Mark 10/23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples
how difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter
the Kingdom of God. And the disciples were amazed at
his words. But Jesus said to them again,
children, how difficult it is 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, and they were exceedingly astonished and said
to him, then who can be saved? Jesus looked at them and said
with man, it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are
possible with God, Peter began to say to him, See, we have left
everything and followed you, 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, but many who are first.
Will be last and the last first. Father, help us understand your
word here. Lord, arrest our attention and
keep it on your voice for this next moment.
And we pray that life would arise, that wherever we are
dormant, wherever we are unnecessarily relaxed, that you
would awaken us to know you and to serve you with the zeal and
the commitment that you deserve. We look to you now and trust
that you will speak in Jesus name.
Amen. As the rich young ruler with his
head hung low and his heart heavy with disappointment,
turned his back on Christ and made his way back to where he
came from, Jesus broke the silence of that scene with yet
another shocking soul searching statement.
How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter
the Kingdom of God. Imagine it.
Here's this misguided young man who's dragging his feet into the
horizon of unbelief. And the Lord Jesus turns to his
disciples and makes this very bold pronouncement.
And perhaps the the disciples reaction is shared by some
today. They were amazed at these words
and we will get to in a moment why they were amazed themselves,
why they were so astonished by Jesus making this declaration.
But let's first examine why. Jesus said what He said.
Why did the Lord say this at this time?
For one main reason to teach. That this man's rejection of the
invitation of the Gospel was not a rare one, but is a common one,
especially among the affluent, especially among those who are
prominent, especially among those who are successful in this
life. The Lord wanted to take this
moment and give a teaching lesson, to say don't just expect
it from this young man believe. That it is common and will
always be common until the last moment of history.
But why? Why?
Why is it difficult for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God?
And notice Jesus didn't say it is impossible.
He said it is difficult. It is very difficult and he
double S down on it just in case anybody misinterpreted it just
because they were astonished Jesus didn't pull anything back.
He actually confirmed it even more with greater force, and
it's worth us exploring why that is the case.
And if you consider the entirety of the Word of God, if you look
at the testimony of the scriptures from cover to cover,
then you will quickly discern the dangers or the perils of
riches and why it is that those who have accumulated much will
actually be more tempted to be poor forever to make a decision,
though they may have made very successful decisions in this
life to make the most important decision the least important
decision in their minds. And so I want us to consider
just three factors, three simple realities concerning the
possibilities the dangers that riches presents to the human
soul. It always has and it always
will. #1 riches can be a damning distraction.
Number one, riches can be a damning distraction.
And the apostle Paul builds on that truth, and he expounds on
that truth in a very insightful way.
And before we get into what Paul says, Please remember that this
drive for wealth is not just something that the poor might
do. Those who have much are just as
susceptible and pursuing prosperity than those who have
little. This desire, this affection for
material gain, does not discriminate.
It is found amongst all types of classes of people and those
again who might have more than the average person are.
Sometimes even more ambitious than those who don't have much.
Paul says this in First Timothy 610.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
It is through this craving. It is through this craving that
some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves
with many pangs. The key phrase there is that
some have wandered away from the faith.
The word wandered away means to cause, to go astray.
It is the same word that Jesus uses in Mark 1322 when he says
that false Christ and false prophets will arise and perform
signs and wonders to lead astray if possible.
The elect to lead astray is the same word used by Paul when he
said that through this craving for self indulgence people will
be LED astray from the faith. So this yearning for riches,
then, according to the scriptures, has a very powerful
seductive force. Its influence can be so
compelling that it can even convince people to neglect or to
ignore, even to deny, the most important thing that you can
acquire in this life and that is a saving relationship with the
Lord Jesus. And it's not too difficult to
understand why that is the case, how that even follows, how that
works. Because the acquisition and the
management of resources is no small feat.
The sizable sacrifice that people have to make, the
overtime, the great energy that is spent, the burden that it
presents on a person's body and schedule and family life is
something that both the poor and the rich who desire to pursue
more are all very familiar with. And such a pursuit and ambition.
Often times that cost is so great, the cost of making your
life all about wealth and luxury and even, dare I say, security,
financially speaking, can bring about this hefty tag of denying
the demands that Christ makes to be a follower of his.
Why? Because when Christ makes those
demands to such a person that that is not a glorious
invitation to them, it is an interference.
This is not an invitation. This is an interference to what
I truly desire and long to do in this life.
