The Obsession of Possessions:

A question is recorded in three of the four gospel accounts.

• In Matthew, someone came and said, “What good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?”
• In Mark, a man knelt before Him and asked, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
• In Luke, a ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

What is similar about all three accounts?

• A person has questions about eternal life.
• The person thinks Jesus has the answer.
• The person wants to know what they should DO to obtain (inherit) eternal life.

Matthew 19:17-19 “...And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself..."

Mark 10:18-19 “...And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 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.'..."

Luke 18:19-20 “...And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’...”

How does Jesus answer the “what shall I DO” question?

• He directs a person to the commandments.

Are the commandments what we DO?

Are the commandments a report card on our progress?

Has anyone ever kept the commandments perfectly?

How does the person respond?

• Matthew: “All these things I have kept; what do I still lack?”
• Mark: “all these I have kept from my youth.”
• Luke: “All these I have kept from my youth.”

Did Jesus question the person’s response?

• Mark: “Jesus, looking at him, loved him.” 
• Jesus didn’t challenge him. He loved him enough to share a deeper truth.

Matthew 19:21 “...If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me...”

Mark 10:21 “...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..."

Luke 18:22 “... When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me...”

What is the deeper truth that Jesus reveals with His challenge?

• How do our possessions possesses us?
• What we possess, we withhold from the Lordship of Christ.
• Our treasures on earth keep us from the treasure in heaven.
• We cannot serve two masters, and many times we aren’t serving the Lord.

Do you think Jesus wants everyone to sell all that they possess?

• I think He does!!
• God owns everything. We are but stewards.
• The “possessions” that get us in trouble are the things we claim as ours.
• What we think of as ours is rarely available for God to use as He sees fit.
• Good stewards don’t have “little” to work with, they have “abundance”.
• The abundance all belongs to God.
• We should “possess” nothing!
• We should distribute everything according to God’s direction.

How can we resolve the possessions/stewardship dilemma?

• Jesus makes it abundantly clear.
• We must follow Him.
• Walking with Him leads to proper stewardship.
• Only as we walk with Him will we take our hands off “our possessions” and become good stewards of God’s blessings.

Is eternal life obtained by DOing the commandments?

• Eternal life is obtained by surrendering earthly treasures.
• Eternal life is obtained by coming to Jesus.
• Eternal life is available to those who will follow Jesus.

How did the person receive the deeper truth from Jesus?

• Matthew: “he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
• Mark: “disheartened ... he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
• Luke: “he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.”

Matthew 19:23-24 “...And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person 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...”

Mark 10:23-25 “...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!” ... Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 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...”

Luke 18:24-25 “...Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For 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...”

Did this “Truly, I say to you” settle things for the disciples?

• Matthew: “they were greatly astonished, saying, “who then can be saved?”
• Mark: “the disciples were amazed at his words.”
• Luke: “those who heard it said, Then who can be saved?”

Matthew 19:26 “...But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible...”

Mark 10:27 “...Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God...”

Luke 18:27 “...But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God...”

Can a person find salvation from the tyranny of possessions?

• Not by their own ”DO” efforts.
• Come, follow Jesus, and observe how God makes all things possible.

Matthew 19:28-30 “...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 first will be last, and the last first...”

Mark 10:29-31 “...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, 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. But many who are first will be last, and the last first...”

Luke 18:29-30 “...And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life...”

What is the ultimate value obtained from leaving the world’s way to follow Jesus?

• Eternal Life.