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$2 Bill. Money: Hardest Subject To Talk About In Church Today — Francis Chan Christ’s Crazy Love — Lessons from Luke 18

The Rich and the Kingdom of God

Luke 18:18-30 New International Version (NIV)

18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a]

21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Who’s Your God: Gold, Oil, or Diamonds? Just Jesus Christ

28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Wisdom: Righteous Rewards! — Proverbs 13

Proverbs 13 English Standard Version (ESV)

20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 Disaster[h] pursues sinners,
    but the righteous are rewarded with good.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
    but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
    but it is swept away through injustice.
24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
    but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.[i]
25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
    but the belly of the wicked suffers want.

References & Reflections

[1] https://slideplayer.com/slide/8472386/
[2] https://www.slideserve.com/beulah/proverbs-13

Come To Him Not Only Expecting To Receive, But To Give — Lessons from Luke 7 — Acts 20 — Francis Chan Christ’s Crazy Love Ministry

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

Luke 7:36-50

36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.[h] 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”

40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”

“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.

41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver[i] to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”

50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Paul Goes to Macedonia and Greece

Acts 20:35 New Living Translation (NLT)

35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Paul and Silas in Thessalonica

Acts 17:25-27 New Living Translation (NLT)

25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.

26 From one man[a] he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.

Day of Your Birth is God’s Plan!

Footnotes:

  1. 17:26 Greek From one; other manuscripts read From one blood.

References & reflections

[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anointing_of_Jesus
[2] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_of_Bethany
[3] www.gotquestions.org/anointed.html
[4] www.gotquestions.org/new-anointing.html
[5] www.gotquestions.org/life-Mary-Bethany.html
[6]www.cbeinternational.org/blogs/unnamed-woman-alabaster-jar
[7] motherofhealinglove.org/blog/2019/08/7-gospel-clues-that-mary-magdalene-is-mary-of-bethany/
[8] www.gotquestions.org/new-anointing.html
[9] www.gotquestions.org/life-Mary-Bethany.html
[10] www.gotquestions.org/life-Mary-Bethany.html
[11] www.gotquestions.org/anointed-priest.html
[12]www.stmichaelallangels.org.uk/sermon-for-passion-sunday/

Truth About Tax — Teachings of Jesus — Lessons from Luke 20

Caesar’s Coin, by Peter Paul Rubens (1612-1614)

Luke 20:19-26 New International Version (NIV)

19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. – Romans 1:23 NSRV

Related

[1] bibleaboutmoney.finance.blog/2020/03/14/truth-tax-collectors-and-prostitutes-parable-of-the-two-sons/
[2] bibleaboutmoney.finance.blog/2020/03/28/render-unto-caesar-free-from-tax-2/
[3] bibleaboutmoney.finance.blog/2020/04/16/parable-of-the-pharisee-and-the-publican-penitence-humility-virtue-teachings-of-truth-word-of-god-jesus-christ-lessons-from-luke-18/
[4] https://bibleaboutmoney.finance.blog/2020/03/27/tax-exemption-christs-children-free-from-tax-1/

References & Reflections

[1] poorerthanyou.com/2007/03/27/pay-taxes-on-imaginary-money
[2] schloss-post.com/on-the-imaginary-of-international-taxation
[3] www.repository.law.indiana.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi
[4] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coin_in_the_fish%27s_mouth
[5] http://numismatics.org/pocketchange/fishsmouth/
[6] https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-ons-are-free
[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WAoqrJi1Sk
[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1nOHXirbX8
[9] https://bustedhalo.com/questionbox/what-does-the-fish-with-the-coin-in-its-mouth-symbolize-in-matthew-17
[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tribute_Money_(Masaccio)
[11] https://www.gotquestions.org/sign-of-Jonah.html
[12] http://blog.adw.org/2019/03/what-is-the-sign-of-jonah-2/

How to Be Rich — Francis Chan Christ’s Crazy Love Ministry

The Rich Young Man

Matthew 19:21 

20“All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

1 Kings 3:1-15 (NIV)

Solomon Asks for Wisdom

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.

References & Reflections

[1] https://slideplayer.com/slide/10987148/
[2] https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/treasury-of-david/psalms-116-15.html
[3] https://radicallychristian.com/psalm-11615-re-examined-is-death-precious-in-the-lords-sight
[4] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/116-15.htm
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle

Jesus and the Rich Man — Lessons from Luke 19

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”[5]

Luke 18:24-30

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Luke 19:1-10 (NIV)

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

References & Reflections

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle
[2] https://media.ascensionpress.com/2017/10/18/was-john-the-baptist-a-reincarnation-of-elijah/
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_and_the_rich_young_man
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_God,_all_things_are_possible

Treasure vs. Money — Timothy Keller — Jesus is Master Not Mammon — Matthew 6 Sermon Video

Treasures in Heaven

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

      22“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23“But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

      24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

The Cure for Anxiety

      25“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28“And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

      34“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

References & Reflections

[1] https://biblehub.com/context/matthew/6-19.htm
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEvuXAucbd8

Anger of Jesus: Cleansing the Temple! Driving Out the Money Changers — Lessons from Luke 19

Luke 19:45-48 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

45 Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; 46 and he said, “It is written,

‘My house shall be a house of prayer’;
    but you have made it a den of robbers.”

Isaiah 56:7, Jeremiah 7:11

47 Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.

References & Reflections

[1] learnreligions.com/jesus-clears-the-temple-bible-story-700066
[2] www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/19_41-20_8.htm
[3] www.jesus-story.net/the-money-changers/
[4] www.jesus-story.net/the-money-changers/
[5] www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-angry.html
[6] www.gotquestions.org/Bible-violence.html
[7] www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bible-videos/videos/jesus-cleanses-the-temple
[8] www.learnreligions.com/jesus-clears-the-temple-bible-story-700066
[9] https://biblehub.com/luke/19-45.htm
[10] Dr. Bill Barclay Commentary Gospel of Luke
[11] Isaiah 56:7
[12] Jeremiah 7:11

Jesus Son of God, Abraham to Zacchaeus — Christ and the Rich Man — Lessons from Luke 19

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”[5]

Luke 18:24-30

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Luke 19:1-10 (NIV)

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

References & Reflections

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle
[2] https://media.ascensionpress.com/2017/10/18/was-john-the-baptist-a-reincarnation-of-elijah/
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_and_the_rich_young_man
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_God,_all_things_are_possible

Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 The Love Of Money: Meaningless Distractions! — Gospel Light Singapore Sermon Video

Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 (NIV)

Riches Are Meaningless

If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

10 Whoever loves money never has enough;
    whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
    This too is meaningless.

11 As goods increase,
    so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
    except to feast their eyes on them?

12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
    whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
    permits them no sleep.

13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,


14     or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
    there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
    and as everyone comes, so they depart.

They take nothing from their toil
    that they can carry in their hands.

Job 1:21, 1st Timothy 6:7

16 This too is a grievous evil:

As everyone comes, so they depart,
    and what do they gain,
    since they toil for the wind?

17 All their days they eat in darkness,
    with great frustration, affliction and anger.

Job 1:21, 1st Timothy 6:7

18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God20 They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

Distractions

References & Reflections

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1dMRHWce0Y&t=27m33s
[2] gospellight.sg
[3] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ng_Teng_Fong
[4] entrepreneurialleaders.com/blog/130/Philip-Ng-CEO-Far-East-Organization–A-Billionaire-Familys-Christian-Enterprise
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol