What's Choking You? | SermonIndex

T

TMK Aug 29, 2016

"Now as He was going out on the road, a young woman dressed in Armani and carrying a Gucci bag and an iPhone 7 came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to her, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” And she answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at her, loved her, and said to her, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell all of your designer clothes and accessories on E-bay, and give the proceeds to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But she was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for she had a closet full of designer labels and many friends on Facebook." (Mark 10:17-22, TMK paraphrase).
-----------------------

Note that in the above story (and the original with the rich young ruler), the text says that Jesus loved them, and then proceeded to tell them to get rid of their stuff. Why? Because Jesus knew that their stuff was keeping them out of the Kingdom. It was a distraction for them. Jesus knew they would be much better off without the things that the world so values.

In the parable of the sower, recall that some of the seeds "fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.” Jesus explained that these seeds represent those "who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (See Mk. 13)

So, the question we have to ask ourselves: Is anything choking our ability to relate to Jesus? Is anything distracting us? It could be anything, and it might be very subtle. Take the time to think about this, and take action if necessary.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you””unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Cor. 13:5)

sermonindex Aug 29, 2016

A good modern parable, brother Todd, but how many young evangelicals would just laugh and call these things their necessities in our civilization. And how many older evangelicals are there who could not give up their retirement dreams and savings, their bucket lists of things to accomplish and even the cruise to the Holy Land.

I frequently have to evaluate what I am starting to hold on to. It is so easy to be choked out. Lord show us what is taking hold of us. May we hold loosely to the things of this world.

Praying, dear brother, for those He loves to seek Him first and lay all down at His feet for His Kingdom.

Sis Les

T

TMK Aug 29, 2016

Yes it is a very difficult thing. It would seem that the way our society is set up, many things would seem to be necessities.

And it does not have to be a big thing. A tiny drop of water down the wrong pipe can choke a person for several minutes.

An interesting thing about this parable is that when Jesus was through with the rich young man, he did not turn to the other bystanders and tell them all to "go and do likewise." His word for each of us is specific to us and us only. The truth of the necessity of cross-bearing is universal; what we must lay down in order to pick up the cross is tailor-made.

sermonindex Aug 29, 2016

Very good modern parable for this day & age. Yet the spiritual truths are timely. Thought-provoking question to myself. What am I hanging it on to that prevents me from taking up my cross to follow Jesus?

W

watchnpray Aug 29, 2016

Excellent paraphrase! And very creative of you. I write for a living and I couldn't have put it better myself.

J

jujashan4 Aug 30, 2016

Also with the rich young man Jesus didn't water things down or try to make it easy for him and when he "went away sorrowful" Jesus didn't keep talking to him trying to get him to change his mind.
Helpful for me to consider these things.

T

TMK Aug 30, 2016

Yes- it is amazing how Jesus trusted the Holy Spirit to do His work in the man. Well- amazing is not the right word- of course he trusted him. Its just that I had not considered that before.

I have heard it theorized that the young ruler may have been Joseph if Aramathea. Of course no way to know for sure but something to think about.

J

JFW Aug 30, 2016

Wow! Yeah brother Todd that hits home-

Very good word brother:)

sermonindex Aug 30, 2016

For me it is the Internet. I do not have stuff, i like music but it doesn't hold me back, I don't care about movies. The internet is too interesting it's too much data, including SI. Ones I was travelling and did not have access for 2 weeks, my spiritual state was much better. Would Jesus say disconnect the internet and follow me? Then what about the sermons, the friends, the beautiful music, and the news, is it all vanity?

J

JFW Aug 30, 2016

Personally I don't think it's the stuff... stuff is just stuff, ya kno?
Seems (to me) it's more about our attachment to it that is vanity.

sermonindex Aug 30, 2016

I think you are correct, JFW. It is what we attach our heart to and what we love more than the Lord. We cannot point at things or stuff, we must look at our heart and the lusts of our flesh.

Internet (some things), music, sermons, friends can all be good. They don't become bad because we do too much of them, it is our heart and our desires that are out of whack.

1 Cor 10:23 ALL THINGS are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: ALL THINGS are lawful for me, BUT ALL THINGS EDIFY NOT.

