Jesus Encounters | Week 6: Opportunity Lost | Luke 18:18–27

This week, we will continue our Jesus Encounters series by looking at Jesus’ encounter with the rich ruler in Luke 18:18–27. Throughout the Gospel accounts, we see Jesus meeting people in all kinds of places—one-on-one, in crowds, along the road, and in the privacy of homes. Yet every encounter reveals something about who Jesus is, what He came to do, and what it means to follow Him.

In this passage, a wealthy ruler comes to Jesus with an important question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” On the surface, he appears sincere, moral, and spiritually interested. But as the conversation unfolds, Jesus lovingly exposes the one thing that still has hold of his heart.

This encounter reminds us that we may hear the words of Jesus and still miss the invitation of Jesus. The rich ruler wanted eternal life, but he struggled to surrender the life he had built for himself. This week, we will consider what Jesus was revealing to him—and what He may be revealing to us—about goodness, surrender, and the grace of God that makes salvation possible.