HE TURNED THE RICH AWAY

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 HE TURNED THE RICH AWAY


They watched Jesus do two unthinkable things: (a) tell a potential sponsor of missions to get rid of his wealth and (b) watch the same who professed love of eternal life leave unsaved! 


We're talking about the repentance from sins and faith in Christ that leads to salvation. 


The disciples of Jesus were shocked. They asked Him two questions in quick succession: 


1. If we're supposed to deny ourselves to the extent of giving up our wealth in order to follow you, Jesus, who can be saved?


2. Now that we have left all things to follow You, Jesus, what will we get?


In the first question, the disciples realized that the self-denial Jesus asked off the rich young ruler was what they were already living. The hope in which they had done that was however not yet fully clear to them. 


Jesus clarified: "You'll get eternal life alright, but also a 100-fold of whatever you've denied yourself in order to be my disciple." 


What a claim? Where was the trekking Galilean preacher who turns away the rich going to get such property from? But, alas! They forget something: He is the CREATOR who has descended as the SAVIOR. His apparent poverty was only necessity to identify with humanity. He is indeed the source of all wealth, but wealth doesn't save. It is faith in Him that saves. 


The rich young ruler claimed to have lived separate from sin as defined by the Law, but by holding on to wealth while there were poor people all over the place, he demonstrated he was still selfish at heart. And selfishness or self-centered-ness is the source of all sin.  


You'll remember the first thing John the Baptist asked those who came for baptism to repentance to do was to share their resources with the poor. (See Luke 3:10,11)


Also, how does one claim to trust Jesus or have faith in Him, if the same person doesn't trust that Jesus is able to sustain Him in times of need? How will such a person sincerely follow Jesus in His self-denying mission as a Fisher of Men? 


It is the fear of poverty that makes people commit the sins of paying bribes to secure good school placement and jobs, and engage in all kinds of corruption that silence the drive to preach the saving good news of Christ. It is the fear of poverty (not that we haven't eaten that day) that makes us create no space in our schedule to go preaching the good news, even when it is urgently needed.


That fear must be fully shed first, or no one can call himself a true follower or disciple of Jesus. It is done by understanding that poverty for the sake of the Gospel is not really poverty. It is trusting the Lord of the harvest ( of souls) to make provision for sustenance in due season "according to His glorious riches." (Philippians 4:19)


We who follow Jesus are therefore far richer than those who are wealthy in this world. Our Master turns the world's wealthy away on daily basis for their confidence in their wealth and poverty of saving faith. 


We live by faith in Him, untouched by the fear of poverty that causes selfishness. We can't live with a different confidence, for we "can't serve God and mammon (or wealth, Matthew 6:24)". We travel light, in our mission to fish for men unto salvation.


#BibleBriefs Matthew 19:16-30

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