Today we are reading Luke 18. In this chapter Jesus continues to teach as He journeys toward Jerusalem. The keyword for this chapter is “per-i-lu-pos”. The definition is “surrounded by sorrow, extremely sorrowful”. “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.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” Luke 18:22-24 ESV This teaching moment for Jesus revealed a struggle many of us have—we become too attached to our possessions. This young man wanted desperately to please God but he also wanted to enjoy material prosperity. Have you ever found yourself torn between choosing wealth or Jesus? Would you become sad if you were forced to make that choice? How do you know if you have gone too far in the material direction? Pastor Tim