And that is to get rich or die. Try.
And there are so many examples from this in both the old and
the new. And if you want a Bible study
theme for the new year, here's one that you can consider.
You will be shocked, I'm sure, to realize how many people in
the Bible alone have turned their backs on righteousness and
God all together because of this sort of affection.
Just if you just look at and record on a piece of paper all
the people who have turned their backs on grace, who have turned
their backs on true spiritual treasures because of men and
because of wealth, it is overwhelming.
And sometimes the instances and the examples presented here are
more subtle than you might imagine.
Let me present to you one one that you might have not
considered just to prove this first point, that riches can be
a damning distraction in Luke chapter 12.
Jesus shares a string of truths in the beginning of that
chapter. He talks about not fearing man,
but fearing God. He talks about how the Holy
Spirit will grant you wisdom as you stand before those who seek
to condemn you. He talks about the loving and
incomparable care of God, who knows the number of hairs on
your head and will take care of you.
If he knows the, the, the future of the Sparrow, surely he cares
about your, tomorrow's and all these different things that He
packs in these series of truths and all of a sudden we get a
response from somebody in the crowd.
Somebody reacts to what Jesus is teaching when he presents these
eternal pearls, these true treasures.
And what do you think the response was?
This is the first reaction that somebody makes.
You would think that somebody was so moved by what the Lord
said that he couldn't help himself and he just burst out
with this request. And here's the request.
According to Luke, chapter 12 and verse 13, someone in the
crowd said to him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the
inheritance with me. There is absolutely no context
for that request. Jesus wasn't teaching about
inheritances. Jesus wasn't teaching about
anything aligned with this plea. But you know what it tells me
Here is this person who is in the presence of the Son of God.
Here's this individual who is hearing a banquet of blessings
that can be available to him. And according to this request,
you know what's occupying his mind the whole time during the
sermon? Money, money, inheritance, a
better future for myself, acquisition of wealth and gain
and materialism. This is what is occupying this
man's mind to the point where out of the abundance of the
heart, the mouth speaks and he tries to invite Jesus into his
family problem or family situation so that he can be
favored in this whole inheritance equation.
And Jesus obviously doesn't get involved with it.
He denies this and he uses that as an opportunity to teach about
the dangers of covetousness. But what does this young man
prove to us? It proves us that covetousness
and material ambition can be so overpowering that it can blind
you from seeing the treasure that Jesus Christ is.
This man didn't see it. You have God in the flesh right
before, and you're thinking about the inheritance being
divided. Here's the Messiah spelling out
what you can know if you just link your life with him.
And you're thinking about what? How you can have a better 30-40
years ahead, if you even have that.
And so this yearning, this craving, as Paul says, can so
warp. Somebody listen to this, that
though they might not have any interest in Christ, if there be
any appeal to Christ, it would be like this young man.
To what? To join yourself to Christ?
Or to invite Christ purely as a means to no greater personal
gain. And there's a whole movement in
the evangelical world that presents the gospel in that way.
Here's Christ for you so that you can have a better material
inheritance. Uyghur and Proverbs 30
understood the danger, the distracting peril that riches
can bring about in someone's life.
And that's why when he prayed for God to take care of him in
this life, he said, Lord, don't make me poor, Lord, I even ask
that you don't even make me rich.
Just give me what I need. And he gives the reason why in
Proverbs 30, verse 9, lest I be full and deny you and say Who is
the Lord? Who is the Lord?
What is actor saying? That you can come to a place
where you're so distracted by this thing that it causes you to
say who's God? Who is time for God?
Who has time for spirituality? Who has time for the House of
worship? Who has time?
There are more important matters at hand here, which brings us to
our second point. #1 is that riches can be a damning
distraction, right? People who make life about it,
they don't think about sin. They don't think about eternity.
They don't think about salvation.
They think about what? How can I?
How can I grow? How can I build my enterprise?
That's what consumes them. But here's #2.
This is why it is difficult for some who are rich to enter the
Kingdom of God. Because riches, Riches can
provide a superficial satisfaction.
Riches can provide a superficial satisfaction, or else, why
pursue it? Why make your life about it if
it doesn't promise or vow? Some kind of prestige, power,
pleasure. But there's something else that
the whispers of wealth seduces the.
Longing soul with and that is protection.
Or in other words security, Security.
Security is a form of satisfaction.
You are at rest because you know that you are secure.
Now, I know what some might be thinking.
