Sermon
Possessed By Possessions
October 16-17, 1999
Pastor Leighton Sheley

I'll invite you to open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 19. We will be reading from verses 16 and following. The story of the rich young ruler. Matthew 19:16, Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and, 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 

We live in an era of unabashed materialism, and it's not just Christians that recognize this. Back in July Newsweek came out with this publication and you see on the front cover that there is a picture, a cartoon picture, of a man's face and he's thinking and pondering. There's a little bit of fear in his eyes and there's this little thought that coming up out of his mind. It says, "Everyone's getting rich but me". Everyone's getting rich but me, and there's a thing up here that says the whine of 99. There is not just one person here that's thinking these thoughts. All kinds of people are thinking this thought.

In fact, the article goes in and tells us about Gallop polls and other polls that are going and doing research on this, and basically what Newsweek is saying is people are not content with whatever they have. We just don't have enough. I don't care what it is that we have, it's not enough. And if somebody else gets something, we've got to have it too, you know; just an era of materialism. I saw a bumper sticker one time and it really impacted me. It said something like this, He who dies with the most toys wins. He who dies with the most toys wins. You know that doesn't make any sense. I mean, so what if you've got the most toys when you die you can't enjoy them anyway, right? He who dies with the most toys wins. Well mankind that is not disposed towards heavenly things naturally is going to be disposed towards earthly things.

The fact that this young man went away indicates that he rejected Christ. Jesus had put him to the test and he had failed. Jesus had said he needed to make a choice between Christ and eternal life, or these earthly possessions. Now what the lesson that we learn from this is that salvation is only for those who are willing to forsake everything. Now it's important that you understand that I said willing to forsake, I did not say forsake. There are some cults and religions that are built on forsaking everything. You're guaranteed whatever it is that they'd like to guarantee you if give everything to the church basically, and whatever it might be. There're cults that are built on forsaking everything, and that's not what the Bible tells us to do or to be. 

The Bible tells us to be willing to forsake everything if God calls us to do so, so that we can live in obedience to God. You know some of the greatest men and women, heroes of biblical proportion, were exceedingly wealthy people. People like Abraham, and Moses, and Job, and Esther. And yet their possessions did not possess them. The property that they owned did not own them. Whatever it is that they had they recognized that God had given to them and they used it to glorify God. 

Hebrews chapter 11 reveals this about Abraham, verse 8 and following; By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. Why? For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. He was looking forward to a city built by God. Not a city built by man. 

Scriptures speak much about Abraham's wealth and his flocks which became to numerous, so large, that they couldn't even coexist with those of his nephew Lot. And so they had to part ways and Lot chose the lush valleys for grazing that put him eventually into the city of Sodom. But Abraham was not looking for earthly wealth. He was looking for a city built by God. Jesus said, Matthew 6:33, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Jesus said we need to seek God's kingdom and God's righteousness not the things of this world. 

The things of this world can be so alluring, so attractive, and you know that those guys that are in marketing have got it down to a science. They know how to push your hot button. When there's a television commercial, whatever, they have the perfect model, whoever that might be, to get your attention. They have it down to a science. They know how to make things attractive and alluring. You know I have a system now when I go down to the PriceClub or Costco, you know if I've got a few extra minutes I'll walk up and down the isles, but I've got this list that I went there for and as I walk up and down I'll say, O I needed that. Now I didn't need that until I saw it, you know. And so what happens, I've developed a system; if it's not on the list I don't' get it. I walk out and I think about it; no, I didn't really need that. Why did I think I needed that? It's just programming that has gone into us. 

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" Now from verse 20 we've learned that this one who came up Him was young, and from verse 22 we learned that he was wealthy, and from the parallel passage in Luke chapter 18 we learned that he was also a ruler. Some of the scholars have proposed that he was a religious ruler from the synagogue. Now if we put these facts together we find a young man who was famous, influential, healthy, wealthy, and wise. He had it all. Everything that life could provide, he had it. Every luxury, every leisure was his, and yet he realized that there was something missing. There was some vacuum inside of him that his possessions and potentials and experiences could not fill. And it's obvious that he had given much thought to this. He didn't just all of a sudden hear that Jesus was coming through and jump up and go and say, well, let's see what question should I ask? O, I'll ask this question. No, this is something that he had been working through for a long time. The fact that Matthew introduces this passage using the word behold, indicated that it was highly unusual for a person of such wealth and station to admit to anyone a lack of anything, particularly something so sensitive and so personal. And the fact that this man would approach Jesus and reveal his innermost inadequacy publicly shows us that he was indeed sincere about getting the answer to this question. 

