Friday 2 February 2018

What would you do?

What would you do?
Matthews Gospel records this conversation between a rich man and Jesus. Matthew records,
“Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 
“Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,  honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’’” 
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” Matthew 19:16-22.
Let me make a statement here. There is nothing wrong with being a follower of Christ Jesus and being rich. It is the priorities you place on your wealth that makes the difference.
If you wealth or your acquisition of wealth takes priority over your faith, that is wrong. If you put more faith in your wealth than in God that is wrong.
In the conversation the rich man had with Jesus the rich man indicated that he believed in God. That he obeyed the commandments. However his faith in God was lacking. When Jesus said,
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 
Matthew records,
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
Someone has said the test of your faith in God comes when you must give up all you possess and rely exclusively on God.
Question, where is your faith? If you were that rich man standing before Jesus and he said,
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
What would you say?
Please think about it.

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