Losers: Rich People

Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen…

John 19:38-40 (NIV)

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy…

Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house…”

Luke 19:1-9 (NIV)

Some wealthy people seem greedy, showy, condescending and all about themselves. Jesus modeled a much more simple life and told us that the rich are “hardly” saved!

‘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’ (Mark 10:25).

Surely, money IS a great temptation, but the rich, fully committed to Christ, can and DO resist self-aggrandizement, give to the poor, and use their wealth for good.

Some heroes of the Bible WERE wealthy (both in the Old and New Testaments). But we see, in the case of Zaccheus, that “filthy” people can be saved, too.

Actors, models, and talent for Christ: 

The danger of riches is “loving” them… more than God and the people around you. At the same time, don’t condemn rich people. Only the Father can see to the heart. Therefore,

  • Treat everyone with kindness and respect, regardless of financial position.

  • Don’t envy the rich or try to get rich. Never choose jobs or roles based on money.

If wealth “chases you down,” don’t strut your stuff. Give some back to God, and BE GENEROUS.

Losers: Rich (Part 13)

* Short, referenced article about wealthy Bible stars: https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-wealth.html

* Book on Amazon: Wealthy People In The Bible:

https://www.amazon.com/Wealthy-People-Bible-Learning-Characters/dp/1548395005#:~:text=Such%20characters%20of%20the%20Bible,%2C%20Dorcas%2C%20Barnabas%20and%20Philemon.

NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players.’ Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.

Carey Arban