CAMELS AND NEEDLES
Matthew 19

I got to meet and talk a bit with Elton Trueblood, the popular theologian from the Quaker community. Among other things, I had read his book The Humor of Christ, in which he argues that Jesus found many more things funny that we, in our holy seriousness, don't recognize or admit. One of those was straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. He pictures a guy trying to swallow a big hairy camel with the humps getting in the way! I imagined it as drawn by Dr Seuss! Jesus also introduces a camel in today's scripture where someone tries to pass the largest animal generally seen in the area, a camel, through the smallest common hole of daily life, a needle. He doesn't for a minute rely on the common assumption Jesus was talking about a camel kneeling to get through a low gate. After all, the apostles in the same context exclaim, “Who then could be saved?”

Your editors have indeed picked out valuable scriptures, tho I'm disappointed at some they skipped. Still, let's examine this passage carefully. A Jewish man approaches Jesus with a question. (We label this guy “the rich young ruler.”) The question is a vital question that everyone should pose from a vital concern. “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?
Break it down: Teacher – he recognizes Jesus as a rabbi, not as Messiah. He respects him as we all respect top leaders in their field, perhaps even as sent by God. Yet the man sees Christ as providing an answer, but not as The Answer.
“What good thing” - He seems to think he could perform one tremendous good deed and so qualify or earn God's favor well enough to guarantee to get him into heaven. Being wealthy, perhaps he thought if he built a new synagogue, that would be enough. Note he is thinking with the mind of this world, not the next.
Jesus began by giving him the standard Jewish answer of that day – with a twist. He challenged the man to keep the law, and quoted five of the ten commandments plus the comman to love your neighbor as yourself. It's often been pointed out that these are from the second half of the commands, but omit any command about reverence for God.
Note that in Mark 10:17 the young man says “to inherit” rather than get eternal life. He may have been implying that as a Jew and a son of Abraham, he would be covered by God's covenant with Abraham and the nation Israel. He will discover that one does not enter the kingdom automatically, nor through good deeds.
All these I have kept – Paul would later argue that he was a “Pharisee of the Pharisees, as touching the law, blameless.” But he would also claim to be the chief of sinners.
If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and youwill have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.
WARNING: Do not today immediately say Jesus did not require that of everyone. I know He didn't, but He DID call some to make that sacrifice. As He said this, He was surrounded by at least 12 men who had done exactly that. American Christians especially seem to have trouble with giving. Notice also the call to follow Him. More and more I am coming to see that faith equals following. Instead of asking yourself whether you are saved, ask yourself, “Am I following?” Well, go ahead and answer: are you following Jesus now?”

The young man probably did face that challenge because he was worshipping his riches, his money. So you don't have enough money to worship, so that's not your temptation. But stop a minute. What do you NOT want to give up to follow. Catholics and many Protestants are observing 40 days of lent. They give up something during that month to remind themselves to pray and surrender. Often, they give up some foods or television or something else. There is more value in that than we Baptists usually give them credit for. What stands between you and Jesus, between you and following Him more closely?

Back to money. Jesus then said it's hard for the rich to go into the Kingdom, more difficult than a camel struggling to get his shoulders and humps through a needle's eye. Even the disciples shriek at that! Who then can be saved! Pay close attention to Jesus's answer: with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible! Remember the song:
but when He saved my soul,
cleansed and made me whole,
it took a miracle of love and grace!
Enter John 3: unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.
God has to re-make us, converting flesh to spirit. Shaping us more like Christ and giving us His values.