The Perils of Riches | Mark 10:23-31 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)

Mark 10/23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples

how difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter

the Kingdom of God. And the disciples were amazed at

his words. But Jesus said to them again,

children, how difficult it is to enter the Kingdom of God.

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle

than. For a rich person to enter the

Kingdom of God, and they were exceedingly astonished and said

to him, then who can be saved? Jesus looked at them and said

with man, it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are

possible with God, Peter began to say to him, See, we have left

everything and followed you, Jesus said, Truly I say to you.

There is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters,

or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake

and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in

this time, houses and brothers, and sisters, and mothers and

children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to

come eternal life, but many who are first.

Will be last and the last first. Father, help us understand your

word here. Lord, arrest our attention and

keep it on your voice for this next moment.

And we pray that life would arise, that wherever we are

dormant, wherever we are unnecessarily relaxed, that you

would awaken us to know you and to serve you with the zeal and

the commitment that you deserve. We look to you now and trust

that you will speak in Jesus name.

Amen. As the rich young ruler with his

head hung low and his heart heavy with disappointment,

turned his back on Christ and made his way back to where he

came from, Jesus broke the silence of that scene with yet

another shocking soul searching statement.

How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter

the Kingdom of God. Imagine it.

Here's this misguided young man who's dragging his feet into the

horizon of unbelief. And the Lord Jesus turns to his

disciples and makes this very bold pronouncement.

And perhaps the the disciples reaction is shared by some

today. They were amazed at these words

and we will get to in a moment why they were amazed themselves,

why they were so astonished by Jesus making this declaration.

But let's first examine why. Jesus said what He said.

Why did the Lord say this at this time?

For one main reason to teach. That this man's rejection of the

invitation of the Gospel was not a rare one, but is a common one,

especially among the affluent, especially among those who are

prominent, especially among those who are successful in this

life. The Lord wanted to take this

moment and give a teaching lesson, to say don't just expect

it from this young man believe. That it is common and will

always be common until the last moment of history.

But why? Why?

Why is it difficult for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God?

And notice Jesus didn't say it is impossible.

He said it is difficult. It is very difficult and he

double S down on it just in case anybody misinterpreted it just

because they were astonished Jesus didn't pull anything back.

He actually confirmed it even more with greater force, and

it's worth us exploring why that is the case.

And if you consider the entirety of the Word of God, if you look

at the testimony of the scriptures from cover to cover,

then you will quickly discern the dangers or the perils of

riches and why it is that those who have accumulated much will

actually be more tempted to be poor forever to make a decision,

though they may have made very successful decisions in this

life to make the most important decision the least important

decision in their minds. And so I want us to consider

just three factors, three simple realities concerning the

possibilities the dangers that riches presents to the human

soul. It always has and it always

will. #1 riches can be a damning distraction.

Number one, riches can be a damning distraction.

And the apostle Paul builds on that truth, and he expounds on

that truth in a very insightful way.

And before we get into what Paul says, Please remember that this

drive for wealth is not just something that the poor might

do. Those who have much are just as

susceptible and pursuing prosperity than those who have

little. This desire, this affection for

material gain, does not discriminate.

It is found amongst all types of classes of people and those

again who might have more than the average person are.

Sometimes even more ambitious than those who don't have much.

Paul says this in First Timothy 610.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

It is through this craving. It is through this craving that

some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves

with many pangs. The key phrase there is that

some have wandered away from the faith.

The word wandered away means to cause, to go astray.

It is the same word that Jesus uses in Mark 1322 when he says

that false Christ and false prophets will arise and perform

signs and wonders to lead astray if possible.

The elect to lead astray is the same word used by Paul when he

said that through this craving for self indulgence people will

be LED astray from the faith. So this yearning for riches,

then, according to the scriptures, has a very powerful

seductive force. Its influence can be so

compelling that it can even convince people to neglect or to

ignore, even to deny, the most important thing that you can

acquire in this life and that is a saving relationship with the

Lord Jesus. And it's not too difficult to

understand why that is the case, how that even follows, how that

works. Because the acquisition and the

management of resources is no small feat.

The sizable sacrifice that people have to make, the

overtime, the great energy that is spent, the burden that it

presents on a person's body and schedule and family life is

something that both the poor and the rich who desire to pursue

more are all very familiar with. And such a pursuit and ambition.

Often times that cost is so great, the cost of making your

life all about wealth and luxury and even, dare I say, security,

financially speaking, can bring about this hefty tag of denying

the demands that Christ makes to be a follower of his.

