THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN - the rich

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Matthew 19:21-22

Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.


A man was asking about eternal life, he wanted to know what good he had to do to have eternal life. Jesus gave him the answer - obey the commandments. 


The man wanted to know which of the commandments gave eternal life, Christ began to list them to him:


Matthew 19:18-19

“Which ones?” the man asked.And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely.

Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’”


The man said he had kept all from his youth, yet he knew something was missing:


Matthew 19:20

“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”


Then Christ gave him what he needed to be perfect:


Matthew 19:21

Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”


But the man could not handle it:


Matthew 19:22

But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.


Now, do we understand what was missing? 


Everyone has a life to live here on earth, however there is a guide that will ensure that we please the Heavenly Father and that guide is in the ten commandments. For if we live a life of obedience we are sure of eternal life. 


Luke 16:17

But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.


But are we perfect, if we keep all the commandments as this man claimed he did? 


Why did he feel incomplete? 


Because he had not given his heart. Something else was occupying God's place in his heart. 


Luke 10:27

The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”


2 Thessalonians 3:5

May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.


Listen to Jesus:


Luke 12:34

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.


That is the issue with wealth, if it takes over your heart, it will take the place of God:


Luke 16:13

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”


It takes the Almighty Father to make a man of great earthly wealth keep his heart on the Lord. 


Matthew 19:25-26

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”


This is why salvation is from the Lord, man cannot save himself. 


The most important thing the child of God should consider is the kingdom of God, for the reason for our creation is to have dominion in this kingdom, which He created for us. 


Thus we must look further from this unchanged earth, to the changed earth where Christ reigns as king and we reign in Him. 


For through Adam's sin, man lost his dominion and reign. Through Christ Jesus man regains full dominion and reign forever:


Romans 5:21

So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


So we must understand that one can be rich, popular and influential at this time, but be the least in God's kingdom. One can seem irrelevant at this time but be great in God's kingdom:


Matthew 19:30

But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.


Help us Good Lord. 


May the Lord grant us more understanding. 


He calls us blessed. 


Love

@the watcher

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