timewerx
the village i--o--t--
I believe Jesus told the rich man to do your opening statement. That is because he was wealthy and that is where his heart was, and Jesus was right there with him.
A respectable, multinational company offers a Christian a very nice job, no strings attached, he took it right away.
Some stranger who claims to be guided by the Holy Spirit tells this Christian to go live and settle permanently in a foreign country far away together with his family. The country is war torn, dominated by Muslims and desperately needing the Gospel for no other Christian/family is brave enough to live and settle there. He had serious doubts, he even dismiss the stranger for thinking he/she's of the devil.
Where do you think this Christian's heart is??
The second paragraph is clearly God's Will and what Jesus commands - go make disciples of all nations, preach the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. It obviously includes places that are extremely dangerous but sadly, starving of the Gospel for no Christian is brave enough to preach the Gospel to them??
Do you think it's God's will for his people to starve from the Gospel?? It's because very few Christians only wants to do God's Will, God's work! If it's hard, if it's dangerous, most would never think it's God's Will for them!
For they love their lives and their families more than God. They are not worthy of Him.. They will lose everything!
Would you think Jesus would never ask you something radical and really hard, I bet he would!
For the rich man loved his possessions, and Jesus demanded him to sell those...
Do you think that is easy, do you think that is not radical?? Try selling your house, everything inside, empty your bank, give all the money to the poor. Do you think that is easy?
Most Christians assume God will never ask them anything too hard and too dangerous. But look at the rich man, he went home sad and broken in the spirit!
That is why we need to build our faith. It's also useless to have a home when Christ commanded to go to all nations, to the ends of the Earth to find the Lost Sheep.We all can't roam the Earth without a home and poor just to follow Christ.
Jesus came to turn the world upside down! Guess what? It never gonna happen, unless more Christians do something really crazy (from a secular perspective)
Do you think we could ever catch the attention of the world, doing and running after the things even the unbelievers run after?? Never!!
Have you ever read of real heroes?? Men and women who sacrificed their everything, lived as poor even sacrificed their own lives just for the welfare of the many! They made it to the history books.. They impacted the world significantly. They may not say the name of Jesus but I tell you what, they are closer to God than many who profess to know him!
Beyond our means according to Prophet John, is having more than one set of clothes and food for daily survival.He tells us not to build our treasures in this world (physical) but in Heaven (spirit) which is to not live beyond our means. And when we give to the least of these (poor) we have given unto him (tithe).
According to Jesus, in addition to Prophet John, a bag, purse, a boat. But note there.. The bag and purse is being used solely as a tool for the Gospel. All the money and goods they receive, either were used for basic needs - food and for the Gospel. The boat they use to get food - fish and for transport. None were used for personal things like recreation, hobbies, saving in the bank (non-Gospel). Only one disciple who did that is Judas.
Today, "beyond our means" is contextually twisted. Today, it simply means living outside of debt... Meaning, it's still good to get rich first, so you can spend on more without going to debt.
Jesus is no longer wanting your 10% He wants your 90 or even 99%!
It's not the churches' problem, it's your problem. Jesus never advocated physical buildings and big congregations in the first place.Of course the church doesn't agree, and they want 10% of your hard earned money for themselves, and they'll give some to the poor.
We are ALL called to be peddlers of the Gospel, not be Sunday bench warmers. Not only peddling the Gospel where it suits us, in our workplace, most popularly.
But get to those who are hardly hearing the Gospel. Who will reach them?? No Christian is brave enough?? Cowards will not be allowed in God's Kingdom!
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