February 2, 2003
Morning Service
Text: Luke 18: 18-30
Subject: Following Christ
Title: Investing for the Future
How many financial wizards are there out there? I don’t know a lot about the stock market or bonds or long- term investment goals. I do know that there are some simple basic investment principles that are helpful to understand. One: set a goal for you to achieve for retirement. How much do you want to retire with? Two: start now and stick with the plan. Sporadic contributions result in meager gains. Three: Let the interest compound. Compounded interest can greatly increase your savings. Let me give you an example.
A twenty year-old begins saving $10 a week until he is 60. Base our findings on 2.5% interest and allowing for inflation. After the first five years we see that $2,600 dollars have been saved and $170 in interest. With the interest compounded at the end of the 50-year cycle on year 50 we see the same amount saved ($2600) but $3,970 in interest was earned. It definitely pays to plan for the future. But it is more important to stick with the plan.
In our passage today we will see the consequences of not having a complete plan for the future. The story of the rich ruler tells us everything we need to know about investing for maximum returns - eternal life.
Let’s look this morning to see what kind of investments we need to make to plan for eternity.
I. Investing in self-righteousness. (Vs 18-21)
What do we know about this man? 1)He was wealthy! We don’t know by the context of the verse as to whether this was a Jewish ruler or a Roman official. If he were Roman he would have been looking for some philosophy that would show him the way to immortality.
In Acts 17, when Paul was in Athens he confronted the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers and shared the gospel message with them. Verse 32, "When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, ’We want to hear you again later on this subject." It is likely that the Greeks and Romans would have rejected the idea of eternal life or a bodily resurrection. 2)He may have been a Pharisee. This seems more likely since he knew the commandments and the Sadducees did not believe in eternal life.
Look at the question he asks! "Good teacher" - Recognition of Jesus deity. There is no mention of any rabbi in Jewish history being called good. The Jews insisted in calling only God good. When Jesus asked, "Why do you call me good?" it is not a denial of his deity but a call to the man to reflect on what he just said. "Do you understand what you said when you called me good teacher? No one is good but God alone."
"What must I do to inherit eternal life?"
He held on to the law thinking that he could do something to attain heaven. He trusted in the Old Covenant to save him. Something was going to be handed down to him. Romans 3:19-24, "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness comes from God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."
If you want to do something, live a holy life.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not murder.
Do not steal.
Do not give false testimony.
Honor your father and mother.
Don’t you know that made the young man happy? That was the answer he was looking for. "All these I have kept since I was a boy!" He was careful to maintain proper relationships with other people. That is commendable.
What a great world it would be if we all lived by those moral codes. That world system that we live in will tell you that is the most important thing.
Secular humanism wants you to believe that the spirit of man will rise to the occasion and when presented with enough information, will eventually solve all the problems of the world and mankind will be its own salvation. Peter told the rulers of the people, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." That name is Jesus Christ. Jesus demands more.
II. He wants us to invest for maximum rewards. (Verses 22-25) When Jesus heard this He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me." I can picture the expression on the man’s face - going from extreme confidence (cockiness) to that deer in the headlights look. What did you say? You want me to do what? Could you repeat that one more time? The young man’s response tells us more about his heart than we originally thought. Those original commandments Jesus spoke of go deeper than an exterior response. The law goes directly to the heart and not just actions.
Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that you can have adultery in your heart and not do it. You can have murder in your heart yet not commit it.
You can have a heart that steals even if you never do steal. This young man was placing his eternal deposit in a temporal bank. All those good things he did, when it was all done, would reap no interest in the kingdom of heaven. Look what King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 2: 10-11 about riches. "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." Now when Jesus calls him think beyond the law that is concerned with human relationships and go right to his relationship with God, he falters.
For the most part in America, money has become an idol for many. The rich want more and are not satisfied till they get it. Industrialist J. P. Morgan was once asked the question, "How much money is enough?" His answer, "One more million." The poor think, "If only I could get more, my problems would be over." The middle class work their jobs to make more so they can keep up with mister Jones who lives next door. Or else they think that if they earn enough they can become like the rich and keep from being like the poor. When I was in Troy the other day I stopped by a job sight where some of the young men I had worked with before were working. They asked all the right questions about my family and about the church. How was the ministry? For the most part they don’t understand why I left a job to go into the ministry. Their first thought is that it must pay better. It’s not about money!!!! That’s what Jesus is saying. How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through he eye of a needle. Jesus didn’t want the man’s possessions. He wanted his heart. He wanted him to make an eternal deposit.
III. It pays to know the banker. (Verses 26-27)
"Who then can be saved?" Even though Jesus had been with the disciples they still held on to the Jewish belief that the riches are a sign of God’s blessings on people. 1 Timothy 6:9-10, "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." Desire for money causes grief. Desire for more brings destruction What is impossible with men is possible with God. You can’t buy your way to heaven. No amount of works; No amount of money. Eternal life is the gift from God. Jesus is calling people everywhere to stop investing in the temporal and begin investing in the eternal. What we can’t do ourselves is possible through a trusting relationship with Jesus Christ.
It is the power of God for salvation to those who believe.
Not of works lest anyone should boast.
Peter said, "We have left all that we have to follow you!" Peter didn’t have to boast about the disciple’s affection for Jesus. Maybe he just needed reassurance.
Daniel 12:1, "at that time, Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time our people - everyone whose name is found written in the book - will be delivered." If you have made the investment and your name is on the contract, then only you can take it off. The banker of bankers - Jesus Christ - doesn’t change his mind.
IV. We have returns beginning now. When we invest in eternal life we receive many times as much in this age. If you have left behind your family you receive brothers and sisters in Christ to fill that void.
Let’s look beyond that. The whole context of this passage was possessions. Peter said, "We have left everything to follow you." The deposit we make guarantees us eternal life. No one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children will fail to receive many times as much in this age. Remember the spiritual principal of the "law of the Harvest"?What you sow you reap. If you give up your treasures - if you love Jesus more than you love your possessions -if you will give it all up to follow him, He will give you many times as much in this age. That is not the reason we trust Christ, but it is a guaranteed by-product. And in the life to come - eternal life - the thought of all we gain in heaven through faith in Christ makes everything else pale in comparison.
Conclusion.
One thing I didn’t mention in my opening statements about investing. When you maintain that regular regiment of saving you are always free to add to it. Our eternal investment operates the same way. We can’t add to it and make the original investment more. Our eternal life is secure as long as we continue in the savings plan. we can’t be any more saved. When you add to it we receive rewards above and beyond our original plan. And those rewards - those eternal rewards - are compounded daily.
Now what happens if you start withdrawing? There’s a great theological discussion to be had here but we don’t have time for it. I believe that the more you withdraw from the investment the less reward you have. And eventually you could bankrupt the account. It is important, once you have made your decision to trust Christ to continue to walk in it and add daily to your account. That means prayer, study, bible reading, and fellowship with other believers.
That means giving of your self to God in every area of your life. Hold nothing back.
One morning a devout Christian was seen by a neighbor and asked, "How are you doing this morning?"
"I’m burdened!" was his reply.
But his faced showed otherwise. So the friend asked, "Are you really burdened?"
"Yes, but it is a wonderful burden. It’s an overabundance of blessing being poured out on me from heaven."
Noticing the confused look on his friend’s face he explained, "I’m referring to Psalm 68:19, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with His benefits, the God of our salvation."
Do you want to be burdened? Keep investing!
