This sermon was preached by Pastor Naftali Ogalo of Grace Baptist Church, Eldoret, Kenya, for the Lord's Day, 22nd of August, 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. We welcome you to join with us for worship at Grace Baptist Church, Eldoret. We are located within West Indies Air State on Kago Street. behind Kogelflatt's elderly town. A number of years ago, to be precise, in 1979, around there, there was a TV movie that was called The Rich Also Cry. Now, it was basically showing that even the rich people have their own period of time when life may prove very difficult and even meaningless to them. Of course, during those days, we watched the movie series, admiring the wealth portrayed, but also sympathizing with the main character, Mariana, in her sufferings. You know what? Riches have continued to delude and deceive many. Riches remain elusive for those who are pursuing it. It has plunged many into terrible things, into lying, hatred, and even murder, just so that they can be rich. We read and hear so much of that in the news. One of those things that riches cannot give is acceptance with God. As much as people want to go to heaven, riches cannot give them acceptance with God. This morning I want us to learn wisdom from him who was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, that we might become rich. Please turn with me to Matthew chapter 19, Matthew 19, verses 23 to 30. I want to read those verses. These verses, of course, follow the story we looked at last week, the story of the rich young ruler, where we learned a few things. We learned that many people feel the need And so they ask, what must I do to get eternal life? Then we also saw that many people are unfortunately mistaken in their seeking after eternal life. And finally, we did see that eternal life comes through the way of repentance and faith. Let me read these verses then. as we seek to follow God's Word. From verse 23, And Jesus said to his disciples, Truly I say to you, only with great difficulty will a rich man 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 person to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Then Peter said in reply, See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, You who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. but many who are fast will be lost, and the lost fast. Let us pray. Lord, our God, thank you so much for the Lord Jesus Christ, who we read about, that though he was rich, he became poor, that for our sake we might become rich. when we know Him, when we're united to You. Oh Lord, we pray therefore that this passage will help us, will point us to the right place and the right way of living and that we may not be stuck in the quagmire of riches. Lord, hear our prayer. Bring good from your word. For this we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. So this passage, Matthew chapter 19, of course following closely from what we saw last week, the Lord Jesus has basically two things here. One, there is a warning And two, there is a promise. I want us to see then first the warning. And in his warning he says, do not put your trust in riches if you'd be saved. Don't put your trust in riches if you'd be saved. And we see that verses 23 to 25. You see, riches have the tendency to bind and blind people. You see, riches or wealth has a powerful hold on the heart of people. Riches prevent people from obtaining that attitude of heart and mind which is necessary to salvation. Riches produce some false sense of security. Riches bring about temptation to trust in material resources and personal power. And so please don't forget the rich young ruler with his riches tied to his heart, departed in sorrow from the very giver of life. Don't forget that. So as we are looking at this passage, and in the first part, the warning where Jesus says, don't put your trust in riches if you'd be saved, In verse 23 and 24, I want us to see a few things that A, Jesus sets the warning in verses 23 to 24. You see the parallel passage in Mark. Mark tells us, he looked at them. Then he pressed the point home where in our verse 23 he says, truly I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. And that simply put, Mark tells us how difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. And then the Lord Jesus adds that the disciples got amazed. They were taken aback at his words. So Jesus said to them again, and he addresses them using the word children that is in Mark. Children, children. And now, if you look at verse 24, where he adds these words, again, I tell you, 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. Now, that is an interesting proverb there. that it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle. It's a way of speaking, a way of speaking to show how impossible something is. And let's not forget, the impossibility Jesus is talking about here is the rich person being saved. It is so impossible by his ability, by his wealth, by his money, by his fame, it is impossible for him to acquire acceptance or righteousness with God. You see, because people cling to their riches, And this clinging to riches hinders a person's attempt to enter God's kingdom. Let me show you how that works out in three simple ways. There could be more ways, but I'm thinking of three simple ways. One, riches blinds you. from the uncertainty of the future. A person who is rich is also engrossed in his riches, so preoccupied with his riches, that the uncertainty of tomorrow is not registered. Look at Luke chapter 12 verse 20. Luke 12 verse 20. There's a very interesting story there that the Lord Jesus gives. That's the parable of the rich fool. And now this person, we're told, had plenty. He had received quite a bit of of goods. Let me begin it from the middle of verse 16. The land of a rich man produced plentifully. And he thought to himself, what shall I do? For I have nowhere to store my crops. And he said, I will do this. He got an answer as it were. I will tear down my burns and build large ones. And there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. Relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, fool, this