The Heaton File

Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, ” ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:16-22)

The Greatest Sadness

An unnamed young man was good and devoted to keeping the Law of Moses. He came to Jesus seeking spiritual guidance and hope. His life was filled with the regulations of the law and the commitment to keep the commands of God with sincerity. He was blessed with abundant wealth, allowing him to live a very privileged life. His home was large and spacious, with servants at his beck and call. He wore the finest garments money could buy. There was never a time when there was a lack of food and drink. Many festive gatherings took place at his home with his many friends. The life of the young man was nearly set to perfection.

Jesus had finished instructing the Pharisees with their testing questions and had spent time with little children. The young man approached Jesus and honored Him by calling Him a “Good Teacher.” Jesus deflected the compliment to honor His Father. The young man wanted to know what to do to have eternal life. His question was a business proposition of what good thing he needed to do to be saved. Jesus reminded him to keep the commandments of the Lord. Nothing is more primary than a man obeying the word of God to be saved.

If the young man wants to enter eternal life, he must keep the commandments of God. He understood that but then asked Jesus to explain which law he needed to keep doing as some good thing to have eternal life. Jesus had answered his question, but he wanted to have a more specific answer. Quoting five of the Ten Commandments, Jesus summarized the law to show the young man that obedience to God’s commands was necessary. Proudly, the young man said he had kept all those things since his youth. He probably did to a great degree, but he lacked one thing.

Jesus astonished the rich young man and the disciples who witnessed the interaction when the Lord told the very wealthy young man that eternal life would come at the cost of every part of his wealth. To possess eternal life, the man must dispose of everything he had, give all to the poor, and follow Jesus. The young man was stunned. He came to Jesus thinking his life was as perfect as possible. His view of his relationship with God was firm with conviction. He only wanted to know what good thing he would need to do to obtain eternal life. The answer of Jesus crushed him.

One of the saddest scenes in Biblical history is when the rich young man turned and walked away from Jesus. The man had come to the right person with the most important question a man can ask. What destroyed the man is the answer that would cost him all his earthly wealth. He had great possessions, and he was unwilling to give them up. As he walked home, he weighed in the balance the words of Jesus of giving all his wealth to the poor; or keeping his money and enjoying the best of life. He chose the latter. The appeal of wealth was greater than his love for God.

The story of the rich young man repeats itself constantly in the story of salvation. Many want to go to heaven, but few are willing to pay the price. The desire for the pleasures of life is too strong to give up. When given a choice to serve the Lord and follow Him or to keep living in the worldly pleasures of life; the choice is made to walk away. The rich young man lived a carefree life spending his great wealth. Then he died. It was then he remembered the words of Jesus and how much he wished he had listened to and heeded them. What good are all his riches now that he is in torment? It is too late.

A heart filled with the world’s cares cannot see God. There is no desire to think about eternity. The only thing that matters is the pleasures of the here and now – but at a terrible cost. There is no value for a man to lose his soul over anything on this earth, but it happens every day. How sad the heart cannot see the consequence of pleasures that last for a short time. A life will be crushed with the refusal to follow the will of God. There is no greater sadness than those who turn away from God.

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

The Race Is In Your Lane

Tom Adams coached the girls’ track team at Kankakee High School in Wheatfield, Indiana. Right before an important race, he often told his team, “The race is in your lane.” For each runner, that is all that mattered to have victory. They would lose the race if they were distracted by where other runners were, what they were doing, and how fast they were running. The runners needed to focus only on their lane. What they were doing and how they were running determined their success.

Life as a child of God is learning to run in the lane that belongs to us. Paul focused like a runner who could only see where he was running. Paul had a prize in mind; that was all he focused on. He did not look behind. Many things in Paul’s past could hinder him. He would later remark to Timothy that he considered himself the worst sinner of all. Paul did not dwell on his past, where he persecuted the church with a fierce vengeance. The life he lived as Saul of Tarsus, the great persecutor of the church, was in the past. He put that aside to run in his lane.