Wouldn't it be nice to just live an ascetic life and then we will not have any problems? LOL

sermonindex Aug 30, 2016

Amen, great discussion everyone. I might add that the "stuff" is not a problem to Him as long as we let it go when He has need of it, right? And our time and affections too...probably not a big deal to God until He calls us to sit with Him and we ignore that prompting. Then it doesn't matter what we are doing, it could be a religious activity, but if the Lord is calling us away to the secret place, then whatever we were doing becomes a stumbling block to us. I hope that came out right?

sermonindex Aug 30, 2016

Ok. You are right, sometimes I feel the pulling that I should stop, but i give in to the desire, it seems not sinful, just general curiosity.

sermonindex Aug 30, 2016

I waste way too much time online. My grandmother lived to almost 100 years old and said her secret was to push her plate away while she was still hungry. She always walked away from the table with room left in her stomach. When it comes to non-sinful pursuits we have to learn to shut them down at the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

E

Elibeth Aug 30, 2016

Good conversation....

While on earth,Jesus showed many examples,...teaching us,..reflecting
on the life,...requirements before His death verses the life,...requirements that would come after His death.

Jesus,knew this man's riches was very dear to him,...(Overly love of)
So Jesus put His finger on that.....required that.

It may be that,..it may be something else w/ us,...as He leads by His Spirit.
He was teaching,that if this man / we were to enter into the kingdom of God,we must be led by (obey) His Spirit of Grace,...drawings.

Washed by the washing of Water by The Word,....
This man was not willing to be washed by Jesus'Words to him.He clung
to his own words / will.

In His love,
--------------
elizabeth

T

TMK Aug 30, 2016

Thanks for all the input!

"Matthew 4:18-22 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They ***immediately*** left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and ***immediately*** they left the boat and their father, and followed Him."

I thinks this gets to Mark's point-- the fact that the disciples **immediately** left their nets when Jesus called reflected the relative unimportance of their nets. They obviously did not liquidate their boats and fishing gear because we later see them fishing, even with Jesus.

Jesus is Master; he allows us to have stuff- until He has need of it (like the upper room or the donkey colt) or until he has need of US. We cannot divide our loyalties because Jesus is infinitely more important than any personal interest.

sermonindex Aug 30, 2016

lets not forget that Christ Himself was under the law and proclaimed the law.

Gal 4:4-5 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

The new Covenant did not come into effect until after He died and arose from the dead.

Christ was only talking to one person here. Now it is true that all scripture is inspired but this does not apply to us at all. This statement of Christ is never repeated after the New Covenant went into effect. It was never given as a requirement to anyone. Salvation is by faith not by any works of the law

The rich young ruler had really thought he had obeyed the law.

Had he obeyed? NO! He loved money more than God. Jesus knew this and exposed his lie. Christ was only showing that salvation is impossible for men but ONLY possible by God.

Mark 10:26, "And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible."

Now I am sure that no one here really believes that if the rich young ruler had sold everything that he would really "inherit eternal life".

How could he? The law could make no one holy or give life.

Remember without faith it is impossible to please God.

If he could have inherited eternal life then that would set aside grace completely.

T

TMK Aug 30, 2016

The young ruler did not need faith because he was rich. Jesus commanded a practical solution to that problem.

Being a disciple, which is another way of saying being a Christian, means (as I have heard Tozer say) that Jesus comes first and everything else is last.

The application of the parable to us is not in regard to salvation but rather discipleship. Cross-bearing by definition requires laying something down. We cannot hold on to things in one hand and still carry the cross in the other.

sermonindex Aug 30, 2016

Have enjoyed reading everyone's response to this thoughtful discourse.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven."

In my own life, the times of being "poor", meaning living day to day not knowing where the next paycheck or meal was coming from, these are the times I truly did live in the Kingdom of heaven, for I prayed more, I saw more little miracles and big ones, too. And I think I was perpetually more grateful to the Lord!

And there were times of plenty and I start to take for granted the provisions of God and am not as grateful to Him. I'm in such a place now, and I almost long for the days when I didn't know where provision would come.

This is the tension of a life with our Lord. There are times of famine and times of plenty and the times of plenty are when we need to lean in to hear our Lord.

I liked what Mark's grandmother said, she pushed the plate away from the table before she was full, then she went away a little hungry. That is how we must be to live in the Kingdom! Thanks bro Mark :-)

Sis Les

sermonindex Aug 30, 2016

You said "The young ruler did not need faith because he was rich."

Again - NO one can please God without faith.

Even Christ Himself lived a "life of FAITH"