September
28, 2003
BEWARE
OF COVETOUSNESS, Part I
"Take
heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist
in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15,
NKJV).
Someone
from the crowd asked Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother
to divide the inheritance with me" (Luke 12:13). Jesus
responded, "Man, who made Me a
judge or an arbitrator over you?" Then He said
to the crowd, "Take heed and beware
of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance
of the things he possesses."
As usual,
Jesus was speaking to His disciples and others who had gathered
around Him. There were those who desired the grace of heaven
for their souls salvation and there were many others who desired
the obvious power and grace of Christ only to serve their
selfish purposes. They recognized the marvelous power of Christ
in the miracles of healing that He performed and His ability
to speak the truth so clearly. Would He not lend His power
for their worldly benefit?
God had
given directions concerning inheritance of property through
Moses. The oldest son was to receive a double portion of the
father's estate (Deut. 21:17), while the younger brothers
were to share alike. This man believes that his brother has
defrauded him of his inheritance. His own efforts have failed
to secure what he regards as his own, but if Christ will intercede,
his end will surely be gained.
In the
midst of solemn instruction that Jesus was giving, this man
had revealed his selfish motivation. He could appreciate the
ability of Jesus to work for the advancement of his own temporal
affairs; but spiritual truths had not taken hold of his heart.
Gaining of the inheritance was absorbing his mind. "Jesus,
the King of glory, who was rich, yet for our sake became poor,
was opening to him the treasures of divine love. The Holy
spirit was pleading with him to become an heir of the inheritance
that is 'incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not
away' (1 Peter 1:4). He had seen evidence of the power of
Christ. Now the opportunity was his to speak to the great
Teacher, to express the desire uppermost in his heart. But
like the man with the muck rake in Bunyan's allegory, his
eyes were fixed on the earth. He saw not the crown above his
head. Like Simon Magus, he valued the gift of God as a means
of worldly gain."--Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 253.
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