In my Revolution Church Life Group for the past three weeks, we've been paralleling two encounters Jesus had. One was with this guy that we know as "The Rich Young Ruler." (We joked in our life group last night that he probably goes unnamed because of how embarrassed he would have been after this encounter with Jesus.) The other encounter we looked at was with a man named Zacchaeus. Both filthy rich men who held high positions in their communities. Both had encounters with Jesus. Yet both stories turn out incredible different.
Take a look for yourself!
Read both of the stories here before you continue:
There are so many points that we pulled out of these stories that maybe I'll blog on another time, but one point that so radically changed my viewpoint on money, possessions and God's opinion about it all.
We see in the story of TRYR that when he asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, (or in other words "be saved") that Jesus responds that He must sell EVERYTHING he has and give ALL the money to the poor.
In Zacchaeus' encounter with Jesus, we don't know what their discussion was over dinner. Did he say the same things to Zacchaeus that he said to TRYR? Did he point out other areas in Zacchaeus' life that were prevent him from living an abundant life? Maybe when it came to Zacchaeus, Jesus was less concerned with the possessions he had and more concerned with how he acquired them. (I mean really, later he even semi confessed to cheating people on their taxes. We honestly don't know. But when it's all said and done, Zacchaeus tells Jesus he's going to give HALF of everything he owns to the poor and pay back anyone he has cheated out of money 4 times over. After Zacchaeus says this, Jesus says that salvation has come to his home. Essentially Jesus is saying that Zacchaeus is saved.
But wait, how come TRYR had to give up everything in order to be saved and Zacchaeus got away with just giving up a little more than half?
Because the bottom line is that God doesn't want your stuff. He doesn't want your money. He doesn't want your possessions. God just wants His Son to be our greatest possession.
He knew that it would take TRYR getting rid of everything in order for him to be able to follow Jesus and love Him whole heartedly. He knew that TRYR had all of his love, affection, thoughts and actions tied to his money and possessions. He couldn't move or breathe or act without them. Getting rid of everything was the only way he could see Jesus clearly. There was no other option for this particular guy. If he wanted salvation, it had to be everything.
Zacchaeus on the other hand, Jesus knew where his heart really was. He knew that there were no emotional attachments that he had to his "stuff." So half was enough for Zacchaeus to right the wrongs in his life. Half was enough for him to make decisions that would be pleasing to God and proof that Jesus was his sole treasure. Half was enough to bring salvation.
This should come as a relief to those who are on the fence about God or "church stuff" or tithing. God doesn't need or want your stuff. He wants your heart. So whatever your heart is tied to that is not His Son will always be the thing that God tells you to get rid of when you ask what you must do to follow Jesus more closely.
Now go back and re-read the responses of both men. One walked away sad, burned by his possessions, thinking only of what he had to lose. The other walked away freed up, joyful, thinking of everything he had to gain.
Who would you like to be more like?
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