The only race that matters is our own. This reminds us that judgment is completed in a singular process where the only person responsible for me – is me. I can’t blame my parents, teachers, friends, or the state of the world for anything. At the end of the day, what I do in my lane is where I find my worth before God. My lane is my lane to run. I will stand before God, who will ask me how I ran my race – in my lane.

Accountability is a hard lesson to learn. It is easy to blame others for our failures. What I do and what I don’t do is in my lane. Our goal should only be to please God and press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Everything in my life is focused on that purpose because that is all I have in my lane. Running the race of life takes perseverance and determination. The race is what I have before me: to win or lose. Running on the narrow path is difficult and leads to life. Trying to run on the broad path is a crowded road where no one cares what lane they are in, leading to destruction.

But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days. Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. (Acts 20:6-7)

Sunday Is Sacred

Under the Law of Moses, the seventh day was hallowed and holy, and it was called the Sabbath. The Sabbath was instituted when God gave His law to the nation of Israel as a day to keep holy. Strict regulations were included in the law to enforce the law. While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man picking up sticks on the Sabbath. Uncertain what to do, they brought the man to Moses, who in turn inquired of the Lord what must be done. According to the word of the Lord, the man was to be stoned to death for violating the Sabbath. He was taken outside the camp and stoned to death.

The Jews understood clearly the meaning of the Sabbath. It was observed every seven days. God wanted to teach the Israelites the value of trusting Him for everything they needed. The Lord reminds them through keeping the Sabbath that He delivered them from Egypt, and He wanted and demanded they observe the Sabbath for that remembrance. Failure to keep the Sabbath brought the wrath of God. It was a sign between God and Israel. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, according to Jesus. Since Jesus was born under the Law of Moses, He faithfully kept the Sabbath for more than thirty years.

Understanding the law of the Sabbath helps to clarify the nature of the law of Christ and the observance of another day, which is significant to the memorial of God’s Son. Jesus abolished the Law of Moses, including the keeping of the Sabbath. There is no requirement to observe the Sabbath as it has been done away with. Has God left His people without a day of remembrance? The pattern of the New Testament church is the saints met on the first day of the week, the day following the Sabbath. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. The first converts were added to the church on the first day of the week. In the historical book of the Acts of the Apostles, Luke shows how the early church gathered on the first day of the week to worship and praise God. There is no reference to keeping the Sabbath, although the first converts were Jews. The New Testament church observed the first day of the week as the day of the Lord.

Before Jesus was betrayed and killed, He instituted the memorial feast of the Lord’s Supper. He commanded His disciples to observe the memorial until He returned. In the New Testament church, the early saints gathered on the first day of the week to remember the memorial of Christ’s death. Paul reminded the saints at Corinth of the essential nature of taking the supper worthily or facing the wrath of God. The Hebrew writer warns of those who would trample underfoot the Son of God, count the blood of the covenant a common thing, and insult the Holy Spirit.

Sunday is what is called the first day of the week. This is the day the saints of God assemble to worship and remember the sacrifice of Jesus. Like the Sabbath under the Law of Moses, this is not a day with options. For too long, brethren have viewed Sunday as a day to worship unless something “more important” comes along. They will allow their jobs to keep them from their obligations on the first day of the week. Sometimes for weeks on end. During the summer, vacations are seldom planned with Sunday services in mind. When company drops in, there is no time to attend worship. Of course, God will understand that these things happen, and He will understand. Will He? Does He?

The problem in the church has become rampant that Sunday worship services are optional. On the one hand, the church teaches the necessity of taking the Lord’s Supper every week in contrast to the religious world taking the supper once a month, quarterly, yearly, or never. Standing on Bible authority, the plea is made for every week; but not applicable to all members, as some show up to services as long as nothing else gets in the way. So much for putting God first in all things. Jobs are more important than God. Planning trips where the first day of the week is not assembling with saints is accepted.

