Sermon Jan 20, 2024 by Gerry Gibbs.
During Week of Prayer there was a night concentrated to using prayer as a focus on God.
Leave it all to God. He is generous and kind. There is nothing negative in God. Take a few seconds to thank God for who He is. Exalt and praise Him!
Luke 18 is all about God and you. Prayer is a 2 way street.
Leading up to the story of the rich young ruler, Jesus had said "let the children come to Me".
A ruler asked Jesus "What shall I do to have eternal life?"
Jesus said "why are you calling Me good?" He directs the rich you ng ruler to look at God. He reminds the ruler that he knows the 10 commandments, which is about relationships with people. The ruler says "I have done this."
EG White writes that the ruler had an attitude of entitlement.
Jesus says that there is one thing the ruler lacks. This is not meant as a rebuke but an insight. Jesus says "sell all you have". He is directing the ruler to look at all he has.
It is easier to talk about spiritual matters that it is to show gratitude and love.
Jesus says "Follow Me", the same invitation He gave the disciples.
The ruler was sorrowful because he was very rich. He wanted what Jesus had to give, but he was not willing to give something up for it. He did not want to give up the I. His #1 priority was wealth. #2 priority was God.
The ruler did not understand how his wealth kept him from embracing God's love. The ruler thought he had achieved it all. David had wealth. Abraham and his sons had wealth. They had a relationship with God. You cannot understand the law if you don't have a relationship with God.
Many civil laws are based on God's laws, except for the the first four laws. These laws are about a relationship with God. God loves us. He wants to communicate with us. God wants us to experience joy, happiness and gladness.
Chapter 19 - Zacchaeus hears that Jesus is coming. There is a parade of people waiting to see Jesus. Zacchaeus desired to see Jesus. Jesus addressed Zacchaeus by name. Zacchaeus approached Jesus at Jesus' request.
Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector. He was not a liked man as he would have ripped alot of people off for his own gain. Tax collectors were safe from Roman. Most Jews hated tax collectors. tac collectors were not treated well, including being spit on, disliked, avoided.
Jesus says to Zacchaeus "I am going to your house today". Zacchaeus knew who Jesus was. Zacchaeus "made haste" and received Jesus joyfully.
People complained saying that Jesus had gone to be a guest in a sinner's house.
Zacchaeus was prepared to put God first and give back fore-fold whatever he took by false accusation. Zacchaeus was prepared to put God first.
"Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
The rich young ruler was sorrowful! What is impossible for one rich man was embrace by another. Jesus was prepared to forgive sins, to give credit where others could not see merit. Jesus was prepared to show grace.
God gives us grace where others do not see merit. The rich young ruler walked away. The rich tax collector and repented.