Why? Because when Christ makes those

demands to such a person that that is not a glorious

invitation to them, it is an interference.

This is not an invitation. This is an interference to what

I truly desire and long to do in this life.

And that is to get rich or die. Try.

And there are so many examples from this in both the old and

the new. And if you want a Bible study

theme for the new year, here's one that you can consider.

You will be shocked, I'm sure, to realize how many people in

the Bible alone have turned their backs on righteousness and

God all together because of this sort of affection.

Just if you just look at and record on a piece of paper all

the people who have turned their backs on grace, who have turned

their backs on true spiritual treasures because of men and

because of wealth, it is overwhelming.

And sometimes the instances and the examples presented here are

more subtle than you might imagine.

Let me present to you one one that you might have not

considered just to prove this first point, that riches can be

a damning distraction in Luke chapter 12.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

Jesus shares a string of truths in the beginning of that

chapter. He talks about not fearing man,

but fearing God. He talks about how the Holy

Spirit will grant you wisdom as you stand before those who seek

to condemn you. He talks about the loving and

incomparable care of God, who knows the number of hairs on

your head and will take care of you.

If he knows the, the, the future of the Sparrow, surely he cares

about your, tomorrow's and all these different things that He

packs in these series of truths and all of a sudden we get a

response from somebody in the crowd.

Somebody reacts to what Jesus is teaching when he presents these

eternal pearls, these true treasures.

And what do you think the response was?

This is the first reaction that somebody makes.

You would think that somebody was so moved by what the Lord

said that he couldn't help himself and he just burst out

with this request. And here's the request.

According to Luke, chapter 12 and verse 13, someone in the

Luke 12 · chapter mention

crowd said to him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the

inheritance with me. There is absolutely no context

for that request. Jesus wasn't teaching about

inheritances. Jesus wasn't teaching about

anything aligned with this plea. But you know what it tells me

Here is this person who is in the presence of the Son of God.

Here's this individual who is hearing a banquet of blessings

that can be available to him. And according to this request,

you know what's occupying his mind the whole time during the

sermon? Money, money, inheritance, a

better future for myself, acquisition of wealth and gain

and materialism. This is what is occupying this

man's mind to the point where out of the abundance of the

heart, the mouth speaks and he tries to invite Jesus into his

family problem or family situation so that he can be

favored in this whole inheritance equation.

And Jesus obviously doesn't get involved with it.

He denies this and he uses that as an opportunity to teach about

the dangers of covetousness. But what does this young man

prove to us? It proves us that covetousness

and material ambition can be so overpowering that it can blind

you from seeing the treasure that Jesus Christ is.

This man didn't see it. You have God in the flesh right

before, and you're thinking about the inheritance being

divided. Here's the Messiah spelling out

what you can know if you just link your life with him.

And you're thinking about what? How you can have a better 30-40

years ahead, if you even have that.

And so this yearning, this craving, as Paul says, can so

warp. Somebody listen to this, that

though they might not have any interest in Christ, if there be

any appeal to Christ, it would be like this young man.

To what? To join yourself to Christ?

Or to invite Christ purely as a means to no greater personal

gain. And there's a whole movement in

the evangelical world that presents the gospel in that way.

Here's Christ for you so that you can have a better material

inheritance. Uyghur and Proverbs 30

understood the danger, the distracting peril that riches

can bring about in someone's life.

And that's why when he prayed for God to take care of him in

this life, he said, Lord, don't make me poor, Lord, I even ask

that you don't even make me rich.

Just give me what I need. And he gives the reason why in

Proverbs 30, verse 9, lest I be full and deny you and say Who is

Proverbs 30:9

the Lord? Who is the Lord?

What is actor saying? That you can come to a place

where you're so distracted by this thing that it causes you to

say who's God? Who is time for God?

Who has time for spirituality? Who has time for the House of

worship? Who has time?

There are more important matters at hand here, which brings us to

our second point. #1 is that riches can be a damning

distraction, right? People who make life about it,

they don't think about sin. They don't think about eternity.

They don't think about salvation.

They think about what? How can I?

How can I grow? How can I build my enterprise?

That's what consumes them. But here's #2.

This is why it is difficult for some who are rich to enter the

Kingdom of God. Because riches, Riches can

provide a superficial satisfaction.

Riches can provide a superficial satisfaction, or else, why

pursue it? Why make your life about it if

it doesn't promise or vow? Some kind of prestige, power,

pleasure. But there's something else that

the whispers of wealth seduces the.

Longing soul with and that is protection.

