PENTECOST 21 – Oct. 17, 2021 – Mark 10:23-31
“DANGEROUS WEALTH”
Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Gospel Lesson just read, from Mark 10. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- In our text for this morning Jesus observes how “DANGEROUS WEALTH” makes it difficult for a person to enter into the kingdom of God. We enter the kingdom of God, of course, by repentance and by faith in Jesus.
- In the Old Testament lesson Solomon makes observations in regard to those who love money and wealth. There is no satisfaction and there are numerous evils that can befall the rich. The New Testament also warns us about the dangers of riches and the idolatry of love of money. Great wealth creates a huge temptation toward this idolatry. It is as Jesus once noted: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” [Matt. 6:21]
- Here we must take great care to see ourselves as we truly are. It will do us no good to say: “I’m not wealthy, Bill Gates is wealthy.” Rather we should say, in comparison to the lifestyle of the common people of Jesus’ day, or in comparison to people living in third world countries, or in comparison to the average wealth of fellow American citizens, I am certainly wealthy. You can look up what percentile your net worth puts you in.
- That we also struggle with this problem is apparent. What would our congregational treasury look like if every member of the congregation tithed, that is, contributed 10% of their gross income? Yet we struggle to pay for a budget that is very small in comparison to what that amount would be. This is a problem for all of us to consider!
- So let us open our ears and our hearts to ponder carefully and deeply what Jesus says about “DANGEROUS WEALTH.” For as He teaches:
I. Wealth Can Make It Nearly Impossible To Enter God’s Kingdom
Text: “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. . . . It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
A. Jesus Disciples Recognized The Idolatrous Power Of Money On Our Sinful Flesh
Text: “The disciples were amazed at His words. . . . They were exceedingly astonished, and said to Him, ‘Then who can be saved?’”
B. Jesus Insists That Only God Can Rescue Us From This Idolatry
Text: “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
Statement: Do we truly recognize how dangerous our wealth really is? Again, the evidence is in our offerings. In the book of Malachi, God confronts His people:
“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.” [Mal. 3:8-10]
It is true that our offerings are to be freely given and not coerced. It is true that our offerings should be given joyfully, for “the Lord loves a cheerful giver.” [2 Cor. 9:7] However, none of these principles negates the reality of idolatry to wealth if our offerings are not forthcoming.
Application: So there is great need for repentance in regard to this matter of wealth and giving! But this is precisely what wealthy people do not want to do. We want to feel justified in our personal wealthiness and our miserly offerings. For this Christ died! He died for these hideous sins of selfishness, pride, and idolatry. But it is true, only God can bring us to proper repentance, to His forgiveness, and ultimately to those fruits which are befitting of repentance. May God grant it to us all!
And in our text Peter introduces a topic which Jesus also comments on, and that is the reality that:
II. It Is Possible To Lose Everything For God And Christ
Text: “Peter began to say to Him, ‘See, we have left everything and followed you.”
Matt. 16:24-26 “Then Jesus told His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?’”
Statement: You remember the rich man who wanted to know what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him, “Sell all that you have and give it to the poor . . . and come, follow Me.” But he went away sorrowful because he had great wealth, “DANGEROUS WEALTH.”
Application: How about you? Now we do not have to give everything away and become street corner beggars. However, how much do we really need to horde away when we have food, clothing, and shelter in abundance? Now, if your offerings are abundant and generous, and there is plenty of “food” in God’s house, no financial stresses, then as Solomon advises – rejoice in your place in life, your lot in life. However, if we are not willing to give up all, then where is our heart truly?
And all of this selfishness and fear and anxiety is really foolish, for throughout Scripture and in our text, Jesus assures us that:
III. Nothing Given To God Is Ever Truly Lost
Text: “Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for My sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that here may be food in My house. And thereby put Me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
Statement: It is often forgotten that both wealth and poverty are in the Lord’s hand not our own. Hannah, the great prophet Samuel’s mother, prayed this:
“The LORD kills and brings to life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and He exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and on them He has set the world. He will guard the feet of His faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.” [1 Sam. 2:6-9]
So why do we worry about what we have given to the Lord? There is more for Him to give where He originally got it from! And we are actually privileged to invest in heavenly things here and now in this life. You remember what Jesus said:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
Application: So we have these promises from God that He will take care of us as we serve Him first. He will resupply as He sees fit, in this life and in the next!
Conclusion: Jesus speaks these words as further illustration of what He once told His hearers:
“No one can serve two masters, for 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]
We must take this to heart, that we not deceive ourselves into thinking that we can serve both God and money. If we love our wealth, and are devoted to it, then we are hating God and despising Him. This is the statement of Jesus!
So let us repent of our sinful selfishness, pride, and idolatry, and take refuge in the mercy of our dear Savior! And living in the comfort and joy of His love, let us also determine to love Him and be devoted to Him, while hating and despising our wealth.
Only with God is this possible, so let us pray fervently to Him to grant this great blessing to us. Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the truth faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.