Who or What Owns You?

Who or What Owns You?

Series: “The Gospel Truth”

Text: Matt 19:13-30

Introduction: (What?)

It is very easy to get to a point where your possessions actually possess you instead of vice versa. There are people who would love to retire, but if they did they could not maintain the life style to which they are accustomed. They spend all they make just to keep the status quo. I’ve known of people who sensed a call from God to serve in a ministry capacity, but they were making too much money at their secular job to answer the call. When I was in seminary many students had part time jobs as the loading docks in New Orleans that paid more than their first full time church. Jesus had something to say about our relationship to possessions.

Examination: (Why?)

1. Establishing the base line (vv:13-15)

Mt 19:13-15 “Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Leave the little children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to me, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” After placing his hands on them, he went on from there.”

The base-line for the Christian life is child-like faith. Without that a person can’t enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus had already dealt with this in the previous chapter, but evidently the disciples had not understood the special place that children hold in the kingdom of God. Children have an innate ability to “read” people. They seem to know who can and can’t be trusted. (Kendra and Tommy) They were drawn to Jesus, and He to them. Before we get to Jesus’s encounter with the young rich man, we must understand that it is the humble who have a special place in God’s kingdom. Jesus said in Matt 5:5 “Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.”

James wrote in Jas 4:6 “But he gives greater grace. Therefore he says: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Peter wrote in 1 Pet 5:5 “In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Evidently Peter eventually “got it”. Here he quoted the writer of Prov 3:34 “He mocks those who mock but gives grace to the humble.” Child-like faith and humility establishes the base line for entering God’s kingdom.

2. You can’t work your way in (vv: 16-20)

With that in mind, let’s look at the opposite in the case of the one we call “the rich young ruler”.

Mt 19:16-20 “Just then someone came up and asked him, “Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” he said to him. “There is only one who is good. If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he asked him. Jesus answered: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and love your neighbor as yourself. “I have kept all these,” the young man told him. “What do I still lack?””

There are many who would like a relationship with Jesus, but are unwilling to cut ties with their possessions. That is why we always emphasize during our time of response after each sermon the need to SURRENDER. Surrendering means that one gives up all that they had and are completely under the control of the One to whom they surrender.

The question the young man raised “what good thing must I do?” shows that He thought salvation could be attained by works. Rather than immediately refuting the question and shutting off the conversation, Jesus brought up the Law, which to most Jews was the way to heaven. The truth is that no one has kept all the Law. The young man thought that he had, and was immediately expecting to be commended for his “law-keeping”. You can almost see his chest swelling as he declared “I have kept all these,” the young man told him. “What do I still lack?” He obviously expected Jesus to say, “Nothing. You’re in.” However, as we will see in the next passage, that was not Jesus’s reply.

3. Let go and let God (vv: 21-30)

Many who grew up in church, or went to church camps remember the song, “Let Go and Let God Have His Wonderful Way”. I think that song sums up Jesus’s answer to the young man, and to His disciples.

Mt 19:21-30 “21 “If you want to be perfect,” Jesus said to him, “go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard that, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

In many translations we find Jesus beginning His response by saying “one thing you lack”. In truth, all of us have at least one thing that stands between us and total surrender to Christ. It could be, as with the young ruler, possessions. It could be a relationship. It could be a position. Whatever stands between us and total surrender is in reality our god (little g). God’s call is not negotiable. In Luke 9:61-62 someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house. But Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” You must let go and let God have His way with you. In essence it means you either come to Christ His way or you don’t come to Christ at all.

This answer caused some angst among the disciples.

23 Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, 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.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, “Then who can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter responded to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you. So what will there be for us?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses, or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children or fields because of My name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”

It is important to understand that Jesus does not demand that EVERYONE who comes to Him must sell everything and give the proceeds to the poor. We know that because Peter still owned a house and James and John still had a boat. However, if what you own actually owns you, then it must go. Later Jesus said that no one could serve two masters. If your possessions master you, then Jesus doesn’t. Also notice that when Jesus told the young man to sell what he had and give away the proceeds, He followed by saying, “You will have treasure in heaven.” In other words, give up something in order to get something better. He elaborated on that when Peter pointed out that they had left everything to follow Him. “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses, or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children or fields because of My name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. Any sacrifice a follower of Jesus makes here on earth will be rewarded beyond their imagination in heaven. Paul wrote in 1 Cor 2:9 “9 But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived— God has prepared these things for those who love him.”

Application: (How should I respond to this message?)

Perhaps the most frightening passage in scripture is found in Mt 7:21-23 “21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’” The bottom line is that there is nothing you can DO that will grant you a home in heaven. You can only enter heaven by way of faith alone in Christ alone, and then His grace gift of salvation is granted to you.

If you have never surrendered fully to Christ, that is THE requirement for eternal life with Him.

If you find that your possessions are keeping you from obedience to Christ, then perhaps the message to the young ruler is the message to you. Let me put this in a modern parable; If you went to the Dr and were diagnosed with a malignant tumor in your leg that was not treatable by drugs or chemo, but only by amputation, would you say, “No, I really can’t live without my leg.”? Would you sacrifice your life just to keep your leg? By the same token, are you willing to sacrifice your eternal life with Christ just so you can keep your “stuff”?