Jesus said some tough things when he walked on the planet, some very controversial things. Today, we're going to look at one of the most radical things he ever said to anyone.
You're going to love it. Stay with me. And if you're looking for more practical guidance on this topic, stick around after today's message for some additional thoughts from Chip. Before we begin, if you've been encouraged or inspired by the series, would you take a moment after the message and share it with a friend?
You can do that through the Chip Ingram app or by sending them the free MP3s that you'll find at LivingOnTheEdge.org. Now, if you have a Bible, turn now to Mark chapter 10, and let's join Chip for part two of his message, When Success Doesn't Satisfy. Sometimes when this story is told of this rich young ruler, I think he gets a little bit of a bad rap. Jesus offers hope to a man. His bio, he's wealthy, successful, moral, powerful, sincere, and intelligent.
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind that bio for me, would you? What if someone said, tell me a little bit about your wife or about your best friend that happened to be you? And they said, oh, well, I mean, he's wealthy, intelligent, or she, successful, moral, self-aware. I mean, he was listening to Jesus teach.
He watched him with the children, and he was aware. Something's missing. Something's missing. It's not money. I've got money.
It's not religion. Hey, I've kept them from my youth, but something's missing. And then he had the self-awareness and the humility. You know what? He just got done teaching. He just blessed the children. Jesus is walking away. This man in his Armani suit with all these peasants runs after Jesus, slides in, falls at his feet, humbles himself in front of all these peasants and says what?
What do I need to do to inherit eternal life? It says he ran. He fell at his feet. You know, we read that over real quickly. This is a guy who's not embarrassed. This is a guy who says this Jesus has something that I need. Something's missing, and it's not religion, and it's not money, and it's not intelligence, and it's not power, and it's not wealth. But he's got something I need, but he recognizes his success has left him empty.
Anybody here feel a little bit that way? And so Jesus put a little test, didn't he? And please don't miss this. Everything he asked him to do from this point on, he loves this man. I mean if you were a teacher and you saw someone with that, he wasn't proud. I mean he wasn't like I don't need anybody. He didn't think he trusted in his wealth, but Jesus saw his heart. And so Jesus says to him, here's the challenge, sell everything that you have.
If I'm really good and I'm the Messiah, then let's test this. Sell everything that you have. Let go of what you're hanging onto. Then notice, give to the poor. And then he said what?
This is for your benefit. See we tend to think that life is this little tiny thing called time. And Jesus gave him an assignment that would change all of his eternity. He said when you sell and when you give, you'll have, who's he looking out for?
What's it say? Look in your Bibles. You'll have what in heaven? Treasure. This is real stuff. This is real reward.
This is something that would pay out for him forever and ever and ever. The rich man's response revealed the condition, the true condition of his heart and the God that he served. His face fell. He was like, I want help, I want help, I want help. Show me what I need to do.
I don't want that much help. My security is my money. My God is my money. Money defines my success. This is a guy that made the list on the front of Forbes.
This is a guy that people knew who he was when he walked in the room because of how many zeros behind his portfolio. He goes, oh, wait a second. I want what you have, but see that sex, money, power, mantra.
I can't give up what I can see for what I can't see. So his face fell and he went away sad. Jesus was testing him. God has unlimited resources. He could have given his money back to him the next day or the next week or the next year. What we know for sure is that he would have joy that his money could never bring. He would have security that his money could never bring. He would have a relationship with God and peace and rest in his soul that his money could never bring. Isn't that why he was running over and saying Jesus? See, his money revealed his heart. Your money reveals your heart. Sometimes when this is taught, people are so careful to say this doesn't mean that every Christian needs to sell everything they have in order to come to Jesus for eternal life. That is very true.
But let me tell you something. Jesus does ask that of some people. What if he asked it of you? I mean, what if he actually asked it of you?
I mean, we get this like he asked it of this guy. You think he's the only rich young ruler who's ever been born? What if money is such an idol in your life that gets played out by the hours that you work and where you spend it and the prestige and the pride?
And by the way, the problem with money, it's the deceitfulness of riches. When it has you, you don't even know it. You just think it's normal. What if God loved you enough to say, I want you to sell everything you have and follow me?
Would you do it? And if the answer is no, you clearly understand where you're at in your relationship with God. See, you know, we get lots of little things that we sort of figure out. We all want to know where we're at with people. You know, you know, when you're dating and you're young, if he smiles at you, I think this is going pretty well or, you know, she reaches and puts her arm around you. I think this is going pretty well.
