Enabled to Give
Luke 18:18-30
"If it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously."
(Romans 12:8b)
God is sovereign, even in the uneven distribution of wealth, just as He is sovereign in the distribution of His gifts of grace. Some people seem destined to financial success while others are not.
There is a temptation for those with above average wealth to use it as a means of power. That alone is not necessarily bad if the power is used in submission to Jesus Christ and for His glory. Often, however, our wayward hearts use wealth to manipulate others to our own ends. We are naturally controlling. The love of money grows great, making it very hard to keep Jesus as our first love (see Matthew 6:24).
Paul says to give generously. He means that we should give "with no strings attached." When you give, allow the receiver to be accountable to God and not to you. It requires faith, a measure of which God has given to the giver. We can give with no strings attached because Christ's love for us came not with strings attached, but with overflowing grace and with nails attaching Him to a cross.
INSIGHT
Regardless of material wealth, you are rich in Christ. Give freely of the treasure of the gospel that you have in "clay jars"
(see 2 Corinthians 4:7).
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Isaiah 63-64
Psalm 102
Acts 26
Luke 18:18-30
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
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."
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."
Footnotes:
a. Luke 18:20 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
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