Mark 10:17-31 (NRSV)

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.  You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'"  He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth."  Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."  When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.  Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"  And the disciples were perplexed at these words.  But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."  They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"  Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."  Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you."  Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

A man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  This earnest question is on the heart of all believers.  Today, Jesus offers the man and us a direct answer.  However, like the man, we may not like what Jesus is saying at first.  This scripture passage was also delt with on 2/5/2012.

The concept of wealth is a serious matter, especially in our capitalistic society where money is the scorecard by which people are measured.  It is almost as if society says, “he who dies with the most toys, wins!”  Jesus gives us a different opportunity to follow in a way that frees us from the bounds of society’s fixation on money.  He says that one must not be bounded by or governed by money.  The man in the scripture goes away grieving.  I wonder if the man sold his possessions.

If we sell everything we have, are we guaranteed salvation or eternal life?  I’m not sure that Jesus intends for us to live in poverty.  However, some have embraced this manner of life.  Having resources and money (like anything else) are hindrances to our salvation if we let their importance come between us and God.  Jesus wants us to understand this, emphatically.

Jesus uses hyperbole again, as he explains that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  This is a ridiculous comparison, but makes the point.  He contrast this impossible feat by setting up the relationship that “for God, all things are possible.”  Jesus says that the believers will receive their reward now and in eternal life.

The call that I hear today is for us to be responsible with what God has entrusted to us.  We, as holders of the resources, should be diligent about building up the kingdom of God and using our wealth and resources to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Mark 10:13-22 (NRSV)

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them.  But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.  Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’  And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. 

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?  What a sharp contrast between the rich man and people bringing little children to him.  Jesus says, we must receive the kingdom of God as a little child, but what does that mean?  I don’t think it means that we need to be naive, but I do feel that we need to have a certain vulnerability and innocence about us.

Those of us that work with and around children and those of us that have children know that children are trusting and curious…  they ask questions, and they like to be involved and respected…  Children have worth and an insightful brilliance that our clouded minds lack.  So what this says to me is that our approach of God needs to me one of emptying ourselves, and making ourselves vulnerable before God.  We open our lives up to God to let God do God’s best work within us.

The man who comes to Jesus with an inquiring mind is a keeper of the law.  He is half way there, but he needs to not be bound by earthly things.  The scripture says he has many possessions, and that he grieves because Jesus tells him to let go of his stuff.  I don’t think that money and possessions are not bad or evil.  It’s how we use the money and possessions that either makes it a vehicle to or a barrier from God.  What we do with our money is an expression of our faith (or lack thereof).

Therefore, for me, the sharp contrast of the stories goes away.  Children don’t have worries over money like adults do.  They learn about possessions and value by their parents and other adults.  It makes me think, “what are we teaching our children by the way we use our money?”  In order to be as a little child, the rich man needs to give up the barrier between him and God.

To me, the text is an invitation to us to look at our lives and start to remove the barriers between us and God.  It doesn’t matter if it’s money or possessions, priority of activities, the ways we participate, etc…  if it affects our relationship with God, it needs to be dealt with.  Does the way we live our life express our faith?