The difficulty of entering God's kingdom with riches is illustrated through the parable of a camel and a needle's eye, emphasizing that trusting in wealth hinders spiritual progress. The sermon recounts the parable, showing how attempts to carry even reduced amounts of treasure through the needle's eye fail, symbolizing the futility of relying on material possessions for salvation. The core lesson is that true entry into God's kingdom requires relinquishing trust in riches and recognizing that salvation is impossible by human effort alone. The message concludes by highlighting that with God, all things are possible, urging a dependence on Him rather than wealth.
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Five minutes to help you go on your way with a song. Moments of melody time again. I loaded my camel rich and high and marched him up to the needle's eye. He was laden with riches manifold, with bales of silk and sacks of gold. With precious stones and jewels rare, with vessels lovely beyond compare. I hoped to enter with all my gain, but the needle's eye made my effort vain. I urged my camel with angry din. I pressed the camel to enter in.
The far too large, with his loading high, he could not pass through the needle's eye. I rode the camel a night and a day, and sought to enter some other way. But though I found a wearisome round, only the needle's way I found. I groaned, for I did not have enough. But I did, but I took from the camel my bulkier stuff. With gold and gems I would get by. Still the camel stuck at the needle's eye. Then I left the camel alone outside, and with only my gems again I tried. All my pockets stuffed, alas, the needle still would not let me pass.
Then at length I threw my wealth away and sank upon lowly knees to pray. I begged the Lord to forgive my sin and let a poor hapless traveler in. Then proud and glad, in beggar's dress, I passed the portal of happiness. In times like these, you need a savior.
In times like these, you need an angel. Be very sure, be very sure. and bridge the valley cross. This rock is Jesus we go on. This rock is Jesus we go on. Be very sure, your anger won, and with the Father is wrong."
The Gospel according to St. Mark, chapter ten. Jesus looked round about and said to his disciples, With what difficulty will those that have riches enter God's kingdom? The disciples were amazed at his words, but Jesus gave them a second answer. My children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter God's kingdom. It is easier for a camel to pass through a needle's eye than for a man to enter the kingdom of God when he is rich. They were still more astonished. Why then, they said to themselves, Who can be saved? Jesus fastened his eyes on them and said, Such things are impossible to man's powers, but not to God's.
To God all things are possible. There are few who can endure the doubtful privilege of being rich. It's difficult to have money and not set your heart upon it. To have wealth and not be puffed up by it. To have riches and not be spoiled and corrupted by the affluence it provides. Wealth draws the soul away from God, like a magnet draws iron.