Why are you saying that we should not be wise with our
resources? Are you saying that we shouldn't
plan in our finances? No, I'm not saying that.
Nor am I saying that having money is evil, or even being
wealthy is evil in itself. It's what wealth can do to you
and. What wealth can do to so many is
promise people that you'll be safe as long as you have me and
more of me. And riches has a way of blurring
people's visions of God being the ultimate savior and provider
of their lives. And Paul says that.
And he warns that to believers, by the way.
What does he warn believers in First Timothy 6?
Not ten, but verse 17? He's speaking to Christians.
He's speaking to those who attend church, so I'm speaking
to those who attend church as well.
And First Timothy 617. As for the rich in this present
age, pause there. You can be rich in this present
age and poor for eternity. You know that, right?
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be
haughty. Don't.
Don't be proud about where you're at in life.
Charge them not to be haughty to, nor to set their hopes on
the uncertainty of riches, but on God, But on God, who richly
provides us with everything to enjoy.
I love that last part because you have the prosperity gospel
and then you have the poverty gospel.
You didn't hear about that one, did you?
Where if you're really pious and if you're really a St. and if
you're really a disciple of Christ, you shouldn't enjoy
anything in this present age, he says.
God does provide us richly provides us for things to enjoy
as a means an act of worship. But notice what he says here in
the middle. Tell the believers in the church
we're. Successful businessmen who own
many properties and lands, we're very ambitious in this life not
to give into the temptation of putting your trust in riches.
Because no matter what kind of redeeming qualities wealth has
in life, there's one thing about it that is certain that it does
not always remain present and its value is subject to change.
All it takes is for a dip in the economy or a personal crisis to
make that happen. And so Paul warns and he says,
be careful coming to a place where you have hoarded so much
that now you've developed this sense of self-reliance and then
you become like the Church of Laodicea.
What happened with the Church of Laodicea?
They said there in Revelation 3 that I am rich, I have prospered
and I need nothing. I have rich, I have riches, I
have prospered, and I need nothing.
And listen, if the church can be deceived by wealth, by personal
prosperity, believers are subject to that danger.
How much more the unsaved? How much more the unsaved?
Think about it. If the church you had a whole
church that had that attitude. We're rich, we've prospered.
We don't need anything. What do they mean by we don't
need anything? We're satisfied.
And so the warning there is that
a Christian can remain comfortable in their
lukewarmness due to the lullabying effects of wealth.
And if that is possible for a Christian, then surely a
successful Sinner can remain comfortable in their unbelief
for the same reason. In other words, let me put it
this way. If a Christian, maybe some of
you young people were very ambitious in life.
If a Christian can be stalled in their advancement in
spirituality. Then is it so shocking to
believe that there are those in this world who won't even start
their spiritual journey because they are consumed by superficial
satisfaction? It's not surprising.
And so you have some who here you need a savior.
A savior. I've done what most people
cannot do for themselves, all by myself.
Christ desires to be your shepherd.
He wants to lead you. He wants to provide for you.
He wants to shelter you. He wants to nourish you day by
day. Thanks for the invitation, but I
think I'm OK. I.
Have my life all together. I'm actually more than OK.
And things are projected to look even better than what they were
in 2023. Only Christ can satisfy you
only. He can make you feel whole.
Yeah, that might be true for those who can't get anything
that they want in this life, but that's certainly not true for
me, who can get anything I want in this life.
And so I'm not looking for a crutch and I'm not looking to
trade what I've worked. So hard for for some intangible
reality or lifestyle. This is how some might think,
though they might not say it out loud.
And if you are a person who thinks that way, listen, even if
you are a believer who has been caught in the snare of pursuing
riches, then hear what Proverbs 11/28 says to you.
Whoever trust in his riches will fall, not might fall, will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
You know what true security is in life.
It's not about trusting your riches, acquiring riches,
building riches. It's about having a right
relationship with God. That's where true security is.
That's where true satisfaction is.
But unfortunately for so many, because they are tasting the
shallow satisfaction of riches, they can't scent the beauty and
the fragrance of the living water that can be theirs.
In Christ, riches can be a damning distraction.
Riches can provide a sense of satisfaction, though it is
superficial. And lastly, riches can stimulate
and seal a person in sinful behavior.
Go to James chapter 5 with me in verse one for a moment.
James, chapter 5, verse one. Now here's the apostle James who
speaks to a group of people in his letter, and he targets a
certain demographic. Now remember, he's not just
speaking about people out there, He's speaking to those who'd be
exposed to the reading of this epistle.