Sunday is sacred to God. It is not a matter of how often on the first day, but the essentiality of the first day of the week is abundantly clear in scripture. It seems the church is afraid to practice Biblical truth when it comes to the necessity to assemble on the first day of the week. It becomes easier to pay no heed to flagrant disregard for the memorial of Jesus Christ. The cross means something if I can make it to the assembly, but if the boss wants me to work, Jesus has to wait. But how long will He wait? Sunday is either necessary or it is not. Choose.

For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. (Malachi 3:6)

It is difficult for the human mind to understand the immutable nature of God’s character that He does not change. The need for change is vital for human existence, but not so with the Creator of the universe. God has not changed from the moment He spoke the world into existence and formed man from the dust of the ground. All of His commandments and laws remain rooted in the same principles. The laws may change, as with the nation of Israel serving the Law of Moses, but the essence of obedience to law has never changed. God spoke to men directly in the days of Adam and Noah. When the Lord separated the Hebrews as His own special people, He spoke to them through Moses. Now, God speaks to all men through His Son Jesus Christ.

The Law of Moses has been abolished, and the path of faith for the Gentile is gone. Salvation comes through the blood of Jesus and obedience to the will of the Son of God. The elements of the law change, but the approach to the law remains the same. God expects and demands that men obey Him and keep His will. There is no partiality with God because He cannot change. God is never outdated, and some falsely argue that the word of God no longer applies to “modern man” (whatever that means). The character of God remains unchanged.

God’s unchangeable nature does not suggest He will not change His mind. Several examples in scripture show the Lord relenting from something He said He would do. This does not change the character of God. It affirms it. All that God does is righteousness. That is what separates the unchangeable nature of God and the imperfections of the human heart, which change constantly. Change implies imperfection.

The character of humankind is the change of will and purpose. Laws are written today that can be changed tomorrow. A decision established by one generation will be overruled by another. Man’s wisdom is imperfect to its core. God’s wisdom is perfect in its completeness. The joy of serving the Lord powerful is the knowledge that while men change, God does not. God is “He who is,” showing He does not change.

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Jesus is the embodiment of the Father because He is unchangeable. From the gospels, the teachings of Jesus are united under the banner of God’s unchanging will, and through the epistles, the early disciples followed the word of the Lord as authority without change. There were going to be the change-makers who sought to teach another gospel. Paul warned that if an angel taught something different than the gospel, they would be anathema or cursed by the Divine. Imagine how much more the man who changes the word of God to fit his own design.

The Holy Spirit inspired the book that is called the Bible. God warned Israel against changing His word, and at the end of the Revelation, John wrote a warning against those who would add or take away from his letter. The Bible is the inspired word of God revealed through the Holy Spirit so that when men read its contents, they can know what to do to be saved. God’s unchangeable nature is declared in the Bible. Over the past two thousand years, men have tried to change the immutable word of God from the teachings of Jesus to their own itching ears. The result has been religious division.

God does not change. What He established in the first century as His church, His word, His worship, His doctrines, and His practices remain unchanged. Men have created churches that do not reflect the word of God because they are agents of change. God is not. Any man who takes the word of God and changes it to fit his narrative will find the unchanging nature of God condemning him. Do not change the word of God. His word is settled in Heaven. God does not change.

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:17-18)

Our Aid In The Face Of Temptation

The wiles of the devil are endless, persistent, and without mercy. There is no backing away from the attempts of Satan to gain a foothold on the heart of God’s people. The devil will try any means necessary to bring about sin. He knows if he is successful enough, the sins of the person will draw him away from God and ultimately damn his soul. That is what he wants and desires the most. He knows he is condemned to Hell, and there is nothing that will change that. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels, but the adversary wanted to take as people of God’s people with him. He is relentlessly seeking after the hearts of the holy. His single weapon is temptation.

