Skip to content
logo horizontal
logo tree only
logo tree only
  • about
      • About us
        • Vision Generic_YEG Feature art
      • Times & Directions
        • Watch us online 2023 169hd web
      • Staff & Leadership
        • Team Web Rotator
      • Worship
        • Worship-arts-169HD-sm2
      • Membership
        • Fall 2025 Class NO QR
      • Baptism
        • Interested in Baptism 169HD
      • Communion
        • Communion 169HD
      • Baby Dedication
        • Baby dedication2 169HD
      • New Believers
        • Care,Of,New,Life,-,Watering,Young,Plant,-,Vintage
      • Meet With A Pastor
        • Living,Room,With,Two,Yellow,Armchair,mockup,Concrete,Wall.3d,Rendering
      • Sermon Series
        • RTR Website 16×9
        • Up Next:
  • ministries
      • Family
        • Happy,Family,In,The,Park,Evening,Light.,The,Lights,Of
      • Kids
        • MBC KIDS Postcard 169HD
      • Teens
        • admin-ajax-rgb
        • Fresh wave Podcast Logo Full
      • Adults
        • small groups 2017 HD16
        • Adult-Sunday-School 2018 169HD
        • Womens min winter 2024
        • Mens Ministries 2018 169HD
        • Young Adult 2020 16.9HD generic no dates
        • Master_senior 3rd_Fri_ lunch slide 16.9HD
        • Men,Supporting,Men,,Introduction,To,A,Men’s,Therapy,Group
      • Missions
        • Missions Logo new page2 169HD
        • Senegal Missions banner 169HD 2021
        • 1st Choice 169HD
        • City Relief 16.9
        • market Street Mission 169HD
        • Feedng Hands
      • Care
        • Care team 2015 169hd
      • Internships
        • Internships
      • Underground Sessions
        • Underground Sess. Signage
      • Stephen Ministry
        • Stephen Ministry 2017 169HD
      • Little Footprints Learning Center
        • LFLC Postcard 2017 V2
  • media
      • Sunday Worship Playlist & Sermon Outline
        • Worship arts logo copy
      • Digital Ministry
        • Podcasts Feature GRaphic2
        • Move to YT Livestream MBC UNHINDERED noDate-169 copy
      • Pastor’s Table Blog
        • RTR PTB
      • Behind the Pulpit
        • Behind the Pulpit weekly YouTube 169 V2 Rach. no text
      • Fresh Wave
        • Fresh wave Podcast Logo Full
      • Wednesdays in the Word
        • Weds in the Word v1
      • Sermon Archive
        • Sermon Archive Banner
      • Right Now Media
        • church_slide_1
      • Merch Store
        • MBC Merch store 169 reg copy
  • events
  • prayer
      • Praise & Prayer Weekly Update
        • Prayer Web 169hd
      • Men and Women’s Prayer Room
        • ladies and mens prayer graphic copy
  • give
      • Year-End Giving for 2025
        • 2025 Giving
      • MBC Giving
        • MBC Giving Slides_template 10 digit 2021b
      • Serving
        • Ministry Page feature graphic 169
  • connect
      • Getting Connected
        • Newsletter,Email,Icon,Isolated,On,Special,Blue,Banner,Background,Abstract
      • The Bridge
        • Bridge Sep 28 2025 V2
      • Shared Interest Groups
        • Shared Interest Groups 169
      • Share your Gifts
        • Serving page alt With Webpage URL 169
      • Finance Team
        • Finance Team 169
      • Safety & Security Team
        • Safety&Security 16×9 V1
      • Buildings & Grounds Team
        • Buildings & Grounds Team 16×9 V3
      • Hospitality Team
        • Hospitality Team 16×9 FINAL
  • log in
PrevPrevious EntryAnything You Can Do I Can Do Better! (Reflections on Luke 18:9-14)
Next EntryLost On The Jericho Road (Reflections on Luke 18:35-19:10)Next

BACK TO THE PASTOR’S TABLE

Sermon Summary: Luke 18:15-34

Listen to this article

 

By Pastor David Hentschel

In Luke 18:15-34, we are drawn into a series of encounters that Jesus has with different groups of people, each offering profound insights into the nature of the Kingdom of God and what it means to follow Jesus. Let’s break down these verses and reflect on their significance for our lives today.

“All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum beautifully encapsulates fundamental life lessons often overlooked in our quest for success and recognition. Fulghum writes:

“Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder.”

These simple, profound truths remind us of the childlike qualities Jesus values—qualities we see exemplified in the passages from Luke 18:15-34. This scripture draws us into a series of encounters that Jesus has with different groups of people, each offering profound insights into the nature of the Kingdom of God and what it means to follow Jesus. Let’s break down these verses and reflect on their significance for our lives today.

