Riches and Religion for paper Mar 25

Jesus could see the shocked look on His disciples’ faces. “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” They had just watched an earnest, seeking, religious young man turn away with a long face on hearing Jesus say, “Sell all your possessions, give the money to the poor, and come follow me.” This was Jesus’ answer to the question “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The disciples, I’m sure, were shocked at Jesus’ answer! They lived in a culture where wealth was admired. It was considered a sign of God’s blessing. When you “counted your blessings,” the more you could count, the more blessed by God you were. Wealth comes from the generous hand of God, and therefore there is nothing inherently “evil” or “bad” about wealth.

But when wealth falls from the good hand of a generously giving God into the hands of sinful men, the trouble begins. The problem with wealth, with money, is that we get religious about it, and so we are dealing in the realm of idolatry and that is why it is difficult, if not impossible, for those with wealth to enter the kingdom of God.

Truly false gods consume their communicants. And the greatest danger of all is that in attempting to cling to everything we have and accumulate more, we do not fit through the narrow door of the kingdom. Jesus said in reply to the disciple’s amazement, “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.” Mark 10: 25

That leaves the disciples utterly astonished. And it should leave us just as astonished if not somewhat shaken when we realize that most of us today, most Canadians would qualify under Jesus’ definition of “rich.” It may not seem that way to us, but we are rich compared to most people living in the world today and certainly at the time of Jesus.

Now does this mean that we need to divest ourselves of every asset, give all our possessions away, live in monastic poverty in order to be saved? Some in the past have thought that. Peter seemed to think that. He started to say to Jesus, “Hey, look. We’ve got it right. We’ve left everything and followed you.” Jesus’ reply is to the point. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

But hear that, and don’t miss it: In this life it all comes with persecutions. The cross hangs over everything. It’s the narrow door through which you enter into eternal life. Your riches won’t save you, nor will your poverty, because the problem is not with wealth but with sin which corrupts everything including your enjoyment of the good things God gives you. Let me repeat that, the problem is not with wealth but with sin which corrupts everything including your enjoyment of the good things God gives you. God wants to bless you and give you a little joy, and you turn around and make it into some all-consuming idol that robs you of every last ounce of joy in your life. That’s where Jesus wants our attention. Not on our wallets, our bank accounts, our assets, our stuff but on Him, on His kingdom and His righteousness. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6: 33

“Seek first the kingdom and its righteousness, and all these things you worry about – clothing, shoes, food, drink, house, home, whatever – all these things will be added to you. What about our wealth? What do we do with it? Well, the preacher of Ecclesiastes would say, “Enjoy it while you have it. Enjoy your work, enjoy your wealth. This is a gift from God.”

With Christ in the center, wealth takes its proper place and perspective. Do you have plenty? Then rejoice, enjoy, share the joy with others. Are you in need? Then rejoice that your life is free from the clutter of wealth.

To be content is to have your heart at rest in Jesus, and through Him to receive all things as gifts from the hand of God. That’s the “secret” of contentment that Paul learned. Hold everything with the loose hand of faith, enjoy it while you have it, for you certainly can’t take it with you. Live and work and play as saved men and women through Christ. Enjoy the food on your table, the wine in your glass, the work God has given you to do each day. These are His gifts to you. And each day sing a hymn of praise to the God who gives gifts to His children and who secured our salvation that we may have joy unending and the immeasurable gift of life eternal in God’s presence.

Blessings