9.4-Is it okay to be rich if you are a follower of Jesus?

9.4-

It is true that Jesus came into the world in humble circumstances without power.  His parents had to submit to the boot of Roman rulers who demanded they travel to Bethlehem to register for the census.  It is not just a Christmas story that there was no room for them in the inn and the baby was wrapped in clothes and laid in a manger.  

Today we have ministers who have turned the focus of their congregations to developing and maintaining religious and political power.

I believe that it is true that in the church for 2,000 years we have had some who were comparatively “rich” and some who were “poor”.   Those of us in America in a world comparison are rich.  We must be careful to stay humble and grounded in Jesus as our only secure treasure.  

Riches can become a distraction.  Our basic work of having compassion on those who are poor and need to hear the good news.  The practical work of feeding the hungry and giving water to the thirsty and visiting the sick and the prisoner.  The work of welcoming the alien stranger into our country and homes and churches mark of those who have entered into the kingdom of heaven kind of life.

I am reminded by Jesus today by this story to stay focused on worship of Jesus and never to worship things.

Luke 18

¹⁸ A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” ²¹ And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” ²² When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²³ But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. ²⁴ And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ For it is easier for a camel to ^[g]go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
²⁸ Peter said, “Behold, we have left ^[h]our own homes and followed You.” ²⁹ 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, ³⁰ who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”
³¹ Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. ³² For He will be ^[i]handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, ³³ and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.” ³⁴ But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.