Or in other words security, Security.

Security is a form of satisfaction.

You are at rest because you know that you are secure.

Now, I know what some might be thinking.

Why are you saying that we should not be wise with our

resources? Are you saying that we shouldn't

plan in our finances? No, I'm not saying that.

Nor am I saying that having money is evil, or even being

wealthy is evil in itself. It's what wealth can do to you

and. What wealth can do to so many is

promise people that you'll be safe as long as you have me and

more of me. And riches has a way of blurring

people's visions of God being the ultimate savior and provider

of their lives. And Paul says that.

And he warns that to believers, by the way.

What does he warn believers in First Timothy 6?

Not ten, but verse 17? He's speaking to Christians.

He's speaking to those who attend church, so I'm speaking

to those who attend church as well.

And First Timothy 617. As for the rich in this present

age, pause there. You can be rich in this present

age and poor for eternity. You know that, right?

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be

haughty. Don't.

Don't be proud about where you're at in life.

Charge them not to be haughty to, nor to set their hopes on

the uncertainty of riches, but on God, But on God, who richly

provides us with everything to enjoy.

I love that last part because you have the prosperity gospel

and then you have the poverty gospel.

You didn't hear about that one, did you?

Where if you're really pious and if you're really a St. and if

you're really a disciple of Christ, you shouldn't enjoy

anything in this present age, he says.

God does provide us richly provides us for things to enjoy

as a means an act of worship. But notice what he says here in

the middle. Tell the believers in the church

we're. Successful businessmen who own

many properties and lands, we're very ambitious in this life not

to give into the temptation of putting your trust in riches.

Because no matter what kind of redeeming qualities wealth has

in life, there's one thing about it that is certain that it does

not always remain present and its value is subject to change.

All it takes is for a dip in the economy or a personal crisis to

make that happen. And so Paul warns and he says,

be careful coming to a place where you have hoarded so much

that now you've developed this sense of self-reliance and then

you become like the Church of Laodicea.

What happened with the Church of Laodicea?

They said there in Revelation 3 that I am rich, I have prospered

and I need nothing. I have rich, I have riches, I

have prospered, and I need nothing.

And listen, if the church can be deceived by wealth, by personal

prosperity, believers are subject to that danger.

How much more the unsaved? How much more the unsaved?

Think about it. If the church you had a whole

church that had that attitude. We're rich, we've prospered.

We don't need anything. What do they mean by we don't

need anything? We're satisfied.

We're satisfied. And so the warning there is that

a Christian can remain comfortable in their

lukewarmness due to the lullabying effects of wealth.

And if that is possible for a Christian, then surely a

successful Sinner can remain comfortable in their unbelief

for the same reason. In other words, let me put it

this way. If a Christian, maybe some of

you young people were very ambitious in life.

If a Christian can be stalled in their advancement in

spirituality. Then is it so shocking to

believe that there are those in this world who won't even start

their spiritual journey because they are consumed by superficial

satisfaction? It's not surprising.

And so you have some who here you need a savior.

A savior. I've done what most people

cannot do for themselves, all by myself.

Christ desires to be your shepherd.

He wants to lead you. He wants to provide for you.

He wants to shelter you. He wants to nourish you day by

day. Thanks for the invitation, but I

think I'm OK. I.

Have my life all together. I'm actually more than OK.

And things are projected to look even better than what they were

in 2023. Only Christ can satisfy you

only. He can make you feel whole.

Yeah, that might be true for those who can't get anything

that they want in this life, but that's certainly not true for

me, who can get anything I want in this life.

And so I'm not looking for a crutch and I'm not looking to

trade what I've worked. So hard for for some intangible

reality or lifestyle. This is how some might think,

though they might not say it out loud.

And if you are a person who thinks that way, listen, even if

you are a believer who has been caught in the snare of pursuing

riches, then hear what Proverbs 11/28 says to you.

Whoever trust in his riches will fall, not might fall, will fall,

but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

You know what true security is in life.

It's not about trusting your riches, acquiring riches,

building riches. It's about having a right

relationship with God. That's where true security is.

That's where true satisfaction is.

But unfortunately for so many, because they are tasting the

shallow satisfaction of riches, they can't scent the beauty and

the fragrance of the living water that can be theirs.

In Christ, riches can be a damning distraction.

Riches can provide a sense of satisfaction, though it is

superficial. And lastly, riches can stimulate

and seal a person in sinful behavior.

Go to James chapter 5 with me in verse one for a moment.

