Eye of a Needle

Text: Mark 10:23-27

Prop: A sewing needle.

Summary: Riches will make it hard for us to be saved if we give them more importance than God.

Look what I brought with me today. What is it? [a needle] Look how small this hole is where you put the thread in! This reminds me of something Jesus said about a rich man that didn’t want to part with his rich things to serve God. (Read Mark 10:23-27]

Jesus was saying that it was nearly impossible for a person that trusted in their own riches to be born again spiritually. But with God, all things are possible! Now Jesus wasn’t referring to a sewing needle when he talked about a camel going through the eye of a needle. The “eye of a needle” was referring to a small gate within the larger gate at the entrance to a city. It was common to build an ordinary door in the huge gate so that common folks could go and come in the city without leaving the large gate wide open all the time. But here’s the catch: For a camel to get in, he would have to take off the burden of all he was carrying on his back, and kneel down and crawl through the door. So Jesus was comparing the rich young rulers many possessions as a burden to him. He was giving his treasure more importance than service to God. He had made an idol out of his money. For that reason, he went away very troubled at what Jesus told him. He was unwilling to change his ways and kneel to God.

Whenever we place anything in a more important position than God, we have made it an idol. God wants us to love him more than anyone or anything else, and then to love our neighbor as ourselves. If we love God first, God will bless us. He will give us the ability to love others, even the ones we think we cannot love without God’s help. So God can make all things possible for us. He can help us realize that things aren’t nearly as important as people. He wants us in a right relationship with God and our neighbors.

The disciples were wondering who then can be saved? Jesus responded that it was impossible for men to save themselves. We need God’s help. Jesus is the answer. If we want to be saved, we must look to Jesus for our salvation. That’s what Jesus meant when he said for with God all things are possible. Jesus wants to help us with our burdens in life, the things that are pulling us down and keeping us from being all we can be for God. If we give up trying to do it all by ourselves, and rely on him, he will give us all we need. What are you trying to do all by yourself? Have you given something or someone more importance than God? Let’s look to Jesus and stop putting our money or wealth or anything else in front of God in importance, and God will help us.

©1998 by Jim Kerlin. All rights reserved.

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