Followership – Proper Priorities

Followership – Proper Priorities might sound like a stewardship text at first, but it’s really more of a focus on priorities.

If I were a poor man…

In the musical Fiddler on the Roof there is a famous song called – If I were a poor man… Wait what’s the name of the song?   Oh, it’s if I were a… rich man.  That’s because no one ever dreams of being poor.  This Sunday isn’t necessarily about stewardship of possessions as much as it is about idolatry.

What must I do to inherit anything?

“Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

We’ll get to good teacher in a second, but consider his question.  This isn’t the only time Jesus gets asked this.  Another guy in Luke 10 asks the same question – 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  The answer to that was the parable of the Good Samaritan.

What must I do to inherit… That’s twice in the Bible.  Do you do anything to inherit?  I’ve been reliably informed by the board game Monopoly that there is a community chest card you flip over and you just get $100 – you don’t do anything to get it.  Is there is a thought in your mind that you have to do something to get your inheritance?  This isn’t Jesus talking, of course.  This is the Rich Young Ruler here in the gospel of Mark and the Lawyer – the expert in the Law in the Gospel of Luke.  This was a concept in Jewish culture.  Is that how you see it?

Does God give you stuff – including eternal life – based on your performance?  The problem that this man in our sermon faces is that – ok, if it’s not on what I do (and it’s not).  Then what is it based on?  That’s a great question.

Want to hear more?  Watch this week’s message taken from Mark 10, Followership – Proper Priorities.