James 5 · chapter mention

James, chapter 5, verse one. Now here's the apostle James who

James 5 · chapter mention

speaks to a group of people in his letter, and he targets a

certain demographic. Now remember, he's not just

speaking about people out there, He's speaking to those who'd be

exposed to the reading of this epistle.

And notice who he is speaking to in James 5 verse one.

Come now. Oh, James doesn't pull punches.

James loves to use Old Testament prophet like language and here's

one of them. Come now, come now you rich weep

and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.

That's. Bold.

I like James Weep and Howl for the miseries that are coming

upon you now. We are not certain of the

spiritual saving condition of the people that he is ready to

address. But one thing is for certain,

that those he is writing to now at this time are merely

attendees. They're attendees in the various

churches that this letter would be distributed to.

And so they're going to hear this.

Can you imagine the elder of a church coming to the section of

the letter? All right, James now says.

Come now, you Rich, Weep and howl.

And so, in blistering fashion, he is going to denounce this

particular group. And there's good reason why.

Scroll down here to verse four of James, chapter 5.

James 5 · chapter mention

Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields,

which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, And

the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of.

Hosts. You have lived on the earth in

luxury and in self indulgence. You've fattened your hearts in a

day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered

the righteous person. He does not resist you.

So here are these successful people who own lands and fields

and farms and James is aware of how they're treating certain

people. And what is he saying,

essentially? In summary, you're frauds.

You have a dishonest policy at work here.

You're with help withholding the complete wages to those who

deserve the wages that they've worked for.

And you know what the reason is for the selfishness?

You know what the reason is for this trickery and this

deception, this manipulation? Verse 5 indicates what it is you

have. Lived on the earth in luxury and

in self indulgence. It was to fuel and to fund and

to pamper their indulgence and part.

Of. That glamorous way of life was a

splurge on jewelry and clothing and the latest and the newest.

Where do we get that from? Well, you read verse two and

three and it's clear. So how does this all tie in with

what the Lord says back in Mark chapter 10?

Mark 10 · chapter mention

Easy Riches has a way of encouraging unrepented patterns

and sin in order to achieve and secure greater wealth.

And one of the reasons people feel safe in their sin,

especially when they arrive somewhere where they are

successful, is because you can easily fall into the trap of

paying off, paying off the consequences of sin and to evade

it all together, right? That's what corruption is all

about. People in positions of power are

corrupt because not only do they do evil things, but they are

able to get away with it by signing a check.

So imagine imagine, like some in James chapter 5 who have

James 5 · chapter mention

achieved and secured wealth through unrepented sin patterns.

And then the gospel comes to them.

Repent. Turn everything over to Christ,

Turn away from sin. And here's that how that's being

translated. So you're asking me to cease the

operations that are making my enterprise the way it is?

What, for Jesus to save me? No, thank you.

And a way to summarize what Jesus says about the dangers of

riches is what he said earlier about riches in Mark chapter 4,

Mark 4:19

verse 19, where he says but the cares of the world.

And look at this description that he puts beside riches and

the deceitfulness of riches, The deceitfulness of riches, That's

scary. That's scary.

Because the scary thing about deception is that you don't know

you're being deceived. That's the whole point of

deception. And riches has a way of

deceiving people. Riches has a way of deceiving

people and thinking, I'm not your God, just keep going the

way you're going. I'm not hindering true life.

I'm enhancing true life. Just like the Church of

Laodicea, when the Lord gives a true, honest diagnosis to them

about their actual state of life.

You're poor, you're blind. You're naked.

So riches has a way of blinding people and the scariest way that

it deceased people is for them not to see their need to be

saved. To see the wealth and treasure

that Jesus Christ truly is, how difficult it is for those who

have riches to enter the Kingdom of God.

And we come back to Mark 10 and we look at the disciples

reaction. Jesus says children verse 24,

how difficult it is to enter the Kingdom of God.

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than

for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.

So he doesn't even take their shocked reaction to

consideration. Again, he double S down and then

he provides A humorous analogy with it, this beast trying to go

through the eye of a needle. The possibility of that is the

same for someone who has wealth to enter into the Kingdom of

God. Which is really what?

Impossible. If we're following the reason

here, then it's impossible. Just like it's impossible for a

camel to go through the eye of a needle.

Lord, what are you saying here? No wonder verse 26 is written

for us. And they were exceedingly

astonished, like blown away, jaw-dropping.

Breathtaking. Now we've explored just some of

the possibilities to why that is the case, but isn't that

shocking? Is is it deserve that kind of

response for those who have wealth to not see the value of

Christ? Perhaps there is a factor that

we have not yet considered. Perhaps there's a contextual

reason why the disciples did what they did here in verse 20.

