““On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.””
Jesus is basically saying that on the day when, suddenly, His Kingdom fully comes, if your life is mainly about the goods that’s in your house, so much so that if your out and your first thought is to turn back and run home to see about your stuff, you will loose out on life eternal! The fact is our society’s constant push for us to consume more, acquire more possessions, get more stuff, places us at a disadvantage. Therefore, Jesus is inviting us into a better way to live because, in life just before Jesus’ Kingdom fully comes, He warns us about…
LIFE BEING TIED UP IN POSSESSIONS AT THE APPEARING OF HIS COMING KINGDOM.
This is why He pulls out the example of Lot’s wife. Though she, along with Lot and her two daughters, were graciously taken out of the city of Sodom to spare them from the impending judgment, she turned back while they were escaping and became a pillar of salt. She had been physically taken out of Sodom, but her life and possessions in Sodom were still enthroned in her heart. And Jesus sets her up as a warning to us not to allow our life to become tied up in our possessions.
You know, if you really pay attention to how Jesus lived on the earth and what He taught about the way of His Kingdom, then there really is something to be said about living in a Jesus-styled, biblical minimalism. Even if you have lots of money, it is better and more in harmony with the life and teachings of Jesus for you to live so simply that your money doesn’t have you. This is why Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
We need to self evaluate how tied up we are to our stuff. Do you have your stuff or does your stuff have you? We should endeavor to live simply and generously, even if we have a lot of money. Nothing on this earth should be an idol that keeps us from Jesus or tied to this world when He comes.
You will need to make a personal decision to stand for Jesus regardless of the choices of those in close association with you, because…
In life just before Jesus’ Kingdom fully comes, He warns us about deception over the nature of His coming Kingdom, indifference to the sudden nature of His coming Kingdom and life being tied up in possessions at the appearing of His coming Kingdom.
You enter the Kingdom now and will be ready for the coming Kingdom by faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ; His death, burial and resurrection, which secured our eternal salvation.
LIFE IN CHRIST
Is your heart hungry for something you just don’t know how to describe? Or has your spiritual journey run dry and you’re looking for a refreshing new way to see the Gospel, or the Good News about Jesus, in any part or throughout all of Scripture? Then look no further, for this resource has been designed to help you do just that. The Gospel is the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ & Him crucified for your salvation and the establishment of His Kingdom. The Bible is its epic, unfolding story. It’s with this Gospel lens that this 365-day devotional journal invites you to experience Jesus by reading, meditating and journaling through Scripture in a way that’s simple, yet totally life-changing! You’ll learn practical tips on how to maintain a vital relationship with Jesus, how to hear God’s voice, how to do this with others in a small group and much more. So come, enter the story and experience the joy of life in Christ!
CJ COUSINS, Speaker/Author
Follower of Jesus, Husband, Father, Associate Pastor for Younger Generations at Vienna SDA Church and Speaker/Author for Living For Him. CJ’s passion is to live, preach & teach the Good News about Jesus and multiply disciples for His Kingdom.