. Jesus was letting the young man and the disciples, and us know that we shouldn't let anything or person distract us from the goal of eternal life:
  29.And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
 30. But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first.
 We can have relationships and things here on earth, but they should not keep us from following in Jesus' footsteps. We can't take possessions with us, but they pale in comparison to the riches in heaven.

Good morning! I'm running a little late this morning. I had a little excitement with the cats last night. Things finally returned to normal so I could get back to sleep.
 We are finishing up chapter 19 of Matthew today, verses 16-30.  A man came to him and asked Jesus, what good thing should I do to have eternal life. Of course Jesus said keep the commandments, and mentioned 6: Thou shalt do no murder, that shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honor thy father and thy mother, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (v 16-19)
  The young man told Jesus he kept the commandments since he was a young child. Was there anything he lacked doing?  Jesus said if you are to be perfect, go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and come and follow me. The man went away sorrowful because he had a lot of possessions. He did not want to give them up.
  Jesus told his disciples it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter into heaven. He did not mean that only poor people will gain eternal life, but that you cannot buy your way into heaven.
  Here on on earth we tend to become attached to things -- collections, homes, family, friends, money, etc. Jesus was letting the young man and the disciples, and us know that we shouldn't let anything or person distract us from the goal of eternal life:
  29.And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
 30. But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first.
 We can have relationships and things here on earth, but they should not keep us from following in Jesus' footsteps. We can't take possessions with us, but they pale in comparison to the riches in heaven.