The American Wealth Culture

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Austin Keller

Counter-Culture • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago • Presented 4 years ago • 36:04

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The world tells us our value comes from obtaining wealth. The countercultural kingdom teaches Christians to be content and to leave a legacy of following Jesus.

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Intro (ME)

Anyone here missing NFL season? Anybody? You are paying attention to NFL news then you would know that the NFL combine is almost over. The combine is always exciting to watch because you can get a prediction of which player is going to get drafted. You need play-makers to make your team super bowl contender. Teams are only drafting the best and the hope is that their man will leave a legacy for your team.

Speaking of legends in NFL. Two players that left a legacy in football forever are Tom Brady and Jerry Rice. Love them or deflate them. They will be remembered as the best NFL players in their position. Tom Brady will be remembered as the comeback king especially by how he and the Patriots overcame a 3-28 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons. Tom Brady is the only QB who has won 5 super bowl rings and has been to the super bowl 7 times.

Jerry Rice on the other hand has 3 super bowl rings and holds almost every career stat WR for receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and other awards. Both men will never be forgotten because of their skills and how they changed the game.

You may be wondering now, “who is the best RB in the NFL?” Well the answer is….ME! If I didn’t go to Central I most likely would of went to University of Michigan, been drafted by the Lions over all first pick and we would have brought home 10 super bowl trophies. Everyone would remember me as the fastest, shortest and whitest RB in the NFL. This is my dream legacy that I wish I had.

(WE)

But the problem with this legacy is that I’m solely focus on myself and my success. As a Christian I should be more concerned about following Jesus rather than doing my own will. If we are truly honest, “Are we making a legacy for ourselves or for God’s kingdom?” Most of us might admit that we are caught up living for ourselves.

Some of us are living for the money. All our time is being spend on acquiring the next and greatest thing. For you that might be getting a new car, gaming system, new outfits, expense electronics.

Or maybe your living for the moment. Trying to take the easiest path in life and not working hard in college or at work. Just trying to get by with the least amount of effort as possible at whatever you are doing. So, you can enjoy life and focus only on your comforts.

Maybe your living like the world, and to concern about fitting in with sociality and not being an outcast. All your time is being consumed about making people like you and that they will call you friend.

To figure out this problem and how we can solve our issue of selfishness we are going to go into the Gospel of Matthew 19:16-30, I will be reading from the ESV, if you have your bible please follow along.

(God)

Background- Just to give you some context to what is happening in the story. Jesus and the disciples are in Judea and heading towards Jerusalem where then the rich young ruler encounters the True King for the first time.

Read (Matthew 19:16-30)

Matthew 19:16–22 ESV

16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Matthew 19:16-

This is the first time in the gospel that we see anyone go away from Jesus sad. Everyone else who encounters Jesus encounters in is transformed, but our rich young ruler goes away the exact same as he came.

The next thing I notice is the question from the text is the man got on his knees in sincerity to ask Jesus this question. You know it was a serious question when a man gets on his knees. Ladies this might happen to you on day. Ring by Spring is coming!

But Still the rich man had a very curious question. “What I must do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replies and says God is the source of goodness and asks him if he keep the commandments.

The Rich man knowing the law said he kept them.

Jesus thing drops the truth bomb on the rich young ruler. But before responding to the man he looked at him with love notice and Jesus loved him. This is the same kind of love that he had for Mary, Martha and Lazarus. They were his close friends and when Jesus replied to the rich man he did not say in a mean tone, but said it truly loving him saying, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

The rich man left sorrowfully because he wasn’t willing to sacrifice anything to follow Jesus. He was to focus on his own legacy, his money, power, and identity.

I believe we too fall into this trap at time in our own lives. We get so caught up in serving ourselves that we wouldn’t leave anything behind to follow Jesus and his kingdom.

-Illustration

This rich young ruler sounded a lot like me when I was growing up. Back in high school I was so consumed in my paintball hobby that I began obsessing with the sport day and night. I want to be the best at my school and I wanted to leave a legacy of being the best paintball at my school. Looking back at it now, if Jesus would have asked me to put down my idol and follow him, I would of went away sorrowful too.

Continuing in the text (read Matthew 19:23-30)

Matthew 19:23–30 ESV

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Matthew

Jesus says for the rich man to get into the Kingdom of God is difficult, so difficult that it like shoving a camel through an eye of a needle. Basically, Jesus is saying, rich people are not getting into the kingdom. But thankfully God makes a way for salvation for all.

The rich man’s idol was his money. We know Jesus says in the gospel

Luke 16:13 ESV

13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Luke

If our idols prevented us from getting into the kingdom of God we would all out of luck. There would be no redemption for any of us here, but with God all things are possible.

Next, we need to look at our treasures. Jesus told the rich man to sell everything and in doing that he would have to trust Jesus fully with his life. Did Jesus say treasure is bad? No! Jesus said to store your treasures in heaven.

Matthew 6:19–21 ESV

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

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ()

He also tells us that we will have a hundredfold of spiritual treasure if we leave everything behind for him. When Peter told Jesus, “What do I get for following you?” Jesus promises him and all of us that we will receive treasure in heaven and eternal life.

However, when we follow Jesus we must remember to become a humble servant.

Mark 10:43–45 ESV

43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

If we wish to become great and have it all together rather than focusing on ourselves and being consumed by the American wealth culture , we must adopt the attitude of Christ and be like him in everything we do.

(You)

What should we do now?

Cast off your culture’s idols for Jesus mission.

That might be money, comfort, or acceptance from the world. Whatever you must do to get back into a relationship with Jesus. Do it! It is not worth to obtain the world and lose your soul.

Give generously to all to become spiritually rich.

Be a blessing to all who are in need and be someone spiritual rich friend.

Be invested in your eternal rewards.

Lastly, give your best daily and spend time with God through prayer, service, and bible reading. The only way we are going be connected to Jesus and not worshiping idol is when we are so focused on him that nothing else matter. Give your best because eternal rewards are coming your way.

Spend time in the church, God’s words and with communication with the Lord himself.

(We)

I want all of us to ponder this question. Imagine if the church fully followed Jesus every day? We would look a lot more like Peter who gave up everything to follow Jesus rather than the rich man who went away sorrowful. I want our church to be known as a Jesus People. Nothing else matter in this world other than following Christ.

This is your tough pill to swallow. If you died today what would be your legacy? Would people say you were a good person and that you have lots of stuff or would they say that your heart was totally on fire for God.

Don’t leave today without making a legacy!

Leave a Legacy of following Jesus! If there is anyone who will remember you it is Jesus.