The Certainty Of Christ Warning
Book of Luke 16
We know that a warning is a caution against danger in most cases.
Most of the time when we see Chapter 16 in the Book of Luke we concentrate on the story of Lazarus and the rich man and the truth of Hell. This story is only part of the message that Jesus was teaching.
The "theme" of Jesus message in this entire chapter is about riches.
Remember riches are not sin in themselves, riches just lead most people into sin!
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The love of riches is the sin of covetousness and covetousness will ruin even an honest person.
The love of riches will most always lead to deception and dishonesty.
When we use the things of this world to gain the advantage over someone else, we are not following the Word of God!
We sometimes fall into the trap of living extravagantly and move away from the simple truths of life.
If that is so then riches become our "idol" between us and God.
What does God teach us to do?
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Jesus Christ had a lot to say about money because most all of us feel like we just do not have enough of it!
The first warning from Jesus we see is that if we are not going to seek a close personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ,
then we had better make ourselves friends with those who are rich in the things of this world.
Luk 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
We can see that this is the way of most people in this world we live in.
So let's begin with verse 10:
*****Luk 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luk 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Luk 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
The truth is, all Christians are to be faithful in their handling of the possessions that God has loaned to us because in truth all things belong to God.
As Christians we are to use our material wealth for good!
We should be clear in the eyes of God anything above our needs is material wealth!
We have the tendency to only rate things as "great" and "small" in speaking of our actions, our plans and our duties.
Though we have a tendency to linger on the "great" things it is more times than not that the "small" things that are of the greater importance!
It is a fact that the small things of life actually take most of our time and time is something that we will find that we just do not have enough of in this life.
Since our life is made up more of little things than greater things, then it is the little things in which we will be tested the most.
If we can be faithful in the least of things then we will probably be faithful in the greater things!
The Bible is clear, the Christian is to be faithful in handling his or her possessions.
It is our faithfulness in these seemingly unimportant things on earth that determine what we will trusted with throughout eternity!
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to eternal salvation!
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the absolute assurance of eternal life!
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the love, peace, and confidence that comes from a daily walk with the Lord Jesus Christ!
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit!
There is nothing else on this earth as great as the Word of God!
You can have all the world, just give me Jesus.
Knowing God on a personal level and being adopted into the family of God, is far beyond any hope and dream of this world!
After we know the Lord on a personal level we will then also be judged as a steward of the things that God has placed into our possession.
The truth of all these things is that the only part we can take with us at the time of our death is our stewardship of those things, all earthly possessions will remain on this earth and eventually will be burned up.
In verse 12 we see the phrase "another man's" and as far as we are concerned that other man is God because all things belong to Him!
We will never have all that we could have if we fail to walk with God and share the things that are above our needs with others!
Mar 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
Mar 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
We should remember there is no profit at all of this world if we loose our soul!
Mar 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mar 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
There is nothing on this earth that we can exchange for our soul!
AND, Our soul is the one thing of greatest value to God!
We should not over look the importance of this next passage. In fact there are no unimportant Scriptures.
*****Luk 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
As Christians we can have only one Master!
We must choose God!
If we refuse the Lord Jesus Christ we have chosen this world by default!
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
We will focus ourselves on the things of this world or upon God.
We will turn ourselves over to the things of this world or to God.
We will think primarily upon the things of this world or we will think of God and His ways.
We will give our time and energy to the things of this world or to God.
We will allow our pursuits to control Christ or we will allow Christ to control our pursuits.
We will struggle against God or we will give ourselves to God!
God says we will hate one and love the other, there is no middle ground!
God says we will hold to one and despise the other, again there is no middle ground!
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
"Him only shalt thou serve"
There are some grave misunderstandings among those of the church that need to be clarified and Jesus will do most of that here.
*****Luk 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
Luk 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
The Pharisees believed that they were so high up on God's list, that they were guaranteed a place in Heaven.
There are many in this world that for many different reasons think the same way these Pharisees thought.
Jesus will teach about the 3 greatest misunderstandings among men in these next passages and we need to understand what He says.
**First there is grave misunderstanding of money and possessions.
Remember Jesus had just said that no one can serve 2 Masters.
These Pharisees were among that certain group who could not believe what they were hearing.
What Jesus was saying was, when we spend our time and our energy seeking the short lived wealth of this world and not better spending that time seeking the face of God and the everlasting wealth of Heaven, we do not understand the Word of God.
We absolutely cannot keep our thoughts on God when we are seeking the false riches of this world!
We cannot pick up our own cross daily and follow the Lord unless we can deny our own desires!
