It is easier for a came to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God

 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."  So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a came to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So he said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

- Luke 18:15-30

On Saturday, we read that Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  My study bible says that infants are the standard of faith by which adults receive the kingdom of God, and not the other way around.  It cites Theophan, who writes, "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in compete complicity." 

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."  This relatively young man is clearly in a position of wealth and authority.  My study bible says that he doesn't come to test Jesus but rather to seek advice from someone he considers to be a good Teacher and no more.  Jesus' response, my study bible tells us,  does not deny His divinity, but rather begins to lead him to this knowledge.  Jesus quotes commandments of God given to Moses (Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20) as the beginning of wisdom. 

So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  Again, Jesus offers the exchange:  we sacrifice treasure on earth for treasure in heaven -- by giving to those in need.  This is particular advice for this rich ruler, but the principle of exchange remains.  My study bible says that perfection really consists in sacrificing all to follow Christ.  This however, is a free sacrifice given of love.  The specific nature of the sacrifices asked of us will be different from person to person -- so much depends on the things we cling to for our identities.  Christ takes us "out of the world" to give us in exchange His identity for us.  My study bible explains that because wealth had such a grip on this man, his only hope was to sell and give away his possessions.  It cites St. John Chrysostom, who says that giving away his possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Him in all things is a much greater and difficult calling.

And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a came to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  There are various suggestions for the meaning of Jesus' saying, but any way we look at it, He's speaking about the impossibility of salvation for those attached to riches.  (We may look at it figuratively as if to say that a camel may be unloaded  of its baggage, for instance.)  As we can read, the disciples respond with an understanding that this difficultly applies to all when they ask in reply, Who then can be saved?  The answer returns to God and a loving relationship with God:  the things which are impossible with men are possible with the grace of God.

Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So he said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."   Peter lists the sacrifices these disciples have made to follow Christ, and through him we understand there is much more to the sense in which we may be called to sacrifice or give up what is precious than standard notions of material wealth.  Once again, we note a kind of exchange promised by Christ, even in the present time.

So what are the treasures of the Kingdom?  There is surely more that compels Peter and the other disciples to sacrifice all and follow Christ than some sort of promise of material return!  This was the furthest thing from these disciples' lives and experience.  What compels us to love God, and sacrifice the things that may get in the way of our discipleship to do so?  Surely there is a deeper, greater, and more compelling understanding than that of purely material exchange or a promise of the future.  We may get a hint when we read the exchange of the disciples who realize they have encountered Christ on the road to Emmaus, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" (24:32).  This sort of internal quickening, an inner response that gives more to life (or more of life), is characteristic of relationship with God.  Not only does Christ promise us what we need in life, but there is so much more to a life lived in the Kingdom, in following Him.  There are the intangibles that give meaning, value, and worth to everything else.  There is a peace and a joy we may experience that are added unto us, that tinge all else and render life more abundant.  There is love to experience that teaches us love in ways we may not understand otherwise.  St. Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit:  love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).  These are just a few of the things we may experience through grace, that keep us going in discipleship.  But there is so much more to Christ's teaching.  The things we're taught to let go of are meant to set us free to accept a fullness of life and identity in Christ on this spiritual journey.  We look at the men and women who are followers of Christ in the Scripture, and we see them changed, transformed, transfigured, their lives given over to a power and purpose not given to everyone.  The key is as my study bible teaches:  we don't know what it is we will be called upon to give up to God on the mission of discipleship as we seek to follow Him.  This is not about sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice.  But the grace God gives in return sets us free to grow in His life and love, and the life in abundance He offers us.  That exchange gives us blessings we can't count, too numerous to know, and far greater in their rarity than anything that can be acquired another way.  The struggle for faith is one waged in richness and depth within us.  We can never predict where it leads, but its gifts are greater than we can gain by ourselves.