A Lesson from Some Kids (Luke 18:15-17)

The passage opens with people bringing infants to Jesus, hoping for His blessing. The disciples, perhaps seeing this as an interruption, rebuke them. But Jesus’ response is striking: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (v. 16).

Jesus emphasizes that the Kingdom of God is for those who approach with childlike faith and humility. Children represent dependence, trust, and simplicity. To enter God’s Kingdom, we must set aside our self-sufficiency and pride, embracing a heart that is open, trusting, and reliant on God’s grace.

A Lesson from a Very Rich Man (Luke 18:18-30)

Next, we encounter the rich young ruler, a man who has kept the commandments and seeks eternal life. Jesus, perceiving his heart, challenges him to sell all his possessions and follow Him. The man becomes sorrowful, for he is very wealthy.

This encounter highlights the danger of material wealth and the difficulty it poses in fully surrendering to God. Jesus remarks, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (v. 24). Wealth can create a false sense of security and self-reliance, distracting us from our need for God. Jesus calls us to examine what holds our hearts captive and to be willing to let go of anything that stands in the way of fully following Him.

A Lesson for Us All (Luke 18:29-34)

Peter, reflecting on the sacrifices he and the other disciples have made, asks Jesus about their reward. Jesus assures him that anyone who has left home, family, or fields for the sake of the Kingdom will receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.

This promise reassures us that sacrifices made for Jesus are never in vain. God sees our sacrifices and promises abundant blessings, both now and in eternity. The call to discipleship may involve significant costs, but the rewards far surpass anything we could imagine.

The passage concludes with Jesus taking the Twelve aside and predicting His impending suffering, death, and resurrection. Despite hearing this, the disciples do not fully grasp what Jesus is telling them. This prediction reminds us of the centrality of the cross in our faith. Jesus willingly walked the path of suffering and death to bring us salvation.

This is the greatest act of humility of all time, and Jesus humbled himself for us.

We were worth it to him, therefore, following Him is worth it … to us.

Luke 18:15-34 challenges us to reflect on our own faith and priorities. Are we approaching God with the humility and trust of a child? Are we willing to let go of our attachments and follow Jesus wholeheartedly? Are we prepared to endure the costs of discipleship, confident in the promises of God’s abundant blessings?

As we meditate on these questions, let’s pray for the grace to live out these truths in our daily lives, embodying the childlike faith, sacrificial spirit, and cross-bearing commitment that Jesus calls us to. Following Jesus is worth it.

Picture of Dave Hentschel

Dave Hentschel

David Hentschel serves as Lead Pastor: Preaching, Spiritual Formation and Care at Millington Baptist Church in Basking Ridge, NJ. He is a graduate of Philadelphia Biblical University and Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his wife Juli enjoy three children.
PrevPrevious EntryAnything You Can Do I Can Do Better! (Reflections on Luke 18:9-14)
Next EntryLost On The Jericho Road (Reflections on Luke 18:35-19:10)Next

BACK TO THE PASTOR’S TABLE

Like what you see? Sign up to receive notifications from The Pastor's Table!
Loading
Like what you see? Sign up to receive notifications from The Pastor's Table!
Loading

Recent Entries

Loading...

From Gloom to Glory (Isa. 9:1-7)

October 7, 2025
/
Bob Erbig
A Light in the Darkness “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” — Isaiah 9:6 If you’ve ever been in deep...
Read More

God With Us: The Near and Far Fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14

September 29, 2025
/
Dave Hentschel
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) Isaiah 7:14 is one of the most famous prophecies in all of Scripture, quoted directly in Matthew’s Gospel as fulfilled in the birth of...
Read More

The God of Dangerous Beauty

September 24, 2025
/
Bob Erbig
Dangerous Beauty: Encountering God’s Holiness Isaiah 6 is one of those passages many of us know well. We’ve heard it in sermons, sung parts of it in worship songs, and maybe even memorized a few verses. But let me challenge you—don’t let the familiarity dull your sense of awe. This...
Read More

The Invitation of Grace

September 16, 2025
/
Dave Hentschel
A devotional on Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." (Isa 1:18, ESV) Isaiah 1 opens with a strong rebuke—God’s people have...
Read More

The View from the Mountaintop: Introduction to the book of Isaiah

September 8, 2025
/
Dave Hentschel
The View from the Mountaintop (Introduction to the book of Isaiah) Climbing a mountain takes effort, but it also gives you a breathtaking view. That’s what the prophet Isaiah offers us: a higher perspective on God, ourselves, and the world. When we open his book, we’re not just reading ancient...
Read More

Fight The Good Fight (1 Timothy 6:11-16)

July 14, 2025
/
Bob Erbig
The Spiritual Battle for a Healthy Church This was an important series for our church as we approach our 175th Anniversary next year. For a church to last 175 years, the principals in 1 Timothy must be present. We’ve learned how to combat false teaching, how to make the Gospel...
Read More
1 2 … 32 Next »

