Session 7
Matthew 19:16-30
Memory Verse: Matthew 19:26
When people brought some children to Jesus for a blessing,
His disciples tried to stop them.
But Jesus rebuked His followers, telling them to let the children come to Him
because they represented what kingdom life should look like (Matt. 19:14).
Right after that, a young and wealthy Jewish leader
gave Jesus the perfect object lesson.
He came seeking eternal life (v. 16),
but he walked away grieving
once Jesus exposed his true self-centered values.
Jesus told His disciples that entering the kingdom
requires humble, childlike faith (vv. 23-24),
not wealth or influence.
He added that all those who surrender the things they hold dear
to follow Him would be rewarded in eternity (vv. 27-29).
An ideology once prevalent in America
is something called the “Protestant work ethic.”
In its genuine expression, a strong work ethic
is a logical progression from one’s relationship with God.
It is an abuse of this tradition, however, to think that work
is the means of a right relationship with God
rather than an expression of it.
The reasoning of some people is, the harder you work, the better chance of earning God’s favor. (PSG, p. 63)
Share that after another heated confrontation with religious leaders,
Jesus took time to bless a group of children.
Draw attention to the following from Understand the Context to
explain why Jesus allowed the children to come to Him:
Jesus spoke of the dependence of children as an example of the childlike humility
needed by all to be a part of the kingdom of God. .This thought links this humility with the proper way to enter eternal life
as explained in the next verses in this chapter. (PSG, p. 64)
Matthew connected being like a child (Matt. 19:13-15)
to our focal passage about the young man looking for eternal life.
As we study this walking object lesson,
consider what eternal life means to you and how you can demonstrate your
relationship with God in practical ways each day.