Rev.
Jeffrey T. Howard
Pitts
Creek and Beaver Dam Churches
Sermon
– Mark 10:17-31 – Eternal Life
28th
Sunday of Ordinary Time
October
14,
2012
We
have been following Jesus and his disciples on a journey as recorded
in the Gospel of Mark. We saw that the disciples were not praying
every day and thus were unable to cast out demons and ask Jesus
important questions. We saw that their lack of humility prevented
them from being the servant leaders God wanted. And we heard about
some Pharisees who mistakenly followed the law concerning divorce
rather that accepting the covenant relationship that God has
established between a man and a woman. All these thing were keeping
people from following Jesus through the cross to eternal life. There
are many things that keep us from following Jesus. And today we
heard that possessions can keep us from Jesus. Listen again to what
Jesus said,
Mark
10:21-22
21
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he
said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22
At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great
wealth.
Did
Jesus just tell someone to sell everything he had and give it to the
poor? Yes he did, and we need to talk about it. But first lets
pray.
“Grant
unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly
wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own
edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
Jesus
is on his way somewhere, and an unnamed man rushes up to him and
falls on his knees before him. We don't know who this man is, he
could be anyone. What we do know is that he has been following
Jesus, listening to his teachings about the Kingdom of God, and
witnessing his miracles. And he did the only thing you can do when
you have have seen and heard Jesus, he drop dropped down on his
knees in worship. He wanted to be close to Jesus. He wanted to be a
disciple. He wanted to know more about the Kingdom of God and the
promise of eternal life.
Isn't
this why we are in church today. We have heard Jesus' teachings. We
have read about his miracles. And we want to follow Jesus and become
his disciples. So we are here in church to find out more about God
and God's kingdom and God's promises for us. We are here to bow down
before Jesus in worship offering who we are and what we have to be
used for God's glory.
The
man began by addressing Jesus as “Good teacher”, but Jesus
rebuked him and focused the man's attention on God. This is a
reminder for us that worship is not about a preacher or teacher. You
don't choose a particular church because the preacher is charismatic
or preaches a good sermon. You choose a church where you attention
is turned to God and what God is doing in the world around you.
The
man's question is one we all have, because given the reality of death
we all want to know what comes next. The question he asked was,
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” This question makes
two assumptions. First, there is the assumption at there must be
something that we do to live for eternity. And second assumption is
that eternal life is something we inherit, like land or money we may
get from our parents.
Jesus'
response to the first assumption was to lead the man to the Torah,
the law, the first five book of our Bible. In the Torah God blessed
the Israelites with instructions for living a good life. God had
blessed them richly by freeing them from slavery in Egypt. And the
law was the gift he gave the people following him. Since the man was
following Jesus he too had received this gift. So there is nothing
that we do to live forever. Rather eternal life is a gift we receive
from God.
Jesus'
response to the second assumption was that the inheritance the man
was waiting for had already been received. His ancestors had
received it centuries before. This inheritance was the law of God.
By following these laws this man led a good life, but not an eternal
life. For that more was needed. He needed to follow Jesus as a
disciple. But there was something holding him back. Something was
preventing this man from following Jesus. What was it? According
the Jesus it was his possessions. All the stuff he had accumulated
over the years was preventing the man from following Jesus as a
disciple.
I
know what this was like. I lived in a three bedroom townhouse for 18
years and filled it with stuff. Also I filled by life with so much
work and activities that I couldn't follow Jesus as much as I wanted.
So I sold that townhouse, got rid of most of the stuff and moved
closer to church. Then I completed all my obligations to church and
various groups in Washington DC. Finally, when nothing was tying me
down I told everyone that I was moving to California to attend
seminary. Once my excess stuff was gone I was able to do what Jesus
was calling me to do as a disciple.
Jesus
told the man to get rid of his stuff and give it to the poor so that
he could follow Jesus. Whatever it was that was holding him back
from following Jesus had to be eliminated if he wanted to follow
Jesus and find eternal life. So what's holding you back from
following Jesus? What is it that you are holding onto that won't let
you follow Jesus as you should. Whatever it is, get rid of it before
it robs you of your inheritance of eternal life.
We
know that the man was saddened by what Jesus told him. It must have
been a significant sacrifice that Jesus was asking him to make. Mark
tells us that this man was wealthy. Maybe his money was somehow
keeping him from following Jesus. We will never know if he
eventually gave up his money to follow Jesus or gave up following
Jesus to keep his money. We hope that he did whatever he needed to
do to get affairs in order so that he could follow Jesus all the way
to the cross.
So
do we need to give all of our money to the poor to follow Jesus?
Maybe. If our wealth is keeping us from Jesus then it has to go.
More likely you could use your money in a way that is consistent with
being a disciple. This is called stewardship. It is the realization
that all you have was given to you by God. You are to care for it
and use it for God's purposes. If you are doing this there is no
reason to get rid of your wealth, because your possessions are not
blocking your access to Jesus. But if the things you own or the
money you have are keeping you from following Jesus then get rid of
them and follow Jesus all the way to eternal life.
Jesus'
disciples were astonished by all of this. Let's listen in to their
conversation with Jesus.
Mark
10:24-31
24
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again,
"Children, how hard it is 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." 26
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who
then can be saved?" 27
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but
not with God; all things are possible with God." 28
Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29
"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has
left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or
fields for me and the gospel 30
will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age
(homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields-- and with
them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31
But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Each
of the disciples left their homes and businesses to follow Jesus.
But they never expected that everyone who wanted to follow Jesus
would have to do the same. And for some this would be a great
sacrifice. Jesus acknowledged this by telling them that it is
difficult to give up what is keeping you from following him. It's as
hard as forcing a camel through the eye of a needle. But Jesus
assured them that anyone who does give up what is holding them back
will receive from God more that they ever imagined. This is our
inheritance. Give up whatever keeps us from following Jesus, and be
blessed richly by God with the gift of eternal life.
So
how do we do this? How do we know what is holding us back from
Jesus? How do we know what to get rid of? We do this by growing our
faith. This starts by coming to church. Like the man in our story
we come here to hear Jesus' teachings and experience his miracles.
And like the man we too ask what we must do to inherit eternal life.
We learn from scripture that eternal life is a gift which we received
by simply following Jesus. But something is holding us back. We
don't pray every day. We don't attend Bible studies. We don't even
come to worship every Sunday. What is it that is holding you back
from embracing the gift of eternal life? Whatever it is get rid of
it. Sell it. Give it away. And begin to follow Jesus wherever he
goes.
Lord
Jesus we confess that we are not following you. We hear about your
teaching and your miracles, but something is holding us back from
following you all the way to eternal life. Help us to identify what
it is that is keeping us from fully embracing you. And help us to
get rid of it so that we have receive something far more valuable,
the gift of eternal life. Amen.