There are only three elements to temptation. The apostle John illustrated temptation as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Satan’s three-pronged attack is the only way he tempts the human heart. Jesus overcame the wiles of the devil, living nearly thirty-three years without any sin. The Son of God was tempted by the lust of the flesh. He was tempted with the lust of the eyes. Satan attacked Jesus with the pride of life, trying to get Jesus to abdicate the will of the Father. In all points, Jesus refused to succumb to temptation and died a sinless man. One of the blessings of the sinless life of Jesus is to leave a pattern of assistance for all men fighting against temptation.

Jesus was made like His brethren so that He could understand and help all those who bore flesh and blood to learn how to overcome sin. The reality is that no one can live a sinless life. This does not excuse the need to sin less and learn how to overcome sin. The word of God guides the heart on how to have victory over sin. Jesus is the aid of all those seeking holiness in their lives because He lived it, experienced it, and faced it all while in the flesh. Jesus is an aid through the translation of Himself to the mortal flesh of man.

If there is one thing everyone needs, it’s help against the wiles of the devil. God offered His Son as a sacrifice to die for the sins of mankind and to become an aid or helper to those who are tempted. Everyone is tempted, and Jesus is the one who helps overcome temptation. There is no temptation that Jesus cannot help with. He stands ready to assist the hearts of those who face the daunting trials of the darts of the evil one. Every attempt to bring the heart into subjection to the evil one is met with the aiding hand of Jesus Christ.

Jesus suffered to become the aid against temptation. He was able to live sinlessly, but every man struggles with sin. The answer to overcoming the temptation of the devil is to abide in Christ Jesus, and the devil will flee. What helps man know the power of Jesus is remembering that Jesus felt all the temptations of the flesh and mind. He was impacted by all the wiles of the devil and remained sinless. When a man goes to Jesus seeking aid to overcome sin, the Lord can say, “I understand,” because He does.

There is nothing men face that Jesus did not face. He was tempted in all points. Satan attacked Jesus of Nazareth for more than thirty years and failed every time. What greater helper can a man desire than the Son of God, who understands the nature of temptation and how to overcome it? Victory is found in Jesus Christ. When you are tempted, let Jesus aid you. He is the Great Helper.

For “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:10-12)

Seeking The Good Life

There is always in the heart of a man the desire to have the best things in life. This does not have to be measured with possessions and fame but can be found in the life of someone seeking the character of Jesus Christ. Seeking the good things in life is the goal of all those who profess devotion to God. What they want out of life is to please God above all things. The path to peace is paved with the willingness to be set apart from the world in character, consciousness, and commitment to a higher purpose.

Peter and the saints, who were dispersed in the First Century, faced daunting persecution against their beliefs. The early Christians led quiet lives of service to the Lord, but the world could not abide by the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Fierce persecutions arose against the church, destroying the faith of many. The aged apostle exhorted the saints to remain faithful and live so that as they faced trials, the world could see the light of God shining in their lives. His advice was simple and direct: live holy before the world regardless of how the world treats them.

Seeking the good life in the First Century was to present oneself as an example of piety to the service of Jesus Christ. If the world judged the saints by their speech, they would have nothing to charge them with. A powerful lesson of Christian faith is found when the people of God know how to possess their speech to glorify God. Seeking the good life and good days is done by not allowing the tongue to speak evil of anyone and refraining from telling lies. This character is a prime example of how the Christian is set apart from the world.

Following evil will never bring happiness. God watches over all of humanity, and when He sees His children speaking evil, telling lies, and doing evil things; it displeases Him. The prayers of the unrighteous do not avail much. God turns His face away from those who do evil. Finding the good life comes from a relationship with the Lord. Learning how to season speech with the salt of grace comes from God. Doing good things is developed from the word of God. Searching for peace and working to maintain it with the world is learned from the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

The qualitative measure of character is found in whether a person wants to enjoy life or not. Peter says if a man wants to love life and see good days, he will follow the will of God. That is the defining point in life. Obedience to the will of the Father always brings about the best result and the most satisfying life. Christians face criticism from the world, but all that matters is that God is pleased. He sees, and He knows. If you love life and want to see good days: refrain, turn, do, seek, and pursue. You will find life is much better and filled with more peace than following the world.

