There is a movie called “Leap Year” where a girl has been told by her father that on leap year Irish girls can ask their man if they will marry them, rather than waiting for the man to ask first. When this girl goes to Ireland to ask her man on leap year she encounters all kinds of crazy mishaps trying to reach her man who is in Dublin teaching a medical seminar.
She meets a local Irishman in another town who she hires to drive her too Dublin, and she tells him about the leap year rule. He informs her this is just a myth and full of baloney from America. He realizes she is so focused on getting married she can’t seem to see what is really important and what she should really value most of all in a relationship.
The driver asks her this important question: If the fire alarm went off in your building and you can only grab one thing out of the building, what would you pick? The point he tries to get her to see is if her man doesn’t say he would pick her above things like phones or lap top computers she fooling herself about their relationship. The driver thinks the girl is more in love with the idea of marriage than who she wants to marry.
There is a similar story in the gospel of Luke in which Jesus is teaching a crowd and a rich guy walks up to him and asks Jesus what he has to do to to INHERIT eternal life. The interesting thing is he asks is how he can inherit eternal life, which seems to be a destination he is interested in rather than who he spends it with, thus adding just one more THING to his wealth. He seems to think he just needs some QUALIFIER to push him over the edge that makes him inherit eternal life. It seems modern Christianity teaches something similar about inheriting eternal life. Jesus, on the other hand, seems to be teaching something very different about gaining eternal life than just simply saying a prayer in church. We are looking for a simple fix to our problem when Jesus is looking for a complete overhaul.
Luke 18:18
A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
In this account Jesus proceeds to list the 10 commandments as a qualifier and the young man happily says he has done them all since he was a boy. The interesting thing is the account in scripture doesn’t say Jesus included the first four commandments about loving God with all our hearts, mind and strength and the young man doesn’t seem to notice. Those commandments focus on loving God above all else and not having idols in our lives.
Jesus proceeds to tell this young rich guy that he still lacks one thing. Jesus says he needs to give up all his wealth and then follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Kaboom! Can you imagine this guy’s surprise at that qualifier? Somehow many teachers in the body of Christ today say this requirement for eternal life, which is salvation, only pertains to this one rich guy rather than it pertaining to all of us. Does God have a different requirement of salvation for different people? I think not! Scripture teaches we qualify for eternal life when we embrace Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we embrace Jesus as the most important thing in our life we agree to follow him regardless of the cost. Not money or houses or even relationships with other people should come between our loyalty to Jesus and his kingdom. I think many attending church today think this doesn’t pertain to them and if they don’t change their thinking they will have a rude awakening come judgment day and then it will be too late.
The rich young man sought eternal life as an opportunity to gain another THING in his already wealth-filled life instead of the SUPREME OBJECT of his attention. When the rich young guy walked because in his mind the price was too great, Jesus said the most profound thing about being saved. We need to really think about what that means to all of us who believe we have been saved and in fact qualify for eternal life with Jesus.
Luke 18:24-27
Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, 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.”
Keep in mind the average Jewish person thought by having more money they would have more time to read scripture, pray more, etc. When Jesus said it’s harder for a rich person to be saved it blew their minds. Jesus basically was saying wealth more often than not keeps us from a relationship with God rather than bringing us closer to him. It seems that the thing many of us want so desperately, which is more money or more wealth, the worse off we are not the better off we are. Our minds convince us, as does the culture, that to have wealth and more wealth the more godly we can become because now we have more time and options to seek him when in reality wealth enslaves us more to our own selfish desires, which keep us from God. There were godly wealthy people in scripture but they were the exception not the rule. Wealth, often traps us into a false belief that we are better than others and deserve more privileges. In truth it is hard to find a humble rich person and humility is a requirement with God.
So when Jesus spoke these things it pretty much surprised everyone. If wealth doesn’t help us become friends with God what will? This is where Jesus gives out the most important truth so far. This truth is about what is possible in and of ourselves rather than our real need for God’s intervention. The problem with humanity is that we trust ourselves more than God more than we want to admit and especially when wealth is involved.
Luke 18:26-28
Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”
Jesus closest disciples, like Peter, were getting the picture of what brings salvation to a person. It’s not a simple prayer or promise. It’s when a person decides they are going to put Jesus first in their lives; whether it’s about choosing a profession, or a place to live or a person to marry. In truth, it’s practical more than it is theological. Anything short of that is wishful thinking with regards to a relationship with God. Jesus purchased our salvation with the sacrifice of his own life. If we don’t have the same commitment of being 100% into following God and his plan for our lives we forfeit the option of eternal life.
Matthew 10:37-39
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Questions:
1) When you came to acknowledge Jesus in your life did you surrender all or just part of your heart? A simple prayer doesn’t qualify us unless it includes a life time of devotion on our part. (Jer 29:13)
2) Have “THINGS” overcome your devotion to Jesus in the day to day living for him? Acknowledging your sin and asking God’s forgiveness is a start to restoration (1 John 1:9)
Loving to dig up the pure gold from God’s word,
Pastor Dale
Pastor Dale,
You and I have had this discussion several times, and I continue to be blessed by your mentorship. I, as you know, struggle not in bad times or great times, but in “normal” times. (I.e. when things aren’t crazy good or bad, I drift).
I particularly liked your explanation of the rich man’s approach to eternity. It was a destination for him, a where vs. a WHO. Given the nearly countless mentorship meetings I have had with you over the years, you have helped me come to a better understanding of the importance of a sincere relationship with the WHO, Jesus. HE is becoming a more common pursuit in my “normal” times. I thank you for this.
May God bless you my friend,
Jason
Hi Jason
Thanks for the feedback and compliment about mentoring. I pray for your success in growing deeper in love with God and your fruit impact on those you meet.
Love you brother