• What is the Kingdom of God?
• What did the
• Parable of the Sower teach
about the KoG?
• Parable of the Mustard Seed
teach?
Kingdom of God: The Problem of
Wealth
“How hard it is for the rich to
enter the Kingdom of God! It
is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter
the Kingdom of God.”
To analyse the dialogue between
Jesus and the young man
To explain what the problem of riches
is, for the Kingdom of God
You get obsessed
with material things
– more, newer and
better. You can’t
imagine living
without them. You
are not free.
You are so rich you
think you can buy
happiness. You stop
living in a way that
does lead to happiness
(the Beatitudes)
Which of these do you think makes
money the biggest obstacle to God?
1. Choose 2 and explain why wealth
can be a problem.
*Which of these are you most likely
to be tempted by?
You think about
making more money.
You stop thinking
about what pleases
God
You are tempted
to do bad things
to get richer.
Problem with
You stop relying on or
Riches
needing God – you think you
have got life under control
You become proud and
arrogant, thinking you
are better. You look
down on the poor.
Conversation with the Rich Man
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What did the young man ask? What did
he really care about?
How did his wealth stop him from
getting what he really wanted?
How did he leave Jesus? Why?
What did Jesus say about this?
What was the disciples reaction?
If the young man did leave all his
wealth, what could he expect to get
back? Peter asks Jesus about this –
what answer does Jesus give? see
p.131
**Is it reasonable to “give up
everything and give to the poor” and
follow Jesus - perhaps to serve people
in great need?
If not, is this teaching relevant to us
today at all?
Giving it all up – for love.
Find a line in the
song, that shows
the singer is not like
the rich young man.
HW Read the story of the Woman in
the Treasury (Mk 12:41-44). How is her
attitude different?
- think about what she does,
- why she does it