night your soul is required of you. There we are, the uncertainty of the future. This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? Verse 21, so is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. And so we see here, therefore, this person rich in the things of this world. And he takes it easy and he says, soul, relax. But he was told, tonight your soul is required. In other words, you're supposed to give account of your life. He was not prepared. So that is what one of the things that clinging to riches produces. It blinds you from the uncertainty of the future, the unknown tomorrow. There's something else, secondly, in other words. Riches hinder loyal service to God. The rich will be hindered by their riches from serving the Lord. Matthew 6 24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. You cannot serve God and riches or God and wealth. It will hinder the loyal service. But thirdly, riches produce a heart of pride. Heart of pride. and self-satisfaction, which swells higher than a camel. And that's what we read in verse 24, Matthew 19. And so, Matthew 19, 24. You see, as we are thinking about that point, which is producing a heart of pride and self-satisfaction, but which swells higher than a camel. Think about this. Some would count their riches or wealth in terms of what? Maybe face beauty. They are beautiful to behold. Some, maybe the body built. They have such a body that as they swing it around, Their hearts are full of pride and self-satisfaction. Some, maybe just the intelligence of the head, they have some cleverness. And because of their intelligence, pride comes. Watch, watch. Because the door of salvation, my friends, the door of salvation is both low, and therefore it calls for humility, and also narrow, and it calls for stripping all excesses. two illustrations that a camel cannot go through. A camel cannot go through a low entrance. It lacks that humility as it were. A camel cannot go through some narrow entrance because it would have to strip all the excesses pride is there in people's heart and self-satisfaction. And you must watch. You know, the Bible tells us in 1 Timothy chapter 6, as it warns us against riches. It says, chapter 6 verse 9, 1 Timothy, but those who desire to be rich, that's their desire, their longing, their yearning, their desire to be rich, these people fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plague people, or plunge people, excuse me, plunge people into ruin and destruction. Now that is what we learn. Desire for riches lead people to destruction, not to salvation. They may desire it. The rich young ruler desired salvation, but he could not because he was tied to his riches. It led him to destruction instead. And so the Lord warns that we take heed. Our hearts tied to riches will land a person into hell. Now, wait a minute, wait a minute. Someone might raise an objection. as I'm preaching about riches here and warning, giving that last warning that a heart tied to riches would lead you into hell. But someone would say, no, riches surely are from God. It is God who gives riches. So it must be a sign of his favor. In other words, If I am rich, then that means God's smile is upon me. But please, do not take God's word that far. You see, when the Lord Jesus began and he sets the warning before them, and talked about the deceitfulness of riches, we now see in part B the disciples' reaction of surprise and wonder. Their reaction of surprise and wonder there in verse 25. We are back to Matthew, Matthew chapter 9, chapter 19, verse 25. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, who then can be saved? And you see, that's why that objection is being raised. Oh, I thought the rich should be saved because riches should be an indication that God's smile is upon them. But you see, the disciples took passages which were convenient to them, but not faithfully, not fully. It's true, God had promised prosperity, material prosperity, spiritual prosperity to the obedient Israel. But they had put wrong conclusion. They had wrong conclusion. It worked out like this in their thinking. Individual prosperity equals the sign of God's favor. And listen to this. Individual misfortune, individual problems, individual difficulties equals or is a sign of God's displeasure. And that is the thought that so often was there in the Old Testament, particularly the book of Job. In the book of Job, the friends of Job who came to console him when he was in trouble of sickness and calamity and bereavement, disaster. You know what they told Job? Wicked man. will not be rich. For them, Job was just a wicked person, so his riches had to be taken away. Job chapter 15 verse 29 and also chapter 4 verse 7. But you see, the thought that, this wrong thought that the people of Job had in his Even the people in the days of the Lord Jesus, they had the wrong teaching. They had the wrong, wrong ideas. Let me show you in Luke chapter 13, Luke chapter 13, verses one to five. These people had a wrong idea of riches or God's favor. This is what we read. There were also some present at that very time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he, that is Jesus, he answered them, do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Verse four, all those 18 on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. You see, the Lord Jesus is showing that calamity, a problem, a difficulty, bereavement, sickness, coronavirus, when these things happen to a person, It does not mean that God's favor is less upon them. It does not mean that they are worse offenders than other people. It does not mean that God's favor is not upon them. No! The Lord Jesus insists and says, unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. So really anything that happens, the Lord Jesus is forcing us to get back to what matters most, repentance, seeking to be right with God, returning to God. And that should be the response or the reaction of anyone and everything. You see, even in today's life, very today, many are like the disciples, where people think that riches means God's automatic favor leading to