Message Recap
Today, Pastor Albert Tate finished our Life Hacks series by talking about generosity. He began with Proverbs 11:24, which reads: “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” Immediately Pastor Albert led us to an illustration of this Proverb in the book of Luke—the story of the Rich Young Ruler.
In this story in Luke 18: 18-25, Jesus is approached by a man described as the rich young ruler. This man has followed all the commandments but is wondering what else he needs to do to have eternal life. When Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions and then come follow Him, the young man is sad. The Bible then records Jesus saying, "'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 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'" (Luke 18:24-25).
Pastor Albert shared, it’s not that it is impossible for the camel to go through the needle, what’s impossible is that the camel will not look the same when it does. Jesus is saying to the rich young ruler, this requires transformation.
The rich young ruler's greatest challenge is that his heart is not in the right place. Because the thing is, before our giving changes, our heart must change. Heart change is what initiates generosity. If generosity doesn’t flow from the heart, we missed the point from God because how we give matters. God is blessing the attitude as much as He is blessing the actual action of generosity.
The challenging part about this story in particular, is that in almost every other story we read about Jesus' encounters with people, they leave with more. But not in this story—not for the rich young ruler. Pastor Albert asked, how do you walk away from Jesus sad?
The ruler has a longing, he wants to know how to be saved, but he has an identity problem. He identifies with his wealth, age and influence. He is anchored to the wrong things. Whether the ruler wants to know it or not, his identity is tied to God—not these other things.
The same goes for us, our names are tied to our Creator. We are beloved! So often, others label us. But God speaks a louder word for our identity. So we must begin with who we are and whose we are! We are Jesus’ children, made for His purpose and for a purpose.
The ruler says he did all the things he’s supposed to do. Jesus says, sell everything.
When we read this story, we see all the things he has to let go of. What we don’t look at is what he gains—the invitation. On the other side of his sacrifice is a transformation beyond his understanding—a gaining of it all.
Some of us really aren't that different from the ruler. We can get so comfortable in our lives, that we miss the invitation to gain so much more. We get so comfortable we miss the invitation to something greater.
Pastor Albert used the illustration of the Do Not Disturb function on our phone. It's almost as if we have a posture of Do Not Disturb with God. I’ve got a budget, don’t disturb me. I’ve got vacation plans don’t disturb me for a mission trip. The problem is when we live entrenched in our comfort, and have a Do Not Disturb posture to God, we can miss our invitation from God.
Do not miss God’s calling because your life is on Do Not Disturb.
For some of us, God is asking us to do big things that are scary. To live a life marked with generosity and joy, God will help us, and God will sustain us.
Pastor Albert ended with, "As you trust God, don’t fear, hope. The one who created you will sustain you for His glory."