And notice who he is speaking to in James 5 verse one.
Come now. Oh, James doesn't pull punches.
James loves to use Old Testament prophet like language and here's
one of them. Come now, come now you rich weep
and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
That's. Bold.
I like James Weep and Howl for the miseries that are coming
upon you now. We are not certain of the
spiritual saving condition of the people that he is ready to
address. But one thing is for certain,
that those he is writing to now at this time are merely
attendees. They're attendees in the various
churches that this letter would be distributed to.
And so they're going to hear this.
Can you imagine the elder of a church coming to the section of
the letter? All right, James now says.
Come now, you Rich, Weep and howl.
And so, in blistering fashion, he is going to denounce this
particular group. And there's good reason why.
Scroll down here to verse four of James, chapter 5.
Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields,
which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, And
the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of.
Hosts. You have lived on the earth in
luxury and in self indulgence. You've fattened your hearts in a
day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered
the righteous person. He does not resist you.
So here are these successful people who own lands and fields
and farms and James is aware of how they're treating certain
people. And what is he saying,
essentially? In summary, you're frauds.
You have a dishonest policy at work here.
You're with help withholding the complete wages to those who
deserve the wages that they've worked for.
And you know what the reason is for the selfishness?
You know what the reason is for this trickery and this
deception, this manipulation? Verse 5 indicates what it is you
have. Lived on the earth in luxury and
in self indulgence. It was to fuel and to fund and
to pamper their indulgence and part.
Of. That glamorous way of life was a
splurge on jewelry and clothing and the latest and the newest.
Where do we get that from? Well, you read verse two and
three and it's clear. So how does this all tie in with
what the Lord says back in Mark chapter 10?
Easy Riches has a way of encouraging unrepented patterns
and sin in order to achieve and secure greater wealth.
And one of the reasons people feel safe in their sin,
especially when they arrive somewhere where they are
successful, is because you can easily fall into the trap of
paying off, paying off the consequences of sin and to evade
it all together, right? That's what corruption is all
about. People in positions of power are
corrupt because not only do they do evil things, but they are
able to get away with it by signing a check.
So imagine imagine, like some in James chapter 5 who have
achieved and secured wealth through unrepented sin patterns.
And then the gospel comes to them.
Repent. Turn everything over to Christ,
Turn away from sin. And here's that how that's being
translated. So you're asking me to cease the
operations that are making my enterprise the way it is?
What, for Jesus to save me? No, thank you.
And a way to summarize what Jesus says about the dangers of
riches is what he said earlier about riches in Mark chapter 4,
verse 19, where he says but the cares of the world.
And look at this description that he puts beside riches and
the deceitfulness of riches, The deceitfulness of riches, That's
scary. That's scary.
Because the scary thing about deception is that you don't know
you're being deceived. That's the whole point of
deception. And riches has a way of
deceiving people. Riches has a way of deceiving
people and thinking, I'm not your God, just keep going the
way you're going. I'm not hindering true life.
I'm enhancing true life. Just like the Church of
Laodicea, when the Lord gives a true, honest diagnosis to them
about their actual state of life.
You're poor, you're blind. You're naked.
So riches has a way of blinding people and the scariest way that
it deceased people is for them not to see their need to be
saved. To see the wealth and treasure
that Jesus Christ truly is, how difficult it is for those who
have riches to enter the Kingdom of God.
And we come back to Mark 10 and we look at the disciples
reaction. Jesus says children verse 24,
how difficult it is 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.
So he doesn't even take their shocked reaction to
consideration. Again, he double S down and then
he provides A humorous analogy with it, this beast trying to go
through the eye of a needle. The possibility of that is the
same for someone who has wealth to enter into the Kingdom of
God. Which is really what?
Impossible. If we're following the reason
here, then it's impossible. Just like it's impossible for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle.
Lord, what are you saying here? No wonder verse 26 is written
for us. And they were exceedingly
astonished, like blown away, jaw-dropping.
Breathtaking. Now we've explored just some of
the possibilities to why that is the case, but isn't that
shocking? Is is it deserve that kind of
response for those who have wealth to not see the value of
Christ? Perhaps there is a factor that
we have not yet considered. Perhaps there's a contextual
reason why the disciples did what they did here in verse 20.
Six. And here it is.
