Stories · Luke 18:15–30 · About 15 minutes to read aloud
The Rich Young Ruler
Part 1 · Let the children come
Jesus was on His long walk to Jerusalem. Along the way, moms and dads brought their babies and little children to Him so He could put His hands on them and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents and tried to send them away.
When Jesus saw it, He was not pleased with His disciples. He called the children to Him.
He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them. Then He said something the grown-ups needed to hear.
Part 2 · A man who had everything
Then a young man came along the road. He was a ruler, an important leader, even though he was young. He was rich, too. Very rich. People said he obeyed every rule there was.
As Jesus started on His way, the young man ran up to Him and knelt down.
Jesus answered him with a question.
Then Jesus said, “You know the commandments: ‘Don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t lie about anyone, and honor your father and mother.’” The young man counted them up on his fingers.
Jesus looked at him and loved him. Then He told him the one thing he was missing.
Part 3 · The one thing
When the young man heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.
Slowly he stood up. He held on tight to everything he had. And he went away sad.
Part 4 · A camel and a needle
Jesus saw how sad the man was. He turned to His disciples.
Can you picture it? The biggest animal they knew, trying to squeeze through the tiniest hole they knew!
Everyone who heard it was amazed. If a rich, good man like that couldn’t get in, then who could?
Part 5 · What about us?
Peter had been listening. He puffed out his chest.
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth: anyone who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the kingdom of God will get back many times more in this life, and in the world to come, eternal life.”
Part 6 · Two rich men
A few days later, near Jericho, Jesus met another rich man. You might remember him: a short tax collector named Zacchaeus. Jesus came to his house, and Zacchaeus gave half of everything he had to the poor. Nobody told him to.
Jesus kept walking toward Jerusalem. There He would give everything He had, even His own life, for the young man, for Zacchaeus, and for us.
Next time
A few days after this, near Jericho, a blind man asks Jesus to let him see, and a short rich man climbs a tree. If you’ve already read “The Man in the Sycamore Tree,” read it again and look for everything that’s different.
Key verse
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.”Luke 18:27 · BSB
Short version to memorize: “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)
Things to remember
1. Come to Jesus with empty hands
“Anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”Luke 18:17 · BSB
When Grandma holds out a big hug, you don’t stop to put on your shoes or tell her all the chores you did this week. You just run to her. Little children come to Jesus like that. They don’t bring anything. They just come and receive.
2. Only God is good, and Jesus is good
“Why do you call Me good?” Jesus replied. “No one is good except God alone.”Luke 18:19 · BSB
Imagine only one key in the whole world fits our front door. If you see a key open that door, you know whose key it is. Only God is good. Jesus is good. So Jesus is God, and the young man was kneeling in front of Him.
3. Jesus loved him and wanted to give him something better
“Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘There is one thing you lack: Go, sell everything you own and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.’”Mark 10:21 · BSB
A little brother is holding a broken crayon and won’t let go, while you’re trying to give him a brand-new box of 64. You’re not being mean. You love him, and you have something better. Jesus loved the young man. He wanted him to let go of his riches so he could have treasure in heaven and have Jesus Himself, every day.
4. What is holding your heart?
“When the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.”Luke 18:23 · BSB
If you reach into a narrow jar and grab a big fistful of cookies, your fist is too big to come out. Open your hand, and it slides right out. Toys and money aren’t bad. The trouble comes when they hold on to us more than Jesus does. Holding on to our things more than Jesus makes us sad, like the young man.
5. What we can’t do, God can
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.”Luke 18:27 · BSB
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”Philippians 4:13 · BSB
An acorn can’t become an oak tree by squeezing hard. The life inside it grows it. We can’t make our own hearts love Jesus more than everything. But Jesus’s life in us can. That’s what happened to Zacchaeus. Jesus came into his house, and giving away his money became a joy.
6. Jesus Himself is the treasure
“Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.”Matthew 19:29 · BSB
When Dad says, “Turn off the tablet, we’re going to the beach,” you might grumble for a minute. Then you’re splashing in the waves, and you forget all about the tablet. Being with Jesus is like that, only far better. Whatever we let go of for Him, we get Him, and He is worth many times more.
Go deeper
Put the two rich men side by side. Read Luke 18:18-23 and then Luke 19:1-10.
- What people thought of them. Everyone thought the young ruler was good and important. Everyone thought Zacchaeus was a cheater.
- What Jesus said about money. To the young ruler Jesus said, “Sell everything you own and give to the poor.” To Zacchaeus He said nothing about money at all.
- What they did with their money. The young ruler held on to his. Zacchaeus gave half away and paid people back four times.
- How they felt. The young ruler went away very sad. Zacchaeus was full of joy.
Ask: Jesus told the young ruler to give his money away, and he couldn’t. Nobody told Zacchaeus, and he did it gladly. What made the difference?
The difference wasn’t that Zacchaeus was stronger or better. Jesus had come into his house. That’s what “possible with God” looks like. When Jesus is inside, letting go stops being impossible.
Fun fact: Luke was a doctor (Colossians 4:14). When he wrote down “the eye of a needle,” he used the word for a doctor’s needle, the kind used to sew up a cut.
Talk about it
- Why did the disciples try to send the children away? What did Jesus think about that?
- What did the young man ask Jesus? How did he ask it?
- Jesus said only God is good. What does that tell us about Jesus?
- Mark tells us that Jesus looked at the young man and loved him. Why do you think the Bible wants us to know that?
- Why did the young man go away sad?
- Can a camel fit through a needle? What was Jesus teaching with that picture?
- How was Zacchaeus different from the young ruler? What made the difference?
- Is there something you hold on to tight, that might be hard to let go of if Jesus asked? What could you tell Him about it?
Do something
- The cookie jar. Find a jar with a narrow mouth, just wide enough for an open hand. Put some cereal or crackers inside. Reach in, grab a big fistful, and try to pull your hand out. Then let go and try again. Talk about it: What was the young man holding on to? What did the little children have in their hands?
- Camel and needle. Dad holds a big needle. Look at how tiny the eye is. Try to push a toy camel or a stuffed animal through it. (It won’t go.) Then thread the needle with one thin thread. Talk about it: What is impossible for us? What is possible with God?
- Treasure box. Each draw a box full of your favorite things. Then, on the lid, write “JESUS” in big letters. He is the best treasure in the box.
Pray
Lord Jesus, thank You that You loved the young man, and that You love us too. You are good, because You are God. Please help us not to hold on to anything more than we hold on to You. What we can’t do, You can do in us. Be our treasure, and let us walk with You every day. Amen.