Those Who Did Not Practice Worship
Whatever the Lord has given you, give it back!
*Go Back to Part I and read the series.
The rich young ruler wanted to be a disciple, but Jesus knew that where one’s heart is, there you find one’s treasure. This young man’s treasure was in his increasing financial empire, so Jesus required of him to give back to the Lord his wealth to the poor that he was unwilling to do. He missed an opportunity for true worship. We do not know his fate, but he left with a heavy heart, not willing to pay the price while missing a golden opportunity.
The most famous case of squandering the opportunity to give back to the Lord is found in the book of Acts with Ananias and Sapphira. They sold a piece of land and purposely kept back part of the money for themselves and lied about it. Peter proclaims to them, “You have not lied to men but to God.” Both fall over dead and “Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.”
Jesus told the woman at the well that we are to “worship in spirit and in truth”. Neither the rich young ruler nor Ananias and Sapphira would accept that truth in their own lives, thus losing a precious opportunity to worship Jesus.
Maybe we should realize that worship is not something to play with, but is an unique opportunity to give back to the Lord what he has already given us. Thank heavens that the Holy Spirit is not doing to the church today what he did with Ananias and Sapphira or today’s obituary column might be full.