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15)

The Hows Of The Gospel

God has revealed Himself through natural and special revelation so humanity can see His glory and worship Him. Nature declares the invisible attributes of the Divine, which can be discerned by anyone who sees the power of God in the world. This knowledge cannot save a person from the wrath of God because nature cannot reveal the special revelation of God’s redeeming word. God has always told man what he must do to be saved. In previous generations, the Lord revealed Himself in various ways, but now the message of salvation is spoken by His Son, Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the message of salvation.

There has never been a time when God left the world without His divine word. He spoke to men like Adam, Noah, and Abraham. The Jews were given the Law of Moses, while the Gentiles became a law to themselves, justified by faith. In Jesus Christ, both Jew and Gentile are united under the same banner of truth found in the word of God, the Bible. Two thousand years ago, the completed revelation of God’s word was formed and given to the world. Through a knowledge of the scriptures, man finds himself in need of God’s grace. The Bible reveals the nature of man is sin, and there is nothing he can do to save himself. Jesus died to open an avenue of redemption through His blood, giving those who believe in Him the cleansing power of forgiveness. From this message of redemption, the message of hope drives the soul.

The problem with the gospel message is that it is contained in a book written down so the reader can understand the mystery of God. To know the message of salvation, a man must come to the knowledge of the written word. Paul points out in his letter to Romans the hows of the gospel necessary to bring about salvation. Millions of copies of the Bible are available worldwide, but how many people believe it is the divine word of God? Most inhabitants of earth do not accept the Bible as divine. They do not believe it is the word of God. Their view of the Bible is unbelief.

A person will never find salvation if they do not first believe the Bible to be the word of God. The theme of the Bible is Jesus Christ. How can a man call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? That cannot be done. Salvation begins with hearing the word and believing the word. Reading the story of Jesus in the Bible does not guarantee salvation. The heart must believe the words of the Bible as divine. A man cannot believe in Jesus unless he hears the story of the Son of God. The knowledge of the word can be gained with self-study, but the agency always used by the Lord is sending a man to share the good news with those seeking truth. Angels will not come and preach the gospel. Men found men and taught them the gospel. The compelling message of the gospel is how men share the gospel with others.

Paul said the gospel was the power of God unto salvation. He spent the latter part of his life spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone who would listen to him. He desired to go anywhere to share the message of Jesus. Many people heard the word, believed the message, and, hearing the testimony of men like Paul, asked the question from Pentecost: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter revealed the plan of salvation when he said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

The hows of the gospel are the way, manner, and method men find salvation. God has shown how a man can be saved. It is not only a belief, a good feeling, a good life, or a religious life. Finding salvation is following the manner of obedience to the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Luke shares many examples of hows in his book The Acts. Read it to be wise, and read it you must. Not everyone who claims to honor God will be saved. Only those who do His will. Do you know what God expects of you?

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Like A Tree Planted By The Waters

When a man learns to trust in the Lord for everything he needs, a refreshing spirit of peace and tranquility covers the heart and makes life a journey filled with contentment. The messengers of the eternal word have always shown the futility of human wisdom. There is nothing that lasts when humanity pursues the carnal desires of the flesh, worldly ambitions, and senseless occupations of earthly gain. A person can achieve all the financial success of life and possess more misery and heartache than a poor man. Trusting in the Lord brings peace, solitude, and hope.

There is something beautiful about a vibrant river flowing by a grassy knoll filled with aged trees of great strength and beauty. A tree planted by the waters never lacks what it needs most of all. The water from the river refreshes, revives, and restores the tree throughout the harsh seasons. Storms batter the tree, but it is planted firmly by the waters, spreading its roots firmly into the ground. Heat cannot diminish the beauty of the tree. The river supplies nutrients to sustain the greenery of the abundant cover of leaves that fill its branches.