Six. And here it is.

To the Jewish mind at this time, and for many, many decades,

years, centuries, even, wealth was a sign of God's favour to be

prosperous. Was in their minds the evidence

of your righteousness being rewarded by God in this way.

And one of the confusing parts for this to be the case could be

that they looked at the commandments of God in the Old

Testament that promised personal blessing and even national

economic boom predicated and based on the fact that you are

walking in obedience to the law of God.

And we see many examples of that in the Old Testament.

But even with that, there is nothing in the law that

indicates that to walk in obedience guarantees salvation,

no matter what kind of blessing comes with that obedience.

Or it could be that the disciples, like many of the Jews

in that day, had the theology of Job's friends.

The the theology of Job's friends was retribution

principle. Very simple.

You do good, God will give you good.

You do bad. God will treat you bad.

And we see. Evidence that the disciples

sought like this in John Chapter 9 verse one and two, when they

John 9 · chapter mention

passed by a man who was born blind and they asked the Rabbi

Rabbi who is it that sinned this man or his parents for him to be

blind this way. So how do they interpret this

man's condition? Well, clearly he must have done

something deserving this or his parents must have done something

for him to be this way. Retribution, principle, good,

good, bad, bad. And so it's no wonder for them.

To hear Jesus saying this and to be shocked because of it,

because they just witnessed this man walking away, surely.

But Jesus makes this whole blanket statement.

He makes this broad statement that not just this man, but for

anybody who is wealthy, it's like a camel going through the

eye of a needle. Now that statement collides with

this belief system, and here's how they're translating it.

If it's impossible for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God, and

riches are a sign of God's favor, the opulence is a mark of

being blessed by God, then what chance do others have in being

saved? If you're saying that this class

of people, it's impossible for them to be saved?

And what about us? We're all doomed.

You see how they're thinking, but the Lord doesn't allow them

to be disoriented or disillusioned for too long

because he says something so comforting.

In verse 27, Jesus looked at them and said with man it is

impossible. But not with God, but not with

God, for all things are possible with God.

Translation. It is impossible for man rich.

Or poor to save themselves. It is impossible for anyone,

including the rich, to attain their own salvation, to buy

their salvation. It can't be.

And as they're hearing this, it's something for you and I to

consider as well. Because Jesus making the

statement with man, it is impossible, but not with God,

for all things are possible with God is found in one other place.

In all of the Gospels you have this statement, yes, in the

parallel account in Matthew chapter 19 and in Luke 18.

Matthew 19 · chapter mention

But apart from the mirroring accounts of the scene, there is

only one other place where Jesus, Jesus.

Words here are found similarly, and it's just so fitting this

time of the year. Similar words that Jesus makes

here were on the lips of the Angel Gabriel when he appeared

to Mary and told her that she would conceive a son though she

was a virgin, and explained how that would be in Luke 137.

Recess for nothing will be impossible with God.

That's the only other place in all of the Gospels that this

declaration of God's ability is mentioned, and I think it's a

glorious coupling. I think it's a glorious

connection, you're saying. Why?

Because think about it. The impossibility of a virgin to

conceive a child is no less of a challenge for one gaining their

own salvation. You know what both require?

You know what both require? For a virgin to conceive a son

and for somebody to be saved. You know what both require?

An act of God. An act of God.

It requires an act of God for a barren room to come to life, and

it requires an act of God for a barren soul to come to life.

What is impossible with man is possible with God.

And what was required of Mary is also required of us.

When she heard this news that she would indeed bear a son,

though she was pure and never known a man, you know what she

said in response to that? Let it be to me according to

your word. Let it be according to your

word. If this is possible, then I

trusted I acknowledge it and I will submit to it.

You know what's required of you and let of Jesus statement about

being saved. It's impossible with man but not

with God. You to also acknowledge that you

cannot know eternal life apart from Christ cleansing you and

changing your heart. Let it be done to me.

If this is available to me, then let it be done.

You can't do anything for yourself, no more than Mary

could do anything to produce this kind of a miracle.

It has to be God. It has to be the Holy Spirit

working in your heart. And she responded to that truth

and faith and humility and submission.

And so do you. So do you.

Let it be to me, Let it be to me.

According to your word, you can almost say that is what required

of us in response to the gospel. If this cross can save me.

If Christ wants to extend a gift to me.

If. He wants to wash me.

Then let it be. And you'll know joy in that.