salvation. But that is wrong. In fact, the scriptures tell us, Psalm 73, verse 12, behold, Psalm 73, 12, behold, these are the wicked always at ease. They increase in riches. So you see, riches don't mark nearness to God because the wicked are being seen here or being talked about here as rich and are at ease. For them, by the way, the passage goes on in verse 18, truly God has set them in slippery places. He makes them to fall into Jeremiah 9, verse 23 and 24 we read, don't be proud. Don't take pride in anything else. Be proud that you know the Lord. And so it must be underscored. Riches will not commend you to God. Someone has said read the danger sign on every material possession. Every material possession, you should be able to read a danger sign. In other words, do not build your hope, your confidence, your satisfaction on material possession. But actually, it is not just the rich. Even the poor are equally in this danger. You see, the rich get themselves glued on their riches, but the poor are also in danger where they crave for riches, and all, therefore, are in danger. So the disciples' reaction of surprise and wonder teach us the wrong perspective people have on riches. Well, we also see the next in verse 26, Jesus' most encouraging words. Jesus has great encouraging words in verse 26. And we're reading Matthew now, Matthew chapter 19, verse 26. But Jesus looked at them and said, with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. You see, even though Jesus saw them to have missed the point, their view of riches and the kind of a person who would be saved and what that indicates in regard to God, they were wrong. But Jesus does not rebuke them. Jesus instead looks at them and says, with man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. Now, of course, people have taken this verse out of context and want to build all manner of promises on it, and that is very unfair. We need to take note of the context. And what's the context? It is entering the kingdom of God. It is eternal life. It is salvation. You see, from beginning to end, you depend on God for salvation. of yourself, you cannot do anything. Nothing you can do to be saved. And that message needs to be heard, needs to be preached, needs to be underscored. Because people are deceived. People will do all manner of things seeking to receive or attain, obtain salvation, you can do nothing. You know why? Because salvation means being born again. A child being born does not contribute to his or her birth. No contribution. And that is the same with salvation. And you fail to get that, you will not receive genuine salvation. I ask, have you come to that position of appreciating the helplessness and total inability? You see, if you miss that, you cannot be saved. you cannot be saved. Now you may claim some experience, you walked to the front, you raised your hand, you said a prayer, all those things you can do, but you will not have gotten the genuine experience of salvation, which comes whereby or when a person sees their helplessness, and total inability and cry out, have mercy on me, O God. You see, what is impossible with man is possible with God. God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, saves and He saves completely. Salvation belongs to God. and we do not aid God. God does not come halfway and we've got to come the other halfway. It is God from A to Z. You see, you then may be asking, from what I've said so far, you may be saying now, wait a minute, I have been influenced by all that I see around, the media and all my colleagues, the way I see people chase after riches and talk about making money and obtaining wealth. I am sucked in that. I've been swallowed up so that my waking moments and sleeping moments. I think of how to make money, how to make more money, what I can do to make more and more. And so riches is very much in my mind. Is there hope for me? I feel tied. I feel plagued by this. I'm enslaved by craze for riches. Is there hope? Friends, there is hope, yes, because the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ extends even to the chief of sinners. That was Paul's testimony. And so Paul, writing to the Romans, he would tell them where sin increased, grace increased all the more. Let me say this, anything, anything that you feel has enslaved you, whatever it be, sexual immorality, lying, bitterness, drunkenness, Please, you can... I don't know your sin. You know what it is. And for some it is just plain craving after riches. There is hope. Where sin increased, grace increased all the more. You see, what we are looking at this passage is not having, but trusting in riches, which ruins the soul. So let us pray for contentment. Ask God to help you to be content, there is hope. Philippians chapter 4 verse 11. So we have seen so far then a warning, a warning that Paul sets before us where he said, that the Lord Jesus sets before us, do not put your trust in riches if you'd be saved. But now in the second and final place, a promise, a promise. If you become a Christian, if you become saved, you will certainly receive rewards now and eternal life thereafter. You become a Christian, you will certainly receive rewards now and eternal life thereafter. And that we see in verses 27 to 30. You see, being saved is not a lose all, gain nothing kind of life that people would want us to imagine Christianity is, no. Actually, Christianity or being saved is real and has gain. When we follow Christ, there is gain. Look at how it comes out here. You see, Peter, Peter spoke and his speaking was prompted by two things. His speaking was prompted by verse 21, where the Lord Jesus tells this person, the rich young ruler, Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me. That's one thing. The other thing that provoked Peter is the sad departure of this young man. He departs leaving Jesus so that now in verse 27, Peter said in reply, See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have? We've left all, we've followed you. Of course Jesus gives very positive response in verses 28 and 29. 