THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE (Mark 11)

I. Emotion and Religious Talk Won’t Cut It

^{Mark 10}^:17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" ¹⁸"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.¹⁹You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.' " ²⁰"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

II. Everybody’s Got Something That Got You

²¹Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." ²²At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

III. What’s Got You Will Kill You

²³Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" ²⁴The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." ²⁶The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"