So we see here that Jesus saying a way of salvation has been

made. Man can't do it himself.

Man can't make a way for himself.

And not only is this idea of impossibility with man linked to

the way of salvation, but for the candidates of salvation, For

the candidates of salvation, there is no impossible case with

Christ. There is no person, no matter

what kind of sin they're steeped in, no matter what kind of

strongholds they are stuck behind.

No such person is beyond the. Reach of the saving power if

they would just respond with humility and repentance.

And I think Luke's version of this is so exciting because

again, you heard that in Luke 18 Jesus teaches this very same

thing. But let me remind you what

happens after Luke 18 up to this point, what has been Jesus

saying how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of

God? It's like a camel going through

the eye of a needle. Oh, but what is impossible with

man is not impossible with God. So let me read this to you.

And if you want to turn there, you can turn there.

But in Luke 1826 to 27, he echoes what we read here in Mark

10. Those who heard it said in Luke

1826, then who can be saved? But he said what is impossible

with man is possible with God. What happens in Luke 19?

We're introduced to a man, and here's his description.

Luke 19, verse one and two. He entered Jericho and was

passing through. And behold, there was a man

named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and

was rich. Here's Jesus.

We just finished saying how difficult it is for those who

are rich to enter the Kingdom of God, and you read a few verses.

This is why you don't just make your devotion verse of the day

on the phone. You can miss out on things like

this. So you're reading, reading,

reading, and all of a sudden you're introduced to a rich man.

Jesus just finished saying how difficult it is for the rich to

be saved. And then you read down in Luke

19/9. When Jesus is in Zacchaeus's

home and Jesus said to him today, salvation has come to

this house. So right after saying how hard

it is, it happened. A rich man did get saved.

Because all things are possible with God, and Peter heard this,

and he wanted to make sure that he was in the right place.

He's hearing impossible camel needles.

Oh, oh, oh, oh. So in Mark 1028, Peter, as a

spokesperson for the disciples, began to say to him, see, we

have left everything and have followed you.

What about us, Lord? You know what he's trying to

say, Lord, we did the opposite of what that guy just did.

He wouldn't want to give up anything and he turned his back.

But we gave up everything that we have to follow you.

So can you give us some more clarity on our condition here?

And Jesus said, truly, I say to you, not just you, but there is

no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or

father or children or lands. For my sake and for the gospel,

hey, this is for you. So listen to what is about to be

said. Who will not receive a

hundredfold now in this time. Houses and brothers and sisters

and mothers and children and lands.

Here's the part that we kind of read fast with persecution.

With persecution no. A hundredfold persecutions too,

with. Persecutions and, in the age to

come, eternal life. So how does this make sense?

How does it make sense according to Jesus words?

Who doesn't lie? Who doesn't even exaggerate?

For that matter, how is it the case that every single believer

who has truly decided to follow Jesus will receive a hundredfold

in their lifetime? In this era, in this age that

whatever you gave up expect a hundredfold to come your way?

Will that be property or persons?

The only way to make sense of this, the answer to this is that

the abundant resources and relationships that you and I

would be able to enjoy on the other side of confessing, on the

other side of repentance, on the other side of pledging your

allegiance to Christ, is in one specific realm in this age, the

Church of Jesus Christ. Because upon confession, upon

repentance, upon putting your trust in Christ, you enter into

this new realm, you have access now to this new reality known as

the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And in that church you have an abundant of family members and

even the support of resources if necessary.

Didn't these disciples experience that?

Didn't the early church experience that?

Do you remember even in Acts, where people sold lands and

homes and gave up their own resources for the sake of other

believers, you see that even the Epistles, where different

churches have come together for the Saints in Jerusalem to be

supported financially. So even Acts, you see the

fruition of this promise where believers who lost family, who

were disowned by family. They gained 100 mothers, 100

fathers, 100 brothers. Look, you're all my brothers and

sisters, mothers and fathers. I hope you feel the same way

about me and the help and the grace and the reliance and the

assistance. Dad, doesn't that tell you what

the church should be? So when I come to this place, I

am to believe that I'm coming home to my siblings, my

spiritual fathers, my and not. Not only that Jesus says homes

and lands to an extent with wisdom, Obviously, yes, there's

protocol here, but I'm to also know that I'm safe.

I shouldn't worry that if I'm ever in a time of need, I have

help. I have.

That's the church. I feel bad for those who've

made-up their church reality, their church experience, to

listen to a sermon once a week. You're robbing yourself a

blessing. And so this all makes sense when

you understand the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ.

