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20 - Gain That is Loss - Christ's Object Lessons · Wisdom of the Ages Library

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  Chapter twenty Gain, that is loss, Christ was teaching, and as usual,
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  others besides his disciples, had gathered about him. He had been speaking
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  to the disciples of the scenes in which they were soon to act apart.
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  They were to publish abroad the truths he had committed to them, and they
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  would be brought in conflict with the rulers of this world for his sake.
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  They would be called into courts and before magistrates and kings. He had assured
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  them of wisdom which none could gainsay his own words that moved the hearts of
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  the multitude and brought to confusion his wily adversaries. Witnessed to the power of
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  that indwelling spirit which he had promised to his followers. But there were many
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  who desired the grace of heaven only to serve their selfish purposes. They recognized
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  the marvelous power of Christ in setting forth the truth in a clear light.
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  They heard the promise to his followers of wisdom to speak before rulers and magistrates.
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  Would he not lend his power for their worldly benefit? And one of
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  the company said, unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that
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  he divide the inheritance with me. Through merses, God had given directions concerning
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  the transmission of property. The eldest son received a double portion of the father's
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  estate, while the younger brothers were to share alike. This man thinks that
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  his brother has defrauded him of his inheritance. His own efforts have failed to
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  secure what he regards as if his due. But if Christ will interpose,
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  the end will surely be gained. He has heard Christ's stirring appeals and his
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  solemn denunciations of the scribes and pharisees. If words of such command could be
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  spoken to his brother, he would not dare to refuse the aggrieved man his
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  portion. In the midst of the solemn instruction that Christ had given, this
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  man had revealed his selfish disposition. He could appreciate that ability of the Lord
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  which might work for the advancement of his own temporal affairs, But spiritual truths
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  had taken no hold on his mind and heart. The gaining of the inheritance
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  was his absorbing theme. Jesus, the King of Glory, who was rich
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  yet for our sake became poor, was opening to him the treasures of divine
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  love. The Holy Spirit was pleading with him to become an heir of the
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  inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. He had
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  seen evidence of the power of Christ. Now the opportunity was his to speak
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  to the great Teacher, to express the desire uppermost in his heart. But
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  like the man with the muckrake in Bunyan's allegory, his eyes were focused on
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  the earth. He saw not the crown above his head. Like Simon Magus,
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  he valued the gift of God as a means of worldly gain. The
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  Saviour's mission on Earth was fast drawing to a close. Only a few months
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  remained for him to complete what he had come to do in establishing the Kingdom
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  of his grace. Yet human greed have turned him from his work to take
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  up the dispute over a peace of land. But Jesus was not to be
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  diverted from his mission. His answer was, man who made me a judge
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  or a divider over you? Jesus could have told this man just what was
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  right. He knew the right in the case. But the brothers were in
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  a quarrel because both were covetous. Christ virtually said, it is not my
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  work to settle controversies of this kind. He came for another purpose, to
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  preach the Gospel, and thus to arouse men to a sense of eternal realities.
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  In Christ's treatment of this case is a lesson for all who minister in
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  his name. When he sent forth the twelve, he said, as ye
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  go preach, saying, the King of Heaven is at hand. Heal the
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  sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils freely.
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  Ye have received freely give. They were not to settle the temporal affairs of
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  the people. Their work was to persuade men to be reconciled to God.
