Follow along with today’s message. Use the blank spaces for fill-in notes and use the to add your own. Select “Email” at the bottom of this page to send a PDF to yourself.

---

Perea

Luke 18:18-30

---

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, [Jesus] set his face to go to Jerusalem.—Luke 9:51 (ESV)

⁵² And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. ⁵³ But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.—Luke 9:52-53 (ESV)

And a ruler asked [Jesus], “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”—Luke 18:18 (ESV)

The word “ruler” used here is a broad term, probably not meaning a Roman official but, instead, a Jewish

or

Reveal Answer

of a Jewish synagogue.

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”—Luke 18:19 (ESV)

Most scholars agree that Jesus is in no way denying that he himself is

.

Jesus: You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.—Matthew 5:48 (ESV)

You know the commandments: “Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.”—Luke 18:20 (ESV)

Jesus is quoting from the Ten Commandments, the Jewish

for doing right or good.

And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.”—Luke 18:21 (ESV)

The ruler probably means that he has kept the letter of the law, the

morality that the law states.

The Law shows us how impossible it is to truly live the Law, not just in our actions but also in our

, through our thoughts.

We can do the right things for the

reasons.

The LORD: … the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.–1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”—Luke 18:22 (ESV)

Even though the ruler said he had kept the law, Jesus takes him back to the very First Commandment, because whatever we

give up is our idol and our god.

God: You shall have no other gods before me.—Exodus 20:3 (ESV)

The goal in this life isn’t simply to be moral, but to strive to be as much like Jesus as we can because we’ve committed our lives to him and follow him, and then, as the

of that relationship we will want to obey the Law and be moral.

The same invitation Jesus gave to his first disciples he still gives to disciples – “come,

me.”

But when [the ruler] heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.—Luke 18:23 (ESV)

This ruler was caught up in his wealth, and he wasn’t willing to give it

.

Jesus says anything or anyone else that takes His place and God’s place in our lives saps us of the ability to

as He’s first loved us, because when we put God first, His Spirit works supernaturally within us, so that we can always love a spouse or

Reveal Answer

more than we could if we put them first in our lives.

God will bring challenges into our lives sooner or later to help us recognize our god or idol and realize we are at a true

point.

²⁴ Jesus, seeing that [the ruler] had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For 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.” ²⁶ Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”—Luke 18:24-26 (ESV)

What Jesus was saying was impossible fits with what Jesus is trying to tell his disciples then and today – we can’t

ourselves.

But [Jesus] said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”—Luke 18:27 (ESV)

Salvation is not a “one and done” situation but a constant, continual dependence, in every moment of our lives, on

instead of wealth or power or another person or anything else.

²⁸ And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” ²⁹ And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, ³⁰ who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”—Luke 18:28-30 (ESV)

Jesus: Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.—Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
Jesus: …. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.—John 10:10 (Message)

Jesus says the trade-off that the ruler passed on was “more and better life than [he] ever

of.”

Discussion Questions

1. Based on the ruler’s question in vs. 18, what do you think he’s seeking? What’s the significance of the phrase “I do” in that question?
2. What do you think the ruler means when he says that he’s kept the commandments?
3. Why does Jesus indicate that the ruler’s keeping of the commandments isn’t enough? Is that an issue for us today, and if so, why?
4. What was the point Jesus was making in telling the ruler to sell all that he had and give the proceeds to the poor?
5. Why was the ruler sad after hearing what Jesus said in vss. 22-23?
6. Why do you think Jesus says it’s difficult for wealthy people to enter the Kingdom of God? What are other things/people who could get in the way for a person to enter the Kingdom?
7. What is Jesus telling his disciples in vss. 27-30? What does that mean for us today?

---

Next Week: The Road to Easter, Part 3: Jericho