Tag Archives: rich man

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – LINKED TO THE SOURCE

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LINKED TO THE SOURCE

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:23-27

Peter was dumbfounded. As spokesman as usual, he blurted out what was on his mind. Jesus’ observation, in response to the rich man’s crestfallen reaction to His reply, left him (Peter) completely confused. According to his understanding, wealth was the evidence of God’s favour and blessing on a life. Surely, then, that blessing must include the reward of eternal life. And yet this man had no such assurance and was seeking it from Jesus through some deed he thought he needed to do.

As the man walked slowly away, Jesus gazed after him with a wistful comment. Wealth is not a sign that one is in the kingdom. Rather, it’s the biggest hindrance to experiencing and enjoying the kingdom – unless, of course, one’s wealth is a servant to serve those who are in the kingdom.

The disciples’ minds reeled. If wealthy people have no chance of experiencing the kingdom of God, what chance do we poor folk have? Jesus’ reply was blunt. “No chance at all if you think it depends upon you. Every chance in the world if you realise it’s about God’s grace.” Once again Jesus zeroed in on the heart of the matter. Externals don’t count. Wealth or poverty is not the determining factors. Eternal life is a matter of the heart.

And again, Peter opened his mouth. “Look how good we are, Jesus!  We left everything for you.” Jesus graciously acknowledged that. “Yes, Peter, you have and you won’t lose out for me. You’ll get back more than you forfeited, but remember that this journey is not trouble-free. What you receive in this life is only temporary, and it brings its own troubles. The true reward is your bond with me. That will last forever long after this life is over.”

Paradoxically, what might appear to be God’s favour and blessing actually turns out to be a hindrance, pushing the ones who think they have it all to the end of the queue. Those who have nothing and are aware of it stand first in line for the benefits of depending on and living in union with their source. They don’t need the world’s wealth because they are joined by faith to the Giver of life. They are linked to a limitless supply. That is true life.

THE GOSPEL PF LUKE – THERE WAS ONCE A RICH MAN

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THERE WAS ONCE A RICH MAN

“‘There was once a rich man, expensively dressed….wasting his days in conspicuous consumption….A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. All he lived on was…scraps off the rich man’s table…Then he died, this poor man….The rich man also died….In hell and in torment, he looked up….He called out…”Send Lazarus…”…But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember…'” Luke 16:19-31.

A familiar story to Bible-readers, but what is the point of this parable? Hebrews read for identification. Who am I in the story? How often Jesus directed His stories at the Pharisees as a wake-up call! If God’s word is a seed, then Jesus sowed lavishly into the ears of the religious leaders, but to no avail.

This is quite a shocking story for several reasons:

Firstly, it uncovers the heart of this rich man. Jesus had no issues with his being rich. In fact, the Apostle Paul stated categorically that Jesus Himself was rich. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV). He had issues with what the rich man did with his riches.

In this case, he spent it all on himself, not just on his needs, but on a sumptuous and lavish lifestyle that made him blind to the need of the poor man at his gate, a simple but graphic description of what was known as the ‘yetzer harah’ – the evil eye or the eye of darkness – the inward-looking eye that sees no-one but self.

Secondly, Jesus shows us the destiny of greedy and selfish people. Hell is not about God getting people back for not listening to Him. It’s a consequence of a life squandered on self instead of fulfilling God’s higher purpose. The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna- translated “hell”) was the garbage dump of the city where worthless stuff was burnt – a terrible tragedy and sorrow for the God who gave us the freedom to choose, knowing that that freedom could cost us our eternal destiny.

Thirdly, it smashed into the Hebrew philosophy that wealth was equal to God’s blessing and poverty a curse on people who were out of favour with God. How could this rich man land up in hell if his wealth was a token of God’s favour? This must have shocked both the Pharisees and the disciples. On one occasion, a rich man came to Jesus to ask what he needed to do to have the assurance of eternal life. Jesus told him to get rid of his wealth because it stood between him and following Him. The young man refused.