We all think we know. Well, so how am I doing with God? Oh, I had a neat ooey gooey feeling when we sang that one song. I must be doing pretty good with God. And, you know, I prayed a little prayer and and this got answered. I must be doing pretty good with God. And I look at other people and I know I'm sure struggling in this and this and this, but everybody does. But I must be doing pretty good with God.
You want to know how you do with God? You take your financial statement for your taxes. And you just go through and say, how much money did I spend on hobbies and stuff and house and food and clothes? And how much money went to God and the people of God and helping other people? And that will tell you exactly because Jesus said, wherever your treasure goes, that's where your heart is. And so that's why in America, we have nine out of 10 people who say, I'm born again. I love Jesus.
I follow him. And we have the average giving of an American Christian at 2.7 percent of their income. So, I mean, if I if I took this literally, I would say, God, I just want you to know as the CEO and master of the universe that as an average evangelical born again Christian, I just want you to know that 2.7 percent of my life is totally committed to you. Well, what we do know is actually that percentage is about one out of 10 Christians gives a sort of the beginning point of a tie that means a tenth. That happened before the law, it happened during the law, happens after.
It's not like a law. It is a beginning point that frees us from our money and you get to grow. Because what happens is people who understand is the more generous you are, the more joy you have and more you understand it's his. And so when you want your heart to go somewhere, what you do is you just send your money there. I've actually had people that I didn't like. I started giving them money.
I'm dead serious. I mean, they didn't know it was me. I actually gave money to people I didn't like. So I realized I need to change my heart and I know my heart always goes to where my money goes. And so Jesus wanted to free this man and then he warns about the dangers of wealth.
And before I go on and talk about the warning here, I just really want to remind you that you never graduate. I was involved with Walk Through the Bible and we had, it was probably the greatest privilege, an international ministry and they're still friends and people all around the world that are teaching God's word and they're all nationals. And we would have like a couple of these conferences a year where we would raise money and donors would come. And we had one particularly wealthy and generous donor that during the midst of this conference, I taught it, but different people would share different things. And these brothers and sisters from all around the world, these nationals, they just captured Teresa and I's heart.
And we wanted to help them. And you knew that every dollar you gave was just really multiplied. And so one of these generous donors said, anyone who would give a six-figure gift or above, I'll match it dollar for dollar up to, I forget how many, but he was very wealthy. And so, you know, if two people do that, I'll match two of them.
If three, three, five, five, you know. And I was thinking about these guys and I was teaching that morning and so I got up early that morning to review my notes and I was praying through it. And I mean, it was one of those, this doesn't happen all that often, but it was one of those, Chip, I want you to give a six-figure gift that will be matched for those people that you love. It was like, surely thou jest, you know. You know, I mean, and you know, this was not, I mean, my arguments, this, don't get any idea that I was being generous or, I mean, it was like, now Teresa and I learned to tithe early.
And then we've been learning to grow our percentage because we want to, not until we got to, we just love to get to do that and God has always blessed greatly. And so, you need to sort of declare this by this next meeting. And I mean, to me, it was, I mean, we can't give that out of our income, Lord, the only place that could come would be our retirement.
And we don't have a lot of retirement. I mean, this is like the, this is a major portion of all that we have. I mean, you know, like, are you aware of, you know, right? And now I'm supposed to tell, and there's no process, so Teresa's up in the hotel and in the room because I went out to study. And so I come back, by the way, this is not how to do life, the process that you're about to hear is dumb and stupid, but I didn't know how to get around it. And I, see, here's the deal, it was a test. I'm preaching on this stuff and it's a test. And I get tests and you get tests and never think you graduate.
And if you can't let go, then it's got you. And I remember going up to Teresa saying, I really believe God wants us to do that. She said, well, where would we get that? I said, well, our retirement. She said, honey, that's for retiring.
That's, you know, and you know, and she was very straightforward as she is in saying things like, I don't think this is the right process, I feel out of the loop. I understand why you think what you think. If you believe this is what God wants us to do, I will just trust you in this.
And we did. And all I want to say is, that was a big one for me. But am I trusting my retirement?
Are you trusting your 401k? Have you figured out little ways where God gets this much so you feel okay about yourself? Or are you, God, all that I have, all that I am is yours. I want my heart where you want it.
I believe you created the universe. I want the things that money can't buy, and I'm going to trust that whenever you tap me on the shoulder, and you want me to give more time or more energy or more money to honor and love you, that you will take care of me. And that's what that guy couldn't get rid of. See, he didn't worship God, he had an idol. And then Jesus makes this statement that again, I think, you know, we make it softer than it should be.
He declares how dangerous money is. Hey, by the way, if you've got a lot of it and you're rich, the Lord bless you. God's not down on you.
