“ASHAMED!”

Luke 9:23-27                                                      (ESV)

“23 And HE said to all, "If anyone would come after ME, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow ME.

24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for MY sake will save it.

25 FOR WHAT DOES IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSES OR FORFEITS HIMSELF?

26 For whoever is “ASHAMED” of ME and of MY words, of him will the SON of MAN be “ASHAMED” when HE comes in HIS glory and the glory of the FATHER and of the holy angels.

27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of GOD."”

WEALTH!  Who has the most wealth and what will it buy them on their deathbeds?  A recent article states that “The most recent Forbes listing of the world's wealthiest people included 2,208 billionaires, a record, with the total wealth estimated at $9.1 trillion.”  How many of those 2,208 BILLIONAIRES would give up their vast WEALTH for an extra year to be added to their lives?  

A billion dollars is 1,000 Millions!  Most people would be comfortable with a million dollars in their accounts, but we wouldn’t sacrifice our health for that $1 Million!  But some would have to think about whether that money would be worth selling their lives for a BILLION “dollars”?  

This is a NEWS FLASH!  “This world” and all of its so called WEALTH WILL pass way (James 1-5)!  What becomes of us will NOT be decided by what we have amassed in our bank accounts, nor even how much we have given to charities, INCLUDING CHURCHES!  It is ONLY through FAITH in JESUS CHRIST perfect life, and sacrificial death, AND VICTORIOUS RESURRECTION that anyone will enter the KINGDOM OF GOD!  

JESUS said in John 6:44 “NO ONE can come to ME UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM....”!  HE doesn’t require great WEALTH!  HE DOES REQUIRE us to let the BATTLE BELONG TO HIM (Exodus 14:14; 2 Chronicles 20:15; 1 Samuel 17:47)!  JESUS doesn’t want us to be super achievers.  HE wants people who will give ALL GLORY TO HIM for the work HE does through their lives....AND NOT BE “ASHAMED”!!!