What Does It Take To Be Truly Rich?
Our Mission
To present Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord to business and professional men and to develop Christian business and professional men to carry out the Great Commission.
Mark 10.39 records, they said to Him, we are able. Then Jesus said to them, you will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I experience.
Jesus’ key men wanted to live their best life now. These guys were interested in becoming Jesus’ chief lieutenants helping Him to manage the world as He became King of kings and Lord of lords. What James and John failed to realize was that Jesus was not living His best life now but rather His worst life now. This is what it meant for Him to drink the cup and be baptized.
The Apostles were interested in the cup and baptism but they misinterpreted its meaning. So too many who claim to be Christians misinterpret the cup and baptism.
Jesus left heaven where He is King of kings and Lord of lords in order to come to earth where He would become Savior of the world. The cup He would offer men to drink was the cup that would be filled with His blood. Jesus came to suffer the humiliation and consequence of the rebellion of humanity. God as man, would allow Himself to be beaten, crucified and speared by men so that His blood could flow freely in order to fill the cup that would be used to cleanse humanity from all unrighteousness.
Jesus was also baptized with a baptism of surrender to the will and work of God instead of His own. God entered the earth as a humble child and spent most of His life as a small town carpenter. No one knew God was ‘in the house’ as He lived among us as one of us. But when He submitted Himself to baptism He no longer worked as a carpenter but began the work of Savior of the world. This baptism was an example for all who would come after Him of the surrender required to follow God. This baptism would lead Him to the work He was destined to complete which is the salvation of the world through His own death and resurrection.
Those who come after Him will drink His cup and be baptized with His baptism but it will not result in our best life now just as they did not result in Jesus’ best life now. Drinking His cup means surrendering our lives even to the point of death if necessary. It also means dying to self, loving no one or nothing more than Jesus Himself just as Jesus loved the Father and doing His will more than keeping His own life.
Baptism is the public acknowledgement that Jesus has become our Savior and Lord. His Lordship means exactly that, Jesus’ commands are now the priority and the purpose for our life. Just as Jesus’ baptism meant leaving the work of carpentry to begin the work of Savior so too our baptism is to mean the end of living selfishly to living intentionally for God’s glory to be seen and felt on earth as it is in heaven.
True Christians are those who drink the cup and participate in baptism. They are not mere religious symbols to be practiced weekly but they are to be participated in with the full conviction and understanding that they symbolize the end of our self centered lives and the beginning of the God centered life with the result that our best life will not be now but will be in the world to come.
His Opportunities
- Tuesday, February 21st at the City Rescue Mission from noon until 1pm is your next CBMC Rescue Luncheon. This is your opportunity to serve lunch to the men and women who depend upon the Mission for their meal. Commit Here
- February 23 is the only showing of the movie Is Genesis History? This is a great opportunity to understand better the origin of your Christian faith. Bring your family, friends and neighbors to this documentary on the origin of the universe. More information and ticket purchase can be found HERE!
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February 13, 2017
What Does It Take To Be Truly Rich?
by Robert J. Tamasy
A while back, my wife and I visited a restaurant and later filled out a survey about our experience there. In completing the questionnaire, we were automatically entered in a contest with a monetary reward. To our surprise, we were notified we had won and weeks later received a check in the mail. It was not for a huge amount, but we put the unanticipated money to good use.
This prompted me to wonder what it would take to truly feel rich. What if you won a huge prize in the lottery? Or if you discovered you were an heir to a wealthy relative, and that person had left you a large inheritance? Or if someone unexpectedly showed up at your door and announced you had won a major sweepstakes? Would any of those make you feel rich?
Many people believe that if somehow they were to come into a huge amount of money, they would become truly rich and all their problems would suddenly be resolved. But would they? We can all recall news accounts about famous, extremely wealthy people who have experienced great difficulties in life despite their riches. Some of the wealthiest nations in the world are beset by great societal problems, despite their affluence. It seems that money is not necessarily the cure-all for serious struggles.
Someone has said if given a choice between having money or not having money, they would definitely opt for having money. I think we all would agree. But is money, property, or a hefty investment portfolio the source of true riches – or is it something else? And how can we succeed in acquiring these riches? The Bible offers some observations:
Material wealth – as well as the lack of it – can be stumbling blocks. In terms of money and material possessions, we may struggle with not having what we need. But having too much can also create problems: “…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8-9).
In the pursuit of tangible wealth, there never is “enough.” There is something about wealth that fails to convince us that we have enough of it – even the richest people will tell you there is always room for “just a little bit more.” “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). “The leech as two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry” (Proverbs 30:15).
Knowing and acting upon the truth is a path to true wealth. Embracing the truth God provides in the Scriptures can enrich more than anything the physical world can offer. “I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches” (Psalm 119:14).
Our use of material resources can be a test. Perhaps our attitude toward wealth and how we use what we have can serve as a strong indicator of our character, as well as our reliability as stewards of what has been entrusted to our care. “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” (Luke 16:11).
© 2017. Robert J. Tamasy is vice president of communications for Leaders Legacy, Inc., a non-profit based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. Bob has written Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Tufting Legacies; and coauthored with David A. Stoddard, The Heart of Mentoring, as well as other books. His biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
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