Jesus called....

October 14, 2018

Is there anything you can’t find out online?  I went online this week to see if the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes still existed…and I found out, it does.  The “sweepstakes patrol” is still going around, still with the balloons and enormous checks, still knocking on doors and catching unsuspecting people in their bathrobes to announce to them that they have won millions.  I remember my childhood fascination with the sweepstakes; you could even win if you hadn’t ordered a magazine, and the prizes were out of this world!

This morning’s Gospel reading reminds me of a “reverse” Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.  I imagine Jesus showing up at this rich young man’s house, the man opens the door, and it’s Jesus, and probably Peter, James and John holding balloons while Andrew operates the camera, documenting the whole thing…but instead of a giant check, it’s a giant bill of sale…of all the rich young man’s things, with the proceeds going to the poor and an invitation to follow Christ and his merry gang. 

This scenario doesn’t end with a lady in curlers crying with joy or a man with his napkin tucked in his shirt gasping with disbelief…I imagine the rich young man looked at Jesus and said…”Nope…no winners here”!  Then they step back and the camera captures the door closing and the sound of the deadbolt turning. 

This story fascinates us because this is not the typical person drawn to Jesus.  In each of the Gospels, this man is given a different trait, enhancing his almost celebrity quality.  He’s rich, young, handsome, a ruler with power… all of this, coupled with the fact that he’s lived a most exemplary life, he recognizes and boldly admits that there’s something missing.  He may not be blind, or crippled, but he is suffering.  So Jesus, looking at the man, and showed him love.  Mark plainly shows that to us.  Jesus showed the man love. And out of compassion, and care for this young, rich, powerful, handsome man, and Jesus recognizes his suffering.  He tells him how to remedy this suffering.  You are lacking one thing.  Sell your possessions and give the money to the poor.  Then you will have treasure in heaven.  Then, come follow me.

The man is bewildered by this statement.  Can you imagine?  What would you do if I asked you to sell everything you own and give the money to this church.  Would you look at me like I had lost my mind?  Would you wonder where you would live?  Would you wonder how you would care for your family and children?  What about your pets?  How would you get to work?  What about clothes?  Yeah, I would have those same questions too…and I’m sure this man did as well, even though they aren’t detailed out here. 

We see that this man is rich, and young, and powerful.  I’m sure the excuses started to flow…”but look at the jobs I create…look what I’m doing for the economy…look how many families aren’t on welfare because of me….”.  And all of that is probably true…but we see here that Jesus didn’t then congratulate the man on all he does and continue on his way.  Jesus tells this man to sell your possessions and give the money to the poor and follow me…this will make you whole.

The man then had a choice.  And we know the choice that was made.

How awful, we think.  This man asked Jesus what to do…what else to do.  He’s a good man…he has kept all the commandments since he was a boy.  He’s tried to do all he could with (almost) all he had…and when Christ gave him direction and asked him to come with him and be a disciple, he refused.  This is, interestingly enough, the only time in the Gospels that Christ’s invitation was refused, with sadness.

Jesus turns to his friends and comments, how hard it is for someone who has wealth to enter the kingdom of God…it’s easier than a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.

So… is wealth bad?  Why is wealth bad?  Why is Jesus picking on it today?

We like to snarl and turn our noses up at the man’s reaction to Christ… I believe there’s a lot of this rich young ruler in all of us.  We are drawn to Christ by the feeling that something is missing in our lives.  So we try to fill this void with something…we work ourselves to death, hoping to accumulate wealth, fame or power.  We drive the fastest cars, live in the biggest houses, want to be envied by everyone around. 

We know that wealth is not a guarantee to fill this void, but we still act like it is, because we need something.  We fall prey to the seductive lure of our contemporary culture that convince us that prestige and possessions will bring us a sense of joy and well-being.  And like the young man, we find pride and gratification in our possessions and find it difficult to part with them graciously.  So, if Christ asked us to sell our possessions, give the money to the poor, would we?  Or better, COULD we?

For the man in today’s Gospel lesson, I believe wealth wasn’t exactly the problem.  The power wasn’t the problem.  What they were to this man…that’s where the problem begins.  This man kept all the commandments.  He did everything right…but he wasn’t able to give his whole heart to Christ.  His possessions and his money had such immense control over him that they wouldn’t allow him to release the control they had on him.  To get out from under the control his riches had on him would require great faith…scary faith…faith seemingly beyond reach.   

So those of us that aren’t rich…we must be off the hook…right?

Not so much.

While the Gospel shows us a man who is rich, that’s not the only thing that can have this control over our lives.  Last week we talked about resentment and the week before that about stepping into the unknown. 

What about addiction?  Millions suffer every single day with addiction…alcohol, drugs, pornography, gambling…these addictions have a tight grip on their victims every single day.

What about hatred?  Can we become so consumed with hatred that there’s little room for anything else?  Oh and we hate for the craziest reasons…where you live, where you come from, your religion, your lack of religion…when we don’t have a good reason to hate someone we’ll make one up.

There are so many other things…too numerous to even think of. 

The other thing, though, that needs to be noticed, is the second place this man missed the mark.  He asked what must I do to have eternal life?  He puts the emphasis on the pronoun and action, if you notice here. 

The root of these things is “me”.  And this is no new theme or even the first time we see it in the Gospel of Mark.  This man…this rich young man knows there’s something he needs to do to gain eternal life…but that’s not how it works.  We can’t earn eternal life.  There’s nothing we can “do”…because what’s asked of us isn’t necessarily a direct action but a change. 

The disciples are shocked by all of this.  Peter (good ole’ Peter) steps forward and tells Christ that they have all sold their possessions and left their families…I think he’s looking for Christ to confirm his place in eternity…and after this exchange I think any of us would. Jesus tells them that the rewards for those that give up much for the kingdom will be great in Heaven. 

Is money the problem?  Absolutely.  Is money the only problem?  Absolutely not. 

Jesus ends these passages in Mark with a familiar phrase we heart just a few weeks ago…whoever is first shall be last and the last shall be first. The important shall be last and the insignificant shall be first.  The recognized will be last and the forgotten shall be first. 

Christ doesn’t call all of us to liquidate our lives and follow him.  If everyone sold all of their stuff it would probably cause more problems than it solved.  But if everyone became a little less attached to their “things” and be more willing to give, we would be a lot better off.  Christ calls us to a life of love, and love leads to giving. 

Is it going to be difficult?  Yes.  Is it impossible?  For human beings, yes.  That’s why we need God.  Because through Him all things are possible. 

Thanks be to God.