This passage describes an encounter between Jesus and a rich young ruler who asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. When the ruler says he has followed the commandments since youth, Jesus tells him he must sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow him. The ruler becomes sorrowful at this, as he was very rich. Jesus then says it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples ask who can be saved, Jesus responds that what is impossible for man is possible with God.

1. Luke 18:18-30
The Rich Ruler and the Kingdom of God

2. • 18 A certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
• 19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good, except God alone.
• 20 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.”
• 21 He said, “All these I have kept since my youth.”
• 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “Yet you lack one thing. Sell all that you have and
distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow Me.”
• 23 When he heard this he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

3. • 24 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! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
• 26 Those who heard this said, “Who then can be saved?”
• 27 He said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
• 28 Peter said, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
• 29 He said to them, “Truly, I tell you, there is no man who has left his home or parents or
brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many
times more in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”

4. • 18 A certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
• 19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good, except God alone.
“Agathos”
Luke 8:15
• 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart,
having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

5. • 20 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.”
• 21 He said, “All these I have kept since my youth.”

8. • 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “Yet you lack one thing.
Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. And come, follow Me.”
• 23 When he heard this he became very sorrowful, for he was very
rich.

9. • 24 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! 25
For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a
rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

10. • … And come, follow Me.
It is not just by following ‘Agathos’ life that we inherit eternal life. It is by
following Christ that we inherit eternal life.
There is none Agathos except God
Jesus is Agathos
Jesus is God
We should follow after Agathos
Jesus is Agathos
Follow Jesus

12. • 26 Those who heard this said, “Who then can be saved?”
• 27 He said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

13. Eternal life is not something we inherit because of what we do
but
because of who we are in Christ.

14. The Rich Young Ruler said ‘what good thing must I do?’
Here is the answer:
Follow Christ and let His goodness live through us by bearing the
‘Fruit of the Spirit’.