Possessions

Introduction:

Pledge (Stay Seated)

Title: Possessions

Segway:

The cheerful little girl with golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?"

with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's face. "A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. Johnson if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up, rich! She wore them everywhere - Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story.

One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?" "Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you." "Then give me your pearls." "Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess - the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."

"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he kissed her on the cheek.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?" "Daddy, you know I love you." "Then give me your pearls." "Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you" And as always, he kissed her on the cheek.

This little girl thought she was something special with those pearls on. She said, she thought she was RICH.

Let me tell you another story of a young man who happen to be a little older than this girl but he was RICH.

Stand and say the Pledge

If you are able and willing please stand .....

Say the Pledge

Insight into the Kingdom of Heaven - (Tender Heart, Dependent, humble)

Passage:

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life,

keep the commandments.”

keep the commandments.”

18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not

steal, You shall not bear false witness,

19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have

treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Body:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Let me expound on this passage of scripture ......

There is this dialog between a young man and Jesus.

We know he is rich!

He calls out to Jesus “Teacher.”

We can assume this young man is Jewish and not a follower of Christ.

If he was a follower he would have called him “Master” (Different Greek word)

What we can assume is that he viewed Jesus as many others of that day did: A good religious MAN! Prophet!

He had respect for him though.

The man asked Jesus a Question.

“What good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

The word “Deed” is singular!

“Eternal life” is only mention here by Matthew

Jesus always referenced “Eternal Life” as “The Kingdom”

Jesus replies:

“If you want to enter life (Enter the Kingdom) keep the commandments.”

The man replies: “Which ones?” (This is plural)

What I felt like he was really asking “What’s the most significant ones to watch out for?”

John Maxwell tell of a story that while he was teaching the “21 Irrefutable Laws of leadership,” after the session was over, he was signing books and a young leader approached him and asked, “Of these laws, which ones are the most important?”

What he was really asking was “what shortcut can I take to get the results I want?”

“Whats the minimum “requirement” I can get away with and still get in?”

We kind of get the feel this is what this rich young man was asking.

“What’s the minimum “requirement” I can get away with and still get in?”

Let’s not judge this rich young ruler.

If we were to be truthful we know people like this.

Doing the minimum but expecting the full reward.

If we were to be totally honest with ourselves we might see ourselves asking this same question.

What’s the minimum “requirement” I can get away with and still please God?”

Quote “Nothing pleases God more than giving ourselves completely to God!”

Paul, in makes this clear by stating, “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Jesus answers this questions:

You shall not Murder

You shall not commit adultery

You shall not steal

You shall not bear false witness

Honor your father and mother

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus listed out 6 of the 10 commandments

The man replies back:

“all of these I have kept!”

I’m good! Nailed it!

He then ask a questions that I found very revealing, “WHAT DO I STILL LACK?”

I believe this young man knew there was still something lacking in his life when it came to the Kingdom of heaven.

One of the commentators named Mounce wrote this .... I suspect that this young man’s “uneasiness reveals an instinctive human awareness that legalism falls short of God’s intention.”

He knew it!

Jesus replies back:

“If you would be perfect” (ESV)

“If you wish to be complete” (NASB)

“If you want to be perfect” (NIV)

Perfect - “to be fully developed in a moral sense”

Jesus tell him what he needs to do in Verse 21!

The Man response: (Vs 22)

He went away “sorrowful”

Kind of reminds you of that little girl when her dad was asking “Do you love me? Then give me your pearls.”

Lets pick back up where we left off ......

Climax:

A few nights later when Jenny’s dad came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and some tears were rolling down her cheek. "What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.

He had them all the time.

He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.

Church, this is what God has for us. (HAMMER THIS HOME)

Look what he said to this young man in (Vs 21), “sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Give me what you have (ALL OF IT) and I will replace it with treasures in heaven.

What was standing in the way of this young man and a personal relationship with Christ was his “Possessions.”

What Jesus is saying to us today is ....

Don’t buy into the idea that this world has riches that can supersede the treasures in heaven.

As a matter of fact, one commentator wrote this .....

Jesus commands Christians to use all their possessions, not just some fixed percentage of them, for kingdom priorities.

When we can look at money as simply a tool to help “further the Kingdom” opposed to “what makes the world go round.” We are not bound by the possession of this world but free to do the work of the Father.

If possessions (Money, houses, cars, etc) stands in the way of a person’s committing his or her life to Christ, Jesus will make the identical demands on that individual as he did on this young man.

Meaning this, he will ask them to sell everything!

I want us to understand what Jesus was literally saying to this young man who was rich.

This Young mans possessions became the thing that stood between him and Christ.

I want us to understand what Jesus is not saying .....

Its not a sin to have a nice home, nice cars, lot’s of money, and the list could go on.

I have a good friend of mine (DS) who told me once, the definition of evil is the misuse or abuse of what WAS good.

These material things are not evil until they are misused or abused.

When they are no longer being used to glorify God and furthering of the kingdom, this is when they become evil!

If you are struggling with this passage maybe its because you have missed the main point.

Rich or poor is not the point!

The young man was rich but he still knew there was something missing. WHAT WAS IT?

Perfect - “to be fully developed in a moral sense”

To be Christlike!

Jesus list out 3 things the young man should do .....

Sell (Vs 21a sell what you possess…)

Don’t let what you possess, possess you!

Give (Vs 21b … give to the poor ...)

Follow (Vs 21c … come follow me.)

Conclusion:

The story of Jenny helps us to see the Love of a father for his child.

This story of this Rich Young Man helps us to see its the treasures the Lord has for us in heaven that should be pursued not the Dime store stuff here on earth.

He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasure.

Isn't God good?

Are you holding onto things which God wants you to let go of.

Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary partners, relationships, habits and activities which you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go?

Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand

.... but believe this one thing..................

God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.

What is it the Lord has been speaking to you about this morning?

The Altars open .... won’t you come?