To the Jewish mind at this time, and for many, many decades,
years, centuries, even, wealth was a sign of God's favour to be
prosperous. Was in their minds the evidence
of your righteousness being rewarded by God in this way.
And one of the confusing parts for this to be the case could be
that they looked at the commandments of God in the Old
Testament that promised personal blessing and even national
economic boom predicated and based on the fact that you are
walking in obedience to the law of God.
And we see many examples of that in the Old Testament.
But even with that, there is nothing in the law that
indicates that to walk in obedience guarantees salvation,
no matter what kind of blessing comes with that obedience.
Or it could be that the disciples, like many of the Jews
in that day, had the theology of Job's friends.
The the theology of Job's friends was retribution
principle. Very simple.
You do good, God will give you good.
You do bad. God will treat you bad.
And we see. Evidence that the disciples
sought like this in John Chapter 9 verse one and two, when they
passed by a man who was born blind and they asked the Rabbi
Rabbi who is it that sinned this man or his parents for him to be
blind this way. So how do they interpret this
man's condition? Well, clearly he must have done
something deserving this or his parents must have done something
for him to be this way. Retribution, principle, good,
good, bad, bad. And so it's no wonder for them.
To hear Jesus saying this and to be shocked because of it,
because they just witnessed this man walking away, surely.
But Jesus makes this whole blanket statement.
He makes this broad statement that not just this man, but for
anybody who is wealthy, it's like a camel going through the
eye of a needle. Now that statement collides with
this belief system, and here's how they're translating it.
If it's impossible for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God, and
riches are a sign of God's favor, the opulence is a mark of
being blessed by God, then what chance do others have in being
saved? If you're saying that this class
of people, it's impossible for them to be saved?
And what about us? We're all doomed.
You see how they're thinking, but the Lord doesn't allow them
to be disoriented or disillusioned for too long
because he says something so comforting.
In verse 27, Jesus looked at them and said with man it is
impossible. But not with God, but not with
God, for all things are possible with God.
Translation. It is impossible for man rich.
Or poor to save themselves. It is impossible for anyone,
including the rich, to attain their own salvation, to buy
their salvation. It can't be.
And as they're hearing this, it's something for you and I to
consider as well. Because Jesus making the
statement with man, it is impossible, but not with God,
for all things are possible with God is found in one other place.
In all of the Gospels you have this statement, yes, in the
parallel account in Matthew chapter 19 and in Luke 18.
But apart from the mirroring accounts of the scene, there is
only one other place where Jesus, Jesus.
Words here are found similarly, and it's just so fitting this
time of the year. Similar words that Jesus makes
here were on the lips of the Angel Gabriel when he appeared
to Mary and told her that she would conceive a son though she
was a virgin, and explained how that would be in Luke 137.
Recess for nothing will be impossible with God.
That's the only other place in all of the Gospels that this
declaration of God's ability is mentioned, and I think it's a
glorious coupling. I think it's a glorious
connection, you're saying. Why?
Because think about it. The impossibility of a virgin to
conceive a child is no less of a challenge for one gaining their
own salvation. You know what both require?
For a virgin to conceive a son
and for somebody to be saved. You know what both require?
An act of God. An act of God.
It requires an act of God for a barren room to come to life, and
it requires an act of God for a barren soul to come to life.
What is impossible with man is possible with God.
And what was required of Mary is also required of us.
When she heard this news that she would indeed bear a son,
though she was pure and never known a man, you know what she
said in response to that? Let it be to me according to
your word. Let it be according to your
word. If this is possible, then I
trusted I acknowledge it and I will submit to it.
You know what's required of you and let of Jesus statement about
being saved. It's impossible with man but not
with God. You to also acknowledge that you
cannot know eternal life apart from Christ cleansing you and
changing your heart. Let it be done to me.
If this is available to me, then let it be done.
You can't do anything for yourself, no more than Mary
could do anything to produce this kind of a miracle.
It has to be God. It has to be the Holy Spirit
working in your heart. And she responded to that truth
and faith and humility and submission.
And so do you. So do you.
Let it be to me, Let it be to me.
According to your word, you can almost say that is what required
of us in response to the gospel. If this cross can save me.
If Christ wants to extend a gift to me.
If. He wants to wash me.
Then let it be. And you'll know joy in that.
So we see here that Jesus saying a way of salvation has been
made. Man can't do it himself.
Man can't make a way for himself.
