0229. HEAVEN’S WEALTH.
HEAVEN’S WEALTH.
"For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have" (Luk_8:18).
Introduction.
Pleasant Task. The task before us is a pleasant one- inform you how to secure wealth-Heaven’s wealth, which is the truest and best.
Surprising Statement. What a surprising statement we have here! Should it not have read: "For whosoever hath not." What! Does the Bible declare that to get you must have? One would hardly expect to find such a statement in the Bible. Some social reformer would remark: "This is just what I object to, and am out to remedy. I ‘m for those who have not."
Old Eastern Proverb. This verse was a well-known Eastern proverb in our Lord’s day. In the East the wealthy became rulers and judges. To secure their favour presents are required. Thus "whosoever hath to him shall be given." On the contrary, the poor have little influence. Seldom do they ever rise to positions of importance. And, naturally, presents were not given to them. Indeed, they were often defrauded of the little they had. It seems to have been a favourite of our Lord’s. Used here and in Mat_13:12; Mat_25:29, and other Gospels.
Something in my Hand I Bring? Did our Lord mean that when I come to the Judge of all the earth I must bring a gift to secure His mercy and interference? I thought it was:
"Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy Cross I cling."
Have I to bring something? No, and yes. You have not to bring something, but Someone.
Put Him In. You must bring Someone, not something. Put the Lord’s Name into the text and the difficulty disappears. "For whosoever hath Him, to him shall be given. Here is the secret how to possess Heaven’s wealth. To his brethren Joseph said, "Ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you" (Gen_43:3).
"He that spared not His Own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things" (Rom_8:32).
A rich American died intestate, his wife and only son having predeceased him. An old nurse, formerly in his service, and who had left to get married, at the sale of the furniture bought, at a low figure the departed son’s oil painting, for she had nursed the boy. Behind the picture she found the Will, in which the gentleman stated that he had decided to leave his wealth to the one who showed sufficient interest in his boy as to buy his picture. God leaves all with His Son (Rom_8:32).
If you have received Him you already possess:
1. The Title to Wealth. A beggar one day found a neatly printed slip of paper by the road, and though he could not read it, he thought it might be worth putting away in his bundle. Days and weeks of hunger followed; sickness came, and for want of food and care he died. The authorities were about to consign his bundle to the fire, when the printed slip fell out, and lo! it was a fifty pound note! In his grasp he had the means of food, and care, and comfort; but he knew it not. How many a poor Christian, all unmindful of its value, is carrying the great talisman of God, the Name of Jesus Christ, and that wonderful cheque book, the Word of God! Sick, long-faced, disheartened, and poor, when in the bank of infinite resource he has unlimited credit. Do we believe it? Why not? Here is the Book filled with promises to pay; there is the treasure; and the Banker’s Voice comes down to us: "If ye shall ask anything in My Name, I will do it." "Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."
2. The Very Wealth Itself. There was a poor Transvaal farmer ekeing out a poor living by tending a few sheep. He died poor. After his death prospectors found diamonds there, and gave the widow a fortune for the place. The wealth was there all the time, yet they knew it not.
We came across this quotation the late Bishop Moule makes in one of his articles: "Christ for us is all our peace before a Holy God; and Christ in us is all our strength in an unholy world." What have we in Him?
I. Divine Truth. By nature I am in mental and moral darkness. With Him there is given knowledge of Divine Truth (Mat_13:11-12).
1. See the close connection between Mat_25:11 and Mat_25:12.
2. Unto you is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom. Why? Because you have life!
3. How foolish to delay decision until we know more.
4. Believe us, with the reception of Him comes knowledge. See that you have abundance-a growing knowledge.
5. Is it not written in 1Co_1:30 : "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom."
II. Divine Righteousness. I am unrighteous. Even what I consider righteousness is as filthy rags. With Him I have righteousness. "Christ Jesus… is made unto us righteousness."
III. Divine Regeneration. I am dead, without life. With Him there is regeneration (Joh_1:11-12).
1. This informs me that the new birth is dependent and follows possessing Him.
2. Without Him there is no regeneration.
3. "He that hath the Son hath life" (1Jn_5:12).
IV. Divine Peace. I am a stranger to peace. With Him I have peace (Eph_2:14).
1. He is our peace.
2. Three things about peace.
a. Peace "made" (Eph_2:15).
b. Security of peace (Eph_2:14).
c. Peace preached (Eph_2:17).
3. Peace by Blood (Col_1:20) and government (Isa_9:7).
4. God’s peace-terms for the world: Accept Christ.
5. Without Him there is no peace.
V. Redemption. I am under bondage. With Him there is redemption (Col_1:14).
1. "In Whom we have redemption through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins."
2. The Bible represents man as:
a. In present bondage to sin, and
b. Under sentence of death.
3. With Him there is redemption. He has paid the price of our freedom, and provides not only for our deliverance from death, but also from bondage.
4. Because I have Him I-
a. Have redemption. He is made unto us redemption, and
b. With Him there is liberty (Gal_2:4).
VI. Sanctification. I am unholy. With Him there is sanctification.
1. "He is made unto us. . .Sanctification."
2. "Christ is in the past (day of our believing) our righteousness. In the present He is our sanctification; in the future our redemption" (Evan Hopkins).
Provision. "Among the many mistakes that prevail as to the nature of practical holiness, there is not a more fruitful source of misconception than the idea, that while justification stands wholly in Christ, our sanctification stands in ourselves. This notion arises from the habit of thinking whenever the word sanctification is used of the process wrought in us, rather than of the provision God has made for us" (Evan Hopkins).
3. Solemn Warning.
a. The latter part of the text is the most difficult.
b. The clue is "that which he seemeth to have," or as R.V., "That which he thinks he has."
c. It is a warning against a piety and a goodness which have not their roots in Christ.
Autor: James Smith