Jesus’ comment puzzled His disciples. ‘How difficult it is,’ He said, ‘for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ The disciples blurted out, ‘Who, then, can be saved?’ That was a shock to them. If rich people, who were supposed to be the blessed ones, could not enter the kingdom, what hope was there for the rest?

Jesus’s story reveals something much deeper than wealth=blessing=salvation. It was not having wealth but what you did with it that revealed your heart. Wealth is a good servant but a terrible master. What we do with is it the measure of our love for God.

Fourthly, not even torment in hell changed the heart of this man. O yes, he thought about his brothers but only because he did not want them to experience the terrible end of a worthless life, which presupposed that they were living just as he had lived. But his attitude to the poor man had not changed. He still regarded him as less than himself. ‘Send Lazarus,’ he instructed Abraham, as though Lazarus were his servant to dispatch as he chose.

Jesus was not, for one moment, advocating good works as a way of salvation. His blood alone can forgive the guilt of our sin and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness, but He presupposed that our hearts will also be transformed so that we do not continue living self-indulgent lives. Generosity is a sign that our hearts and lives have been changed, If not, we need to re-evaluate so that we do not land up where the rich man did because he assumed…

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE – THE FOLLY OF GREED

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THE FOLLY OF GREED

“Then (Jesus) told them this story: ‘The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself. ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, ‘Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’

“Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods, who gets it?'”  Luke 12:16-20.

Jesus told this story to illustrate what happens to a man who hoards his wealth instead of sharing it. He exposed three misunderstandings that are common in our world today. The first is that we got our money and possessions by our own efforts. The man in the story assumed that it was his clever farming methods that produced a bumper crop. How do we know this? There is no hint of gratitude to God for his harvest. He took his good fortune for granted with no reference to God.

Secondly, he assumed that it was all his and that he could do what he pleased with it. There was no thought of asking God what He wanted done with it. He was a typical example of what was known in Hebrew thought as someone who had ‘the evil eye’. He was the centre of his world and his priority in everything. He was completely self- absorbed and God-unaware.

Thirdly, he thought he had a long time to enjoy his wealth. He forgot how transient and uncertain life is. Because he was so self-confident and self-sufficient, God interrupted his life and cut it off with the question, ‘Now who will get your stuff?’ We have no control over our lifespan.

We see this attitude everywhere. Page through a glossy magazine. It is full of glamour and success with no reference to God. From where do wealth, beauty, gifts and talents come? It would seem that somehow celebrities think they are responsible. They ‘farm’ their accomplishments, turn it into gold and build bigger barns to store it for their personal enjoyment. Oh yes, some may even share some of their wealth but even that is often tainted because God never features in any of it.  However, this attitude is to be expected in people who have not yet become aware of God’s place in their lives.

The sad thing is that believers often have the same attitude. We may not be celebrities and we may not be harvesting bumper ‘crops’ from our self-made success, but the underlying ideas are still the same. ‘My money is mine and I can do what I like with it.’  Like the manna that was hoarded overnight, it will spoil. This does not mean that God is stingy and does not want His children to be wealthy. God is generous beyond understanding. He delights to bless His people with material benefits. Poverty is never a reflection of who God is.

To understand God’s purpose in blessing us with material things, we have to acknowledge two fundamentals: That everything belongs to God, which means that what we have is on loan to us; and that we are stewards, not owners, of our possessions.

Two more misunderstandings need to be cleared up: The first is that saving for our future is wrong and, secondly, that God will provide for us in the future if we spend all our money now. God is much smarter than that! He gave us an economic system in the Old Testament which answers all these questions and takes care of all these issues.  Regardless of whether it was Old Testament teaching or not, it is God’s wisdom which worked for His people then and will work for us now. He didn’t change the rules just because we are under grace. He changed our hearts so that we can give out of gratitude for His goodness to us.

