Transformer - 05/05/2013
Giving up Status for Eternal Life
Matthew, Mark and Luke tell a story about an individual coming to Jesus asking Him how to “inherit eternal life.” Combining the three authors account, we see that this individual was a “rich (Matthew 19:22; Mark 10:22; Luke 18:23) young (Matthew 19:20) ruler (Luke 18:18).” After hearing what Jesus said, the rich young ruler “became very sad” (Luke 18:23), and “went away grieved” (Matthew 19:22). Eternal life was not worth giving up his status in life.
One of the things we can learn from this story is that several passages may need to be consulted if we are going to get the whole story. If we relied only upon Matthew, we would only know that the individual was young and rich. When we consult Luke, he advises that the man is a ruler. We cannot always go to one passage to prove our point; we may need to compile several passages that are in harmony with each other and support each other.
The second lesson we can learn comes from a statement Jesus made to the disciples after this rich young ruler went away. Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). Luke (18:27) records Jesus as saying, “The things impossible with men are possible with God.” Jesus was pointing out to these disciples that even though it may seem impossible with men for rich people to go to heaven; if the rich will rely upon God, they can go to heaven and have their possessions also.
The problem rich people face is that they place their confidence in their riches or their power to provide for themselves. In the context of this story, the young man was asking what to do to inherit eternal life; what he must do in order to go to heaven. The point Jesus is making is that our earthly possessions will not get us to heaven. It is our trusting in God to provide the things which we need in life. It is trusting in God that if we will put Him first that He will provide for us, not only our needs but also “the abundance of life” (John 10:10) and eventually eternal life.
A third lesson that we can learn from this story is that Jesus can love us even though He gives us some commands that are very difficult to follow (Mark 10:21). In order for us to tell people what they really need to hear in order for them to go to heaven, we must have a love for them. We must love them more than we fear they might reject what we tell them about God. Did Jesus really have to tell this man that he needed to go and sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor and come follow Him? No. But would Jesus have been a “good teacher” if He had not given this young man these instructions? No. Being a “good teacher” demands that we tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.
A final lesson we can learn is that by giving our all so that the gospel of Jesus and His kingdom can flourish, we will receive the type of reward that we really want in life. We not only want wealth, but we also want family relationships (brother, sisters, mothers, fathers) and a house to live in. In our society these are all signs of status, which the Romans, the readers of Mark’s gospel, were interested in also. The ultimate reward, which we all want to “inherit,” is eternal life. The Romans, wanted the status of living with the gods. Do we?
Wonder how Jesus felt when the young ruler walked away? Wonder how He will feel if we miss heaven because we were not willing to give up our status in life so that we could support His cause? - cgm
Thinking on the Word...
Graduation
Graduations are always an exciting time. The occasion does not matter. Kindergarten students are just as excited as doctoral students. Graduating from elementary school and going to middle school is a big step. High school students can’t wait until they graduate. College and university graduates cannot wait to get out into the work force and “change the world.”
The word graduate as a verb means to obtain a degree or diploma after completing a course of study. Sometimes a person receives a “certificate of completion” which serves to announce to the world that the named individual has completed a program of instruction. In the academic world, it signifies that the student has learned the information at a given level and is ready to move to the higher level of learning.
In our Bible study at our churches, we do not pay much attention to “graduation” or receiving a certificate because we have studied some book of the Bible or some Bible topic. Even though this may be so, we do not need to accept the idea that we do not need to be “advancing” in our knowledge of the Bible. The writer to the Hebrews (5:12) expected the church members, the Christians, to mature to the point of teaching others rather than still needing to be taught.
In academic circles, the graduate who holds a “master’s degree” has more information on a subject than one who holds a “bachelor’s degree.” However, the individual who holds a doctorate degree has more information than the others.
The question for us to think about is have we “graduated” from the “elementary principles” and become a “teacher of the doctrine of Christ,” or a “doctor”?
One last thing about graduations, the academic deans announce that you (first, middle and last names are read) have completed all the requirements to earn your degree. Won’t it be wonderful to hear Jesus tell the Father, (insert your name) has met all the requirements to go to heaven? “He has graduated!” – cgm
Words of Wisdom
“The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, the heart of the wicked is worth little.” – Proverbs 10:20
Here is just one more passage where the heart and the tongue are connected. Our thoughts and our words are so closely linked that they will describe our character; righteous or wicked.
One definition of “the wicked” is a person who is “hostile to God” (Biblesoft—Brown, Driver, Briggs). “The heart” is where our emotions, our thoughts, our resolution, our determination, our moral character, and our courage to do what is right is located. If our “heart” is “hostile to God” then we will never do the righteous actions He has commanded, especially with our tongue. To say to ourselves that I am a child of God and not have the resolution or determination to do what God has commanded means that my “heart … is worth little.”
The “tongue of the righteous” has a great deal of worth. By using the word “choice” to describe “silver,” Solomon wants his son to know that his speech is very valuable.
Speaking about character, Jesus, on one occasion, told the Pharisees, “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matthew 12:34). There is no way that a wicked heart can speak of things which have great value. It is impossible for a man who is an enemy of God, to speak the things which God would consider to be right. A person who has an antagonistic attitude toward God will not speak things which have great value. An individual who is not “hospitable” towards God will not have very much to say that is worth anything.
The righteous person on the other hand will always be speaking things that are very valuable. Not because he is speaking them, but because he will be speaking things which are supportive of the way that God wants us to live and the character that God wants us to have.
Let’s work on our heart, and our tongue will tell on us. - cgm