他極富有。別人經年累月積蓄錢財，但他不必，他已經很有錢了。

        他也很有影響力，在同族人中位居要津；道德操守更別說了，很少人敢宣稱自己完全遵守了法律，但他說自己確實無可指責。

        然而，在這位富有的青年領袖心底深處，他感到自己還缺少一樣最重要的寶藏──永生。他看出耶穌身上超卓的良善品格，便來找耶穌，問祂應做什麼才能得著永生。（此事記在馬太福音十九章16-26節）

        當耶穌告許他必須遵守誡命時，他說自己已完全遵守了。但耶穌知道他並沒有達到誡命中「愛人如己」的要求。

        有什麼證據嗎？他雖然富有，但卻不樂善好施。對他來說，金錢比永生還重要，地上的財寶比天上的財寶更為實際。

        但他不承認自己是自我中心的人，於是掉頭走了。

        耶穌很難過，也很憐憫這位年青人，祂鄭重的告訴祂的同徒；有錢的人要進入天國多麼難啊！

        多難呢？耶穌說：比駱駝要穿過針的眼洞還難。

        駱駝？──牠是當時巴勒斯坦最龐大的動物，有高聳的雙峰，挺身昂首，神氣極了。

        而針是那樣的小，針眼就小之又小了。

        一隻龐大的駱駝企圖穿過針的眼？多麼滑稽的鏡頭！這就是那些倚恃錢財者想要享受永生的窘境。

        門徒不解的問耶穌：「為什麼會這樣呢？」因為物質使人安逸；金錢使我們注目於現世，而忽略了上帝。人們既然靠錢可以得到一切，就以為自己再沒有其他的需要了──特別是心靈的需要。眼前的成功富足似乎意味著上帝對我們十分滿意，那麼將來祂當然不會拒絕我們於天堂之外了。

        門徒又問：「主啊，既是這樣，還有什麼希望嗎？」耶穌清楚而肯定的說：有！在人看來是不可能的事──靠著自己的力量得永生，在神卻無難成之事。

        祂怎麼做呢？祂差遣祂的兒子耶穌為我們的過犯而死──包括自我中心、貪婪、惡念等。基督為我們受了罪的刑罰，上帝又白白賜下永生給每一位相信耶穌的人。

        聖經彼得前書三章十八節說得很清楚：「基督也曾一次為罪受苦，就是義的代替不義的，為要引我們到上帝面前。」

        結果是什麼呢？「信耶穌的人有永生。」（約翰福音三章16節）

        前述的那位年輕財主感覺到自己的需要，但卻不願放棄產業、地位和虛榮，到救主耶穌面前。

        希望你不致如此。再多的錢或功名也無法與永生相比。

        欲穿過針眼進入永生是不可能的，但藉著相信耶穌──祂是唯一的途徑──就成為可能了。

        耶穌清楚的說：「我就是道路、真理、生命，若不藉著我，沒有人能到天父那裡！」（約翰福音十四章六節）

        請不要錯過耶穌！

        He was young. Probably early twenties. The majority of his life lay ahead of him.

        He was wealthy, extremely so. Unlike most who spend years accumulating wealth, he already had his.

        He was influential. Already he sat with the governing body of his people.

         He was moral. Not many could say that they had kept the commandments all their lives. He said he did.

        But deep down this rich young leader knew he lacked the greatest treasure anyone could have--eternal life. Recognizing in Jesus a supreme goodness he himself did not possess, this young man asked the Lord what he had to do to gain eternal life (Matthew 19:16-26)

        When Jesus told him to keep the commandments, he replied that he had. But Jesus knew that this was not completely true, for the man had failed to keep the commandment to love his neighbor as himself.

         Proof? He had not been generous with all that wealth. Money meant more to him than eternal life, earthly treasure more than heavenly treasure.

        So, unwilling to admit his self-centeredness, he turned and walked away.

        From a heart filled with disappointment and live, Jesus remarked to His disciples how difficult it is for wealthy people to enter the kingdom of God (v.23)

        How difficult, Lord? As difficult as a camel going through the eye of a needle.

        A camel? The largest animal in Palestine in those days, humps sticking up and neck lifted high and haughty above the crowd.

         A sewing needle? Small, very small. The eye of that needle. Even smaller.

         How ludicrous. A camel trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle. That’s how difficult it is for those who trust in money even to think about eternal life.

         Why so, Lord? Because possessions make us comfortable. Money focused our eyes on this world, not on the one to come. Being able to have what we want deceives us into thinking that we have no needs, especially spiritual ones. Success appears to mean God is smiling on us now; so surely He won’t keep us out of heaven later.

         Is there any hope, Lord? Yes, He says loud and clear. What is impossible for humans to do─gain eternal life on their own─is entirely possible for God to do for us (v.26)

        How? By giving His Son to die for our self-centeredness and all our other faults. By paying with the death of Christ the penalty sin requires. By offering to anyone who will receive it the gift of eternal life.

         The Bible says, “ Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18)

        The result? “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36)

        That rich young man sensed his need, but he was unwilling to renounce the gods of possessions, pride, and position, and turn to the Savior.

         Please don’t be like him. No amount of money or success can substitute for eternal life. It’s impossible to get to heaven through the eye of a needle. But it is possible through believing in Jesus Christ who is the only way.

         Jesus plainly said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6)

        Be sure you don’t miss out!

                                Charles C. Ryrie