The fact that he kneeled in the presence of the Lord, which is given to us in the parallel passage in Mark chapter 10, indicates humility; and that he addressed Jesus as Teacher, didaskalos, acknowledged that he recognized that Jesus was a teacher of divine truth and authority on God's word. This rich young ruler realized that it was not life that he was missing or anything that life could provide. He had all that was available in this life, but he was still missing something. He didn't need more life. He needed eternal life, eternal life. Now the term eternal life is used about 50 times in the Scripture, and when we break it apart into its components we find life means being sensitive to one's environment, being sensitive to one's environment. 

Okay, one of the indications that we have that life no longer is in someone is that they no longer respond to their environment. You know, it doesn't matter if the room is hot or cold because they're no longer responding to their environment. You can take a stick and you can poke them and you're not going to get a reaction because they no longer respond to their environment. They are insensitive to their environment. Being alive is being sensitive to the environment. 

Now eternal is a reference to that which is beyond time; eternal, beyond time. The world which we perceive with our senses, it exists only in time. What we can see and hear and feel and touch and smell and so forth, is as the saying goes here today and gone tomorrow. Eternal things are things that are forever or beyond time and beyond the capacities of the five senses to experience. Now if we put those components together, eternal life, it means being sensitive to that which is beyond time forever and beyond the capacity of the five senses to experience. Eternal life. Now it's important for us to understand that eternal life means something more than just existing forever. Just existing forever is like a life sentence without the possibility of pardon, parole or being released by death. I mean it's sheer torture. It's the ultimate punishment of boredom. 

I remember as a child watching a television program. I think it was the Outer Limits. I'm not sure about that, but it was very profound. Basically this gangster showed up and he came to realize that he was no longer alive, and he was met by this handsome, well-dressed, well-groomed man who said, Hi Joe, we've been looking forward to having you here. We've been expecting you for some time. I think that you're going to like this place and find everything to your satisfaction. And Joe looked around and this was a gorgeous mansion with all of the toys and the gadgets that could be imagined that were available to him. He looked around and thought, Whoa, this isn't bad. This is good. And so the man said, I'll be back in a little while to check on you, but you just go ahead and get settled and enjoy. So Joe, you know he started doing what he used to as a gangster. He went out to the gambling halls and every time he'd lay money down, he'd win; it didn't matter what number it was on, he'd win. He couldn't lose. He won every time everything. Anything he tried to do he won. 

And so you see this story, and he comes back home and you can tell he's feeling good. He's sees a pool table. Wow, this is great. I love pool, Joe says. And so he goes over and he sets up all the balls and takes the stick and hits it. All the balls go into all of the pockets. So he goes around and puts all the balls back together. You know, behind the back shot. All the balls go into all the pockets. He's trying different ways. Finally, he's got his eyes closed. All the balls go into all the pockets. He can't lose. It's obvious, the man shows up and says, Hi Joe, how're things going? Just checking in on you. You know I really appreciate what you've done here, but I really don't think this place is for me. You know I really appreciate the fact that you've made it available, but you know I think you made a mistake. Back when I was alive I wasn't a very good person, and I really don't think that I belong in heaven. And the host said, you think you're in heaven? 

No challenges, no accomplishments, just existing forever. Some people think heaven is just people sitting around on clouds playing harps. No thank you. Not for all eternity. And let me tell you it's coming from a music lover, okay? But that's not heaven. Eternal life is more than just unending existence; it means more than just quantity, it means quality. Eternal life is the ability to live and move and experience the beauties, the mysteries, the challenges, and the achievements in the heavenly eternal realm. That's more like what heaven is. That's more like what eternal life is. Not just unending existence.