Like a tree planted by the water, the soul who embeds its life in the grace of God will never faint from heat, succumb to the harsh weather, and will be sustained by the flowing gifts of the Lord that abound from His presence. True peace comes only from the Lord. Life can be hard and cruel, but the Lord offers shelter for the times of trial. Trusting in the Lord is giving complete control and understanding to the will of the Father. It does not suggest that difficult days will not come, but God assures His children that He will cover them with the mantle of His glory to protect them.

One of the things that most people lack in their lives is direction and purpose. The prophet Jeremiah answers both of those questions. When a man directs his heart to the Lord, he will find purpose in life. True peace comes when a man plants his life near the waters of the living stream flowing from the throne of God. The living waters of Jesus Christ drive away the heat of the world. Through the sustenance of the living waters, life is filled with the glory of God to blossom into branches filled with green leaves. The fruit of a life devoted to the Lord brings forth contentment and joy. When the storms come, the tree (the life of the Christian) is firmly planted in the love of God and will not be destroyed. In the days of heat, the nourishment of the living water will refresh the soul. Trusting in God is planting your life next to the river of God.

Trials will come in life; if a man is unprepared, those trials can be devastating. Seeking to plant the heart on the side of the river of the Lord will bring about the blessings of God’s care and love. It begins with trust and blossoms into love. Life needs a purpose. That purpose can only be found when the heart is planted where God is. The blessing of godliness is trusting in the Lord. When you trust in the Lord, you will find meaning in life: it’s called hope!

Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62)

Making A Commitment Or Making An Excuse

Following Jesus is not for the faint-hearted or weak knees. The Lord reminded His disciples often that following Him required cross-bearing; not something looked upon as an easy path or pleasant journey. Jesus never suggested that being a disciple was an easy life. He faced criticism and persecution often and warned those who followed them the same fate would befall them. Deciding to be a Christian requires the fortitude of courage to walk in the footsteps of Jesus boldly.

The popularity of Jesus was misjudged by some, thinking it would be a fulfilling experience to follow Jesus. They did not have the proper view of discipleship to the Son of God. Someone tells Jesus they are willing to go wherever He goes and does so with great exuberance and excitement. Little does he know the life of a Christian is often difficult and hard. Jesus explains the trials of His ministry when He tells the willing disciples that life is uncertain and filled with more uncertainties.

Jesus invites someone to follow Him, and the person is willing but first seeks permission to bury his father before coming to Jesus. There is an emotional appeal that most men could not resist. The importance of family is undoubtedly not lost on Jesus, and He could not be insensitive to the emotional bond between a child and a father. Jesus’ reply must be understood in its context. Typically, burials took place on the day the person died, followed by three days of morning and visiting the tomb before sealing the grave. On the fourth day following death, physical signs begin to show in the corpse that are most unpleasant. During the first three days, the family can visit with the body of the loved one, but no one would dare enter the fourth day. Jesus tells the willing disciple that his father is dead and that will not change. His tomb will be sealed for shortly, and that will not change. If he is to follow Jesus, the time is now. Let the dead bury the dead, but the Lord’s work demands immediate action to save the living.

Finally, another disciple is willing to follow Jesus but asks permission to set his house in order with his family and then allow him to follow Jesus. Again, Jesus is sensitive to the emotional bond of the person to the family, and again, the answer is given, showing the immediacy of the need. When a man commits his way to the Lord, he moves forward without the baggage of the world’s affairs. Using the farming implements to illustrate, Jesus reminds the man that his eyes always look ahead when plowing a field. If a man plows constantly looking back, he cannot produce a field for harvest because the rows will be in disarray.