From Gloom to Glory (Isa. 9:1-7)

A Light in the Darkness “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” — Isaiah 9:6 If you’ve ever been in deep darkness, you know how desperately

Read More
Bob Erbig October 7, 2025

God With Us: The Near and Far Fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) Isaiah 7:14 is one of the most famous prophecies in all of Scripture, quoted directly in Matthew’s Gospel as fulfilled in the birth of Christ. But like many Old

Read More
Dave Hentschel September 29, 2025

The God of Dangerous Beauty

Dangerous Beauty: Encountering God’s Holiness Isaiah 6 is one of those passages many of us know well. We’ve heard it in sermons, sung parts of it in worship songs, and maybe even memorized a few verses. But let me challenge you—don’t let the familiarity dull your sense of awe. This chapter is meant to shake

Read More
Bob Erbig September 24, 2025
Page1 Page2 Page3 Page4 Page5
  • www.millingtonbaptist.org
  • mbc@millingtonbaptist.org
  • /millingtonchurch
  • /MBCNewJersey
  • www.millingtonbaptist.org
  • mbc@millingtonbaptist.org
  • facebook.com/millingtonchurch
  • twitter.com/MBCNewJersey
  • 520 King George Road | Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 | 908-647-0594
  • about
    • Back
    • About us
      • Back
      • Back
    • Times & Directions
      • Back
      • Back
    • Staff & Leadership
      • Back
      • Back
    • Worship
      • Back
      • Back
    • Membership
      • Back
      • Back
    • Baptism
      • Back
      • Back
    • Communion
      • Back
      • Communion
      • Back
    • Baby Dedication
      • Back
      • Baby Dedications
      • Back
    • New Believers
      • Back
      • New Believers
      • Back
    • Meet With A Pastor
      • Back
      • Meet With A Pastor
      • Back
    • Sermon Series
      • Back
      • Back
    • Back
  • ministries
    • Back
    • Family
      • Back
      • Family Ministries
      • Back
    • Kids
      • Back
      • MBC Kids
      • Back
    • Teens
      • Back
      • Teens
      • The Fresh Wave Podcast
      • Back
    • Adults
      • Back
      • Small Groups
      • Adult Education
      • Women
      • Men
      • Young Adults
      • Senior Luncheon
      • Radical Mentoring
      • Back
    • Missions
      • Back
      • MBC Missions
      • Senegal
      • First Choice
      • City Relief
      • Market Street Mission
      • Feeding Hands
      • Back
    • Care
      • Back
      • Back
    • Internships
      • Back
      • Internships
      • Back
    • Underground Sessions
      • Back
      • Underground Sessions
      • Back
    • Stephen Ministry
      • Back
      • Back
    • Little Footprints Learning Center
      • Back
      • Back
    • Back
  • media
    • Back
    • Sunday Worship Playlist & Sermon Outline
      • Back
      • Sunday Worship Playlist & Sermon Outline
      • Back
    • Digital Ministry
      • Back
      • Digital Ministry
      • Livestream
      • Back
    • Pastor’s Table Blog
      • Back
      • Pastor’s Table Blog
      • Back
    • Behind the Pulpit
      • Back
      • Updates & Connection Opportunities
      • Back
    • Fresh Wave
      • Back
      • The Fresh Wave Podcast
      • Back
    • Wednesdays in the Word
      • Back
      • Wednesdays in the Word
      • Back
    • Sermon Archive
      • Back
      • Sermon Archive
      • Back
    • Right Now Media
      • Back
      • Right Now Media
      • Back
    • Merch Store
      • Back
      • Merch Store
      • Back
    • Back
  • events
  • prayer
    • Back
    • Praise & Prayer Weekly Update
      • Back
      • Praise & Prayer Weekly Update
      • Back
    • Men and Women’s Prayer Room
      • Back
      • Men and Women’s Prayer Room
      • Back
    • Back
  • give
    • Back
    • Year-End Giving for 2025
      • Back
      • Year-End Giving for 2025
      • Back
    • MBC Giving
      • Back
      • give
      • Back
    • Serving
      • Back
      • Share your Gifts
      • Back
    • Back
  • connect
    • Back
    • Getting Connected
      • Back
      • getting connected
      • Back
    • The Bridge
      • Back
      • The Bridge – September 28th, 2025
      • Back
    • Shared Interest Groups
      • Back
      • Shared Interest Groups
      • Back
    • Share your Gifts
      • Back
      • Share your Gifts
      • Back
    • Finance Team
      • Back
      • MBC Finance Team
      • Back
    • Safety & Security Team
      • Back
      • MBC Safety & Security Team
      • Back
    • Buildings & Grounds Team
      • Back
      • MBC Buildings & Grounds Team
      • Back
    • Hospitality Team
      • Back
      • MBC Hospitality Team
      • Back
    • Back
  • log in