Letting Go
10-18-09
A newly married man asked his wife, "Would you have married me if my father hadn’t left me a fortune?"
"Honey," the woman replied sweetly, "I’d have married you no matter who left you a fortune."
Wealth. We joke about it. We wish for it. We talk about literally and metaphorically. In the gospels, Jesus talks about wealth and poverty more than any other topic. In this morning’s text from Mark, the topic is at the forefront once again. We meet a man who asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Matthew calls this man young. Luke calls this man a ruler. All of the gospel accounts agree that he is wealthy. Wealthy or not, many of us have asked the same question, or something very similar, "What do I have to do to have eternal life?" We’ve asked ourselves this question, as we sit in Bible studies, listen to long, boring sermons, bake ten thousand cookies for an upcoming event, and put up with that neighbor or fellow churchgoer that drives us up the wall. What more God must I do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus tells this seeker to keep God’s commandments. The man tells Jesus I have kept all the commandments from youth. Must I also chair the church’s Finance Committee? Well Jesus replies, that goes a long ways towards becoming a saint in the Kingdom of God, but you lack one other thing; "go sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; then come follow me (Mk10:22)."
Now, this is where I pause and shake my head. In my human understanding I shake my head and say, "Jesus, what are you doing man!" Here is a wealthy, proactive, seeker. He came to Jesus and asked, "What," "Must," "I," "Do?" What community of faith would skip the opportunity to scoop this man up, have him join the choir, teach Sunday school, chair a few committees, lead a couple of Bible studies, and train him in the ministry. Here is a man who has studied God and God’s commandments since youth! You must be crazy Jesus to send him away in grief!
He is a gem! Yet Jesus recognizes that there is more to life than knowing God’s commandments. Jesus sees that this man needs to go a step further, in understanding the life of discipleship. Jesus knows, that his possessions possess him.
This man comes to Jesus to verify the facts he already expects. He has done a good job keeping God’s commandments. He already knows he is faithful in his relationship with God. This man is seeking information he already knows. How often do we approach the Word of God in much the same way? We read the Word for information, to confirm what we already believe is true. It is a way we can establish our beliefs, solve our problems, and bring what we read under our control. And such reading keeps us at a safe distance from the text. We don’t have to dig deep. We don’t have to let the Word mix us up inside, and challenge how we are living. So being in complete control, we read to confirm our own views, needs, and desires. I think, as a consequence, in our reading we seldom experience transformation, just more information. This man, a young seeker, seeks from Jesus the usual, confirming information about keeping up the rules he’s always known.
Yet Jesus doesn’t read him like we read the Word. In fact, the text says, Jesus loved this man. It is difficult to love someone on a first read. Jesus reads this man at a deep level. God’s Words are formational words. Jesus knows what life change needs to happen for this young man to be transformed. You see, when we seek to be shaped by the word, we must learn to read the Word differently. To be shaped by God’s Word, we should be more interested in depth, than distance or detail. Reading for formation suggests that someone or something is on the other side of those words waiting, watching. Inviting us to read and respond as if those Words are talking to each of us personally, talking about each of us personally.
For the first time in his life this seeker is confronted by a Word that pierces him like a two-edged sword, and pierces deeply into his inner self and speaks a startling word that he did not expect to hear. And once he hears the surprising, unexpected words of God, he must choose right then and there. He must choose to be shaped by the Word- to give up his wealth, that aspect of his life that is preventing him from being transformed and follow Christ, or to hang his head in defeat and go back seeking information minus formation.
We all have aspects of our lives that prevent us from being transformed. What is the one thing that is keeping us from engaging and committed discipleship?" Most of are slaves to some possession, or attitude; some of us have selfish priorities or long held grudges. For the man in Mark, he was held captive by his possessions. Jesus is telling his disciples, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for someone who is controlled by their possessions to enter the Kingdom of God. Wealth and power are two of the greatest forces in this world. These forces control many aspects of life, culture, church. The world runs on big personalities, big voices, and lots of money. The thing is, these personalities, voices, and money don’t always take into account what is right, just, and sacred. Wealth and power can control us, and blind us, and pull us away from who and what we were called to be.
The good news is that Jesus says, with God, anything is possible. When we nurture our connection with God, we begin to understand what is possible. It is difficult to nurture our relationship with God and possessions at the same time. It is difficult to nurture our relationship with God and hang on to our negative, vengeful, selfish attitudes at the same time.
What might Jesus say to you if he were to tell you, "you lack one thing, go and… Melissa, you lack one thing, log off of Facebook, and put your laptop down. You waste too much time surfing instead of developing face to face relationships. Give these up and come follow me." For me it is not only Facebook, my palms sweat at the idea of being computer-less, and yet I lived without a computer for more years of my life than I have had one. I’m wedded to my computer, and sometimes, it takes up the precious time I should be spending in my relationship with God and with others.
Maybe Jesus would say to some of you, "put down the cell phone and stop texting that person that is in the next room, you need to pay more attention." Or "Your television is a poor substitute for devotion." Do you have any possessions that take a whole lot of time? Do you have possessions or habits that you used to live with out, and now can’t imagine living without? Are these things taking up an excessive amount of time that can be used for devotion, service, reflection, and relationships?
What attitudes hold you captive? "Put away your pride and come follow me. Lay aside the grudges and come follow me. Work with not against the Republicans and the Democrats and come follow me. Lay aside your harsh judgments of your neighbors and come follow me. Forgive your mother and your father and come follow me. Forgive your husband or your wife and come follow me."
The kingdom of God is unfolding, but joining Jesus in kingdom activity and behavior is not easy and often comes with grief. Taking the first step can be painful. Life in the Kingdom is about transformation and character change. With the demands and temptations of life bearing down upon us, sometimes we want to cry out like the disciples and say, "Then who can be saved?" Who can live a kingdom life? How can I change? How can I take the necessary first steps?
Being in the company and presence of Jesus is a first good step. Likewise nestled and nurtured in the company of believers, helps enable us to break free from those attitudes, possessions, and grudges that continue to have tremendous power in our decisions and actions.
God’s Word is a living, transforming Word and God’s love reads each one of us deeply. So, hear the Good News! Though God’s word is challenging, we are shaped by that Word, for our sake and the sake of the world. Be open to the Word. Let God’s word transform you. Thanks be to God. Amen.