Self-denial and a pursuit of wealth are things that are opposite from each other!
It is a fact that most of this world highly esteem the very things that God hates!
It is a fact that most of this world judges by man-made rules and not by God's rules!
The world allows mankind to seek their own happiness while God says to seek the happiness of others.
The Lord Jesus Christ was demanding total allegiance from these so-called religious men.
What does God say?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
The only way to read this passage is for us to keep all our thoughts, our mind, our energy, and our effort in seeking the ways of God, while denying ourselves.
We are never to seek our own happiness at the expense of others!
It is a fact that if we have anything at all, it came from God but it is also a fact that money and possessions that come at the expense of others are not a sign of God's blessings.
In fact money and possessions are never really a sign of the blessings of God!
God teaches that everything we have above our own needs are given to us to help those that do not have and to aid in the spreading of the "Gospel".
This is not to say that we are not to enjoy the blessings of God but we are to have the right attitude about the blessings of God.
What Jesus was teaching bothered these men.
What Jesus was teaching bothered those who are super religious.
It is natural for us to want possessions because this world places a high esteem on possessions.
It is natural for us to want to fit in and be acceptable in this world.
What is unnatural is, that we want to do these things and also be known that we are seeking to get closer to God.
Most all of us rebel when we are told that we are to give part of our possessions to others.
**The truth is, it is possible to be religious and still covet the things of this world yet God says, "thou shalt not covet".
These Pharisees were the most religious men in their day and maybe the most religious men who had ever lived but they still coveted the wealth of this world!
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
**The truth is a man of wealth will tend to use their possessions to justify themselves before other men.
They will use their wealth to seek the favor and honor of other men and women. Even when they have secured their wealth unjustly they will seek approval by being generous and giving to some need that they feel is worthy of their attention.
Some are even conscious of their need to walk closer to the Lord and they will give to that appearance by living a super religious lie while pursuing the honor of the religious world.
Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Pro 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
The sad fact is that we live in that generation today!
**The truth is that God knows what is in each man's heart.
We are acceptable to God by what is in our heart and not what is in our bank account.
God's blessings are not in material things!
God's blessings are in spiritual things!
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Even the 12 disciples were caught off guard by these things that Jesus was saying.
Mat 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
The Scriptures are very clear on these things.
God places us in this world where He decides and with the benefits that He decides!
The legitimate things in this life come from being true and honest!
Living and working well are a great testimony for any man or woman.
God will provide our needs and that will come through work but we are also to work well to help others.
Each Christian should be not only a good worker and provide an honest living but we should strive to be the best at what we do to demonstrate to others that God's people are simply the most true, the most honest, and the most lovely people on this earth!
The world looks at all those who claim to be Christian and then go against the written Word of God as models for all Christians but the world is wrong there are true Christians who do resemble the Lord Jesus Christ.
For most of us our life is our greatest testimony to this world!
**God wants His children to center their lives around the things of the heart and not on material possessions.
Material possessions will come and then pass away no matter what we do. It is the spiritual things that last forever!
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
**Second, there is a misunderstanding of the New Kingdom and the New Order.
*****Luk 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
The period of Israel in the Old Testament lasted up until the preaching of John the Baptist according to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is after this that the New Testament began.
It is the Lord Jesus Christ that ushered in a new period and a new world order. All others are a figment of man's imagination!
The Kingdom of God is now a "Spiritual Kingdom" that can only exist in the heart of man and acts on the behavior of man.
This is the Kingdom of God that is now preached which places no value on what man has, but only what a man is! (what a man is within his heart)
This message centers on each individual and their potential to serve God!
Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
The Spiritual Kingdom of God comes only by the Holy Ghost living within us upon the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord of His Kingdom!
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
The Kingdom of God is not for any single race of people but for all people, everywhere!
Upon recognizing this kingdom that Jesus Christ preached, an honest person no longer wants a cheap, formal, religion with an easy message.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
**And third, there is a misunderstanding of the law.
*****Luk 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Luk 16:18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.
Many people believe that since Jesus brings forth a New Testament and a New Order that the Old Testament is now irrelevant.
In fact if you have read the Books of Moses with care you may wonder why God would enact such a system of laws.
Many see these things as being unworthy of such a God as Jehovah.
When we do these things we forget that everything that God does has a purpose.
We may think we understand God's plan of salvation but we find that we have little understanding of God's methods.
If we understand Creation and the first 11 chapters of the Book of Genesis, we will have a better understanding of all the Word of God.
If we understand the Books of Moses and their relationship to the Jews as a separated people, then we will have an understanding of the "Gospel", the "Good News" of Jesus Christ.
