Redefined!

Luke 18:²² “…he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²³ But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.”

In other words, Jesus was saying do not just stop at giving up everything alone, go beyond, and give yourself to serving too. Follow me in my itinerant ministry. But when the man heard this he became very sad because he was very rich.

When we put our hope and our contentment in our possessions, we are setting ourselves up for disaster spiritually.When we put our contentment in our bank accounts, we are asking for trouble. Contentment is redefined by Jesus; contentment is not having all you need, contentment is knowing that God is all you need. Big difference!

You cannot claim to be content when you have all you need, when you are satisfied and needing nothing. Contentment is realizing that the only thing I need, the only person I need is God. Contentment is even if God says to you sell everything and follow me, you know that you have lost nothing – that is contentment! John Piper puts it this way, “He that has God and everything doesn’t have more than he that has God and nothing!” In other words, if you have God and you have ten thousand houses, a hundred thousand cars, you have billions and billions of dollars –you are fine. But if someone else has God and does not even have a single house, or a car, you do not have more than the person that does not have physical possessions. And it is because God is all in all. If you have God, you have everything.

Jesus told the young ruler to sell everything and follow Him. But he was sad and could not do it. The tenth commandment goes beyond and into the heart of the matter. Jesus is showing you and I that contentment is not being satisfied with possessions or positions, contentment is being satisfied with God. For some people, they think their satisfaction is in a position – if only I can be married, if only I can get one million dollars, I will be okay. To a lot of people, satisfaction is synonymous with possessions. But Jesus shows us that contentment is not in possessions, contentment is finding satisfaction in God. And if you get this, your life will never remain the same again.

Prayer [song]: All I need is You, All I need is You Lord – Is You Lord, All I need is You, All I need is You Lord Is You Lord… Amen!