When Your Assets Become Liabilities

Repentance • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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What does the concept of repentance look like? How do we get to a place of living for Christ, after we have lived a live seperate from him.

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Introduction

What are you willing to give up to follow Jesus Christ? Typically this is question that needs an answer prior to making a spiritually conscious decision to repent and follow Jesus. In this text we see a choice has to be made. Understand Jesus is not going to make a decision for you, nor is he going to beg you to do anything that you really do not want to do. I believe many of us have had Rich Young Ruler moments. His story is truly the difference between being good and great. He references his so called good nature “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up”. Typically this is the same for us in this room right now, we are not bad people. We pay our taxes, try not to speed, shop at Costco and pay our water bill. But what Jesus is asking for is greater than just good enough. True discipleship allows us to understand that Jesus desires us to strive for excellence. We have to realize how great a gift salvation and eternal life is. Jesus is letting us know that all of our sins can be washed away. Jesus is letting us know that we have the ability to live forever with him, and if he gave his all, even his life in a heinous and torturous way. Jesus wants us to give our all for this inheritance. Basically, if Jesus is giving us something we are not worthy of, nor do we deserve then he is going to expect us to put in some work.

Our jobs do not take excuses, the bank, auto loan companies, and grocery store do not take excuses but for some reason we believe we can conditionalize our efforts to Jesus in hopes that he will cut us some slack. The issues persist that because of his goodness we believe we can get salvation and forgiveness and even repent at a bargain cost.

So here we have the Rich Young Ruler, who had completed a very noble task of keeping the law since his youth. As we progress through the story we a choice is presented, but also a message for those who prioritize stuff over kingdom seeking. The choice that lingers is the choosing between discipleship and possessions.

The History of Making a Choice

The invitation from Jesus involves a cost. Fishermen left boats and nets, a tax collector walked away from his cubicle, hearts and minds had to be changed. Even during the crucifixion of Jesus, Simon the Cyrene had to stop what he was doing and help Jesus carry his cross.

I believe the issue we run into is we begin to reduce Jesus to another obligation. Even our speech is reflective of such. I have to do this, I have to go to church. Now Jesus becomes a frustrating obligation and we all know how we end up treating things we feel obligated to do. Jesus should be an obligation he should be a necessity. Just like the air we breathe we need Jesus. Do you breathe because you want to or because you have to?

When it becomes an obligation we typically end up prioritizing them based on our ideology of importance.

Another of the disciples said to Him, Lord permit me first to go and bury my father or even in excuses were made “Another one said, I have married a wife, and for the reason I cannot come”.

Here Jesus is presented with with a question, the interesting aspect of this conversation is the fact that no one can enter heaven except you follow Jesus. At the end of the day I should be willing to give up anything and everything to follow Jesus. In giving it up I must have faith that every need I have God will provide.

Many of us had to make a choice this morning. Where we going to come to worship or where going to stay home? God certainly provides us with options and choices, today what decision will you make for the cause of Christ. I find it interesting that Luke recognizes the social status of this young man nonetheless Mark introduces him as a certain man.

Jesus on his Journey and this man or the rich young ruler ran up to Jesus and knelt before him. He calls him good teacher, in which Jesus asked why do call me good. He was referencing the excellence of the Jesus’ position, we have to be careful when we look at Jesus from a consumerist paradigm. Because now instead of an everlasting savior we box him in according to how our life is going.

When things are going well, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus oh How I love Jesus.

When things are going terribly, why me Oh Lord Why Me!

The reason why he refuses to follow Jesus, is because he feels like he has to give up to much. When we look at Jesus as some sort of spiritual rebate of blessings we begin to operate from a place that looks at what we are loosing rather than what we gain by committing to Jesus.

We have to be careful of eagerness, this Rich Young Ruler runs up to Jesus and knelt before him. His eagerness and submission suggest he was eager. Jesus is all about hashtag keeping that same energy.

Teaching Prioritization

Sometimes we look at life and we believe that we have too much on our plates, sometimes we do, but sometimes it’s about prioritizing what we already have. If you’ve been introduced to Jesus you have time for Jesus and his calling. Many of us are some prioritization away from truly committing to Jesus.

So Jesus responds to him by asking him why does he call Him good, no one is good except God alone, Jesus knows that he knows the expectations. Do not commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie do not defraud honor your parents. The response from the rich young ruler is just one half of the equation.

Historically Rabbi’s welcomed a number of titles but they were only rarely addressed as good teacher for fear of blasphemy.

Sometimes many of us are one struggle away from not being as good as we think we are.

Listen our spirit alarms us when we know we are lacking something. Listen to that inclination, but as you listen be ready to take the leap of faith that comes with the inclination.

The young man said to Him, All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?

You have to be willing to risk it all for Jesus, but truth be told it’s not even a risk because Jesus is going to provide you every need.

Invitation of Love

Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack; go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven ; and come follow me,

Jesus looked at or he looked at intently, he examined or scrutinized. Jesus is not in awe because of social status, Jesus sees a soul that needs saving. Jesus felt a love or agapao for him.

He understands the behavior, just like many of us understand the behavior required of Christians. But discipleship is deeper than behavior modification. Jesus’ love for us wants us to be our best so that we can be recipients of heaven. He’s our savior, he’s our shepherd, does he correct us? Yes, but he also molds us, he also comforts us.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Psalm 119

O may Your lovingkindness comfort me,

According to Your word to Your servant.

Jesus feels love for us, he longs for us to be with him. He came to this earth so that the creation of father could spend eternity with him. Will we have to give up some things? Will Jesus replace certain things and certain people in our life? Definitely, but we have to know that our sacrifices will be handled accordingly by Jesus.

Our assets become liabilities when you minimize Jesus to just another obligation. How arrogant have we become that we think we could ever do enough to deserve eternal life? It’s all about grace and mercy. Repentance shows us that no matter how prodigal we become he’s waiting with open arms. It’s interesting to note that repentance can happen anywhere, Salvation is not location specific, sometimes we have those Road to Damascus moments, sometimes we have those there is water, what hinders me from being baptized.

Jesus can not be reduced to rules and regulations. He’s not a manager of behavior but a savior of our soul!

You can have the best job but if it gets in the way of your relationship with Jesus it is now a spiritual liability.

You can have the best friends, but if they get in the way of you and Jesus they are a spiritual liability.

Your family can drive a wedge of division between you and Jesus and no longer are they an asset but a spiritual liability.

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