The key to unlocking what Jesus mentions here is when you

believe that the Church is also. A treasure.

Unfortunately, so many people don't see it.

And let me tell you that if that is the case for you, then you're

the one missing out on brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers and so

many resources, not just physically but spiritually.

But Jesus doesn't even just speak of this era.

He doesn't just speak of this age.

He speaks of eternal life. He speaks of a life to come

where there will be unbroken rest forever and ever and ever

and ever. A family picnic that will not

have an end to it. Maranatha Conference, but it

doesn't end. And so much better than

Maranatha conference, as great as it is.

But you know, there's another time period that Jesus promises

blessing. Not just in this age, not just

in eternal life. There's something in between

that and Jesus highlights it in Matthew's version in Matthew 19.

I want you to see it as we're ready to close in a moment.

Go to Matthew 19 and verse 28. Jesus gives this answer to his

disciples. When Peter asked a very similar

question, Matthew 1928, Jesus said to them.

Truly I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will

sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also

sit on 12 Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

OK, so this is where we have to do some systematic theology,

right? Is Jesus describing this promise

for this age concerning the disciples?

Very easy answer, no. Why?

Because the disciples are long gone.

They're buried. They're in the presence of our

master. They're not sitting on 12

Thrones in Israel. Something else is happening in

Israel as we speak. Well, are they going to sit on

12 Thrones in the eternal age? No, because no judgment is

necessary in the eternal age. There will be one final judgment

that will usher in the eternal age.

That one final judgement is what you read in Revelation 20, the

Great White Throne Judgement. That's a judgement that you as

believers and I will not stand at.

That's going to be the judgement for those whose names have not

been written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and the degree of their

punishment for eternity will be determined.

Then, and after the Great White Throne judgement, then a new

heavens and a new earth will be created.

So if this is not alluding to this age, and it's not Speaking

of the Eternal age, then when will this promise be fulfilled?

The Millennium? What is tucked in between this

age and the Eternal age? Where Jesus Christ will return,

rule and reign from Jerusalem, and you will also from Jerusalem

in Israel have 12, his 12 sitting upon Thrones, and Israel

will be their jurisdiction. That's when it's going to be

realized. So you got to factor this into

your eschatology here. How does this work with my view

of the timeline of the end times?

Well, Jesus clearly rewards them here with this guarantee, You

will sit with me, those of you, the apostles, in training.

Now I'm telling you that there is a time coming where you will

have positions of power and authority and you will bring

judgment mainly to the Jews. When's that going to happen?

It's going to happen in 1000 year reign when the Lord returns

physically on the earth. I'm not bringing this up to make

a case for the Millennium, the literal physical millennial

reign of Christ. It's to show the extent of the

blessings of those who have surrendered everything to follow

Christ. Here's what Christ is saying

when you collect all these verses, you will know blessing

in this age, you will know blessing in the Millennium, and

you will know blessing in the eternal life to come.

Somebody's very excited about that truth.

And so this is something that Christ guarantees all of us.

But he finishes off in a beautiful summary in verse 31 in

Mark 10. But many who are first will be

last and the last first. You've heard that before,

haven't you? You've seen that in different

portions of the gospel, have you not?

Well, depending where it's placed will really determine its

meeting meaning and its meaning here.

You can't divorce it from what we just studied and learned.

When the Lord says many who are first, we last and last for the

last first, He is trying to now bring in all what He just said,

concerning those who are rich in this life and how they will

forfeit so much in the life to come, and those who have given

up so much in this life and all the rewards that they will know.

In the life to come, here's what he's essentially saying.

Those who have gained in this life at the expense of rejecting

Christ will end up losing more. They can imagine.

But those who have sacrificed in this life to follow Christ will

end up gaining more than they can imagine.

That's the promise that Jesus has for you.

And you're already experiencing that blessing, are you not?

Are you not? If you need a reminder, where

you're at right now is the fulfillment of what Jesus said.

Look at all your brothers. Look at all your sisters.

And by God's grace and in his perfect.

Provision, he will add. To this place if he sees fit.

And not only in this place, Not only in this place, but the

church at large, across the lands are the extension of this

blessing. I shared this testimony before,

but I'll share it again as I close.

I remember we were on a family vacation coming back from a trip

and. We were sitting on a flight and

across from the aisle was a couple and they were very

friendly. We end up finding very quickly

that they were believers and like believers.

You know, the believers, It's like you're a believer, You're a

believer. Not like are you a believer?

No, you're a believer. Spirit bears witness.

And we talked and talked about the things of God and the

ministries that they're involved in their testimonies.