28 and 29 There's no one who has left all those things who shall not receive all these things. I'm paraphrasing, but there in verse 28. In fact, Luke adds and says, many times more now and in the age to come, inherit eternal life. So The Lord Jesus is saying, Peter, you've asked a question that you've left all this and you've followed. Will there be anything as a result? And Jesus says, there will be. No one that has followed me will miss out. They will receive, as I've said, Luke captures it, they will receive many times more and in the age to come, inherit eternal life. Now that is a great promise that the Lord Jesus Christ gives. Great promise indeed. Remember, following Christ is a costly business. It is costly to follow Christ. In Matthew chapter 10, verse 38, we read this, Matthew 10, No, excuse me, Matthew 10, 38. We read this, and whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Following the Lord Jesus is costly. You take up your cross, that element of suffering and death. Jesus said, you follow me, take up your cross, be ready to die, be ready to suffer. But it pays double as it were. In other words, gospel suffering leads to great reward. And gospel suffering here is following, letting go of everything, following in obedience, following the master, the Lord Jesus. there is reward. You see, you may ask, is that real? Is that true? What assurance is there that if I should let go and abandon all and follow Christ, what assurance is there that I will get the things that are here being promised, that I will reign with Him, that I will judge the nations with Him. Is there any assurance? Actually, there are. There are two things in this passage to give you solid assurance. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is speaking here. And if it is Him, you know something? Jesus cannot lie. So that is assurance for you. The one who speaks, the one who promises is faithful. That's a strong promise. But if that is not enough, something else. Look at verse 28. Verse 28, Jesus, the speaker, Jesus said to them, truly I say to you, and then he goes on. When the Lord Jesus Christ speaks and he says truly, you know, that is double assurance. He is the speaker, one who cannot lie, but then He also says, what I am telling you is true. It's assuredly true. It's verily true. Wow, friends, for those two reasons, do you see? You cannot doubt the Lord Jesus has a great promise there. And now let me ask you surely, dear friends, you who are a Christian, you are saved. Would you say you have not experienced the genuine reward in this life? Let me remind you, let me just give you one point about that. The love the Christian love, the Christian love of one for another. Surely, that is something that we experience now. Now, we all come from homes. We've got moms and dads and brothers and sisters. But when we get saved, when we join a church, a true church of the Lord Jesus, a biblical church. What happens? We get new brothers and new sisters. And we feel and see them as our brothers and sisters. And we see and experience the love because we bear the name of Christ. You see, because we are related to Christ, so we are related to them. Oh, the love, the Christian love. Those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ for sure, they are missing out. But those who are genuinely saved, Isn't it true, dear listener, that if you're a believer, you have friends. You do not have any relation with them apart from the fact that they're believers and you're a believer. And that ties you close. And you genuinely love each other. and you pray for them and you wish well for them. And when they struggle, it pains you. And when they rejoice, you rejoice with them. These are things that Christ has ordained to be our portion now. Oh, the blessing of being a Christian. If you are not a Christian yet, if you're not saved, you are missing out. And I urge you, If there was no any other reason, think of what you're missing. You need to be saved to enter into a relationship with other believers, genuine relationship with other believers. You are not blood related, tribes different. And our church is an example to that. We have different communities, people from different ethnic groups, but we love each other. We look at each other in the eye and we can relate genuinely because of Christ. I encourage you to think about the benefit that we get in Christ. And you know what? Not only for now, but then eternal life awaits us, because it's something we're going to inherit, the end of us, 29, and we'll inherit eternal life. And remember who speaks? It's the Lord Jesus Christ. And remember the word He uses? Truly. Therefore, Eternal life is truly ours. Amen. I end. There is verse 30. We cannot leave it. It is there, and it is a timely warning. Verse 30 tells us, but many who are fast will be lost, and the lost fast. What do we make of those words? You see here, Jesus warns against self-deception. You see, the idea that since I have followed Christ, I'm in the group with his people, I made my way into a membership with his people, that therefore all is well with me, that I will receive reward now and eternal life then. when all along your heart is far from Him. There are situations like that. Talking with a dear sister recently who said, Pastor, I am concerned when I see what is happening around with so many who call themselves Christians, but then their lives do not Tully, do not add up to what the scripture says. I fear true Christians are few. You know what? This little verse, verse 30, is telling us, test yourself, test yourself. Don't be like Judas. who was in the group of the apostles, of the disciples, and ended up betraying his master. Don't be like Demas, who loved the present world and went away from Paul, as recorded in 2 Timothy 4, verse 9. How genuine is your commitment How genuine is your commitment? Ask yourself that question before it is too late. You see, let me remind you of what we have seen so far, and by that we end. Guard against the deceitfulness of riches if you would be saved. but see and be encouraged that serving Christ has its reward now and eternal life thereafter. Oh, may the Lord bless you. Amen.