Scattered throughout God’s Word are the principles of generosity which reflect God’s character and break the cycle of greed in us if we put them into practice.

Jesus Did Not Say That We Must Give Our Money And Possessions Away

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JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT WE MUST GIVE OUR MONEY AND POSSESSIONS AWAY

As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on His knees before Him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘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: You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honour you father and mother.’ ‘Teacher,’ he declared, ‘all these I have kept since I was a boy.’

Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ He said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth. (Mark 10: 17-22)

Well, didn’t Jesus tell this young man to give everything away? Sure he did, but Jesus was addressing a specific individual in a specific situation, not telling everyone who follows Him to get rid of their money.

We have no idea who this young man was and how he came to acquire his wealth. He could possibly have been his father’s eldest son who had inherited a double portions of his father’s wealth as the firstborn in the family. There is no evidence that he was a tax collector who had acquired his money through dishonest means. He was quick to tell Jesus that he had not defrauded anyone. He seems to have been an honest and upright young Jew who did all the right things.

In spite of his law-abiding life, he still felt that there was something missing. What did he recognise in Jesus that brought him to Him and not to his own religious teachers? Perhaps he recognised that they were no further than he in their religious lives and practices. Perhaps he even saw through their phoney “holiness” and knew that they had nothing to offer him. How long had he observed Jesus and seen in Him a quality that he longed to have in his own life – a humility and genuineness that showed up the “holy” ones for what they were.

Whatever his reasons for seeking Jesus out, he presented a golden opportunity for Jesus to explain the “gospel” to him.  Why did Jesus begin with the Ten Commandments? Is this a model for evangelism? Get people to admit that they have broken the commandments and are going to hell? Jesus did not even mention hell, or contradict the young man when he declared that he had observed the commandments from his childhood. What was His intention? Was it to find out where this man stood in his understanding and attitude towards God?

From his response it was obvious that this man was a devout Jew. He did all the right things, even fasting, praying and doing his tsidaqahs, his acts of righteousness which were his duty – his first-fruits offering, and his tithes to the temple, and giving to the poor. He did everything by the book. What did he lack? He must have had an emptiness somewhere in his heart, a sense of unfulfilment that niggled at him, and became more urgent when he was near Jesus.

He desperately wanted the assurance that he would “go to heaven when he died”. Is that the conviction that he lacked? Perhaps he thought that one good deed, one thing above everything else he could do would do it so that he would never have to worry about it again.

Do, do, do! That was what hammered in his brain. All he wanted was to do something special to have his future secured.

What was his understanding about eternal life? Was he aware that eternal life is not something you “get” when you die; that is it a quality of life that begins now when you embrace God’s instructions for living in the kingdom of God?

Why did Jesus love him? Was Luke saying that Jesus did not love everyone else? I don’t think so. I think Jesus saw the potential in him and longed to see him fully involved in God’s kingdom. He also saw something else in this man; a huge barrier to his becoming a genuine citizen of God’s kingdom – his wealth. In one quick instruction, Jesus uncovered his heart. “Give it all away,” He said, “and come, follow me.”

There is an important principle in Jesus’ words. It’s not necessarily about money. It’s about who or what we love more than Him. He said that whatever stands between us and Him must go or we cannot be His disciples. Why is it so imperative that we follow Him without any baggage? He came to show us the Father and to take us to the Father. We can only ever experience eternal life when we are reunited with and completely one with the Father.

Jesus said that a branch has no life outside the vine. There is no life in us when we are disconnected from Him because He and the Father are one, and to be one with Him is to be one with the Father. Jesus is the way, the only way and, apart from Him we have no life.

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matt. 6: 24)

The bottom line is; who do you love? You will serve the one you love. This rich man obviously loved his money too much to let it go. He chose to forfeit life in union with Jesus and to become whole again and one with the Father because money held his heart.

What holds yours?

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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