Wednesday Service - 2/24/10: How Rich Is Too Rich?

As I look out the window, the weather does not appear to be cooperating, but I am still planning on having our first Wednesday evening Lenten service. I encourage members and friends of both Tabor and Oakfield to attend. We will be meeting at 7:00 PM at Tabor United Methodist Church.

This evening we will be concentrating on Matthew 19:16-26:

¹⁶Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

¹⁷Jesus said, "Why do you question me about what's good? God is the One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you."

^18-19The man asked, "What in particular?"

Jesus said, "Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself."

²⁰The young man said, "I've done all that. What's left?"

²¹"If you want to give it all you've got," Jesus replied, "go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me."

²²That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crest-fallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn't bear to let go.

^23-24As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God's kingdom? Let me tell you, it's easier to gallop a camel through a needle's eye than for the rich to enter God's kingdom."

²⁵The disciples were staggered. "Then who has any chance at all?"

²⁶Jesus looked hard at them and said, "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."

The questions we will be reflecting on is: How rich is too rich?

• What is Jesus asking of this gentleman?
• What is he asking of us?
• How might we change our lives as a result of reading this?

We will take an offering to benefit Haiti and the Eden/Oakfield Pastor's fund to help members of both communities. We will also have a service of Communion.