Think Un-American: Part Two

One of the biggest problems with a revival in America is the location. It is hard to walk with God in our country. It is almost as hard as shoving a camel through the eye of a needle. Why? Because we are unapologetically rich and mindlessly attached to our possessions and comfort. We are much like the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-27.

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" 20And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth." 21And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "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." 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23And Jesuslooked around and said to his disciples, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enterthe kingdom of God!" 24And the discipleswere amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." 26And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,"Then who can be saved?" 27Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." (ESV)

I can't help but read this story and ask myself, “could this happen to me?” Then I say, “Lord, don’t let me be that man! Don’t let me draw close to you and then walk away sad!"

But that is exactly what will happen as long as I allow my comfort and prosperity to trump God's word and will in my life.

How can we avoid becoming this man? Again, think un-American. There are two big American philosophies I see at work in this man's heart.

1. He was self reliant, even in his religious practices.
He was a believer in himself. He thought that if Jesus would tell him what was required to gain eternal life, he would surely be able to accomplish it himself. He had the American spirit. “I can accomplish whatever I put my mind to. I CAN DO IT. " Oh how easily pride disguises itself as honorable duty and diligence!

Jesus wasn’t distracted by this man’s religious resume- which was quite impressive from man’s point of view. Jesus was focused on the man’s heart. And in the man’s heart there was a blind spot the man couldn’t see. That's the second American philosphy I see at work:

2. He worshiped wealth above the Lord in his heart and didn’t even know it.
The root issue here is idolatry. He enjoyed his wealth and came to depend upon it. His lifestyle had grown to match the size of his riches so much that the thought of losing his riches felt like losing his life.

Wealth is dangerous and we all have a lot of it. We are the richest nation filled with the richest people history has ever seen. Every person reading this post is richer than the majority of the rest of the world. So please don’t think I’m only talking to those out there who are wealthy according to our standards. I am writing to us all including "poor" Americans. I'm writing to myself and I certainly don't consider myself wealthy, at least not according to the way I've been programmed.

We are a money centered society that programs our children to seek the American dream: "Work hard at all you do and go to college so that you can get a good job that makes lots of money someday which you can spend on temporal things and frivolous pleasures." In other words, do everything you can to create a little piece of heaven for yourselves on earth instead of living in a way that makes you hope and long and strive for God's eternal reward.

That "American" dream is a lie that has the power to spiritually destroy people. In Matthew 13 Jesus teaches the parable of the sower and in verse 22 he says, "As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. " (ESV)

Our prosperity will effectively prevent a revival in the church until we stop treasuring the stuff and start treasuring the Word of God. This applies to individuals, families and churches. We have to show the world that God is more valuable than anything that can be bought on the earth! God is the treasure, the blessing, the security, the wealth and the comfort to a true disciple, not the money in his/her pocket or stuff he/she can buy.

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Matthew 13:44 (ESV)

I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. Psalm 119:162 (ESV)

Father, wake the American church up from its materialistic slumber and open our eyes to the value of YOU!