Good morning, I pray that your day is one of blessing and joy.
Imagine with me please, an individual who has his mind made up regarding the existence of God and Jesus Christ. He has decided that he has no time for such nonsense and is a firm believer in getting all that you can while you can. He is happy to share his point of view, explaining that his expensive car, big house, nice clothes, jewelry, etc. are the true indicators of a successful life. We might even admit to a bit of envy from time to time as we see such people flaunting their riches.
But then the day will come, as it comes for all of us. There is a final day of breath. There is a final moment, and after that all of the possessions in the world are quite meaningless. We leave this world as we entered it, naked and finding ourselves in a new reality. The tiny newborn infant screams as the cold air envelopes him or her. This new reality seems harsh compared with the existence they have known. What sound will escape from the person described above? Can you imagine what it would be like to have devoted yourselves to a lie, a lie that now leaves you alone and terrified?
We read in Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
There is a moment for every human being when we will acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. It will be a cry of extreme joy as we finally are able to embrace Him and know His love face to face. Or it will be a moment of shock and terror as a person realizes that they got it all wrong, that there is indeed a God of the universe, and that Jesus Christ is the only way to come to Him in peace and without fear. They have denied God, and they have refused Jesus, and they have earned an eternity of horror without any chance to change their mind.
Luke shares Jesus’ teaching of this truth in Luke 12:13-21 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “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: I will tear down my barns and build larger 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, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Jesus isn’t impressed or concerned with a family argument over who gets what or who gets the most. He is concerned with a greater issue. Jesus cares about forever. Jesus’ warning is that the attractive path of this world, a path that glitters and shines, will one day utterly fail. It is a path that ends badly. When He says: But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you. His claim isn’t that the person is intellectually challenged, it is that they are morally challenged and ultimately they are lost.
We have all heard the old adage “You can’t take it with you!” and it is partly true. No, you can’t take any of your “stuff,” but you can take with you the righteousness that is yours through Christ. You can take with you the joy of knowing that God’s promises are true and that your eternity is glorious. You can take with you the peace that surpasses understanding and the love of God that has guided you through life.
Throughout every day we face choices. Jesus tells us to choose wisely.
Vern