WHAT ARE YOU CARRYING: That won’t fit through the gate?

 

“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.”— Gospel of Matthew 19:24

We hear this verse and instinctively think: That’s impossible. But Jesus wasn’t closing the door. He was explaining how the door works.

What most people miss is this... In ancient Jerusalem, tradition speaks of a narrow city gate often called the Eye of the Needle. It wasn’t wide enough for a camel to walk through standing tall. To pass through it, the camel had to be unloaded. It had to kneel. It had to crawl forward slowly. Nothing carried through untouched. And that was the point.

Jesus wasn’t saying rich people can’t enter the Kingdom. He was saying no one enters while clinging to everything. Not pride. Not possessions. Not reputation. Not the illusion of self-sufficiency. The Kingdom is open. But it is not spacious.

The Kingdom Doesn’t Need Your Baggage. A significant obstacle for some of us is that we often want Jesus plus what we’ve built. Our success. Our security. Our identity. Our control. But the gate isn’t wide enough for all of it. Something has to be set down. And kneeling is not optional.

The Tombsite of Lazarus

Coming back to life is not graceful. There’s another detail Scripture doesn’t romanticize. When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead in the Gospel of John 11, the tomb is below ground. To respond to “Come out!” Lazarus had to navigate a cramped passage. Climb uneven ground. Move while wrapped in a burial cloth. Stumble forward still smelling like death. Resurrection wasn’t instant elegance. It was an effort.

Jesus gave Life, but Lazarus still had to walk out of the grave. 

Following Jesus Was Never Easy—On Purpose

“Enter through the narrow gate…” — Gospel of Matthew 7:13

The easier path was never the promised one. The Rich Young Ruler
“He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” — Gospel of Mark 10:22
Jesus didn’t reject him. Attachment did.

Peter on the Water. “Come,” Jesus said. — Gospel of Matthew 14:29
Faith held, until fear reclaimed control.

The Cost of Discipleship: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily.”— Gospel of Luke 9:23

Crosses weren’t symbols. They were surrender.

All the abovementioned isn’t about being Rich! This isn’t about money. It’s about weight. Everyone carries something that doesn’t fit through the gate. Pride disguised as confidence. Comfort is mistaken for a blessing. Control masked as responsibility.

The Kingdom doesn’t reject people. It resists what we refuse to release. 

The Come-to-Jesus Challenge
So here’s the question that a simple man like Greg believes Jesus asks us: what’s weighing you down? What are you still gripping that won’t fit? Because the door is open. But you don’t walk in standing tall. You kneel. You unload. You crawl forward, trusting the other side is worth it.

Jesus never said it would be easy. He said, “Follow me.”
And that invitation still stands