Following Jesus means keeping focused on what is ahead. Allowing the world’s trappings to bind the heart to look back at the world will hinder the growth of the one seeking to be a disciple of the Lord. The commitment is clear in all three stories: there is no hesitation and no turning back. A committed heart is willing to forgo anything and anybody for the glory of God. If you want to follow Jesus, prepare for a change in life. There can be no delay in serving the Lord. Today is the day of salvation. When the work of the Lord is called for, there can be no hesitation or desire to go and take care of family matters. It is all or nothing.

A Christian is someone who has committed to Jesus Christ. Few are willing to take up the mantle of faith and be fully committed to the will of God. Sadly, many will make excuses as to why they cannot follow Jesus and never find the joy of God’s grace in their lives. It becomes a matter of making a commitment or making an excuse. The answers given to Jesus when He called men to Himself were excuses why these people could not and would not be His disciples. Jesus is saying to you, “Follow Me.” How are you going to answer?

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroyed or lost? (Luke 9:25)

Gaining Nothing From Everything

The American Dream is to have it all, enjoy it all, and die with the most toys. Life is filled with the gusto of dreams. Nothing in the American Dream is new under the sun. Men have spent their lives since the days of Adam to be the most successful and accomplished people on the planet. Greed and avarice have driven the hearts of humankind to gain all that can be achieved, possess all that a man can gather in a lifetime, and enjoy every possible fleshly enjoyment known to man.

Nations have gone to war against nations for land, wealth, power, and position. Despots rise to power, thinking they can gain the whole world. Financial giants become the movers and shakers of the world, amassing great fortunes to live lavish lifestyles. Empires are built on the desires of the flesh. Sexual immorality has always been the unsatisfied thirst of a world craving to enjoy all the pleasures of fleshly desire. And then a common fate arrives at the doorsteps of all those who have tried to gain the whole world. They die. Everybody dies, and the empires fall, fortunes are lost, and sexual desires are empty.

The true failure of man is his continual ignorance of the purpose of life. History is complete with examples upon examples of nations that tried to rule the world. Where are the great Egyptian dynasties that ruled for so many years? The Assyrians, led by Ashurbanipal, were a powerful nation stretching from Cyprus to Iran, including Egypt. Ashurbanipal called himself “king of the world,” although he ruled a fraction of the world. Babylon became a great nation under Nebuchadnezzar. Persia was ruled by Cyrus the Great. Alexander the Great destroyed the Persians before the Roman Empire conquered Greece and ruled over two million square miles. Where is the feared German Third Reich, Imperial Japan, the country known as the U.S.S.R today?

John D. Rockefeller was one of the richest men in the United States. Today, the wealthiest people are worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The adult online porn industry is estimated at $977 million. Men and women spend millions of dollars every year to satisfy their sexual desires, drugs, alcohol, and pleasures. It’s not any better for the common man who drives himself daily to have a big house, multiple cars and boats, huge retirement plans to spend, and all the pleasures of a corrupt world.

The question remains: what does it profit when a man gains all these things in life – and dies? What then? Jesus said that most people who die will be lost in a world of complete darkness and horror, screaming for relief. There will be none. They have forfeited their lives for the pleasures of a life that is short-lived with eternal consequences. Everyone plans for retirement, but few plan for eternity. All those in the darkness of eternal suffering have the same answer to what it profits a man if he gains the whole world: nothing. There is no profit in gaining everything in life and losing one’s soul. They wish they had made better choices and sought the will of God in their lives, but it is too late.

Jesus came to show men the true path to life is life in eternity, not here. No one gains anything by possessing things here. Death separates everyone from their possessions and pleasures. The soul lives on without the trappings of the world. What does it profit a man if he gains the love of God and loses his life? Eternal peace, security, and joy. He does not live for the things of this life but for the grace of God that will give him eternal life. What is important to you will determine where you spend eternity. You decide. Gain the world and lose your soul. Accept the love of God and save your soul. P. S. You only get one life to make that choice.