SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/18/2023 8:47 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT- “The
Poverty of Riches”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew
19:23-26
Message of the verses: “23 And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I
say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 “And
again I say to you, 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." 25 And when the
disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who
can be saved?" 26 And looking upon them Jesus said to them,
"With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”
We begin this section of verses, which may take us a
while, by looking at the expression “Truly I say to you.” This was a common Jewish figure of speech used
to introduce a teaching of great importance.
It carried the idea of, “Now I want you to pay close attention to what I
am about to say.” Now the important
truth Jesus wanted to convey here to His disciples at this particular time was
that, as they had just seen tragically illustrated by the rich young ruler it
is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
I think that from this part of verse 23 that I understand
why John MacArthur entitled this section “The Poverty of Riches.” I once heard from a pastor, as he was making
a point about rich people he stated the in the magazine “Forbs” where they list
the ten most wealthy people in the United States each year that many times none
of the people are on that list two years in a row, so riches come and riches
go, but knowing the Lord as Savior and Lord never will change and that is the
richest thing a person can have, for after all He is the One who created this
world some six plus thousands years ago, and He is the One who keeps it going.
John
MacArthur writes “The kingdom of heaven refers to the sphere of God’s gracious
rule and, as is clear from the fact that Jesus uses both in the same statement,
is synonymous with the kingdom of God.
By interestamental times, heaven had become a common Jewish substitute
term for the covenant name of God (Yahweh, Jehovah), which they preferred not
to speak. In this context the terms are
also synonymous with eternal life, which the rich young ruler was seeking (v.
16), and therefore with salvation.
Following up on the incident of that young man, whose wealth was for him
and impenetrable barrier to receiving Christ as Lord and Savior, Jesus
explained to the Twelve the eternal danger of trusting in material possessions.”
Living
in the USA all of my life I can understand how riches can cause a true believer
to go off course in seeking to follow the Lord.
One must remember that riches come and go, and that the things that you
consider to be riches are something that you, as a believer, are just stewards of
as the Lord own everything, and one day, which could be a thousand and seven
days away this earth will burn up as Peter tells us. Let me just quote from 2 Peter chapter 3 to
show you what Peter’s line of thought was when he wrote it. “9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as
some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish
but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a
thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense
heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” stoicheion stoy-khi’-on This
is the Greek word that is translated “elements” and the meaning of it is basic
building block. Atoms are the basic
building block and no one knows what holds the atom together, and I can say
that it is God who holds them together and one day He will let them loose and
when that happens the heavens will pass away with a roar. Everyone’s material riches will pass away at
that time.
3/18/2023
9:17 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment