Dear Christian friends,

Many of you remember the Cuban missile crisis back in October 1962. President Kennedy had to make a hard decision: whether to force the Russians to dismantle their missile bases on Cuba or to back down and let them stay. If he used force against the Russians it might start a war, and if he did nothing he would be a coward and the U.S. would be a second rate country.

President Kennedy was in the oval office of the Whitehouse discussing the problem with his aide and close friend, Ted Sorenson. Kennedy stood looking out the window at the rose garden and magnolia tree with his hands, behind his back, the burden of decision almost visible on his shoulders. "Well," he said at last, "I think this is the week I earn my salary."

President Kennedy made the decision to use force, and the Russians gave in and removed their missiles and base from Cuba, It was a hard decision to make, but President Kennedy had courage and made it. After that he was very happy and famous.

You and I also must make important and hard decisions often during our life. We Christians have to decide if we will follow Jesus or the way of the world. And this is not just a one-time decision. Almost every day we must decide either to do what Jesus wants or do what sinners want.

We say that we have finished and decided for Christ. But have we really decided for Jesus? Every new day are we making decisions that please Jesus or not?

In our text we read about the rich man who met Jesus and had to make a decision whether for Jesus or his riches.

So this morning I want to ask you this important question:

I. It is hard to decide for Jesus.

A. People often delay making hard decisions. They say "Tomorrow I will decide", or next week or next month. There is an old fable about the donkey who came up to two haystacks. The donkey stood there between the two haystacks trying to decide which one was better, the one to the right or the one to the left. The donkey could not decide, so he stood there first, looking at one and then at the other one. He continued doing that and standing there until he died of starvation.

2. We laugh at that, but it really is not funny because many people are like that donkey. They look at Jesus and then they look at the world with all its riches and pleasures and they can't decide either for Jesus or against Him. But if we make no decision it is really against Jesus. Jesus told His disciples, "He that is not for Me is against Me." (Matthew 12:30) Pontius Pilate tried to avoid making a decision about Jesus. He washed his hands and said, "I am innocent of blood of this just person. You see to it." (Matthew 27:24) But we all blame Pontius Pilate anyway.

B. Sometimes we think we have decided for Jesus, but deceive ourselves. We think we have decided for Jesus, but really have not.

1. The rich man in our text thought that he had decided for God. (VV. 17-20) He told Jesus that he had never broken any of the Ten Commandments. But really he was a very bad sinner. Yes, he seemed to be good and respectable. He had a large beautiful home, fine clothes and jewels, many servants. All the people in the area respected him because he had money and power. But he really did not love God and he really did not love his neighbor. When Jesus told him to go and sell all of his possessions and give the money to the poor and then come follow Him, he refused and went away with a very sad face.

2. So you, too, may think that you have decided for Jesus but really you have not. We join a church, get baptized and confirmed and go to church services on Sundays. We perhaps put one or two dollars on the offering plate to support the church and charity. We think we have decided for Jesus because we join a church. But do we really love Jesus. Are we eager and excited to praise and honor Him? Do we tell others about our dear Savior? Do we really give a tithe of our income for Jesus' work and do we give with pleasure? Last year on Loyalty Sunday each one of us had an opportunity to make a decision of our time, talents and money for Jesus and His work. Did you make a pledge? Did you pledge with eagerness and joy? Have you really tried to keep your pledge?

Like the rich man here in our text, we may think we have decided for Jesus, but have not really.

3. It is hard to decide for Jesus and give up the world with its riches and pleasures. When the rich man decided not to follow Jesus, then Jesus said to His disciples, "How hard it is for rich people to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples were surprised by these words, but Jesus said to them again, "My children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God. 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." I just want to remind you that we who live in America are rich. We are as rich or richer than the rich man in our text. You say, "No, we do not have servants like he had." Well, you don't have people servants but you have electric servants and automobiles. He never had electric dish washer, electric clothes washer, dryer, refrigerator, and T.V. like we have. He never had a fast, comfortable car like we have. We who live in America, most of us, are filthy rich when compared to people who live in other countries.

We better listen to Jesus' warning, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

The disciples were completely amazed when Jesus said that. They asked each other, “Who can be saved?” (v. 26) We, too, ask that question, "Who can be saved?"

Jesus answered, "Men cannot do this, but God can, because God can do anything, (v. 27)

II. God can save even us rich Americans who love and trust our money so much.

A. First, He helps us to see our sins and wrong doings, just as Jesus helped this rich man in our text. The rich man thought he had perfectly obeyed the Ten Commandments since he was a child. (v. 20) But Jesus knew he was telling a big lie or deceiving himself, so Jesus very tactfully helped him to become aware of his sins.

Jesus looked at him and loved him. Then Jesus told him, "You need only one thing: Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow He." (V.21)

Now the rich man could see for—himself that he did not really love God or poor people. He didn't want to share his money with the poor.

B. As Jesus loved this rich man and helped him to understand his sinful heart and many failures, so Jesus helps you and me today to become aware of our sins and wrong doings through Bible Class, through sermons as we are doing today. Regularly, yes, daily we need to attend to God's Word,especially the Ten Commandments, so that we can become aware of our sins and then feel the need for God's mercy.

C. Also, we need to hear the Good News (Gospel) that God loves sinners and declares them "not guilty" because of Jesus' perfect work and life and because of His innocent suffering and death upon the cross.

When we hear the Good News that God loves and accepts sinners because of Jesus' work, then His Holy Spirit can touch our hearts and lead us to believe in Jesus and follow Him with joy. The Holy Spirit helps us give up loving money and worldly ways and helps us to trust in God for all that we need. He helps us love God and love the poor and needy and share our money and food with them.

True, we are not yet perfect in this. And almost everyday we must must make a new decision to follow Jesus and do His will. When we fail, we are ashamed and sorry and confess our failures. We don't make excuses. We daily repent of our sins and daily look to Jesus for mercy and forgiveness, and for strength and joy to forsake the world and follow Him.

Through His Word and Sacraments (Baptism and Lord's Supper) God can save us and help us to make the decisions to follow Jesus and give up our idols.

III. When we decide for Jesus we have real joy and peace in our hearts. True, we give up some money and friends and pleasures but we receive much better things from Jesus.

A. “Peter said to Jesus, "Look, we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus said, "Yes, and I tell you this: Anyone that leaves home or brothers and sisters, mother or father or children or fields (farms) for Me and for the Good News (preaching), that person certainly will get much more in this life - 100 times more houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields - yes even with persecution, and in the future world that person will receive eternal life." (vv.28-30)

B. So when we decide for Jesus we receive much better things from Him than what we give up. We may give up our earthly money, but from Jesus we receive riches in heaven. (V.21) Jesus warns, “Don't save up riches here on earth where moth and rust corrupt and where thieves break-in and steal, but save up for yourselves riches in heaven, there moths and rust cannot corrupt and thieves cannot break-in and steal," (Matthew 6:19-20)

We maybe give-up unbelieving friends or relatives here on earth, but we find many more and truer, dearer friends in church and in heaven. Who are our real brothers and sisters? Those in our family? Maybe if they believe in Jesus. Here in our Church family are our true and dear brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers. Here in our church we have a larger family than at home. Jesus says "100 times more," plus in the future world eternal life.

If we decide for Jesus we will not be sorry. Yes, we maybe have hard times and persecution, but we will not be sorry. We will rejoice very, very much with that decision. God help us everyday to decide for Jesus.

Amen