My friend Dan sent me a link to a sermon by Francis Chan. The sermon is called "Lukewarm and lovin' it!". I felt very challenged by this message, so I decided to do what I usually do in those circumstances - share the pain with you.
In Mark 10:25 Jesus says "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
We have heard this hundreds and hundreds of time, I am sure, and choose not to dwell on what He truly means by this - because we are some of the richest people who have ever lived on this earth.
So let's be brave enough to dwell on this for a minute. What does He mean? Is He saying it is impossible for us to get into Heaven? Let's look at two other passages:
The Rich Ruler
A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"
"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. (Luke 18:18-23)
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:1-10)
Here are two rich men. The first is so caught up in his riches, so attached to them, so dependent on them that he cannot give them up. The second immediately recognizes what is truly important - his relationship with God. He is willing to part with all that he has to gain that. (Does that remind you of the story Jesus told about the man who found a valuable pearl in a field?)
"Today salvation has come to this house." A rich man has been saved. The impossible has been accomplished.
How attached are you to your "stuff"? The think about stuff is - the more you have, the safer you feel. Like I said, this is challenging for me. A week ago or so I told you that I was in a precarious situation in regards to my work situation. I work on contract, and my contract ends today. I went to God and told Him that I trusted Him, and that whatever happens, whatever I might have to divest myself of, I was willing to do so, knowing that He would provide for me and my family. And I mostly believed what I was saying. Mostly. Yesterday afternoon we were told that our bid had won the new contract ("by the slightest of margins") and I will be remaining where I am currently planted. A big thank you to all of you for your support and prayers during this time. And praise and thanksgiving to God for His generosity and faithfulness.
Amazing Grace and Eternal Peace to you today,
Bruce
Father, we come to you knowing that we are rich beyond the wildest dreams of most of the people who have ever walked the earth.
Help us to understand that all we have has been given by You,that you gave us this wealth not to make our lives easier,but that we could use it to ease the burden and pain of others.
Forgive us for the times that we have trusted in earthly treasures
and not built up treasures in heaven.
Give us hearts like Zacchaeus, so that salvation may be brought to our houses - today.
In the name of Christ our Lord we pray. Amen
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