And not only is this idea of impossibility with man linked to
the way of salvation, but for the candidates of salvation, For
the candidates of salvation, there is no impossible case with
Christ. There is no person, no matter
what kind of sin they're steeped in, no matter what kind of
strongholds they are stuck behind.
No such person is beyond the. Reach of the saving power if
they would just respond with humility and repentance.
And I think Luke's version of this is so exciting because
again, you heard that in Luke 18 Jesus teaches this very same
thing. But let me remind you what
happens after Luke 18 up to this point, what has been Jesus
saying how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of
God? It's like a camel going through
the eye of a needle. Oh, but what is impossible with
man is not impossible with God. So let me read this to you.
And if you want to turn there, you can turn there.
But in Luke 1826 to 27, he echoes what we read here in Mark
10. Those who heard it said in Luke
1826, then who can be saved? But he said what is impossible
with man is possible with God. What happens in Luke 19?
We're introduced to a man, and here's his description.
Luke 19, verse one and two. He entered Jericho and was
passing through. And behold, there was a man
named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and
was rich. Here's Jesus.
We just finished saying how difficult it is for those who
are rich to enter the Kingdom of God, and you read a few verses.
This is why you don't just make your devotion verse of the day
on the phone. You can miss out on things like
this. So you're reading, reading,
reading, and all of a sudden you're introduced to a rich man.
Jesus just finished saying how difficult it is for the rich to
be saved. And then you read down in Luke
19/9. When Jesus is in Zacchaeus's
home and Jesus said to him today, salvation has come to
this house. So right after saying how hard
it is, it happened. A rich man did get saved.
Because all things are possible with God, and Peter heard this,
and he wanted to make sure that he was in the right place.
He's hearing impossible camel needles.
Oh, oh, oh, oh. So in Mark 1028, Peter, as a
spokesperson for the disciples, began to say to him, see, we
have left everything and have followed you.
What about us, Lord? You know what he's trying to
say, Lord, we did the opposite of what that guy just did.
He wouldn't want to give up anything and he turned his back.
But we gave up everything that we have to follow you.
So can you give us some more clarity on our condition here?
And Jesus said, truly, I say to you, not just you, but 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,
hey, this is for you. So listen to what is about to be
said. Who will not receive a
hundredfold now in this time. Houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands.
Here's the part that we kind of read fast with persecution.
With persecution no. A hundredfold persecutions too,
with. Persecutions and, in the age to
come, eternal life. So how does this make sense?
How does it make sense according to Jesus words?
Who doesn't lie? Who doesn't even exaggerate?
For that matter, how is it the case that every single believer
who has truly decided to follow Jesus will receive a hundredfold
in their lifetime? In this era, in this age that
whatever you gave up expect a hundredfold to come your way?
Will that be property or persons?
The only way to make sense of this, the answer to this is that
the abundant resources and relationships that you and I
would be able to enjoy on the other side of confessing, on the
other side of repentance, on the other side of pledging your
allegiance to Christ, is in one specific realm in this age, the
Church of Jesus Christ. Because upon confession, upon
repentance, upon putting your trust in Christ, you enter into
this new realm, you have access now to this new reality known as
the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And in that church you have an abundant of family members and
even the support of resources if necessary.
Didn't these disciples experience that?
Didn't the early church experience that?
Do you remember even in Acts, where people sold lands and
homes and gave up their own resources for the sake of other
believers, you see that even the Epistles, where different
churches have come together for the Saints in Jerusalem to be
supported financially. So even Acts, you see the
fruition of this promise where believers who lost family, who
were disowned by family. They gained 100 mothers, 100
fathers, 100 brothers. Look, you're all my brothers and
sisters, mothers and fathers. I hope you feel the same way
about me and the help and the grace and the reliance and the
assistance. Dad, doesn't that tell you what
the church should be? So when I come to this place, I
am to believe that I'm coming home to my siblings, my
spiritual fathers, my and not. Not only that Jesus says homes
and lands to an extent with wisdom, Obviously, yes, there's
protocol here, but I'm to also know that I'm safe.
I shouldn't worry that if I'm ever in a time of need, I have
help. I have.
That's the church. I feel bad for those who've
made-up their church reality, their church experience, to
listen to a sermon once a week. You're robbing yourself a
blessing. And so this all makes sense when
you understand the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ.
The key to unlocking what Jesus mentions here is when you
believe that the Church is also. A treasure.
Unfortunately, so many people don't see it.
And let me tell you that if that is the case for you, then you're
the one missing out on brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers and so
many resources, not just physically but spiritually.
