The Difficulty of Being Rich

Introduction

Are you rich? “According to a report by investment bank UBS, only 28% of people with $1 million to $5 million in assets considered themselves wealthy. Even when you ask people with more than $5 million in assets, only 3 in 5 consider themselves wealthy.

In the United States, it takes a household net worth of $6.8 million to join the maligned and admired 1% club. It’s hard to argue you’re not rich once you’re wealthier than 99% of your peers.

In the United States, it takes a household net worth of $6.8 million to join the maligned and admired 1% club. It’s hard to argue you’re not rich once you’re wealthier than 99% of your peers.

On a global scale, top 1% wealth becomes more attainable. All you need is an annual income of $32,000. The average laborer in Ghana would have to work 200 years to earn $32,000.

On a global scale, top 1% wealth becomes more attainable. All you need is an annual income of $32,000. The average laborer in Ghana would have to work 200 years to earn $32,000.

So by the world’s standard just about everyone in this room is rich. Just about all of us fall into the top 1% of wealth.

Wealth is really a relative term in many ways. Consider one of the wealthiest man alive during the 19th century, Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) who was worth about $202 billion dollars. Still, he lived his whole life without air-conditioning, car, telephone, tv or indoor plumbing.

Given the choice between going outside in winter to take care of my business or walking down the hall to the warm bathroom I might choose to be poor in the 20th century rather than “wealthy” in the 19th.

I think all of us are forced to admit it…we are rich.

This is a chilling fact because of what the Bible tells us in

Matthew 19:24 NASB95

“Again I say to you, 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.”

The term "eye of a needle" is used as a metaphor for a very narrow opening. This is to say, it is very hard for rich people to be saved. So that means it is tough for all of us in this room to be saved. We would have a much easier time being so if we had been born dirt poor in Calcutta.

Why is it difficult for a rich person to be saved? Simply put, the rich make a god of their money and standard of living. Jesus said in

Matthew 6:24 NASB95

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Given the choice between serving the Living God and wealth, the rich most often choose their wealth…God help us! The good news is that He does!

Sincerity and Good Intentions

This rich young man was sincere. He had lived a life of good morals and great intentions. He wanted a relationship with God and the assurance he would have eternal life when he died.

I think most who inquire about Christianity are sincere. Most of us in this room are sincere in our desire to have a relationship with God and eternal life with Him. A lot of lost people are sincerely seeking these things as well.

His sincerity could be seen in how he lived his life. He was morally good. He had refrained from the “big sins of murder, adultery and theft.” He didn’t make a habit of lying and he honored his father and mother. He even could say that he loved others well.

But the young man still felt an emptiness inside...an insecurity. All he had done to endear himself to God and find assurance of eternal life wasn’t enough. So, he sincerely asks Jesus the question…what more must I do to be saved???

The answer Jesus gives the young man…and us…is not an answer many want to hear. Even many of the most sincere seekers struggle with such an answer...Jesus got to the heart of what was keeping the man from realizing what he sought. Jesus told the young man in order to be saved, he much give his whole self to Jesus…and this meant…every...thing too.

His money was clouding his vision…and in order to come to Christ he needed to see clearly...

"Can you see that word?" he said to the man.

"Certainly, I can see it."

A man once came to visit Robert Hall, the famous English preacher, to take some exception to a statement the preacher had made in his sermon. Hall saw that the man was in the bondage of love of money. Having sized the man up, Hall took a half sovereign (dollar) out of his pocket and, opening the Bible, pointed to the word "God." "Can you see that word?" he said to the man. "Certainly, I can see it." Then Hall laid the half sovereign (dollar) over the word. "Can you see it now?" he asked. There was no need for the man to answer. It was an unforgettable sermon: Money, the love of it, can hide from the soul of man even the face of God.

Then Hall laid the half sovereign over the word. "Can you see it now?" he asked.

There was no need for the man to answer. It was an unforgettable sermon: Money, the love of it, can hide from the soul of man even the face of God.

Sell all you have and give to the poor — This was the call to much more than a change in financial status…it was a change of identity. This young man found his identity in the success he had achieved in life and the financial gain it had brought him…it had been his god and prevented him…despite all of his efforts…from seeing the real, true God and finding a relationship with Him.

Up to now the young man found his identity, worth and security in his moral goodness and the wealth he had accumulated. Jesus tells him give up all of his wealth and follow Him so he might find his identity, worth and security in Christ.

