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Luke 22 1-6 THE HATCHING OF THE PLOT TO KILL JESUS 08 Luke 22 4-5 Learning from Zacchaeus
📖 Luke 22:1-6
*FRIEND OF GOD*
Sun04Jul2021 - *Learning from Zacchaeus* - _Luke 22:1-6_ - THE HATCHING OF THE PLOT TO KILL JESUS (08) – Bible reading: _Luke 19:8-9_
The Lord examines not just our thoughts but He examines our motives and there He desires to see us as those who trust in Him and not the material things of life.
Very easily, we can be deceived into trusting the material things of life and simultaneously claim that we are in a faith relationship with God because we are engaged in certain spiritual activities.
It is only the Holy Spirit, who can wean us away from our trust in money. This is why we must be totally cast upon Him. If we are not, we will soon be trusting money.
_Luke 22:4-5 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. (5) And they were glad, and *agreed to give him money*._
Judas’ problem was the love of money and that is what caused him to betray Jesus and that finally led him to a miserable end.
Love of money is about placing our trust in money. Though we say we trust in God, yet, if our choices are all money-based, then we are evidencing that we trust money.
*In the final analysis, if it is money that we have trusted, and not God, then we do not have eternal life*. This is the stark reality that we must confront.
*Money replaces God in our lives*.
_Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon._
The rich young ruler was caught in this dilemma. He desired God but he was not willing to give up his money. This is the situation with many in the church. We want God but we do not want to let go of money.
_Mark 10:21-25 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "*One thing you lack*: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." (22) But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, *for he had great possessions*. (23) Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" (24) And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, *how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God*! (25) It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."_
The matter of being a rich person is not about the quantum of material things that a person has. Many of the godly leaders in the Bible were abundantly wealthy. The rich person that Jesus is talking about here is the one who has placed his trust in riches.
The Rich Young Ruler walked away from eternal life for he *trusted* his material possessions.
Let us compare the Rich Young Ruler with Zacchaeus.
_Luke 19:8-9 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, *I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold*." (9)
And Jesus said to him, "*Today salvation has come to this house*, because he also is a son of Abraham;_
Zacchaeus was a man who, openly, trusted money. When Jesus entered his house, a miracle took place in Zacchaeus. He trusted Jesus and let go of his money, which the Rich Young Ruler was not able to do.
When Zacchaeus released his money, he had salvation. Whereas the Rich Young Ruler, seemed genuine and spiritual, but could not release his grip over his possessions, and lost out on eternal life.
Will we pause and consider our destiny and the destiny of others whom we are leading? Are we trusting money or are we trusting God?
This is the warning that Peter gives us. He tells us that those who move people to place their trust in the material things of life are none but false prophets and teachers.
_II Peter 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, *even denying the Lord who bought them*, and bring on themselves swift destruction. (2) And *many will follow their destructive ways*, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. (3) *By covetousness* they will exploit you with *deceptive words*; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber._
It was this matter of covetousness that made people to be false and their teaching heretical.
We need to be honest before God and allow the Holy Spirit to show us who we are, in our hearts. Are we trusting God or are we trusting money? If the Holy Spirit convicts us, we must repent, confess and yield to the Holy Spirit to transform us at the very core of our being.
May the Lord enable each of us to be like Zacchaeus, to let go of money, *trust God*, and have eternal life.
*Thought to ponder*
```Ask yourself this question. Why do you want your children to study well? Is it for money or is it for God? Don’t say, “Both”, for that is not an option.```