This week Christians from all over the world will reflect on the events that led to Jesus' crucifixion on the cross, and the resurrection that would come after. My Bible Study Group has been going through the book of Luke, and we are also (scripturally) looking at the last days of Jesus' time on earth.
Ironically, there is a lot of talk about money in the scriptures before Holy Week, and with the recent Mega Millions Lottery frenzy, what Jesus said is still true today. Money is a necessity for us to have a roof over our heads and be able to eat, but it is also one of the greatest barriers to people trusting in God and wanting the free gift of salvation that Jesus paid for (with his life) on the cross. In Jesus last day's, he had many encounters with people giving us insight to why He would say:
"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You can not serve both God and Money." Luke 16:13
If you read through Luke 16-19, you will see a lot of talk about how money can be a barrier to depending on God. The shrewd manager over charges the master's debtors out of greed, and we learn that we are to use worldly wealth to help others enter the kingdom of God. Then there is the rich man who passes by a beggar at his gate and never gives him anything. The rich man and the beggar die, and the rich man is in hell begging for the beggar to bring him water. The rich man learns that he had no compassion for the poor, and loved his money more. Yet, his money did not pay for him to enter the kingdom of heaven.
One of my favorite stories is about Zacchaeus the tax collector. He had heard about Jesus, so that when Jesus came to his town, this short man climbed into a tree to see Him. Zacchaeus was wealthy from collecting extra taxes from his own people, the Jews. When Jesus saw Zacchaeus, he called for him to come down so He could go to his house. Zacchaeus is so changed by this encounter, he invites all of his (sinful) friends to come over, and then tells Jesus he is giving back all the money he cheated people out of, and giving his money to the poor. Zacchaeus was willing to lay down all he had for salvation.
After I purchased my own Mega Million tickets (5), I went home and started dreaming about what I would do with 640 million dollars. It did not take long for me to become disgusted with the thought that one person would have so much. I started thinking of the problems that kind of money would bring, and the focus I would have to put into managing that kind of wealth. I thought about how it could make the lives of people around me easier, but then does God really want our lives to be easy due to money?
Jesus talked about money before his death on the cross because it is the one thing that makes us feel self-sufficient and in no need of God. We want the American Dream, not the Kingdom Dream.
As we enter into Holy Week, we should all ask ourselves some questions. What consumes my life? Do I try to manipulate God to get something? What am I consumed with keeping? What would destroy me if I lost it?
Wealth means nothing in the heavenly realm. In the midst of all this talk, Jesus was telling his disciples that He was going to die soon, but would be resurrected. The disciples could not grasp what He was saying, and mostly because they had their own ideas on what the Jewish Messiah was there for. They were hoping that Jesus would be the answer to their political and social problems, and were forgetting all they had heard and seen while traveling with Jesus the past three years.
Jesus entered Jerusalem on a colt, not a noble steed. He did not come in a chariot with pride and power, but on a donkey with humbleness and a heavy heart. In the midst of the procession of palm branches and yelling "Hosanna", Jesus cried over the city that did not understand what was to come.
This was the final straw for the religious leaders. Jesus had called them out too many times about not following the law with love, instead of greed. They did not like this guy, and they were going to do something about it. However, this was all in God's plan. Jesus entered Jerusalem as our final sacrifice before God.
He was about to pay the ultimate price for us...for me. What can I do to repay such a gift?
Sandy