When we regard any part of the Word of God as antiquated or a useless thing, we in effect charge God with a weakness in His intellect, or a lack of understanding and that is as much sin as murder, or adultery, or any other known sin.
We need to understand phrases like "the fullness of times", "Heaven and Earth pass away" and "he that hath an ear" and the many other Biblical truths.
God makes it plain for us all:
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
We should clearly understand that the laws that govern the universe are much more important than the universe itself!
If not for the teaching of the Old Testament we could not clearly understand the New Testament!
We must understand the Word of God in the context that it is written!
There is a wonderful beauty in every part of God's creation when we understand it as from a Supreme Being rather than the falsehood of evolution.
How would we live and how would our universe appear without such laws as the law of gravitation?
How could we travel without knowing direction North, East, South, and West.
If God were not a God of order our world would be a world of disorder and confusion!
Heaven and Earth will pass away one day but not one jot or one tittle of God's law will fail in it's purpose.
Not even the most minute law should be forgotten!
If God allowed even one minute detail of creation to fail our world would be in chaos!
God gives us the example of divorce and marriage because our own failures and our own desires and our own lust, make divorce and marriage relevant in any and every age.
Every separation requires a legal divorce before the two parties resume life with another party.
As men we simply cannot just force our wives to just leave as the Pharisees did in their day where a wife could be divorced for burning the bacon.
We should also remember if the laws of reaping and sowing did not exist we would all die of starvation!
We should clearly understand, God will never modify the order He has established to accommodate any particular person or a people.
A good tree will never produce evil fruit and a corrupt tree will never produce good fruit.
The Book of Proverbs will always be true in any age because the entire Word of God will be relevant in every age until God says it is finished.
When we waste the period of time that God has given to us and the purpose that He has for each of us, we waste things that can never be replaced.
The same law that brings salvation is the same law that brings condemnation for those that ignore that law.
It is our own conscience that tells us we are all sinners!
In our best interest we need to partake of the tree of life.
To understand the Law of God is to understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of "all" the Law!
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
It is Jesus Christ and those that call Him Lord that will endure forever!
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
To be free from the penalty of sin we need the truth and not some false thing from some man, such as Muhammad, or Confucius, or Brigham Young or Buddha or any other false prophet.
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Questions?
Let's Pray!
Book of Luke 16
We know that a warning is a caution against danger in most cases.
Most of the time when we see Chapter 16 in the Book of Luke we concentrate on the story of Lazarus and the rich man and the truth of Hell. This story is only part of the message that Jesus was teaching.
The "theme" of Jesus message in this entire chapter is about riches.
Remember riches are not sin in themselves, riches just lead most people into sin!
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The love of riches is the sin of covetousness and covetousness will ruin even an honest person.
The love of riches will most always lead to deception and dishonesty.
When we use the things of this world to gain the advantage over someone else, we are not following the Word of God!
We sometimes fall into the trap of living extravagantly and move away from the simple truths of life.
If that is so then riches become our "idol" between us and God.
What does God teach us to do?
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Jesus Christ had a lot to say about money because most all of us feel like we just do not have enough of it!
The first warning from Jesus we see is that if we are not going to seek a close personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ,
then we had better make ourselves friends with those who are rich in the things of this world.
Luk 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
We can see that this is the way of most people in this world we live in.
So let's begin with verse 10:
*****Luk 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luk 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Luk 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
The truth is, all Christians are to be faithful in their handling of the possessions that God has loaned to us because in truth all things belong to God.
As Christians we are to use our material wealth for good!
We should be clear in the eyes of God anything above our needs is material wealth!
We have the tendency to only rate things as "great" and "small" in speaking of our actions, our plans and our duties.
Though we have a tendency to linger on the "great" things it is more times than not that the "small" things that are of the greater importance!
It is a fact that the small things of life actually take most of our time and time is something that we will find that we just do not have enough of in this life.
Since our life is made up more of little things than greater things, then it is the little things in which we will be tested the most.
If we can be faithful in the least of things then we will probably be faithful in the greater things!
The Bible is clear, the Christian is to be faithful in handling his or her possessions.
It is our faithfulness in these seemingly unimportant things on earth that determine what we will trusted with throughout eternity!
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to eternal salvation!
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the absolute assurance of eternal life!
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the love, peace, and confidence that comes from a daily walk with the Lord Jesus Christ!
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit!
There is nothing else on this earth as great as the Word of God!
You can have all the world, just give me Jesus.
Knowing God on a personal level and being adopted into the family of God, is far beyond any hope and dream of this world!
