Jeremiah
9:23-24:
Thus says the LORD: “Let not the
wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory
in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him
who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows
Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says
the Lord.
I was watching the old video, “Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade” the other night. It’s a “search for the holy grail” movie—the “holy
grail” was supposedly the cup Christ drank from on the night of the Last
Supper. The group searching for the grail has arrived at the place where it is
kept, and the guardian of the grail offers a choice. Which is the cup of
Christ? It supposedly offers immortality to the one who drinks from it. There
are a number of cups on the table in the room.
The guardian says, “Choose one.” One of the group chooses an
ornate golden cup, walks to the font of water nearby, and takes a drink from
that cup. Moments later, he starts to age so that in a few moments he is
nothing but a pile of bones.
The guardian of the grail offers the observation: “He
chose…POORLY.”
That’s what many of us do. We choose to honor something else
in our lives rather than what’s truly important—such as wisdom, power, wealth.
I have made some outstandingly bad choices in my life, even
when the best was right in front of me. I’m sure you have as well.
However, the right choice, the best choice, is here, in
Jeremiah 9:23-24, and you can make that choice today:
Choose to understand and know the One True God. The passage
in Jeremiah asks some questions, and offers the perfect answer:
1st question: What do you really want? Money?
Power? Wealth? You probably can get those, at least in some measure, but what
will those things bring you?
Jesus had some things to say about that:
Luke 16:19-31:
19“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple
and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20But there was a certain
beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21desiring to be
fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs
came and licked his sores. 22So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by
the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23And
being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and
Lazarus in his bosom.
24“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on
me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my
tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember
that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil
things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26And besides all this,
between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass
from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
27“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you
would send him to my father’s house, 28for I have five brothers, that he may
testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29Abraham said
to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30And he said,
‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will
they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
The rich man chose…POORLY.
It’s quite possible that Jesus had specific individuals in
mind when He taught this. Parables don’t have the names of people.
In another setting (also in Luke), Jesus said this:
Luke 12:13-19
13Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my
brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14But He said to him, “Man, who
made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15And He said to them, “Take heed
and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of
the things he possesses.” 16Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The
ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17And he thought within
himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’
18So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and
there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul,
“Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink,
and be merry.” ’
20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul
will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have
provided?’ 21“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward
God.”
HE ”chose…POORLY.”
2nd Question: Do you really know what God offers
when He counsels you not to seek wisdom or power or wealth?
Several things:
The foremost is everlasting life. Everyone’s body dies, but
the real “you” doesn’t have to. You can live forever. Here is what Jesus said:
John 11:25-26:
25Jesus said to her, “I am †the resurrection and the
life. †He who believes in Me, though he may †die, he shall live. 26“And whoever
lives and believes in Me shall never die.
John 17:3: …
”This is eternal life [Father God], that they
[believers] may know You, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent…”
To choose Him and know Him…is to…choose WISELY.
Understanding and knowing God gives you everlasting life.
People say they want immortality. Here it is, in God’s open hand. You can take
it.
The second result of a wise choice is the life and presence
of God, with you forever in all the circumstances of life and past death itself,
into “forever.”
Psalm 23:
1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2He makes me to
lie down in green pastures; †He leads me beside the still waters.
3He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of
righteousness For His name’s sake.
4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil; For You are
with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days
of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.
THIS is why “Knowing God, and His Son, Jesus Christ” is the
wisest of all choices—even if you must abandon all else to choose Him. If you
have wisdom, power and wealth, good for you, but they are nothing compared to
knowing Him.
God Bless you all, and I pray that you DO know Him.