But Jesus doesn't even just speak of this era.
He doesn't just speak of this age.
He speaks of eternal life. He speaks of a life to come
where there will be unbroken rest forever and ever and ever
and ever. A family picnic that will not
have an end to it. Maranatha Conference, but it
doesn't end. And so much better than
Maranatha conference, as great as it is.
But you know, there's another time period that Jesus promises
blessing. Not just in this age, not just
in eternal life. There's something in between
that and Jesus highlights it in Matthew's version in Matthew 19.
I want you to see it as we're ready to close in a moment.
Go to Matthew 19 and verse 28. Jesus gives this answer to his
disciples. When Peter asked a very similar
question, Matthew 1928, Jesus said to them.
Truly I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will
sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also
sit on 12 Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.
OK, so this is where we have to do some systematic theology,
right? Is Jesus describing this promise
for this age concerning the disciples?
Very easy answer, no. Why?
Because the disciples are long gone.
They're buried. They're in the presence of our
master. They're not sitting on 12
Thrones in Israel. Something else is happening in
Israel as we speak. Well, are they going to sit on
12 Thrones in the eternal age? No, because no judgment is
necessary in the eternal age. There will be one final judgment
that will usher in the eternal age.
That one final judgement is what you read in Revelation 20, the
Great White Throne Judgement. That's a judgement that you as
believers and I will not stand at.
That's going to be the judgement for those whose names have not
been written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and the degree of their
punishment for eternity will be determined.
Then, and after the Great White Throne judgement, then a new
heavens and a new earth will be created.
So if this is not alluding to this age, and it's not Speaking
of the Eternal age, then when will this promise be fulfilled?
The Millennium? What is tucked in between this
age and the Eternal age? Where Jesus Christ will return,
rule and reign from Jerusalem, and you will also from Jerusalem
in Israel have 12, his 12 sitting upon Thrones, and Israel
will be their jurisdiction. That's when it's going to be
realized. So you got to factor this into
your eschatology here. How does this work with my view
of the timeline of the end times?
Well, Jesus clearly rewards them here with this guarantee, You
will sit with me, those of you, the apostles, in training.
Now I'm telling you that there is a time coming where you will
have positions of power and authority and you will bring
judgment mainly to the Jews. When's that going to happen?
It's going to happen in 1000 year reign when the Lord returns
physically on the earth. I'm not bringing this up to make
a case for the Millennium, the literal physical millennial
reign of Christ. It's to show the extent of the
blessings of those who have surrendered everything to follow
Christ. Here's what Christ is saying
when you collect all these verses, you will know blessing
in this age, you will know blessing in the Millennium, and
you will know blessing in the eternal life to come.
Somebody's very excited about that truth.
And so this is something that Christ guarantees all of us.
But he finishes off in a beautiful summary in verse 31 in
Mark 10. But many who are first will be
last and the last first. You've heard that before,
haven't you? You've seen that in different
portions of the gospel, have you not?
Well, depending where it's placed will really determine its
meeting meaning and its meaning here.
You can't divorce it from what we just studied and learned.
When the Lord says many who are first, we last and last for the
last first, He is trying to now bring in all what He just said,
concerning those who are rich in this life and how they will
forfeit so much in the life to come, and those who have given
up so much in this life and all the rewards that they will know.
In the life to come, here's what he's essentially saying.
Those who have gained in this life at the expense of rejecting
Christ will end up losing more. They can imagine.
But those who have sacrificed in this life to follow Christ will
end up gaining more than they can imagine.
That's the promise that Jesus has for you.
And you're already experiencing that blessing, are you not?
Are you not? If you need a reminder, where
you're at right now is the fulfillment of what Jesus said.
Look at all your brothers. Look at all your sisters.
And by God's grace and in his perfect.
Provision, he will add. To this place if he sees fit.
And not only in this place, Not only in this place, but the
church at large, across the lands are the extension of this
blessing. I shared this testimony before,
but I'll share it again as I close.
I remember we were on a family vacation coming back from a trip
and. We were sitting on a flight and
across from the aisle was a couple and they were very
friendly. We end up finding very quickly
that they were believers and like believers.
You know, the believers, It's like you're a believer, You're a
believer. Not like are you a believer?
No, you're a believer. Spirit bears witness.
And we talked and talked about the things of God and the
ministries that they're involved in their testimonies.
I mean, it was a 5 hour flying when we landed.