After we know the Lord on a personal level we will then also be judged as a steward of the things that God has placed into our possession.
The truth of all these things is that the only part we can take with us at the time of our death is our stewardship of those things, all earthly possessions will remain on this earth and eventually will be burned up.
In verse 12 we see the phrase "another man's" and as far as we are concerned that other man is God because all things belong to Him!
We will never have all that we could have if we fail to walk with God and share the things that are above our needs with others!
Mar 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
Mar 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
We should remember there is no profit at all of this world if we loose our soul!
Mar 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mar 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
There is nothing on this earth that we can exchange for our soul!
AND, Our soul is the one thing of greatest value to God!
We should not over look the importance of this next passage. In fact there are no unimportant Scriptures.
*****Luk 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
As Christians we can have only one Master!
We must choose God!
If we refuse the Lord Jesus Christ we have chosen this world by default!
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
We will focus ourselves on the things of this world or upon God.
We will turn ourselves over to the things of this world or to God.
We will think primarily upon the things of this world or we will think of God and His ways.
We will give our time and energy to the things of this world or to God.
We will allow our pursuits to control Christ or we will allow Christ to control our pursuits.
We will struggle against God or we will give ourselves to God!
God says we will hate one and love the other, there is no middle ground!
God says we will hold to one and despise the other, again there is no middle ground!
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
"Him only shalt thou serve"
There are some grave misunderstandings among those of the church that need to be clarified and Jesus will do most of that here.
*****Luk 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
Luk 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
The Pharisees believed that they were so high up on God's list, that they were guaranteed a place in Heaven.
There are many in this world that for many different reasons think the same way these Pharisees thought.
Jesus will teach about the 3 greatest misunderstandings among men in these next passages and we need to understand what He says.
**First there is grave misunderstanding of money and possessions.
Remember Jesus had just said that no one can serve 2 Masters.
These Pharisees were among that certain group who could not believe what they were hearing.
What Jesus was saying was, when we spend our time and our energy seeking the short lived wealth of this world and not better spending that time seeking the face of God and the everlasting wealth of Heaven, we do not understand the Word of God.
We absolutely cannot keep our thoughts on God when we are seeking the false riches of this world!
We cannot pick up our own cross daily and follow the Lord unless we can deny our own desires!
Self-denial and a pursuit of wealth are things that are opposite from each other!
It is a fact that most of this world highly esteem the very things that God hates!
It is a fact that most of this world judges by man-made rules and not by God's rules!
The world allows mankind to seek their own happiness while God says to seek the happiness of others.
The Lord Jesus Christ was demanding total allegiance from these so-called religious men.
What does God say?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
The only way to read this passage is for us to keep all our thoughts, our mind, our energy, and our effort in seeking the ways of God, while denying ourselves.
We are never to seek our own happiness at the expense of others!
It is a fact that if we have anything at all, it came from God but it is also a fact that money and possessions that come at the expense of others are not a sign of God's blessings.
In fact money and possessions are never really a sign of the blessings of God!
God teaches that everything we have above our own needs are given to us to help those that do not have and to aid in the spreading of the "Gospel".
This is not to say that we are not to enjoy the blessings of God but we are to have the right attitude about the blessings of God.
What Jesus was teaching bothered these men.
What Jesus was teaching bothered those who are super religious.
It is natural for us to want possessions because this world places a high esteem on possessions.
It is natural for us to want to fit in and be acceptable in this world.
What is unnatural is, that we want to do these things and also be known that we are seeking to get closer to God.
Most all of us rebel when we are told that we are to give part of our possessions to others.
**The truth is, it is possible to be religious and still covet the things of this world yet God says, "thou shalt not covet".
These Pharisees were the most religious men in their day and maybe the most religious men who had ever lived but they still coveted the wealth of this world!
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
**The truth is a man of wealth will tend to use their possessions to justify themselves before other men.
They will use their wealth to seek the favor and honor of other men and women. Even when they have secured their wealth unjustly they will seek approval by being generous and giving to some need that they feel is worthy of their attention.
Some are even conscious of their need to walk closer to the Lord and they will give to that appearance by living a super religious lie while pursuing the honor of the religious world.
Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Pro 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
The sad fact is that we live in that generation today!
**The truth is that God knows what is in each man's heart.
We are acceptable to God by what is in our heart and not what is in our bank account.
God's blessings are not in material things!
God's blessings are in spiritual things!
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Even the 12 disciples were caught off guard by these things that Jesus was saying.
Mat 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
The Scriptures are very clear on these things.
God places us in this world where He decides and with the benefits that He decides!
