The Dare: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is…

• February 19, 2010
• #life

Matthew 19:16-29 [MSG]

16 Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”17 Jesus 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 The man asked, “What in particular?” Jesus said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie,19 honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself.”20 The 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.”22 That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go.23 As 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?24 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.”25 The disciples were staggered. “Then who has any chance at all?”26 Jesus 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.”27 Then Peter chimed in, “We left everything and followed you. What do we get out of it?”28 Jesus replied, “Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel.29 And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life.

So, you want to do something great for God, I DARE YOU to put your money where your mouth is. Maybe you took THE DARE, Jesus I’m going to really live for you, I’m going to become the man or woman of God you’ve call me to be… But here’s the clarifying question world changer, “What are you sacrificing to follow Him?” Craig I really do want to give up everything, but I’m new at this how do I know what I need to sacrifice??

Ask yourself 2 questions:

1. What is really important in my life?

Matthew 19:16-20 [MSG]

16 Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”17 Jesus 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 The man asked, “What in particular?” Jesus said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie,19 honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself.”20 The young man said, “I’ve done all that. What’s left?”

You must do what God tells you…

Can you tell me the 10 commandments?

• No other gods.
• No carved gods.
• No using the name of God in curses or silly banter.
• Observe the Sabbath.
• Honor your father and mother.
• No murder.
• No adultery.
• No stealing.
• No lying.
• No lusting after anything that is your neighbor’s.

So you do everything God tells you huh? Give away all your money. What else are you serving? No other gods only me…

Matthew 19:20-22 [MSG]

20 The 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.”22 That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go.

What is really important in my life? God. Really?? What are you holding on tight to that is robbing you of your destiny? My friend, Josh Mayo calls this “Rich young ruler” the 13th disciple… fitting. He could have been that. He could have been something great for God.  Are you going to allow your life to be a “could be life” like his?? Or is there something that stirs up inside of you that says NO MORE. This may be GOOD in my life, but I let it go to be GREAT.

2. What will hold me back?

When you made Jesus #1 you gave up your right to be right. So here’s my question for you… “What people or circumstances do you need to let go of?”

A little kid named Brent visited his grandparents during the summer and received his first slingshot. His grandparents had only one instruction: “Only use the slingshot in the back, wooded part of the farm. We don’t want anyone hurt.” So Brent practiced in the woods hour after hour, but he could never hit his target. Discouraged, he finally started to walk back towards the farmhouse. When he reached the backyard, he saw his Grandmother’s treasured pet duck. On an impulse, he took aim and let it fly. Unbelievably, for the first time that day, the stone hit its target. The pet duck fell dead in the middle of the back yard. Brent panicked. Scared and guilty, he hid the dead duck in a woodpile and started to walk away as though nothing had happened. But right as he stood up, he saw that his older sister, Lauren, was watching. She said nothing. But the expression on her face let Brent know that she had seen it all.

After lunch that day, Grandma said, “Lauren, let’s wash the dishes.” But Lauren said, “Grandma, Brent told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you Brent?” And under her breath so no one could hear but her younger brother, she whispered, “Remember the duck!” So Brent did the dishes.

Later, Brent and Lauren’s grandfather asked if the kids wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, “I’m sorry, but I need Lauren to stay around the house to help me with dinner. We have company coming.”

Once again, Lauren smiled and said, “That’s all taken care of. Brent loves to help with stuff like that. He just mentioned to me that he wanted to spend more time with Grandma, so I’ll go fishing with you Granddad, and Brent can stay here.” Again she whispered to him, “Remember the duck!” So Brent stayed behind again to work while Lauren went fishing.

After several days of Brent doing both HIS chores and Lauren’s, he couldn’t take it any longer. Crying, he blurted out the truth to his Grandma. He told her that HE had been the one who killed her pet duck, and that he had hidden its lifeless body deep under the woodpile.

His grandmother was very understanding. She bent down and gave him a loving hug. But her next words blew him out of the water. “I knew everything that went on, Brent. I was standing at the window and saw it all. Because I love you, I forgave you right away. I have just been wondering how long you would let your sister make you HER SLAVE.”

That is a great picture of what the Enemy does to each of us. We’ve been forgiven but many times we can’t forgive ourselves or others around us. Give up your right to be right… You’re right that other person was WRONG! It is horrible that they did that to you… but you’re not punishing them by not forgiving them, you’re punishing your future. They stole one moment, don’t give them any more.

Don’t allow that un-forgiveness to hold you back. Maybe you’re good with un-forgiveness… maybe for you it’s much more simple. I want to live for God, but my friends are a bad influence on me. We say it all the time SHOW ME YOUR FRIENDS AND I’LL SHOW YOU… YOUR FUTURE. You don’t need Christian friends, you need friends who are really Christian. People who will challenge you to become more like Christ. “I can’t ditch my friends, they’re my friends!” Do they make you more like Christ when you’re around them? If the answer is no, then they are holding you back. You can keep your friends and lose your destiny. Or you can let go of the friendship that is holding you back and keep your destiny. “That’s cold! How can I ditch my friends like that?” Do you really love them? YES! Are you good for each other - honestly - NO! Are you their salvation or is Christ? When you let go of a friendship, you are saying, God, I cannot be this person’s salvation - you have to be. Here’s the most important part - FIND RIGHT FRIENDSHIPS.

Matthew 19:23-29 [MSG]

23 As 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?24 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.”25 The disciples were staggered. “Then who has any chance at all?”26 Jesus 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.”27 Then Peter chimed in, “We left everything and followed you. What do we get out of it?”28 Jesus replied, “Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel.29 And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life.

You want to live for God?

I DARE YOU TO PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS…