Showing posts with label Ten Commandments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ten Commandments. Show all posts

Do I Really Want to Know What Hinders My Walk with Christ?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , | Posted On Monday, October 5, 2009 at 12:01 AM

In Luke 18:18-30, we read the story of the rich man who comes to Jesus asking what he should do to inherit eternal life (vs. 18). Jesus first points the man to the Ten Commandments.

From time to time I'm asked how can we know the will of God for our lives. Right here Jesus gives us the answer that covers the vast majority of our situations - he points us to the Word of God. In other words, the Bible shows us God's will for most every situation we encounter in life. And what I've discovered is a lot of people don't want to hear that. Whether it has to do with business ethics, sexuality, anger, relationships, finances, family or most anything else, God has already told us His will, which always points to building our relationship with Him. It's a matter of reading God's Word, and even more challenging, deciding to live it.

However, in this story from Luke, the rich man claims he's been faithful in all the things spelled out in the commandments. But, he forgets that Jesus doesn't look just at our words and actions - he also looks at our heart. In fact, our heart is the key in our relationship with Christ, because I can do the right things, but for the wrong reasons.

Jesus knows this man's heart, and in his case it is his riches that are getting in the way of the relationship God desires with him. In fact, though he may have outwardly professed the first commandment, that God is first in his life, it appears that his riches are actually in first place in his life (the Bible calls that an idol). So, Jesus tells him to sell all he has and give it to the poor - He calls him on the real state of his heart. Vs. 23 says the man was very sad because he was very rich. Though it doesn't say so, the obvious implication is that the man was unwilling to do this. Jesus then talks about how hard it is for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.

Some have misunderstood this passage to condemn wealth, but that's not consistent with other passages in the Bible. Rather, what we see is Jesus identifying in this man what kept him from being fully devoted to God - his wealth. Now, the reality is that wealth is often a hindrance to a relationship with Christ. Over two thousand verses in the Bible are related to money and finances (the second most common topic in the Bible) because money can too often become our god (idol), or at least lead us to be overly dependent on it rather than God. It can lead folks to be proud and feel self-sufficient. But, wealth, in and of itself, is not sinful, and God has used the wealth of many people to bring huge blessings to our world.

I think it's worth putting ourselves in the rich man's place and asking Jesus the real question here - what is it that hinders my walk with Christ, that keeps me from being fully devoted? If I ask that question (and I should), and keep asking, and really listen, He's going to show me something that probably needs to go. The question then, will be, am I willing to give up whatever is getting in the way of my relationship with Jesus? I guarantee you it will be hard and may even seem impossible, because only something very important to me could challenge Jesus' rightful place in my life.

But the good news is that we don't have to fight this battle alone. Not only does Jesus recognize what stands in his way in leading our lives, he's ready to help you and me overcome it. His Holy Spirit resides in the person who has dedicated his or her life to Christ to give us the strength we need to do more than we ever imagined was possible. In fact, Jesus says in verse 27, "'What is impossible for people is possible with God.'" God is willing to fight this battle with us. That's our hope, and that's where faith comes in - do I really believe Jesus?

I can't make that decision for you, but if we really want to follow Jesus, we've got to let him help us see what's getting in the way. I hope and pray you'll really ask Him the question!

Is Jesus First?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , | Posted On Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 12:01 AM

We all have our priorities. Some friends are closer to us than others. Our spouse or children or parents have a higher priority than co-workers, etc. The question is, who has the greatest priority in my life?

Jesus makes a radical claim - if we decide to follow him and be his disciple, then he has to be first. He told a large crowd, "'If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison - your father and mother, wife and children , brothers and sisters - yes, even your own life. Otherwise you cannot be my disciple.'" (Luke 14:26 NLT)

But Jesus, as the Son of God, as God in the flesh, isn't making a new claim here. He's only rewording the very first of the Ten Commandments: "'You must not have any other god but me.'" (Exodus 20:3) Jesus tells us this not because he's arrogant but because he knows we were created to experience the most in life this way.

I've discovered that if I put my wife first in my life, whom I love very much, I can certainly love her, but the amount of love I have to give is limited. When I put Jesus first in my life, plugging into the ultimate Source of love, I discover I have even more love to give my wife than when she was first. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.

Jesus isn't saying we're to "hate" our wife or husband or children or siblings, etc. He's telling us our priorities need to be in the right order, and to the right degree, or we're placing limits on how well life will work. C.S. Lewis said, “Put first things first and we get second things thrown in; put second things first and we lose both first and second things.”

If I want God to do greater things in me, I have to begin with the right priorities. I won't experience His best unless I give Him my best. If I make the commitment to follow Jesus and be his disciple, then placing him first in my life is the only way I can truly follow him. It's a challenge, and I struggle to live this way. But, with God's help, it's the choice I'm making today.
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