Sermon Video: "What is impossible with men is possible with God." - Luke 18:18-30

Following two previous illustrations of what it takes to gain entrance into the kingdom of God, the prayers of the Pharisee and tax collector, and then the comment by Jesus that the kingdom of God must be entered like a child, Jesus confronts the question of entrance into the kingdom directly when a rich and powerful man asks him, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  The man asking the question, though the only things we know of him are that he has both authority and riches, seems to be in a great position to accept whatever answer he is given to his question by Jesus, after all, he has come seeking an answer to his spiritual need, which he recognizes he has, and has sought that answer from Jesus.
And yet, in the end, he will walk away from his encounter with Jesus, abandoning his quest to reconcile with God, over the one negative quality that outweighs all of the positive: his riches.  The tragedy of his refusal to place his spiritual need above his material possessions prompts Jesus to comment about the impossibility of a rich man entering the kingdom of God.  The warning about the danger of riches, while in and of itself is important for those with wealth, and those aspiring to wealth, is also a reminder of the impossibility of anyone, rich or poor, entering the kingdom of God on their own merit.  To obtain eternal life is always a matter of grace, a gift from God, Jesus here reminds us that its harder for a rich man to accept it.

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