Now the rich young ruler not only appeared as being sincere and humble and motivated, but he asked the right question too. He said, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? Now this appeared to be the ideal candidate for salvation. I mean he seemed to have all of the qualifications and yet Jesus didn't respond to him as He did elsewhere as recorded in John 6:29. You know He could have said, you want to do something? This is what you need to do. This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He has sent. Now Jesus could have said that, but He didn't. Instead He probed the man's heart. "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and, 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Now when Jesus asked the question, "Why do you ask me about what is good?" it was really His way of saying, who am I to you that you should ask Me this question? Who am I to you that you should ask Me this question. 

There was a time when Jesus asked His disciples, who do the crowds say that I am? And He listened to their responses and then He said, now who do you say that I am? Who am I to you? You see Jesus was about to give this young man an unattractive command, and people only tend to obey unattractive commands if they acknowledge and accept the authority of the one giving it. You say, well, what do you mean? What do you mean Pastor? Okay, people only tend to obey unattractive commands if they acknowledge and accept the authority of the one giving it. 

Let's say I'm late and I'm going down the highway, and I'm going a little bit fast. And my wife says, you need to slow down. Now being a typical man I might ignore her. Okay? My response is different if the same phrase comes from somebody in a uniform with a badge, because people only tend to obey unattractive commands if they acknowledge and accept the authority of the one giving it. And Jesus was saying, who am I to you? Do you acknowledge Me as having authority? You know God gave ten commandments recorded in Exodus chapter 20. There are additional guidelines and clarifications provided throughout the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. In addition to those provided in Scripture thousands and thousands of additional rules were added over the centuries by the religious leaders and the commentators, and it was because of these layers and layers of "commandments" that the rich young ruler had to ask this question, now which commandments are we talking about Jesus? That's why he had to ask that question.

And to that Jesus responded by quoting five of the original commandments and Leviticus 19:18. But you'll note that Jesus didn't quote one single commandment or law that had been written by man or was not found in the Scriptures. Now to this the young ruler replied all these I have kept. Now some have mistakenly taught that Jesus was teaching that salvation or eternal life can be acquired by keeping the commandments. That's not at all what Jesus was endeavoring to accomplish with this young man that day. You see though this young man seemed like the perfect candidate for salvation he lacked one very essential understanding. He did not understand that he was a sinner. He'd thought himself to be a pretty good person. And when Jesus started explaining the precepts of the kingdom of God, on the Sermon on the Mount, His very first; Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs alone is the kingdom of God. This man was not poor is spirit. He thought he was a pretty good person. Second Beatitude, Blessed are those who mourn over their sin, for they shall be comforted. This man was not mourning over his sin. He didn't think he had any because he thought he was a pretty good person and so he could not be comforted. Though he was looking elsewhere for the assurance of eternal life he considered his righteousness to be intact because he had kept, or so he thought, the law. 

Now Galatians chapter 3 tells us, For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. Verse 24, So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ. It doesn't say the law was put in charge to lead us to eternal life. The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ. 

Now how is that accomplished by the law? Well, if we take a look at the law and we take a look, an honest evaluation of our own lives, we find out how truly wicked and desperate and evil we really are. Secondly, we find out how impossible it is for us to achieve or attain success with the law. Thirdly, it makes us recognize that we need God's salvation and God's Savior. That's how the law leads us to Christ. This young ruler was well aware of what he did not have and needed to receive, that is eternal life, but he was not willing to admit what he did have and needed to be rid of, sin. Salvation is only for those who hate their sin. Blessed are they that mourn, for they alone will be comforted. Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." you know what Jesus was doing here is He was confronting this young ruler with the truth of his condition. What He was saying in effect is, O, so you think you've kept the ten commandments? 

Okay, let's see. Let's start with the first one. Who or what rules you? Exodus chapter 20, And God spoke all these words: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall nave no other gods before me." first commandment, You shall have no other gods before me. Now the word there 'gods' in the original is elohiym which could be interpreted as rulers, judges, or divine ones. And what God was saying is you shall have no other rulers more important than Me. I am the highest ruler. Any other ruler or interest which conflicts with Me is not to be obeyed, pursued, or valued. You shall have no rulers more important than Me. You shall have no other gods before Me.