I mean, it was a 5 hour flying when we landed.

We went and walked to get our baggage and finally when we got

our stuff and we made our way, obviously we weren't going to

the same house. So we're ready to split ways and

we looked at each other and we had such an amazing time

conversing on that flight and even conversing in the airport.

And here's what this gentleman said with his wife, with total

confidence, not in a fascist way and with total confidence as

though he was saying I'll see you next week is what he said,

see you in heaven, brother. I was like, that's right, I'll

see you in glory too. And there you go and walked off.

Who else in the world can say that with absolute confidence

because of what their savior has done for them?

Only we have a Savior who has done everything necessary for us

to be saved and to have those kind of treasures in this life

and the life to come. So do you have it?

Oh, you might have a lot. What does it compare with this

though? Oh, you lot of hopes and dreams.

Guess what? They're going to die with you.

When you die, do you have eternal hope?

Do you have treasures that don't expire?

Do you have blessings that no thief can steal and no moth can

rot? Do you?

Let me tell you where you can get it?

Only in one thing, Only in one person, only responding to one

truth. And that's Jesus Christ, Him

crucified, raised from the dead, extending his hand, asking you

to know true riches by doing what?

Losing your life. So let me put it this way,

because New Year's is a very special time for me.

It's where things changed for me in 2012.

And so I want to extend the invitation that I had when I was

20 years old. Not through a preacher, just

through this book. This book is powerful.

Why not? On this new year, you do

something greater than making a resolution that you probably

won't keep. You're going to get that gym

membership. I hope you keep it, but it might

not last past a month. You can make a resolution, the

most important resolution, and that is reconciling with God.

I mean, I'm not trying to sound clever in the way I'm speaking

here. I'm trying to speak clearly,

very directly. Wouldn't it be something

special? That every new year you can look

back and say, was this time going into 2024, where I got

right with God and my life has never been the same?

I want you to experience that. I want you in this place to know

that you can bend your knee. That God and his Providence has

brought you to this room to hear this message so that you can get

right with him. No matter how many times you've

ignored him in the past, no matter how many times you put

riches above your relationship with God, it can all change.

Now God has gotten your attention.

I hope for you to make a decision that you will never

regret, no matter what it costs you in this life.

It doesn't compare to the reward that is now and that will come.

Give your life to Christ. Surrender to Him.

Now. Say yes to him.

Why would you ignore? Why swat his hand away?

What else are you going to go to?

Just before you move on, and before you go and check your

phone, and before you look at your stocks again, and before

you think about how you're going to get better and how you're

going to acquire more, just listen to me for a moment.

It's not worth it. Don't be deceived by riches.

Don't be deceived by sin. Realize that God, the God who

created you and made you, made you primarily to worship him and

to know him. You will never be satisfied.

Any satisfaction and the pursuit of personal progression and

profit doesn't even compare. It just skims your heart.

This what I'm speaking about in Christ Jesus.

Will deal with the deepest parts of who you are.

And so the way you access that is by hearing what is just said

and realizing that God has forgiven you in Christ, that he

sent us something to die for you, shed His blood for you and

conquered death for you. And that you can accept that

gift and say, Lord, I I put everything aside.

I put it all at your feet. I say, I don't want anything

more than you. I want all that you have to

offer. Would you give me yourself?

Would you give me forgiveness? And through that forgiveness,

access to friendship with you and God will answer you.

Please make this decision. Please don't deny it.

Please don't reject it. Father, we pray today and

Thanksgiving, being reminded that our true riches are in

Christ. And perhaps some might be

fearful for this new year, a year that's going to be

politically charged, a year that many are making forecasts about,

even economically. But, Lord, our security is not

in our bank account. You are a provider.

You are our Sustainer. You are our Savior.

Lord, we just ask that there be rekindled affections for you.

Many of us believe the truths that we just heard, but perhaps

our feelings, our affections, are not aligned with what we

know to be sound. Lord, help us come alive in

realizing what we have in Christ.

For the person here who heard these truths and can't connect

with them because it seems intangible, it seems invisible,

It seems theoretical. Lord, by your Holy Spirit, would

you show them the experiential reality of Christ?

We can't do it. We can't provide that power.

Only you can provide that power. And so we ask that you would

brood over this place, more importantly, over every heart in

this place, and that we would experience a fresh touch from

you. We worship You, Lord, declaring

that you indeed our treasure and you indeed are alone worthy of

our worship. In Christ's name we pray.

Amen. Amen.

Let's stand together, Saints.