What He Said About Being Rich Series

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!