Jesus' shocking words about the O.T. —The Camel & Eternal Life

Speaker: 
Andrew Fountain
Date: 
Sun, 2021-12-05

Video cover image by Jeff Kubina CC BY-SA 2.0

  • When you see what Jesus is really claiming here, it is both shocking and motiviating.
  • An incredible parable that is often misunderstood.
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Sermon Slides - Jesus’ shocking words about the O.T. —The Camel & Eternal Life

“Camel’s head”

Camel's head

Image source: “Tambako the Jaguar”

Goal

To see why Jesus could have lost his life over his statement about the O.T.,
and how you might lose yours.

Jesus’ Shocking words about the O.T.
—The Camel & Eternal Life

  1. Artistry: Luke the Poet
  2. Truth: Eternal Life and the Camel
  3. Message: Jesus is calling you to do the impossible

1. Artistry: Luke the Poet

  • After reading v18 – “See if you can tell me how and when Jesus answers this!”

Luke 18:18–30

  1. Now a certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
  2. Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
  3. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honour your father and mother.’”
  4. The man replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.”
  5. 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.”
  6. But when he heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.
  7. When Jesus noticed this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
  8. 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.”
  9. Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?”
  10. He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
  11. And Peter said, “Look, we have left everything we have to follow you!”
  12. 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
  13. who will not receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.

How do I get eternal life?

  1. Now a certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
  2. —29. Jesus’ Radical New Teaching
  3. Jesus said… “those who… would… …receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Structure of Luke 18:18–30

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

2. Truth: Eternal Life and the Camel

A. How do I get eternal life?

  1. Now a certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
  2. Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

B. The Cost of the Law

  1. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honour your father and mother.’”
  2. The man replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.”

C. The New Obedience

  1. 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.”

D. The New Obedience is Impossible

  1. But when he heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.
  2. When Jesus noticed this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
  3. 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.”
  4. Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?”

“Bactrian Camel”

Bactrian Camel

Image source: “Jeff Kubina”

Roman Bone Needle

Roman Bone Needle

Image source: “Met Museum”

…but Possible with God

  1. Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?”
  2. He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

 

22When 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.”
23But when he heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.
24When Jesus noticed this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
25In 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.”
26Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?”
27He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
28And Peter said, “Look, we have left everything to follow you!”

Old Requirements vs the New

  1. You know the commandments:
    Do not commit adultery,
    do not murder,
    do not steal,
    do not give false testimony,
    honour your father and mother.
  2. Amen I say to you: there’s no one who left
    house
    or wife
    or brothers
    or parents
    or children
    for the sake of God’s kingdom, who will not receive…

Old Requirements vs the New

Old Requirements New Requirements
Don’t steal other’s property leave your own behind if Jesus asks you to
leave neighbour’s wife alone may lose your own wife
honour father & mother (care for them when old) leave them in response to a higher loyalty

How to get eternal life

  1. …there is no one who has left…
  2. who will not receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”
  • Ruler asked “What do I do?” (i.e. earn)
  • Jesus says it’s actually impossible to earn it
  • It takes a miracle, and then you’ll receive it

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)

The New Obedience

  1. He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
  2. And Peter said, “Look, we have left everything we have to follow you!”
  3. 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
  4. who will not receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”

3. Message: Jesus is calling you to do the impossible

  • Explanation

Updated on 2021-12-05 by Andrew Fountain