Sermon – Mark 10:17-31 – Eternal Life

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.