And don't walk out of here feeling guilty. I don't find any passages where God's down on wealthy people. In fact, I've got some friends that are super wealthy and I pray, give them more, give them more, give them more, give them more.
Because it doesn't have them. And they're super generous with it. And yes, they have very nice houses and drive very nice cars and have, you know what, God does fine. Solomon had a nice house. David had a nice house.
Barnabas had a nice. The only issue is, do money have you? But when you know across America, and as is true in this church, half the people don't give anything.
Zip, zero. We become consumers. Well, it means your heart's locked up.
For others, it's this legalistic, you know, some people that have been into that, I say give 9 or 11% so you can at least slide in some direction and hopefully in a good way. Because it's relationship. Because Jesus says how hard, literally the Greek language isn't riches, how hard it is for someone with things to enter God's kingdom. Why?
Because when you have stuff, you trust in it. He says it's harder for a camel to go through the eye and the word for needle is a surgical needle. You know, if you've heard that interpretation, oh, that's like the needle in the wall of a city and the camel had to kneel down in order to take the loads off.
That's a very pretty story. It didn't come until the 9th century. It's not what Jesus taught. Jesus said in teaching, it's hard. He's saying it's impossible.
It's impossible. And so he's saying no amount of good works, no amount of what you can do can ever get you eternal life. What he's saying is stuff and hanging on to it keeps you from realizing you are desperately dependent like a child. And you need to come of God, stripped away and say, I have nothing. Will you forgive me? I'm basing my salvation not on what I can do. I'm trusting that the second person of the Trinity who's perfectly human and perfectly divine came and lived a perfect life and hung upon a cross. And when he hung upon that cross, he paid for your sin and my sin and the sins of all people of all time to atone or cover for it. And that is why when he was hanging on the cross and my sins, past, present and future and all of yours and all the people were placed on him, the father turned away because he's holy. And Jesus said, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Because your sins were placed on him. Then he rose from the dead to prove that it's true. And he says the only way to have eternal life, it's a gift. It's grace. And you know, the hardest thing for people is to receive a gift. And what keeps you is you're not like a child.
You're proud. I was in Costco about three months ago and there was a young family and I saw the different things they had in their cart and I had traveled somewhere and some people had given me some money. And sometimes when people give me some money, I just stick it in my pocket and think, God, I just knew it wasn't for me. I was supposed to give it to someone. And a tiny little couple and, man, I looked and they were talking about can we keep this or take this out. And I just, I was ahead of them and I just waited and when it was their turn, I walked over and had a couple clean hundred dollar bills.
I said, excuse me, I just couldn't help overhear you all. God gave this to me and I'm just to pass it on. Would you, this will take care of your groceries, okay? No, no, no, no. I'm serious. It's not mine. It's just from God. No. I said, what do you mean?
What part of no? This is just, he goes, I could not receive that. And I took my $200 and put it back in my pocket and I remember walking out of Costco going, I now know how God feels. See, he's got to earn his keep.
He can't recognize he has need. I just met a very proud man and that proud man kept his kids from getting what God wanted to give them. And there's some of you in this room that your money is keeping you from God and your pride keeps you from saying, God, you know what, I need you.
And for some, it's an idol. And he brought you in this room on this day to say, I've got better for you, I love you, I'm for you, wealth is dangerous. But notice the promise.
We heard it in the testimonies. The promise is great reward for those who trust and follow him. In this world, more homes, more brothers, more sisters, more riches. He said, you come into this family and this family is all around the world.
So you give away a six figure gift once because your heart, I'm assuming that God had me do that because he saw some things in my heart I didn't see. Chip, you kind of like preaching on this stuff. How you doing? Okay. Hey, bud, step up.
Like way out of your comfort zone. All right. Okay. So what's it worth to have people that love you, care for you, stand with you, share with you and do life and give you what no amount of money could ever buy? That's what Jesus says to Peter and eternal life. Forgiveness. So on the back page, I've written out what I think is a paraphrase of Jesus invitation to you. And I like you if you have a pen to fill in the words, because it starts with what he said to this young ruler. Come unto me, all of you who are exhausted with the weight and the burdens of life.
And I'll give you rest when you like rest. I mean, the pace we live at the stuff, take my yoke upon you and learn to follow me. What's a yoke? Remember, there's two oxen and there's that wooden thing that connects them. So if one moves this way, they have to move this way. You know what a yoke is?
A yoke is saying, God, I'm going to not control my life. You turn this way. I follow. I'm going to do relationships your way. I'm going to do life your way. I'm going to singleness your way.
I'm going to do finances your way. I'm going to be yoked up and I'm going to it's a process. I'm going to learn. I'm going to learn to follow you, not be religious, not be legalistic.