We went and walked to get our baggage and finally when we got
our stuff and we made our way, obviously we weren't going to
the same house. So we're ready to split ways and
we looked at each other and we had such an amazing time
conversing on that flight and even conversing in the airport.
And here's what this gentleman said with his wife, with total
confidence, not in a fascist way and with total confidence as
though he was saying I'll see you next week is what he said,
see you in heaven, brother. I was like, that's right, I'll
see you in glory too. And there you go and walked off.
Who else in the world can say that with absolute confidence
because of what their savior has done for them?
Only we have a Savior who has done everything necessary for us
to be saved and to have those kind of treasures in this life
and the life to come. So do you have it?
Oh, you might have a lot. What does it compare with this
though? Oh, you lot of hopes and dreams.
Guess what? They're going to die with you.
When you die, do you have eternal hope?
Do you have treasures that don't expire?
Do you have blessings that no thief can steal and no moth can
rot? Do you?
Let me tell you where you can get it?
Only in one thing, Only in one person, only responding to one
truth. And that's Jesus Christ, Him
crucified, raised from the dead, extending his hand, asking you
to know true riches by doing what?
Losing your life. So let me put it this way,
because New Year's is a very special time for me.
It's where things changed for me in 2012.
And so I want to extend the invitation that I had when I was
20 years old. Not through a preacher, just
through this book. This book is powerful.
Why not? On this new year, you do
something greater than making a resolution that you probably
won't keep. You're going to get that gym
membership. I hope you keep it, but it might
not last past a month. You can make a resolution, the
most important resolution, and that is reconciling with God.
I mean, I'm not trying to sound clever in the way I'm speaking
here. I'm trying to speak clearly,
very directly. Wouldn't it be something
special? That every new year you can look
back and say, was this time going into 2024, where I got
right with God and my life has never been the same?
I want you to experience that. I want you in this place to know
that you can bend your knee. That God and his Providence has
brought you to this room to hear this message so that you can get
right with him. No matter how many times you've
ignored him in the past, no matter how many times you put
riches above your relationship with God, it can all change.
Now God has gotten your attention.
I hope for you to make a decision that you will never
regret, no matter what it costs you in this life.
It doesn't compare to the reward that is now and that will come.
Give your life to Christ. Surrender to Him.
Now. Say yes to him.
Why would you ignore? Why swat his hand away?
What else are you going to go to?
Just before you move on, and before you go and check your
phone, and before you look at your stocks again, and before
you think about how you're going to get better and how you're
going to acquire more, just listen to me for a moment.
It's not worth it. Don't be deceived by riches.
Don't be deceived by sin. Realize that God, the God who
created you and made you, made you primarily to worship him and
to know him. You will never be satisfied.
Any satisfaction and the pursuit of personal progression and
profit doesn't even compare. It just skims your heart.
This what I'm speaking about in Christ Jesus.
Will deal with the deepest parts of who you are.
And so the way you access that is by hearing what is just said
and realizing that God has forgiven you in Christ, that he
sent us something to die for you, shed His blood for you and
conquered death for you. And that you can accept that
gift and say, Lord, I I put everything aside.
I put it all at your feet. I say, I don't want anything
more than you. I want all that you have to
offer. Would you give me yourself?
Would you give me forgiveness? And through that forgiveness,
access to friendship with you and God will answer you.
Please make this decision. Please don't deny it.
Please don't reject it. Father, we pray today and
Thanksgiving, being reminded that our true riches are in
Christ. And perhaps some might be
fearful for this new year, a year that's going to be
politically charged, a year that many are making forecasts about,
even economically. But, Lord, our security is not
in our bank account. You are a provider.
You are our Sustainer. You are our Savior.
Lord, we just ask that there be rekindled affections for you.
Many of us believe the truths that we just heard, but perhaps
our feelings, our affections, are not aligned with what we
know to be sound. Lord, help us come alive in
realizing what we have in Christ.
For the person here who heard these truths and can't connect
with them because it seems intangible, it seems invisible,
It seems theoretical. Lord, by your Holy Spirit, would
you show them the experiential reality of Christ?
We can't do it. We can't provide that power.
Only you can provide that power. And so we ask that you would
brood over this place, more importantly, over every heart in
this place, and that we would experience a fresh touch from
you. We worship You, Lord, declaring
that you indeed our treasure and you indeed are alone worthy of
our worship. In Christ's name we pray.
Amen. Amen.
Let's stand together, Saints.