We've all heard "You can't take it with you!" as people justify unnecessary spending. It now seems that although you can't take it with you, dead men can still earn money! It was reported today that one person who is long dead earned more money than the highest earning living entertainer: Michael Jackson earned more than Madonna last year. I believe it was around $168,000,000. Not bad for a dead person who, when alive, was only half so! Too bad it doesn't do him any good where he's at.
There's a story of a rich man who carried a knapsack as he entered the gate to heaven. St. Peter, who I guess, guards one of the pearly gates, according to superstition, looked into the knapsack and asked "What are you going to do with a bag full of pavement?" Don't get it? The following describes heaven:
Revelation 21:21 "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city (New Jerusalem) was pure gold, as it were transparent glass."
For Michael Jackson, that $168,000,000 is about as worthless as pavement! Michael must enter the same gate that everyone enters. Money is insufficient payment and prestige means nothing!
There was an Italian man named Cornelius who God used for his purposes because he was devout.
Acts 10:34 "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."
Italians were gentiles. They were "unclean" to the Jews who could not even associate with them! Those shunned by man were accepted by God! Cornelius was a wealthy man, but that's not why he was righteous:
Acts 10:2 "A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway."
Let's look at why Cornelius was acceptable to the Lord: He was devout. As you can see that "devout" describes a person who is "devoted". Cornelius was a dedicated Christian. He didn't play games with sin and he didn't play "religion". He was a sincere Christian!
Cornelius "feared God". That sounds negative! Why should we fear God? He's a loving God is he not? We fear God by having reverence for him. He IS an "awesome God"! We should also hold God in awe! (By the way, "awesome" doesn't mean "remarkable"as used in slang... It means to "revere, admire and fear!") Yes, God is to be revered, admired and feared! God has power over our eternal destiny! If we're not assured of our salvation that IS reason to fear.
Cornelius "prayed to God alway(s)". That means Cornelius magnified God, sought God's will, and listened to God in all things! Cornelius had a working and loving relationship with God; and by the way... "he gave much alms to the people". He was generous and charitable with his wealth! That's love in action. He did it of his own volition, not because someone made him do it! That's true charity.
Now, let's go back to Michael Jackson and wealth. Jesus met a young rich man. He was sincere and dedicated as was Cornelius. There was one major difference. Cornelius with generous in giving to others of his wealth. As you can see below, the young man wasn't so generous:
Matthew 19:16 "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven."
The young rich man could have had eternal riches! The "love of money is the root of all evil" as we've all heard from scripture. That is more than a saying! Temporal wealth was valued more than eternal riches by the young man. His heart just wasn't right. His priorities were wrong. He kept the "letter of the law" yet failed to keep the "spirit of the law"! What was that? "Loving God and loving others!" The young man was more concerned with "numero uno". He was self-centered although he was dedicated to what's right. His was a religion of works.
You can see that it is possible for a rich man to go to heaven (verse 22). It's just harder! Why is it more difficult? It would appear that many of the wealthy focus on material gain. They collect money as a hobby. Their desire is to see it grow. Michael Jackson's wealth continues to grow even though he's long gone. It hardly got him into heaven (and probably didn't)! His priorities were wrong. His heart was wrong!
I can hear many now. "I don't put much faith in wealth!" You may be correct in your thinking, but wrong in your heart. I would bet that most value things money can buy and the pleasures in life bought with money, or fake money; namely charge cards. The evidence is in our spending and our debts! Look in your home and what do you see? You see things important to you. That's okay as long as it's all not top priority! How much time do you spend on the things of the Lord? How much do you give to help others? How many souls have you led to Christ? I know that I come up short; do you?
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