“Christ and the Rich Young Ruler” by Heinrich Hofmann, 1899 (Riverside Church, New York City)
Luke 18:18-43 (NIV)
The Rich Ruler
18A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'”
21“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Proverbs 19:17 (NLT)
If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!
23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
The man all wrapped up in himself is a mighty small package.
–from The Sayings of Chairman Moishe, by Moishe Rosen
24Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, 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.”
26Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”
27Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”
28Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”
29“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”
_________________________
Music:
Growing up, I listened to the family radio which was tuned to farm markets, news, religious broadcasting, or classical music. I heard precious little popular secular music as a kid! But for some reason, this song I remember! HERE is Johnny Cash and “Give It Away.”
_________________________
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
“Christ on the Cross” by Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbaran, 1627 (Art Institute, Chicago)
31Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33On the third day he will rise again.”
34The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.
A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight
35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41“What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
Isaiah 42:5-7 (NIV)
This is what God the LORD says—
he who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”In all the Old Testament there is no account of any blind person receiving his or her sight. No disciples of the Lord were involved in restoring sight to a blind person. Only Ananias’s involvement in Paul’s regaining his temporary loss of sight is somewhat analogous but still different from what Christ did when He gave sight to people. Only the Lord restored sight to the permanently blind, and there are more recorded miracles of the Lord in this category than any other (see Matt. 9:27-31; 12:22; 15:30; 21:14; Mark 8:22-26; 10:46-52; Luke 7:21). The reason is simply that the Old Testament predicted this miraculous healing would be a function of the Messiah; these sight-giving miracles clearly point out Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah.
–from The Miracles of Our Lord, by Charles Caldwell Ryrie
42Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Lord, I know thy grace is nigh me,
Though thyself I cannot see;
Jesus, Master, pass not by me;
Son of David! Pity me.While I sit in weary blindness,
Longing for the blessed light,
Many taste thy loving kindness,
“Lord, I would receive my sight.”I would see thee and adore thee,
And thy word the power can give.
Hear the sightless soul implore thee,
Let me see thy face and live.Ah, what touch is this that thrills me?
What this burst of strange delight?
Lo, the rapturous vision fills me!
This is Jesus! This is sight!Room, ye saints, that throng behind Him,
Let me follow in the way;
I will teach the blind to find Him
Who can turn their night to day.–H. D. Ganse
_________________________
New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica
DWELLING in the Word 
As an holy apostle who is with Christ our Lord & who has left all others,denying my thoughts,lusts & my own conceits,triumphing through HIS cross,I yet look to my Y’Shua to SEE the recompences,especially in this Laodicean-generation of youth,who I pray,FATHER please give relief & let YOUR work appear to Your servants & Your GLORY to our children,this year(Ho’fek-2017!) turn their hearts,father’s to children,children to their fathers! By The Name Who proves to be ALL He proves be be-The Same yesterday,today & forever-JESUS!