Theme: Christ our wealth
Text: Amos 5:6-7, 10-15; Heb. 4:12-16; Mk. 10:17-31
Who is a Christian and how does one become a Christian? A common belief is that a Christian is someone who goes to Church and that one becomes a Christian by being a good person. But how does Scripture answer this important question that directly affects our eternal destiny? In today’s gospel reading the question ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ could also be phrased ‘what must I do to become a Christian?’ since Christians are the ones who have eternal life. The answer Jesus gave indicates that no one could become a Christian on the basis of his or her own efforts or good works. Suppose for a moment, that all tickets for a flight to a perfect place were free but were only available to those who acknowledged and accepted its ruler as their king. What would you do if you wanted to fly to that place? Would you accept its ruler as your king or would you, because you are not prepared to do so, print your own ticket instead? Your ticket may look just like the real ticket with the correct airline, flight number and departure time on it, but should you present it at the check-in desk, it would be rejected. You would even be charged for committing a criminal offence and punished. In a similar way, the requirements for entry into God’s Kingdom are not up for debate or negotiation. Eternal life, God’s most valuable gift to us, could never be earned by somehow doing the right things. It can only be received by accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Real lasting wealth does not lie in our possessions but in Jesus Christ.
God’s gift of eternal life is available to everyone who repents and puts his or her faith in Jesus Christ. We can only fully understand what repentance is when we are confronted with the character of God. When, like Isaiah, we see the holiness, perfection, goodness and glory of God, we will begin to see our own wretchedness and begin to understand the nature of sin and the demands of God’s law. It is only then that we can come to the realisation that we cannot fulfil the demands of God’s law on our own. The only way to fulfil God’s demands is to first admit we need help. It is only then that we can respond to the good news that Christ was put to death to pay the penalty for our sins, and “that if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved” (Romans 10:9-10).
The Jewish people, at the time of Jesus, believed that one could get to heaven on the basis of what one did, for instance, on the basis of keeping the law of God. Many people still feel the same way today. They feel that doing the right things like being a good citizen, being a faithful husband or wife, being a devoted mother or father, and being a person who helps those in need would be enough to get them to heaven as they would have fulfilled God’s commandments. The truth, however, is that no one, apart from Jesus Christ, was or is capable of fulfilling God’s Commandments. What God expects from us is repentance and belief in what Christ has done for us. Repentance simply means to change one’s mind. This is necessary because every sinner has turned his back on God, his Father, and on heaven, his home. In this sinful condition every step he takes is a step away from God and from heaven. The only way to change the situation is to change one’s mind about God, change direction, and turn back to God. Repentance is admitting we need help “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. The young ruler, just like many people today, was not even aware of his spiritual condition. He felt and believed that he was qualified and good enough to get into heaven on his own and if not he could do whatever God required. But when God required that He come first in his life, he was not prepared to give up his wealth. If we were the ones on the road with Jesus would we put Christ first? Would we be prepared to give up our job, our car, our house, our income, or our savings to follow Him?
Eternal life is our most valuable possession in this life and in the life to come. It comes with God’s promise to be always with us, never to leave us or forsake us and to protect us from all forms of evil. Eternal life not only assures us of God’s presence and protection but also assures us of His provision. God, our Creator, is able to meet all our physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
Jesus came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly. Why then are so many people not experiencing God’s abundant life? Is it not because of our refusal to see total submission and obedience to Christ as the basis of our relationship? Do we not instead consider wealth and possessions as a confirmation of Christ’s acceptance and approval? The prevailing thought at the time of Christ, and it appears to be the same today, is that wealth and possessions are a sign of God’s love, favour and reward for faithful service. Although this may be true in some cases it is not always the case as is illustrated in the experience of the rich young ruler and in the case of many wealthy people today who in spite of all their money still lead unfulfilled lives. Money can buy you a house, but not a home; it can buy you education, but not wisdom; it can buy you a bed, but not sleep; and it can buy you medicine, but not health. Only God’s abundant life can provide what you really need. This life is only possible when Christ becomes our life and this relationship ought to be the focus of the Church’s message. Many Churches today, however, focus on money instead. They would welcome the rich and powerful with open arms and give them a prominent and privileged seat in the Church. They would even compromise the teachings of Christ to please them, and justify their actions by claiming that they are God’s instruments for financing and giving recognition to their ministry. To become a Christian leaves no room for compromise, as any compromise would contravene God’s holy standard. We can only become Christians God’s way and that means acknowledging the Lordship of Christ in our lives. No matter how religious or how good we may consider ourselves to be, if we have not submitted to the Lordship of Christ, we are still sinners in need of salvation.
Jesus Christ is the source of eternal life and the evidence of this life is seen when a person has his focus on Christ and bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Just as Christ lived in total obedience to God His Father so also must we live in total obedience to Christ our Lord? Without obedience to Christ we cannot hope to live the Christian life - a life doing what Christ wants us to do, saying what He wants us to say and going where He wants us to go.
The abundant life is a life that has been freed from life’s burdens and filled with God’s joy, peace and blessings. John Bunyan pictured this in his book ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ where Pilgrim is seen carrying a heavy burden. When he came to the cross and believed in Jesus, he was immediately freed of his burden and left it there. Many people, however, want to come to Christ but are not prepared to let go of their burden. They often mistakenly believe that the burden they are carrying is more important to them than Christ. Just imagine a woman carrying a heavy load on her head who is offered a ride in a car. She refuses an offer to help her put down the load and prefers to sit in the car with the load still on her head. This is how many people behave when they come to Christ acknowledging Him as their Saviour and Lord. They still want to carry the burden that they falsely believe, is the source of their security instead of trusting Christ who is the real source of true security, peace, and hope. Jesus Christ wants us to get rid of anything that has become the source of our security - anything that is more important to us than God. It could be money or possessions in general, but it could also be a club or an organisation, or even a habit. Real security can only be found in Christ.
We are all sinners by birth, by nature, by practice and by choice and we need to face the facts about our spiritual wretchedness before God. We may think we are much better than most of our colleagues but the most important thing is not how we see ourselves but how God sees us. We need to face the spiritual reality that being good is not the criteria for receiving eternal life. The Law was given so that man could understand his sinful condition and God’s righteous expectations. It reveals our inability to please God and leads us to seek His grace “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” Romans 8:3-4. The rich young ruler was searching for eternal life but he failed to see the requirements of the Law. He failed to see himself as a lawbreaker and left Christ’s presence without this most precious gift because he was unwilling to submit to the terms of Christ. Does Christ come first in your life? Would you give up your wealth if it kept you from inheriting eternal life? Would you trust Christ enough to give up the things you had been relying on for your happiness and security? It is impossible for us to live up to the perfect standard of God’s law. But what is impossible for us is possible with God. He made it possible by sending His One and Only Son into the world to pay the penalty for our sin. He died in our place and God forgives us on the basis of what Christ has done and through His Holy Spirit changes our hearts, minds, and lives. The only way to become a Christian, to inherit eternal life, is to acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord. Amen!
