THE PERIL OF WEALTH
March 2, 2008 PM
Sermon Outline
MK 10:23-27
INTRO: The wealth young man had come to Jesus with a very appropriate question. "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" I have no doubt of the young man's sincerity. He was not like the scribes and Pharisees whose questions were asked for the purpose of ensnaring Jesus in order to accuse Him. But the answer Jesus gave him was probably not what he expected. "Sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor," Jesus told him. But the young man "went away grieved" because he was very wealthy. This, then, is the setting for the text at which we will be looking tonight. What Jesus says to His disciples after the young man refuses His "follow me" was astonishing to them!
- HAVING WEALTH MAKES ENTERING THE KINGDOM DIFFICULT!
- We have a tendency to think that poor folks have more spiritual interest
- we have equated great wealth with worldliness, profaneness
- and perhaps in our western world that is not an inaccurate assessment
- poorer folks seem to be more approachable with the gospel
- But in Jesus' world great wealth was considered favor from God
- wealthy folks must have been more spiritual since God had favored them
- the disciples would have seen the young man as one of God's best!
- this was the belief of Jewish morality - not ours
- We have a tendency to think that poor folks have more spiritual interest
- BUT JESUS GIVES A FULLER EXPLANATION OF HIS STATEMENT
- The astonishment of the disciples must have been evident to Him
- He had turned their traditional, cultural thought upside down
- they certainly needed more teaching, instruction on this subject
- and so do we
- The explanation involved trusting in riches
- having wealth is one thing; putting your trust in wealth is another
- 1 Tim 6:9,10 - wealth has its temptations - loving money is foolish
- so, 1 Tim 6:17-19 - here is a summary of this entire incident!
- So, what's the problem with wealth?
- it tends to root us in this world - "things" cause us to be short sighted
- it tends to cause us to know the price - but not true value
- it tends to cause us to believe it can solve all our problems - and cannot
- Jesus quoted a proverb to illustrate His point
- a camel going through the eye of a needle - an impossibility?
- but notice that He is comparing to say that is easier than a rich man's entering the kingdom of God
- once again, the disciples are astonished!
- The unspoken lesson here?
- it isn't the having of wealth that is the real issue
- it is what one does with his wealth that is the measure of the man - it's the issue of responsibility - it's the issue of stewardship
- Lk 12:15-21 - he would have it and keep it ... wrong, wrong, wrong!
- The astonishment of the disciples must have been evident to Him
- "WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?"
- Keep in mind how Jewish thought influenced their view of things
- if this rich young man, obviously blessed by God, cannot be saved...
- from their viewpoint this would mean that it would be just about impossible for anyone to be saved
- their question was without a doubt sincere and of deep concern
- "With men it is impossible"
- remember what the young man asked - "what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" (Mt 19:16)
- young man must have thought his own efforts could assure eternal life
- but Jesus made clear that salvation does not rest in man's efforts, work
- "With God all things are possible"
- our salvation depends God and the redemption He offers through Jesus
- Eph 2:4-9 - here is the lesson Jesus was teaching
- salvation is never on our terms - it is on God's terms ... and the rich young man sought to put it on his own terms and understanding
- salvation is not one thing to one person and something else to another - it is the same for all and requires the same of all - Act 10:34,35
- later in Mark Jesus makes clear the requirement - Mk 16:15,16 ... and in Rom 6:3-5 the explanation for baptism is given ... union with His death, burial and resurrection
- Keep in mind how Jewish thought influenced their view of things
CLOSE: It might be easy to simply gloss over these words of Jesus. But I suggest to you that they speak profoundly to our own time. Are we using our wealth responsibly? Are we trusting in God's plan for our salvation? Are we detached enough from our possessions that we'd not be crushed to leave them?
Cecil A. Hutson
02 March 2008