I'm going to follow you. Why? Because I'm gentle and listen to this. I want what is best for every aspect of your life.
This rich young ruler stayed materially rich and spiritually, emotionally and relationally and eternally poor. God wants better for you. Chip will be right back with his application for this message when success doesn't satisfy from his series, Jesus Offers Hope. Does it feel like you've hit rock bottom, like you've done everything right only to have your circumstances go from bad to worse? Are you in desperate need of hope right now? Well, in this four part series, Chip reveals how it's possible to experience God's supernatural hope even in the midst of the worst life throws at you. Hear from the gospels why we can place our absolute confidence in God and hang on to the hope he wants us to have every day. For a limited time, the resources for Jesus Offers Hope are discounted and the MP3s are always free.
You'll find everything you need at livingontheedge.org or give us a call at 888-333-6003. App listeners tap special offers. Well, before we go any further, here's a quick word from Chip. This current series is talking about Jesus offering hope, and I don't have to tell you, we are living in a season where people feel very, very hopeless. And we've been able to provide some hope. I wish you could sit with me personally over a cup of coffee and I could just take all these emails that I've printed out and that I've read over and the little cards of people who've told me and our team, you have been my lifeline. My husband lost his job or my wife is critically ill. You know, the stories go on and on and on and on.
And what we've found during this time is we've created broadcasts and then we've done daily discipleships where we've coached people through, you know, the last 18 months or more. And we're watching God give people hope because in their desperation, they're turning to him. And what I just want to tell you is that we can't do this without the help of people who faithfully pray and people who faithfully give.
You probably can't imagine the stability and the hope it gives to us when we know. And whether it's, you know, $10 or $50 or $25, the issue is not the amount. The issue is would you, where you're at, be willing to say, Living on the Edge has offered me hope and has really helped me. Maybe I've given now and then or maybe I haven't, but would you be willing to pray about? And I mean that sincerely. Just pray, Lord, do you want me to begin giving to Living on the Edge? And whatever amount that is just between you and God. And if he says yes, then do that.
And if he says no, then don't do that. So thanks. Thanks for praying about that. I appreciate it. And my request is do whatever God shows you.
Thanks, Chip. Well, as you prayerfully consider your role with us in this ministry, I want to remind you that when you partner with Living on the Edge, no gift is insignificant. To send a gift, call us at 888-333-6003.
Or if you prefer, just go to livingontheedge.org. App listeners, tap donate. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Well, now with some final thoughts, here's Chip. As we close today's message and also this entire series, I want to remind you that Jesus is offering hope to a very wealthy, successful, moral, powerful, sincere, and intelligent man who actually is quite self-aware. He even knows he has a spiritual issue. He knows that he's not right with God and he knows something is missing, but there's a roadblock. And the roadblock is his stuff. It's his money.
And that's his security. And you know, we talk a lot about a lot of stuff here in America. And we talk about a lot of things spiritually. But I want you to know that if there is a blind spot, if there is a barrier, if there is something that we especially as American Christians are so blind to and go into denial, it's about the impact of money and materialism in our lives. Jesus was very clear to this rich young ruler and he's very clear to us. There are two competing gods for your soul. Jesus is one and mammon or money is the other. And I just have to tell you, I don't know where you're at, but I plead with you to ask God to help you be honest and vulnerable about what you've heard today and what Jesus is saying. You know what? If you don't give the first portion of your money, if you hold it tight, if you have large amounts of debt, if you find that you're controlling and worry about what you have or don't have or what you wish you had, I want you to know that lack of peace is like a siren going off in your soul to say, stop, something's wrong.
That success that you think someday, someway, it'll never deliver and Jesus offers hope. But you need to lay it down. You need to ask him to forgive you. You need to come to him and you need to surrender then all that you have and all that you are. And you know what? He may test you.
He may ask for some of that stuff so that he can get all of your heart. Father, I pray right now, all of us here in America, we have so much and that so much gets in the way of the real stuff of life, a relationship with you, peace with you, eternal life with you. I pray right now in Jesus' name that you would help us see very clearly where our heart is and to release the things that keep us from you, to come unto you and to find rest and peace for our soul right now in Jesus' name. Amen. Just before we close, would you pray for those who are feeling challenged to respond to Chip's encouragement right now?
There's always a spiritual battle when we feel prompted to draw near to God. Thanks for taking a minute to do that. And if there's a way we can pray for you, would you let us know? Call us at 888-333-6003 or email chip at livingontheedge.org. We'd love to hear from you. Well, until next time, for everyone here, this is Dave Druey saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge.
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