Please read the note below from Pastor Woodhouse regarding his sermon:

Immediately after the rich young man departs from their company, Jesus continues His teaching about the wealthy and how difficult it will be for them to enter the Kingdom of God. At first, it seems like the disciples hear this as a general judgment about the greed or selfishness of the rich. But Jesus repeats Himself once more, and the disciples begin to get the point: If those with great possessions cannot get themselves into the Kingdom of God, what chance do those without such great material resources have to save themselves?

The repetition of Jesus’ point with the disciples demonstrates that His lesson is not just an invitation to scoff at the wickedness of the rich; it is a message to all of us who put our trust in our property or resourcefulness to gain happiness or secure our futures. While we might all agree with the famous expression, “You can’t buy happiness,” we do sometimes seem to live as if we might be able to find happiness, if only we had a little more money to afford it. In truth, there are so many ways the temptation of worldly goods can trip us up and distract us from what truly matters: our relationship with God. Wealth can doom both those fortunate to have it, as well as those who do not!