Series: What He Said
Title: What He Said About Being Rich
Luke 18:18-30 (Mark 10:17-27)
Thesis: The saddest thing in the world is someone who clings to this world's concept of security and, in so doing, misses the treasure of heaven.
Introduction
The story is told of a man who opened a newspaper and discovered the date on the newspaper is six months in advance of the time he lives. He begins to read through the newspaper and he discovers stories about events that have not yet taken place. He turns to the sports page and there are scores of games not yet played. He turns to the financial page and discovers a report of the rise or fall of different stocks and bonds.
He realizes this can make him a wealthy man. A few large bets in Vegas on an underdog team he knows will win will make him wealthy. Investments in stocks that are now low but will get high can fatten his portfolio. He is delighted.
He turns the page and comes to the obituary column and sees his picture and story.
Everything changes. The knowledge of his death changes his view about his wealth. (Haddon Robinson, author and Gordon-Conwell Seminary professor, Preaching Today #200)
In a moment his mortality collides with his immortality… his earthly destiny collides with his eternal destiny and he is deeply concerned.
He is not unlike the man in our text this morning who is both religious and rich and yet when he bumps into Jesus the pressing question on his mind is this: What should I do to inherit eternal life?
I. [Even] Religious people are concerned about their own eternal destiny
Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question, “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 18:18-21
Isn’t that a curious distinction? The first thing we know about this man is that he is religious. Once a religious leader…
I’ve become pretty skeptical about religious leaders… One well-known religious leader urges her followers to give to her ministry, promising that God will bless them with wealth and "visions" in return. She sometimes warns her followers that their "dream will die" if they don't. A Christian University President is embroiled in a scandal, clergy sex abuse is everyday news fodder, and prominent mega church leaders are routinely exposed for having engaged in inappropriate relationships. We are skeptical of and cynical about so many who assume the role of religious leaders because we know some are full-blown hypocrites. But this guy was not one of them… he was one of those we like to think of as one of the genuinely good and godly people who sincerely practice their faith. He, of all people, is concerned about his eternal destiny.
He was one of us and maybe even better. He was faithful in his marriage. He refrained from strangling the nut jobs in his life. He didn’t lie tell lies. He was a good son to his mother and his father. He was a good guy. He probably recycled. He kept his lawn mowed and his leaves raked. He shoveled his walks. He bought tickets to the fund raisers at his church. He was faithful in his church attendance. The one clinker I see is that he may not have had a set of offering envelopes!
I could go on and on but the reason religious people are often concerned about their eternal destiny is hidden in this religious man’s question. Hear his questions again: “Good Teacher, what should I DO to inherit eternal life?” What should I DO?
Do you realize how often we speak of “doing” in regard to practicing our faith? No wonder the guy asked “what should I do?” We say you need to “do” not just pray. We tell people to “do” their best. We challenge each other to “do” God’s will. We are reminded in Scripture to “do” justice. So to ask “what should I do to inherit eternal life” is not an unreasonable question.
But Jesus saw through all the man’s willingness to “do” to what was really at the heart of the man’s dilemma.
Being rich isn’t easy. When you are really rich it is often all about the money.
Paul Dinin, a 20-year-old employee of Interland, a web-hosting company in Atlanta, was asked what his prized possessions in life were. Dinin, a high school dropout, listed four cars, including a Jaguar and a 1981 DeLorean. When asked for his philosophy, Paul stated, "It's all about money. All those guys who say they just want to make a difference in the world, that's bull. It’s all about the money!" (Business Week Online (5-29-00); submitted by David A. Slagle, Lawrenceville, Georgia)
The thing Jesus wanted the religious and rich man to understand is that it is not all about the money. What Jesus wanted the guy to do was just trust him!
II. Rich people seem to be especially vulnerable in insuring security in their own eternal destiny.
So Jesus told the man, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor and your will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.” Luke 18:22
Consider a bottle of penicillin, the famous antibiotic identified by Alexander Fleming, and first produced for clinical use in Great Britain. The drug was responsible for saving the lives of countless individuals who would otherwise have died from various forms of blood poisoning. Think of faith like this. I may accept that the bottle exists. I may trust in its ability to cure blood poisoning. But nothing will change unless I receive the drug which it contains. I must allow it to destroy the bacteria which are slowly killing me. Otherwise, I have not benefited from my faith in it.
The man believed Jesus existed and he believed Jesus could give him eternal life but he didn’t trust Jesus to give it to him. The thing Jesus wanted the religious and rich man to do was trust him!
To further illustrate this truth, Jesus cites two primary considerations that make a rich person particularly vulnerable spiritually. The first has to do with his or her sense of security;
Let me begin be retelling the story of the Rich Fool.