So Jesus said, okay, you think you kept the Ten Commandments. Let's start with the first one. Who or what rules you? What is it that you most highly value? What is it that's most important to you? What rules your life? Are you willing to give up your possessions to be made perfect? Are you willing to lay aside earthly treasure so that you can lay up treasure in heaven? What rules you young man? The ultimate test was whether or not this man was willing to obey the Lord. If he had obeyed, it wouldn't have resulted in him earning or meriting eternal life, it would have simply been an evidence that eternal life had come to him, but that wasn't the decision that he made. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 

Contrary to his self-assessment this young man had not kept the Ten Commandments; in fact, he hadn't even kept the first of the Ten Commandments. God was not of first importance in his life, his wealth was. His possessions possessed him. The properties that he owned, owned him. He lived to serve his wealth. His wealth was his god. He didn't mind having God's salvation, but he didn't want God's sovereignty. And the rich young ruler went away sad because he had come to Jesus hoping to leave with eternal life, but he went away without it because he was unwilling to give up the comforts and conveniences of this life to enjoy them in the life to come.

Jesus said this in Luke 14:33, In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot become or be my disciple. Now Jesus was not referring to material possessions alone, but to anything that might stand in the way of obedience. You know for some it might be a career. I mean if God was to say, now I want you to do this, and somebody thinks, well how's that going to impact my career? O, I better not do that God because it might negatively affect my career. What are they saying? God, You're not as important to me as my career. I'm going to be obedient to my career rather than You. So for some it might be their career, to others it might be a friendship, to others is might be a hobby. And yet to another it might not be possessions at all it's just the consuming pursuit of them.

There are people who squander all of their resources chasing after every get right quick scheme that they hear of. It's not that money is the root of all kinds of evil; the Scriptures say it's the love of money. 1 Timothy 6:8 and following, But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. We'll be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. Eternal life to which you were called. 

Jesus said, Matthew 6:19 and following, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Now why is it so difficult and so hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven? Could it be that they place their faith in their possessions? Or could it be that their possessions consume so much of their attentions that they never take the time to step back and see things from an eternal perspective? And realize how temporal those possessions may be. Jesus says it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

A few years back I was able to visit the city of Jerusalem and it was a life changing experience for me on a number of levels. One of the things that I saw first hand was the old city of Jerusalem, and I had to stand there and marvel at what they'd done. I looked at those walls, those ancient walls, that were up 50, 70, I don't know, 90 feet just immense walls around this city. And some of the blocks that were used in the construct in of those walls were so huge and so heavy that modern engineers, with all of the technology and all of the equipment that they have available today, cannot figure out how they got there. All of the equipment and the technology that we have today could not get that block there from where it originated. They can't figure out how these people 2000 years ago got the block there. It's just incredible. 

Now why did they build these great walls around the cities? Well you might say, well, it was for wild animals. Well, it's more than that. These walls are, you know, there is no wild animal that's going to climb a wall that steep. No, it was more than just wild animals. Each of those city states were concerned about protecting their occupants against their neighbors. And so what they would do is they would build these wall so that the people could be protected. Now what would happen is in the morning the people would go out into the fields and they would work the fields, and there would be watchmen and so forth, and if there was a problem like an approaching army or something an alarm would be sounded and the people would rush in and get inside the city, they'd close up the gates and they would arm themselves and so forth. But on a normal day they would be out in the fields and then as they watched the sun setting they got to a certain point they would start making their way back to the city. Why? Well they didn't want to spend the night in the field.

 It was dangerous and so they would make it back to the city. And so what would happen is in the city they would watch the sun going down and at a certain point they would close the gates of the city. And these gates were huge and heavy and so forth. They closed the gates of the city. Why would they do that? Well, because they were afraid that in the middle of the night some army might sneak up on them, come through the gates of the city and kill them as they slept. They were always afraid of an army getting inside of the walls of the city. 