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  In this work lay their power to bless humanity. The only remedy for the
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  sins and sorrows of men is Christ. The gospel of His grace alone can
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  cure the evils that curse society. The injustice of the rich toward the poor,
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  the hatred of the poor towards the rich alike have their root in selfishness,
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  and this can be eradicated only through submission to Christ. He alone,
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  for the selfish heart of sin gives the new heart of love. Let the
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  servants of Christ preach the Gospel with the spirit sent down from heaven and work
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  as he did for the benefit of men. Then such results will be manifest
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  in the blessing and uplifting of mankind, as are wholly impossible of accomplishment by
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  human power. Our Lord struck at the root of the affair that troubled this
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  questioner, and of all similar disputes, saying, take heed and beware of
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  covetousness. For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which
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  he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, the ground
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  of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself,
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  saying, what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow
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  my fruits? And he said, this will I do. I will pull
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  down my barns and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and
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  my goods. And I will say to my soul soul, thou hast much
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  goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink,
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  and be merry. But God said unto him, thou fool, this night
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  thy soul shall be required of thee. Then whose shall these things be which
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  thou hast provided so is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is
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  not rich towards God. By the parable of the foolish rich man, Christ
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  showed the folly of those who make the world. There all this man had
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  received everything from God. The sun had been permitted to shine upon his land,
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  for its rays fall on the just and on the unjust. Showers of
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  heaven descend on the evil and on the good. The Lord had caused vegetation
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  to flourish, and the fields to bring forth abundantly. The rich man was
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  in perplexity as to what he should do with his produce. His barns were
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  full to overflowing, and he had no place to put the surplice of his
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  harvest. He did not think of God, from whom all his mercies had
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  come. He did not realize that God had made him a steward of his
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  goods, that he might help the needy. He had a blessed opportunity of
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  being God's armaner, but he thought only of ministering to his own comfort.
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  The situation of the poor, the orphan, the widow, the suffering,
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  the afflicted was brought to this rich man's attention. There were many places in
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  which to bestow his goods. He could easily have relieved himself of a portion
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  of his abundance, and many homes would have been freed from want. Many
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  who were hungry would have been fed, many naked clothed, many hearts made
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  glad, many prayers for bread and clothing answered, and a melody of praise
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  would have assented to heaven. The Lord had heard the prayers of the needy,
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  and of his goodness he had prepared for the poor. Abundant provision for
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  the wants of many had been made in the blessings bestowed upon the rich man.
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  But he closed his heart to the cry of the needy, and said
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  to his servants, this will I do. I will pull down my barns
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  and build greater and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
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  And I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid
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  up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be
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  merry. This man's aims were no higher than those of the beasts that perish.
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  He lived as if there were no God, no heaven, no future
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  life, as if everything he possessed were his own, and he owed nothing
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  to God or man. The Psalmist described this rich man when he wrote the
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  fool hath said in his heart there is no God. This man has lived
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  and planned for self. He sees the future is abundantly provided for. There
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  is nothing for him now but to treasure and enjoy the fruits of his labors.
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  He regards himself as favored above other men, and takes credit to himself
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  for his wise management. He is honored by his fellow townsman as a man
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  of good judgment and a prosperous citizen. For men will praise THEE when thou
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  doest well to thyself. But the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.
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  While the rich man is looking forward to years of enjoyment, the Lord
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  is making far different plans. The message comes to this unfaithful steward, thou
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  fool, this night, thy soul shall be required of thee. Here is
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  a demand that money cannot supply. The wealth he has treasured can purchase no
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  reprieve. In one moment, that which he is toiled through his whole life
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  to secure becomes worthless to him. Then, and whose shall these things be
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  which thou hast provided his broad fields and well filled granaries pass from under his
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  control. He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them,
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  the only thing that would be of value to him. Now he has not
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  secured in living for self. He has rejected that divine love which would have
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  flowed out in mercy to his fellow men. Thus he has rejected life.
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  For God is love, and love is life. This man has chosen the
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  earthly rather than the spiritual, and with the earthly he must pass away.
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  Man that is in honor and understandeth not is like the beasts that perish.
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  So is he that layeth up treasure for him, and is not rich towards
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  God. The picture is true for all time. You may plan for merely
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  selfish good. You may gather together treasure. You may build mansions great and
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  high, as did the builders of ancient Babylon. But you cannot build walls
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  so high or gates so strong as to shut out the messengers of doom.
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  Belshazzar the King feasted in his palace and praised the gods of gold and of
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  silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
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  But the hand of one invisible wrote upon his walls the words of doom,
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  and the tread of hostile armies was heard at his palace gates. In that
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  night was Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, slain, and an alien
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  monarch sat upon the throne. To live for self is to perish covetousness.
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  The desire of benefit for self's sake cuts the soul off from life. It
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  is the spirit of Satan to get, to draw to self. It is
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  the spirit of Christ to give, to sacrifice self for the good of others.
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  And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life.
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  And this life is in his son. He that hath the Son hath life,
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  and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Wherefore
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  he says, take heed, and beware of covetousness, for a man's life
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  consists of not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth end of Chapter twenty