True Riches and Real Security
by Anne Linington(163)
http://Faithwriters.com
Mark 10:17-31
Theme: Sacrifice –
one who was reluctant to sacrifice
those who had already made some sacrifice
the One who made the ultimate sacrifice
Our Gospel passage concerns an individual's encounter with Christ:
Someone unwilling to sacrifice great wealth for the sake of Christ
This is a man who has everything
He has youth
He has power- a ruler- a position of leadership
He has wealth – riches/ material possessions.
Youth- power- wealth
These are things which were valued in first century Palestine,
no doubt prized in Rome where the Church for whom Mark initially writes
Certainly valued by so many today
Youth- power- wealth we have almost made these a cult in our day
And conversely age- weakness- poverty are deemed intolerable.
Respect is given to the beautiful, the powerful and the wealthy, whilst the old, the weak and the poor are despised.
Wednesday: Pride of Britain awards: In the presence of the famous the beautiful and the rich, ordinary British citizens are honoured for extraordinary acts of bravery and charity.
I took a particular interest, as a friend's great-niece a little girl called Toni was among the award winners.
She was very badly scalded by falling into a bath of hot water.
It was touch and go whether she would live.
Still badly scarred this little girl has been rewarded for her bravery. She lives in a very poor area of Glasgow, yet she doesn't hide away and everyone knows and accepts her.
But there is something the Rich, young ruler is uncertain about:
He doesn't have the security of eternal life, and he approaches Jesus, addressing him as Good Teacher.
He asks “What good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?”
This would certainly appeal to Mark's Roman readers for whom actions were everything.
Notice that Jesus doesn't state the obvious, that nothing this young man could ever do could merit eternal life;
Like all good listeners, Jesus picks up on something the young man says- “Why do you call me good- there is no-one good but God.
He could have said, as Mark was keen to show, that Jesus was the Son of God- co-equal with the Father, and he could certainly be described as “Good”.
So Jesus asks him about his observance of the commandments: and this young Jewish man affirms that he has kept them all since he was young.
Jesus doesn't point out is that the only one to have kept all the commandments was actually conversing with him, and therefore the only one who was without sin, not separated by God and worthy of eternal life.
We almost learn more from what Jesus does not say.
So Jesus challenges him about the wealth he possesses, and asks him to sell all he has and give it to the poor then follow Jesus.
This isn't a commandment for every Christian in every place, for all time.
It was for this one young man at that moment.
Jesus had looked at him with great love, highlighting something he lacked... which was his willingness to forfeit all his material goods before following Christ. This was his stumbling block- what is ours?
The Young man went away sad/ grieving for he had many possessions.
We never read anything further of him.. whether he was willing to make such a sacrifice..
For him he was possessed by his possessions.
Matthew speaks of laying up treasure in Heaven not on earth..for where your treasure is there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19)
And Jesus told the disciples how hard it was for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven- using hyperbole- exaggeration for effect- he says it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle – than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom. (Apparently there is no evidence for the small door in a larger city gate being called the “eye of the needle” as commentators used to suggest).
What it says of this young man- and those who have great material wealth- those in Palestine- those in the Church in Rome to whom Mark writes- those in our day, that whatever we devote our energies to – where our heart is-, whatever our passions are- these can essentially separate us from Christ, and from entering the Kingdom, and receiving eternal life if they have first priority.
The disciples seemed to panic at the thought that if it was so difficult for the rich then who could be saved?
Wealth was seen as evidence of God's blessing. So it was in Job's time. To lose everything it was perceived that Job must have sinned.
Jesus replies that what is impossible for man is possible with God.
The sacrifices made by the disciples- their interim and eternal rewards
Peter than draws attention to the sacrifices he and the other disciples have made to follow Christ. - they had given up their homes and businesses, like fishing to follow him.
Jesus tells them that whoever has given up mothers or fathers, brothers or sisters, children or friends, homes or fields for his sake and the sake of the Gospel – the Good News- will not fail to receive a hundredfold in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.
So may we expect to have 100's of parents, siblings, homes, businesses... !!
In a sense we do, when we belong to the family of God, because the kingdom of God is essentially about relationships.
We have spiritual mothers and fathers- those to whom we look for advice,
we have brothers and sisters- those with whom we belong to Christ's kingdom- and spiritual children – those whose spiritual welfare, nurture and growth we take a special interest.
Sometimes these bonds within the family of God are even stronger than than those within our human family, born out of shared experiences, times of trial and suffering,
and mutual support weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice.
One young lady I take a special interest in was having a difficult time with her peers pressing her to do things she didn't want to, and she was faced with a dilemma to conform or be left out. So I wrote her a poem when she was about twelve:
Don't be a sheep, be a shepherd
Don't follow the crowd, take the lead
When the world seeks to press you into its mould
Hold fast to that in which you believe
It's easy to go where others go
To do as you see others do
But at the end of the day you'll be blessed if
You followed the path of the few.
Don't be a sheep, be a Shepherd.
We can't support every child or young person to the same degree, but God does lead us to those with whom we have some special connection or interest, and we need to be ready to parent them in their spiritual lives.
Others may be our age or older, but younger in faith, and we take responsibility to see their faith grow.
An increasing number of people in our Churches are taking the opportunity to have a
Spiritual Director, Soul Friend or more loosely someone to accompany them on their journey- who will listen with them as they try to hear God's voice and discern His will.
We may be familiar with Mentors in other walks of life, a more experienced person who offers support and guidance for the less-experienced: in Teaching, Business etc..
This arrangement isn't just for those in ministry, though it is compulsory for those who become Readers.
This past week I heard of a friend who had recently set up such an arrangement.
Ray Simpson, Guardian of the Community of St. Aidan and St. Hilda on Holy Island/ Lindisfarne has written an excellent book entitled “Soul Friendship” something clearly valued by the early Church Fathers and the Celtic Saints.
Christ's ultimate sacrifice
This is the third time in Mark's Gospel that Christ has spoken of his forthcoming suffering, death and resurrection.
It marks a move from Christ's Galilean ministry towards Jerusalem and the ultimate sacrifice Christ came to make, the course to which he had “set his face like a flint”
There is an escalation in the detail He gives to His disciples of what His suffering will involve. And it makes those who follow Him afraid.
Mark 8 Mark 9 Mark 10
We are going up to Jerusalem
Suffering
betrayed handed over
condemned to death
Rejection mocked
spat upon
flogged
Killed
After three days rise again
reminiscent of our Psalm 22
Mark was writing to Christians about to face the worst persecutions under Nero, and he reminds his readers that their persecutions were foretold by Christ, and that
Christ their master suffered for them.
Our eternal life is only possible because Christ has made the ultimate sacrifice for us.
Persecution and suffering are to be seen in the light of this, when faith is rewarded.
This is the sacrifice we remember each time we take communion, remembering that Christ died, was buried, rose again and will come again in glory. This is our hope!
Conclusion: We have been thinking about sacrifice-
Of one young man's wealth which he was called to relinquish in order to follow Christ.
Is there anything which prevents us following Christ- career, business, wealth,
position – even perhaps within the Church – which is more important than our actual relationship with Him?.
Of the disciples who had already sacrificed families, homes and businesses:
Whatever sacrifices we make to follow Christ- He has promised to bless us- and we have thought of one area, that of relationships, and ultimately the gift of eternal life.
Of Christ's supreme example of sacrifice- giving up Heaven to dwell on earth, becoming human in order to die on a cross- yet rising from the dead.
Article submitted Saturday, January 16, 2010 & read 13 times.
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