The legitimate things in this life come from being true and honest!
Living and working well are a great testimony for any man or woman.
God will provide our needs and that will come through work but we are also to work well to help others.
Each Christian should be not only a good worker and provide an honest living but we should strive to be the best at what we do to demonstrate to others that God's people are simply the most true, the most honest, and the most lovely people on this earth!
The world looks at all those who claim to be Christian and then go against the written Word of God as models for all Christians but the world is wrong there are true Christians who do resemble the Lord Jesus Christ.
For most of us our life is our greatest testimony to this world!
**God wants His children to center their lives around the things of the heart and not on material possessions.
Material possessions will come and then pass away no matter what we do. It is the spiritual things that last forever!
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
**Second, there is a misunderstanding of the New Kingdom and the New Order.
*****Luk 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
The period of Israel in the Old Testament lasted up until the preaching of John the Baptist according to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is after this that the New Testament began.
It is the Lord Jesus Christ that ushered in a new period and a new world order. All others are a figment of man's imagination!
The Kingdom of God is now a "Spiritual Kingdom" that can only exist in the heart of man and acts on the behavior of man.
This is the Kingdom of God that is now preached which places no value on what man has, but only what a man is! (what a man is within his heart)
This message centers on each individual and their potential to serve God!
Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
The Spiritual Kingdom of God comes only by the Holy Ghost living within us upon the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord of His Kingdom!
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
The Kingdom of God is not for any single race of people but for all people, everywhere!
Upon recognizing this kingdom that Jesus Christ preached, an honest person no longer wants a cheap, formal, religion with an easy message.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
**And third, there is a misunderstanding of the law.
*****Luk 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Luk 16:18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.
Many people believe that since Jesus brings forth a New Testament and a New Order that the Old Testament is now irrelevant.
In fact if you have read the Books of Moses with care you may wonder why God would enact such a system of laws.
Many see these things as being unworthy of such a God as Jehovah.
When we do these things we forget that everything that God does has a purpose.
We may think we understand God's plan of salvation but we find that we have little understanding of God's methods.
If we understand Creation and the first 11 chapters of the Book of Genesis, we will have a better understanding of all the Word of God.
If we understand the Books of Moses and their relationship to the Jews as a separated people, then we will have an understanding of the "Gospel", the "Good News" of Jesus Christ.
When we regard any part of the Word of God as antiquated or a useless thing, we in effect charge God with a weakness in His intellect, or a lack of understanding and that is as much sin as murder, or adultery, or any other known sin.
We need to understand phrases like "the fullness of times", "Heaven and Earth pass away" and "he that hath an ear" and the many other Biblical truths.
God makes it plain for us all:
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
We should clearly understand that the laws that govern the universe are much more important than the universe itself!
If not for the teaching of the Old Testament we could not clearly understand the New Testament!
We must understand the Word of God in the context that it is written!
There is a wonderful beauty in every part of God's creation when we understand it as from a Supreme Being rather than the falsehood of evolution.
How would we live and how would our universe appear without such laws as the law of gravitation?
How could we travel without knowing direction North, East, South, and West.
If God were not a God of order our world would be a world of disorder and confusion!
Heaven and Earth will pass away one day but not one jot or one tittle of God's law will fail in it's purpose.
Not even the most minute law should be forgotten!
If God allowed even one minute detail of creation to fail our world would be in chaos!
God gives us the example of divorce and marriage because our own failures and our own desires and our own lust, make divorce and marriage relevant in any and every age.
Every separation requires a legal divorce before the two parties resume life with another party.
As men we simply cannot just force our wives to just leave as the Pharisees did in their day where a wife could be divorced for burning the bacon.
We should also remember if the laws of reaping and sowing did not exist we would all die of starvation!
We should clearly understand, God will never modify the order He has established to accommodate any particular person or a people.
A good tree will never produce evil fruit and a corrupt tree will never produce good fruit.
The Book of Proverbs will always be true in any age because the entire Word of God will be relevant in every age until God says it is finished.
When we waste the period of time that God has given to us and the purpose that He has for each of us, we waste things that can never be replaced.
The same law that brings salvation is the same law that brings condemnation for those that ignore that law.
It is our own conscience that tells us we are all sinners!
In our best interest we need to partake of the tree of life.
To understand the Law of God is to understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of "all" the Law!
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
It is Jesus Christ and those that call Him Lord that will endure forever!
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
To be free from the penalty of sin we need the truth and not some false thing from some man, such as Muhammad, or Confucius, or Brigham Young or Buddha or any other false prophet.
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Questions?
Let's Pray!
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