“Lord Jesus, open the eyes of our understanding that we realise that our grip over our material possessions will deny us eternal life. Have mercy on us. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
Acts 2:44-45 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, (45) and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
We see that the early church was willing to sell their possessions and make the proceeds available to meet the needs of others in the body of Christ. This was the work of the Holy Spirit.
There is a crucial truth here that must be internalised. Let us consider the Rich Young Ruler.
Mark 10:17-27 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
This young man came running to Jesus (Urgency), knelt before Him (Humility) and asked Jesus the most important question of life. He longed for eternal life. All these actions and words give us a positive picture of this young man.
(18) So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. (19) You know the commandments: ‘DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,’ ‘DO NOT MURDER,’ ‘DO NOT STEAL,’ ‘DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.'” (20) And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
The Lord placed before him, some of the requirements of the Law. He was emphatic that he had kept the Law from his youth. This shows that he was a religious man.
(21) Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
The Lord then took him to a deeper level of obedience to God. ”…sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me”.
At this point, the Rich Young Ruler decided that it was not possible to fulfil what the Lord expected of him. (22) But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
This man looked good to us, externally, but the Lord’s measurement is of the heart. Obedience to God is from the heart and not just an external devotion.
He came desperately seeking eternal life. Yet, he chose not to do what the Lord asked him to do, he decided that his possessions were more important to him than having eternal life.
This is the seriousness of our relationship with God. When we decide that the material pursuits of life are more important than our choices for His kingdom, then we are deciding to forfeit eternal life.
This is shocking, for if we were to look back and are honest, we would realise that the material-based choices that we have taken in life have had precedent over the choices of His kingdom.
Ezekiel 33:31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
As the early church was releasing their hold on their material possessions, they were laying hold on eternal life. Are we willing to follow the early church?
(23) Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (24) And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! (25) It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (26) And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” (27) But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
The Lord then gave a teaching that shocked the disciples and it makes us shudder. The Lord, literally, closed the doors for His kingdom for those who are pursuing material gain.
Why do we ask our children to study hard? Is it for them to be God’s kingdom builders or is it for their material well-being in life? The frightening matter is that we fall into the group that came to prophet Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 33:31)
Will we repent? For what is impossible with man is possible with God. Let us learn to let go of the grip over our material possession just as the early church did, in the enablement of His Holy Spirit.
It is only when we release material possessions that we will build our treasure in heaven. Where our treasures are there our hearts will be also.
Luke 12:33-34 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. (34) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Learning to give away our material possessions is laying hold on eternal life.