Most of the year I preach as a reformer, decrying that the Church is way off course, that Constantine’s Byzantine Hagia Sophia is not the church Jesus Christ intended or set up. Many in the West associate following Christ with wealth, status, and prestige: when the reality is clearly seen in Jesus’ own parable:
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades (hell), where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31).
This parable flips the assumption on its head. The beggar with boils and sores dies hungry and ends up in heaven, while the rich and indifferent man goes to hell. Contrary to popular opinion, the loyal disciples of Christ do not live in comfort, “ There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning;[e] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.” (Hebrews 11:). And we are to face the same trials for it is written, “ “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 At that time many will [d]fall away and will [e]betray one another and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 Because lawlessness is increased, [f]most people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24). The call of the Christian life unlike what prosperity preachers say is not all gold and gladness, it is great tribulation. We have the “pearl of great price,” we have the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life but it comes with a cost most preachers today shirk, our lives, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it,” (Matthew 16:24-25). We are saved by grace and faith alone in Jesus and His work on the cross (Ephesians 2:6-10) but to keep that faith and endure to the end may cost us our flesh, and even our life, “” (Revelation 14:12). For the forces of the evil one are hard at work to destroy us and anyone who refuses to have nominal faith walk and chooses to follow Christ in an intimate relationship will find tribulation a constant companion, the cross our walking staff.
Our Lord Jesus Christ did not live on affluence, He was homeless, “Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20). He did not praise the wealthy but warned, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God,” (Mark 8:20), “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful,” (Matthew 13:22), and “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24). How the church built altars of gold and made bishops decked in precious stones ans ignored these passages is puzzling. And yet today pastors do the same, willing to ignore the tough call of Christ’s words. Surely there is balance, and context to Jesus’ tough statements, but the warning of the dangers of pursuing wealth must not go unheeded! Remember, the beggar with sores went to heaven, but the wealthy man was in hell!
This is not a song to Lady Poverty. I am not calling for an en masse flock to go and become ascetics and monks ans nuns, nor am I calling us to be desert fathers and mothers. Those austerities can be just ad focused on wealth as the rich. No the problem is pursuit of riches and love of money, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10). Money corrupts, it can turn a person with pure and simple devotion to Christ into Gordon Gekko from “Wall Street.” We are not called to pursue wealth, but to preach the Gospel and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). Money should be treated as an inconvenience that we must use like our need to use the toilet; its a necessary part of life, but not the object of our devotion and focus.
Money was invented by the prince of this world, the devil,:
“You were in Eden (Genesis 3),
the garden of God.
Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone—
red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone,
blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper,
blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—
all beautifully crafted for you
and set in the finest gold.
They were given to you
on the day you were created.
I ordained and anointed you
as the mighty angelic guardian (Cherub that Coverath, Highest Cherubim Angel).
You had access to the holy mountain of God
and walked among the stones of fire.
“You were blameless in all you did
from the day you were created
until the day evil was found in you.
Your rich commerce led you to violence,
and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace
from the mountain of God.” (Ezekiel 28:11-18). Notice it was commerce and pride (Isaiah 14:11-14) that led Lucifer to violence and the war in heaven (Revelation 12:7-11). Money was made by Satan and it helped corrupt him and now corrupts mankind. Notice our Lord Jesus rebukes making the church or temple s place of trade or commerce:
“13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.” (John 2:13-16) and, “esus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. And He says to them, "It has been written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer.' But you have made it 'a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:12-13). Notice that Satan (Lucifer, Prince of Tyre) creates and promotes commerce, but our Lord and God Jesus (Son of Man, God Incarnate who judges Satan Ezekiel 28:11) in contrast rebukes merchandizing faith and His temple which is now us Christians (1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19). It then stands to reason that any spirit or person that promotes commerce and turning our lives to trade is of Satan, and any spirit or person that tells us to “count all things lost but knowing Christ Jesus, discarding all things that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8) is of Our God the Holy Trinity! Amen.
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