You remember the Trojan horse? Just a few soldiers inside of this horse, they got them inside, they stayed quiet throughout the day, they waited until late in the evening and then while everybody was sleeping, except a few watchmen, they got out and the city was destroyed. They don't want people inside of the city so they would close the gates. Now that created a problem for some of the people who were a little late getting in from the fields or let's say caravans, great big camels coming and they'd been delayed on the trip, and they come up and the gates are already closed. Because they wouldn't open those gates after a certain time. And by the way I saw camels. And I tell you I was impressed. I mean I've seen horses. I've seen big horses. O, but those camels. I mean you can't touch the top of the hump, and they are big, they're really big okay? You get that? They're big. All right, they're big. 

Now in addition to how big they are they stack on carrying things across their back, all the possessions that are being brought by caravan and so forth. And you can just imagine that some of those things must have been 10, 12, maybe more feet wide out there carrying all these possessions on camels. And so anyway the people would come in, maybe there were a few late. So what they did is they had a smaller door in the gate that they would open for those who came late, and the smaller door you had to stoop down in order to get through it, and it was only wide enough for one person. Now why did they do that? Well, they figured that if it was an ambush situation, if they opened the small gate, and they just had a few soldiers stationed there, then the opposing army would come up and try to get through that little door. 

Well first off, if they were carrying any armor it would be difficult for them to bend over to get through the door, okay? And so that would be helpful to the defending few soldiers around the door, and also only one soldier at a time could get through that little door. And so if you had four or five or a doze or whatever soldiers inside of that, they only had to deal with one soldier at a time until they could get that door closed. Right? And that's why they had that door. Now what would happen when the camels and the caravans came in late? Well what they would have to do is they would have to remove from the camels outside whatever it is that they might be carrying, whatever possessions they might have, the camels would have to get down on their knees and crawl through that little door. The little door was called the eye of the needle. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Now what was necessary for the camel to get through the eye of the needle? That camel had to be separated from its possessions. What's the problem with rich people trying to get through that narrow gate that Jesus talked about? It's because of their reluctance to be separated from their possessions. They're trying to get those possessions through the narrow gate, the eye of the needle. It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God not willing to be separated from possessions. 

I am going to invite you to bow your heads and close your eyes because this is a very personal time. Perhaps as we've been looking at these Scriptures the Holy Spirit has been revealing to you areas in your own life that you have valued more highly than eternal life, your relationship with God. Maybe there are things in your life that you have allowed to rule you. Maybe there are things in your life that result in disobedience to what you know God wants you to do, and God's Holy Spirit has been talking with you and it's time for you this day to make a decision. We sang in our worship 'Our God reigns. He is clothed in majesty and our God reigns.' And that's true, but the most important truth is does He reign in you? To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge. To find the will of God is the greatest discovery. To do the will of God is the greatest achievement. Jesus said as recorded in John 12:26, If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me [to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living]. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. We have a promise. Does that promise mean more to you than whatever this world might have to offer?

Lord, Your word is so direct and so clear. You will not accept second place. And Lord it's not that we forsake earthly possessions, but that we are willing to forsake earthly possessions if that's what You call us to do, that we might be obedient to You. Lord help us to see things from an eternal perspective, for surely Lord when we do so we realize how trivial and how temporary whatever this world has to offer really is when compared to eternity. Lord thank you for church family and that we can be reminded of this, as we need to be from time to time, to keep an eternal perspective that we might live lives that bring honor and glory to You. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord.

Let's stand. Lord as we go forth from this place once again we are reminded of the great calling to which You have called us, the great responsibility which is ours. For You have called us to be Your ambassadors and represent You and Your kingdom to this world. And Lord, we don't understand how we can do that because You are perfect and holy and infinite, and we are imperfect and unholy and so very finite. And yet Lord that's the calling to which You have called us and You said that the Holy Spirit is going to empower us, and so Lord we depend upon the guidance and the empowering of Your Holy Spirit. Lord You've prepared for us opportunities to share the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Help us to be sensitive to those opportunities, friends, coworker, neighbors, family members. And may it be Lord that somehow Your glory shows in our lives to the extent that it attracts people to You through us. Thank you Lord. Thank you for Your mercies that new every morning. Thank you that we can leave this place not having to carry the condemnation of sin. Thank you Lord for all that You've done and continue to do, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. God bless you.