THE LAST STEP TO ULTIMATE FREEDOM
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Don’t miss Rethink Rich Part 1 and Part 2.
Previously we learned that you don’t need a lot of money to live a rich life. Jesus offers us all a rich life without the need for wealth.
Additionally, we observed that it is difficult to overcome the temptation of wanting more money to be satisfied. The primary key to overcoming the love of money is to guard our hearts. We achieve this by maintaining a close relationship with Jesus Christ.
In the final part of this series, we uncover the last step to ultimate freedom.
Like a bird soaring through the sky, we all desire to feel free. We want to come out from under the weight of this world. We want to be free from desire, debt, and discouragement.
In many ways, we feel like a bird in a cage. We know that Jesus has opened the door to our cage, but we still feel trapped and unable to escape.
So, how can we be free? Freedom isn’t something you do; it’s something God does for you. The only thing you can do is to accept what Jesus has already done for you.
Our culture repeatedly tells us that freedom comes from financial independence. However, the Bible shares a story about a rich young man who had financial independence. Yet, he was not free.
Read these few verses carefully to see why wealth cannot ultimately give us what we want.
Mark 10: 17-23 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
HOW EASY IT IS TO GIVE EVERYTHING AWAY
Does it sound like Jesus is asking too much from this man? After all, I haven’t met many Christians who have sold all of their possessions. It can sometimes seem like Jesus expects the unreasonable. Are Jesus’ expectations too high? Are some churches’ expectations too high?
The truth is that we have all given a lot away in our lives for much less worthy causes.
- Some people have paid hundreds of dollars to sit in the snow for hours on hard seats to watch a sports event.
- Some people have given their whole heart to someone they thought they loved only to realize that that person was a mistake.
- Some people wake up at 4 am to train for the Olympics, all while giving up their youth, their relationships, and their future health.
- Some people pile thousands of debt onto credit cards to spend long days sweating in line at theme parks.
- Some people get so caught up in gambling that they bet away their entire life savings and more.
- Some people will become so addicted to drugs that they will lose their jobs, their health, and even have their children taken away.
The point isn’t that we make bad decisions (even though we sometimes do). The point is that everyone has given up something in life to gain something they thought was better.
Jesus gives an example of this in Scripture.
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
To claim that Jesus is asking too much is to misunderstand the gravity of what Jesus offers us. The greatest treasure anyone could ever hope for is to escape hell and to gain heaven. Not to mention the additional benefit of being together with Jesus for all eternity.
WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE STRESSED AND UNHAPPY
The man in this biblical account could not bring himself to follow Jesus’ direction. He faced a seemingly tough choice. After all, we can identify with the struggle to fully trust Christ, especially when it comes to giving up things that are precious to us.
Yet, Jesus reminds us of an important concept.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Consider what Jesus was offering here to this young man. He said, “Follow me.” Can you imagine walking together with God?! Can you imagine hearing His voice, touching His hand, witnessing His miracles? It was a dream offer from the Creator of the universe.
Yet, he walked away. Not only did he walk away, but he walked away sad. Why would anyone continue to choose something that ultimately makes them miserable? Why wouldn’t he pick Jesus and walk away free? Why couldn’t he allow himself to be happy and free?
The reason is that he had too much invested in his pursuit of riches to give it all away.
We are often the same way.
We think we have too much invested in our pursuits to give over our lives to Jesus. We want his salvation, but we do not want to give anything up. We want eternal life but not at the cost of living under God’s rule. We want to be free from worry and, at the same time, free from God’s restrictions. Deep in our hearts is a desire to make our own rules and to live by the beat of our own drum.
We don’t want to closely follow Jesus because there’s no telling where he might lead us. We might be asked to do something that we do not like. We do not want to surrender to God’s lordship.
SO, WE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE AND WORRY AND SUFFER IN THIS LIFE BECAUSE WE REFUSE TO YEILD TO GOD.
THE LAST STEP TO ULTIMATE FREEDOM
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Imagine a faraway king who had a perfect kingdom. This king was so wealthy that none of his subjects were poor. His government was so effective that no one ever committed a crime. No one had to worry about suffering or danger. The king’s life was as perfect as his kingdom.
He had everything anyone could ever wish for, but there was one problem. He could not be with the woman he loved. Sadly, the woman had cheated on him. Not only that, but she was a deceiver and a criminal. She was forced to live in exile with the consequences of her rebellion.
However, the king had mercy on this woman. He loved her and desired to save her from her deserving fate. In this, he hoped that she might return to his side and that they might live happily ever after.
So, he left his kingdom and his riches and his perfect life to secure her rescue.
He arrived in her homeland, disguised as weak and poor. He searched for his love to rescue her. The people did not know him and did not believe he was a king. They laughed at him and even became angry at him.
Finally, he found his love and told her that he had come to rescue her. Surprisingly, she refused. She had grown to love her new master more than him. He could tell that years of suffering had hardened her heart.
Nevertheless, he went about trying to win back her love. He knew that she would need to be freed to come home with him. However, the only way to free her was to pay her debt. This debt would cost him his very life.
He loved her so much that he paid that price. He gave his life to deliver her from her slave master. Her cage door swung open. She was free to go.
But the story doesn’t end there.
The king was so powerful that not even death could hold him. He returned to life and came to take his love with him back to his perfect kingdom.
The question is, would she realize her love for the king who gave all he had to prove his love? Or would she remain in love with the slave master who had ruined her life but somehow managed to steal her heart in the process? Who would she choose to go with?
Only you can answer the question.
You see, that king’s name is Jesus, and you are the one he loves. He gave up all He had; riches, glory, worship, peace, and a life of perfection to save you from your sins. He died to free you from death and hell. He loves you so much that those things were worth giving up.
Jesus does not ask us to do something He has not already done.
Freedom is only a turn away. A turn away from everything you’re holding on to and a turn into the arms of Jesus. The door is open. The decision is yours to make. Walk away sad or run to Jesus. He’s waiting with arms wide open.
Learn more about how to trust Jesus as Savior. Click here
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