Andrew Fountain - The Parable of the Camel and the Eye of a Needle

Full sermon notes - The Parable of the Camel and the Eye of a Needle

• This is the first parable we are going to look at in the series
• Very short—barely a parable. Technically more of a comparison.

• But it has all the major characteristics that Don spoke of last week:
  • Weapon of warfare
  • Element of shock
  • The focus is on the Kingdom—very radical as we shall see
  • Which is already begun, but not yet completed
  • And the context is all-important

• I said that the context was crucially important, so let’s read the whole story:

Luke 18:18–30

18. Now a certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19. Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
20. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honour your father and mother.’”
21. The man replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.”
22. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me.”
23. But when he heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.
24. When Jesus noticed this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
25. In fact, 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 this said, “Then who can be saved?”
27. He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
28. And Peter said, “Look, we have left everything we have to follow you!”
29. Then Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of God’s kingdom
30. who will not receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Version: NET

• Note that it starts with a question. What is the answer Jesus gives?
  • See if you can spot it ??

• Good teacher: very unusual address: flattering, expects a similar flattering reply, but...
• Assumed he had to do something v.18, but when Jesus finally gives the answer in v.30 it is receive

• why is the list restricted?
  • These are the 5 commandments about our outward relationship with others. (The most easily obeyed.)
• has he kept them? yes, sort of, in an external way;
  • but why does Jesus not press the point??
    • We are expecting him to say what he did in other places!
  • because, as we will see in a minute, that is not what Jesus really wants

• The old law said nothing about this—he has never heard anything like it!
• Now we know that it is not wrong to be wealthy, so what is the issue here?
  • idol, heart in the wrong place, proud, conceited
• We often overlook the purpose for selling everything -> so that he could follow Jesus
  • This is actually what it is all about
  • Here is this bunch of rag-tag disciples, fishermen, uneducated
  • This man is in the ruling classes—he could only join Jesus’ band of followers by humbling himself a lot!
• Let’s look at the context again, and see more of how the parable ends:

• We are going to see that Jesus is replacing following the law with following himself.
  • This would get him into a lot of trouble
  • The Jews venerated the law of Moses like Muslims today venerate the laws of Mohamed
  • How popular would you be if you stood up in the central square of the Iranian capital and said:
    “Follow me instead of the laws Mohamed gave you”?
  • No wonder they tried to kill Jesus
• Now we come to the core of the parable

• v.23. Why is he upset: he loves his wealth, but something more,
  • what do you think he was hoping Jesus would say in reply to his question?
  • build a synagogue? Finance a campaign?
  • He wants something great to do.
  • Give up all status, and join the band of poor followers? No great work at all.

24. When Jesus noticed this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
25. In fact, 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.”

• re-enactment of the Camel
• Actually really was funny!
• Is it actually possible?
  • There Attempts to weaken the story
  • Back in 1835, a man was exploring in Israel and someone told him there was a village where there was a little doorway...
    • Ah! So Jesus wasn’t trying to tell us it was impossible after all! just a bit hard
    • He wrote back to England to a friend called Farrar who published the idea in a magazine
    • Soon after that he investigated and found that in fact there was no such doorway
    • He wrote back home again, and Farrar published a retraction
      • but it was too late, the damage was done, and even now this false story turns up in Sunday school material
• No, Jesus is talking about the impossibility, not the difficulty, (humanly speaking that is)
• The bystanders understand this. There mentality was:
  • Rich men are able to build synagogues, fund orphanages, help the poor, support the temple, and fund many other worthwhile efforts.
  • If anyone is saved, surely it is they.
  • Jesus says that such people cannot enter the kingdom by such noble efforts.
  • We common people don’t have the wealth to carry out such noble deeds. Who then can be saved?

• But here is the turning point in the whole episode: Miraculous intervention of God

• “Amen I say to you” (only 6 times in Luke, each time before a shocking demand or statement).

The Structure

Structure of Luke 18:18–30

1. [18] How do I get eternal life?
   2. [19–21] The Cost of the Law
      3. [22] The New Obedience
         4. [23] The New Obedience is Impossible
            5. [24–25] Parable of the Camel and the Needle’s Eye
         4. [26–27] The New Obedience is Impossible, but Possible with God
      3. [28] The New Obedience
   2. [29] The Cost of following Jesus
1. [30] This is how you get eternal life

Version:

• Notice how Luke has arranged this story for us to emphaise the contrast between the law and Jesus
• In ancient times it was very common for people to arrange ideas like this, in the same way that in our culture we use sub-headings and chapters
• Usually in a structure like this, a new idea is introduced just after the centre, which changes everything
  • you can see it here...
• So although the second half balances the first half, everything is altered by the new idea
  • (If you are interested in this I can give you lots of other examples from Scripture and ancient writings)
• The key ideas are these:
  
  1. Keeping the law is replaced by following Jesus
  2. Jesus demands everything
  3. This is impossible (unless God does it)

• Parable characteristics:
  • Weapon: yes
  • Shock: yes (although not all are)
  • Kingdom: This is what the kingdom is about—following the King
  • Already and not yet

Application

• Did Jesus deceive people about the cost of his discipleship?
• Some people think that the Christian life is about keeping some rules,
  • but no, it is about following a person
  • Which is easier?
  • Rules only affect areas of life that they touch
  • Jesus leaves no area of our lives uncovered.

What are we to do?

• Are we to sell all that we have?
  • If necessary.
  • In the early church, there were times of great need, and many did exactly that!
• Principally it is a mindset
  • Bank statement: “How much does God have in his account?”
  • Shopping: Shall I use God’s money to buy this?

The message is broader

• Selling all you had was one example, but Jesus gives some others in v.29
  • [“house or wife or brothers or parents or children”]
  • (He is not telling us to walk out on our spouse! —but sometimes when a person chooses to follow Jesus and their spouse is unsaved, then the spouse leaves them because they don’t like Jesus.)
• The principle here is that there are things that hinder us from following Jesus
• Is there anything in your life right now that is hindering you from following Jesus with all your heart?
  • Maybe it is some sin
  • Maybe it is habits that you are a slave to
  • Maybe it is a wrong relationship
  • Maybe it is financial goals
  • Maybe it is your work
• Are you prepared to leave it behind and follow Jesus
• You say “I can’t do it!!!”
  • And that is where the camel comes in...
  • This is a promise!
• Jesus wants us to follow him totally, with no distraction
  • He set us an example of leaving behind heaven!
• We live in such a comfortable society
• Went to the logging museum not long ago (...such a harsh life...)
• Are you too comfortable to follow Jesus?
  • He will always push you out of your comfort zone!
  • Imagine the rich ruler, used to soft clothes, beautiful food and a warm bed thinking...
• What is holding you back right now?
  • Even non-Christians often put us to shame
  • Anyone who is serious about training for a sport has to put everything into it
  • Some of you know Dustin who got picket to go to a major league hockey camp.
    • What if he said to them “I’ll go on hockey camp, provided you don’t make too many demands on me
    • I’m not prepared to change my eating habits, and not too much exercise!
• Is there anything that he is speaking to you about right now?
  • Let’s take a moment to stand in his presence
  • It is different for each of us
• Ask him to change you, make you willing
  • “I can’t” —you are right—It is a continual miracle.
• Maybe you are not following him at all
  • The ruler made a choice here. Are you going to make the same choice?

Updated on 2013-09-08 by Andrew Fountain