The young man had tried things his own way…but good morals were never going to be enough. And Money would never buy a ticket to heaven…never purchase a relationship with God.

Sincerity, good intentions and hard work are not enough...In order for a person to be saved he or she must love Jesus most, die to self and give the whole of their life to Him…and this means giving up all possessions. For the seemingly self-sufficient and rich this is nearly impossible to do.

Who Then Can Be Saved?

We have to remember that in ancient Israelite culture wealth was seen as an indicator of divine blessing…a sign of blessing and God’s approval. Abraham, David and Solomon were very rich…so if these kind of men like these found it hard to be saved then who could be saved???

With man salvation is impossible — No one can save themselves. No one can be good enough and no amount of wealth can buy your way there. Salvation is a God thing…and wealth is no indicator that you have it!

With God all things, even salvation, is possible — God has done the work by sending His Son to die on the cross for our sins to give us new life in Him.

How can selfish, sinful, depraved people ever come to the place that they would love Jesus more than ourselves, more than things, more than anything or anyone? How can they ever come to a place where they would take up their cross, reckon themselves dead to sin and alive in Christ?

How could they ever let go of all of our things and live as though none of it belonged to them? How could they place their stuff on the altar and live as though everything belonged to God and not them?

The answer — Come to Jesus and ask Him to do the work in and through us. Just come to Jesus and say I don’t want to love anything or anyone more than you. I don’t want to sin anymore…and I never want money to be my god again.

A person who sincerely comes to Jesus for salvation will be shown the way and empowered by His Spirit to walk in it.

The mistake of the rich young ruler was just this…he loved money more than Jesus and wouldn’t give it up to follow Christ. His identity and security were wrapped up in his moral goodness and wealth…he could not let go of these to find a new identity and life in Jesus.

Many of us have let go of our attempts to save ourselves through “being good.” We have abandoned efforts at moral perfection in order to obtain salvation. The question instead for us is, “Have we let go of our stuff so we might follow and serve Christ.”

Can a person be saved if they believe in the cross for the forgiveness of their sins but never let go of their things so Christ might be their Lord and God?

Luke 14:33 NASB95

“So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

If your possessions have you then Jesus doesn’t.

Conclusions

You and I are rich. Even if we have come to Jesus our wealth makes it difficult to follow Him. The trappings of our things can weigh us down and wreck our life of faith.

We are sincere and want to love Jesus but the question is simply this…Who has your life? Where do you find your identity and sense of worth? Where is your security? Is it in your moral goodness? Is it in what you have? Your net worth? Your house, things?

A lot of Christians struggle because they judge their

We so often make excuses…believing God wants us to have a certain standard of living. God wants us to have good things. God wants us to be comfortable. God would not call us to sacrifice.

But God called this man to sell everything He had…everything. Was Jesus just picking on him? Or was this meant to be a signpost for every believer to come…unless you give up ownership of yourself, and that includes all you have, you cannot be a Christian.

But Jesus doesn’t normally ask us to give everything we have to the poor…does he? Of course not…this is not the call on every life…but it is the call of God that we make everything available to Him should He ask us to do so!

The average believer gives 2% of their income to the church…2% to Kingdom purposes on earth. If you pray and believe this to be all God would have you give…that God wants you to keep 98% of what you make and only give 2% then you have my blessing.

If you can say everything I have belongs to God and nothing is my own…Jesus asked this rich young ruler to give all he has to the poor but me, He has only asked 2%…if you can honestly say this then I won’t pick on you at all…won’t point fingers or make accusations.

You see…this is all between you and God…in the New Testament we are called to give generously, cheerfully and sacrificially. We are called to have faith in God for all we need and give not just from our abundance but sacrificially as we trust Him to provide for our needs.

If you have prayed and in faith can cheerfully give 2% then wonderful. My only strong caution would be that you make certain you are obeying God…Make certain you are following God and not your greed.

You see…I am not one to guilt trip you…but I will tell you to pray…make sure God has your heart and all your things. Make sure your faith isn’t shipwrecked by your love of things and money. Make certain you are obeying Him.

Our money, put in the right place, can bring an incredible blessing and pay eternal dividends.

Matthew 6:20–21 NASB95

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

John Wesley — Earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can are the three basic points of John Wesley’s famous sermon entitled, “The Use of Money.”

If our stuff belongs to Christ He will show us where to spend it…where to give it away and where to save it…who is calling the shots in your life? Who has your stuff? Who has your life?