The midland journal., 1946-05-24
FINDING A NEW SENSE
OF VALUES

LESSON TEXT-Luke 1919. 20: 1s:24-3O:
19:1-1O.
MEMORY sELECTToN-The kingdom of
God is not meat and drink; but righteous.
ness. and peace. and Joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 1i:17.
Money, riches, possessions-that's
what men are living and striving
for in our day. 1t is going to seem
a bit strange, but it will be very
salutary to stress once again the
eternal truth, best summarized by
our Lord Jesus when he said, IA
mans life consisteth not in the
abundance of the things which he
possesseth" Nuke 12:15).
1. Don't Depend ON Riches (12:19,
20).
The rich man increased in selfish
ness as he increased in wealth. He
began to feel secure because he had
laid up much goods. Now he be-
came proud and boastful. He
thought he saw years of comfort
and ease ahead. Evidently he had
not read, or did not believe, the
words Of Scripture, "Boast not thy
self of tomorrow; for thou knowest
not what day may bring forth"
prov. 27:1; see also James Alb
~.
Well, can a man depend on
riches? The answer is no. They
are here today and gone tomorrow.
Man himself is here today and gone
tomorrow. When he goes, he leaves
all that he has unless he has invest
ed it for God.
Money is like a broken reed. The
man who leans on it will not only
fall, but will pierce himself through
with many sorrows q. Tim. SO, 10).
Don't depend on riches-they will
miserably fail you in your hour of
need.
III. Beware Of the Snare of Riches
(18:24-27).
The rich young ruler had come
running to Jesus to seek eternal life,
but had turned away sorrowful
when he found that a man cannot
love money and love God at the
same time.
Jesus improved the opportunity to
point out that it is impossible for
rich man to be saved, except as the
grace of God gets hold of him and
sets him free from dependence on
his wealth.
Apart from the grace of God, 1t
is SO easy for rich man or woman
to trust in riches, and to feel no
need of God.
Look again at Timothy SO, 10
and you will see that even the de-
sire to be rich leads a man into a
temptation and snare. The man
of God is warned to "fiee these
things; and follow after righteous
ness, godliness, faith, love, patience,
meekness," and thus to be able to
eight the good fight of faith" Il Tim.
GIL, 12).
We repeat that all this has
strange sound to modern ears, so
accustomed to the worldly philos-
ophy Of trust in things and in dol
lars. We need to warn our young
men and women about the awful
danger of loving money.
There is something infinitely bet
ter than riches, and that is what we
find in our next point.
iii. Seek True Riches in Christ (18:
28-30).
Peter and the other disciples had
forSaken all the things of the world
to follow Christ, and now as he re-
minds the Lord of that fact, he re-
ceives the assurance that there is
higher level of riches and reward
for the loyal disciple.
God will never be in debt to any
one. There is no sacrifice made
for his glcry which does not find its
glorious recompense, and no bur-
den borne for his sake which does
not bring its rich reward.
All this is not the result of some
kind of "deal' with God. We do
not serve him because we expect
reward, but the assurance of the re-
ward is there to encourage and spur
us on in life and service for him.
The fact is, spiritual currency has
far higher value than the gold and
silver of this world.
Nv. Ask Christ to Deliver You
From Riches (19:1-10).
Zacchaeus was a man well versed
in the devious ways of the extor-
toner. He knew money, and how
to make it. But he was not salts
fed. He knew there was something
more worth while than riches. His
life was empty.
He sought Jesus. One look from
the Master and he knew that he
must lay his sinful heart open be-
fore him in confession. Salvation
came to Zacchaeus that day.
Here, then, is the way to be de-
livered from the snare of riches
take Jesus Christ as your Saviour
and Lord. He may then entrust
riches to your care to use for him,
but he will deliver you from
love for gold and from the folly of
putting your trust in it.
The person who lives for riches
10 Lost 10N 1oxx1Lk =