There was a wealthy farmer who had a very productive farm… it was so productive that he decided to build a bunch of storage units and upon doing so realized he had enough stored up that he could take his foot off the gas, so to speak, and take it easy. In fact he said, “I have enough stored away for years to come. I’m going to take it easy! Eat, drink and be merry!”
Then God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you have worked for?”
“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” Luke 12:13-21 See the problem?
A. The rich place their security in their riches or their wealth
Jesus said, “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no their can steal it and no moth can destroy it.” Luke 12:33
In Matthew 6:19 Jesus said, “Don’t store up treasure here on earth where moth eat them ad rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store up treasures in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy and thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20
In addition to the issue of personal security the rich may also have commitment issues.
B. The rich are committed to their portfolio
Jesus said, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Luke 12:34 and Matthew 6:21
During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Garth Brooks shared a story about working on a Habitat for Humanity housing build alongside 95-year-old Jimmy Carter.
“We were in Haiti, right, working on the roof — been working on the roof all day long — and they’re metal roofs, it’s 115 degrees. And when you get a roof on, the great thing is now the house has a roof, you can go down and stand underneath it, get two seconds of shade,” Brooks said, “In my two seconds, the president walked in. I sit there, and he goes, ‘You need something to do, Garth?’ “
Laughing about the encounter, Brooks added: “I said ‘No, sir,’ and jumped right back out there again. You're not gonna outwork him," the country singer said of the former president's work ethic.
Carter and wife Rosalynn, 92, have led annual Habitat builds together for 36 years, constructing and fixing more than 4,000 houses. Is there any question about where the Carters’ treasure is?
Does anyone have any doubts about where Jimmy Carter’s treasure is? If you look at where his heart is… you can see where his treasure is.
Following Christ is the ultimate expression of faith.
III. Anyone who follows Christ will have a secure eternal destiny
Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.” “Yes,” Jesus replied, “I assure you that everyone who had given up house or wife or brother or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.” Luke 18:26-30
In June of 2006, Warren Buffet, the world's second-richest man at the time, announced that he would donate 85 percent of his $44 billion fortune to five charitable foundations. Commenting on this extreme level of generosity, Buffet said: "There is more than one way to get to heaven, but this is a great way." (Associated Press, "How Do You Spend $1.5 Billion a Year?" cbsnews.com (6-27-06); submitted by Van Morris, Mount Washington, Kentucky)
I think it is important for us to understand that Jesus never asked anyone else to do what he asked of the rich young religious guy. Selling your possessions and giving your money to the poor is not the ticket to heaven. And contrary to what Warren Buffet said, giving a lot of money away is neither one way nor a great way to get to heaven.
When Jesus looked into the heart of that man he saw a man whose very identity and security in this life and the next was all wrapped up in his portfolio. He was known as a rich and religious man. He was banking on his wealth and his religion to see him through this life and into the next. There was no way he was going to trust anything or anyone other than his wealth. To follow Christ was the ultimate surrender of all that he had to the will of God.
One commentator suggests that when Jesus invited anyone to follow him he was inviting that person to come and “stick” with him, as in an adhesive or like glue. To follow Jesus meant to follow him and stick with him no matter what.
When Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.” Jesus replied, “I assure you that everyone who had given up house or wife or brother or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.” Luke 18:26-30
Did you notice how Jesus assures his followers of God’s provision in this life as well as in the world to come? “I assure you that everyone who had given up house or wife or brother or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”
The rich and religious man couldn’t do it… he was afraid he would not have enough if he gave any away. He was afraid that trusting Jesus would not result in a lifestyle to which he had become accustomed in this life or the next.
Conclusion
Lake Tahoe is the eighth deepest lake in the world. On July 4, 1875, two men discovered the deepest point in the lake to be 1645 feet by lowering a weighted champagne bottle on fishing line from the side of their boat. Following the invention of sonar, soundings by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that depth. Lake Tahoe is so large that if the lake were tipped over, its contents would cover California in 14.5 inches of water. Tahoe could provide every person in the United States with 50 gallons of water per day for five years. The evaporation from Tahoe over the course of one year could supply a city the size of Los Angeles for five years. And Lake Tahoe is a small lake compared to Lake Superior (120 times as large) and the world's largest lake, the Caspian Sea (576 times as large).
Your use of water could never personally exhaust the limits of Lake Tahoe. But God has no limits. Whatever your need you in this life or the next can never exhaust God’s supply. (David Finch, "A Picture of Praise," sermon on PreachingToday.com)
When Jesus says, “I assure you that everyone who follows me will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come,” you can take that to the bank!
