One Thing You Lack

REFLECTION QUOTES

“Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.”

~Woody Allen, American actor and filmmaker

“In my last year on Wall Street my bonus was $3.6 million – and I was angry because it wasn’t big enough. I was 30 years old, had no children to raise, no debts to pay, no philanthropic goal in mind. I wanted more money for exactly the same reason an alcoholic needs another drink: I was addicted.”

~Sam Polk in “For the Love of Money” in The New York Times (1/18/2014)

“A disciple does not ask, ‘How much can I keep?’ but, ‘How much more can I give?’”

~Randy Alcorn, American author

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

~Jim Elliot (1927-1956), Christian missionary and martyr

“Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”

~Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Jesus’s teaching in Luke 12:15

“The kingdom of self is heavily defended territory.”

~Eugene Peterson, American-born writer and pastor

“Our primary citizenship is not on earth but in heaven… Though few [Christians] would deny this truth in theory, the language of our spiritual citizenship frequently gets wrapped in the red, white and blue. Rather than acting as resident aliens of a heavenly kingdom, too often we sound like resident apologists for a Christian America… Unless we reject the false reliance on [this] illusion…[we] will continue to distort the gospel and thwart a genuine biblical identity…”

~John Seel, Christian thinker, activist and author

“A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money.”

~W. C. Fields (1880-1946), American actor

SERMON PASSAGE

Mark 10:13-31 (ESV)

13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

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!” 24 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! 25 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.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 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, 30 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. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”