Today's Gospel reading follows immediately after last
week's, when Jesus lovingly tried to call the rich young man to repentance. “If
you want to enter the kingdom, go sell everything you have” and the man went
away sad, for he was very rich. And now, Jesus comments on the incident, and on
the broader problem of those with great riches entering the kingdom. And his
disciples are amazed.
Why were they amazed by this? Perhaps because then, like
now, we look at those with wealth and riches in a certain light. We see wealth
and riches as a mark of success and perhaps even a sign of God's favor.
We Americans are especially susceptible to this kind of
thinking. We are the world's superpower, and even in a down economy, the
wealthiest country in the world. Our standard of living is among the highest,
and we enjoy many physical blessings just by living here. Even our poor people
are quite well off by a worldly standard. So the easy thing to think is, God
must favor us. He must be rewarding us, as a nation, for our great values on
freedom and equality. We're so wonderful aren't we? God must really love this
country the most.
Well maybe you're not so convinced. But what about when we
look at worldly success in the church? Look at the churches that are
successful, and have it made – in terms of money and people. The happening
places, the bigger the better. Yes, they have the nicest buildings, the best
parking lots, the newest sound systems. And the people are going there in
droves – look they have so many young people and now they need to build and
expand again and.... you might think... that God is really blessing that congregation
because of its worldly success, its wealth. A sign of God's favor. But be
careful. Bigger isn't always better, more isn't always more favored, and these
outward trappings of success can easily be as much a sign of problems in the
church.
Or even as an individual. Even when we look at ourselves.
For many others might consider us to be wealthy. But don't we think we've
earned it? Don't we tell ourselves we deserve all the nice things we have?
We've worked for them. We take care of our things. We give back... somewhat...
We know how to handle money. We have lots of handy reasons and
rationalizations- but in the end it's the same lie – that God likes me better,
that he's giving me all these good things because I deserve them. That whatever
success and wealth and “stuff” I have in life is mine and I earned it.
But Jesus throws a monkey wrench in all that. For those rich
people, for those successful people, and even for you and me. How difficult it
is to enter the kingdom of God! And if you're rich – well – all the more. It's
easier for a camel - the largest animal (perhaps they weren't familiar with
elephants and dinosaurs) to go through the smallest opening. It's a ridiculous
thought. It's physically impossible.
And notice the disciples' reaction. “Then who can be
saved?!” See, it's not that they considered themselves rich, but they thought
that wealth was a sign of God's favor. And if even the ones God blesses with
riches can't enter the kingdom, than what about poor little old me? If those
who are successful can't even do it, then what about me – I struggle from day
to day. I can't keep my ducks in a row. I can't handle my problems. I can't
even control myself. I'm a mess. I'm a sinner.
This is what Jesus is looking for. They are starting to
realize the problem. They need him. You need him. Despair of your own efforts,
your own works, your own value and worth. If even the rich and powerful and
successful and glamorous are shut out of the kingdom, if not even those far
“better” than you and I can get in... then we are sunk. On our own, we are
lost. Without God, it is impossible.
“With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things
are possible with God.”
Once the despair starts to set in, the helplessness and
hopelessness of their situation, Jesus starts to open the door for the Gospel.
He begins to explain that while yes, it is impossible for you, even for the
rich man, to enter the kingdom... with God, it's possible. It's possible, and
it's a reality, in Jesus Christ... but first Peter interrupts....
“Lord, we've left everything to follow you...” Maybe this is
the trick, Peter reasons. Maybe it's not being rich, but being poor that earns
God's favor. Maybe it's leaving everything behind. Maybe it really is selling
all your stuff and going to live in a monastery, or serving amongst the poor of
Calcutta.
But it's not that either. It's never been about having the
things or not having the things. It's never been about being rich or poor,
successful or not. Or about where you live and how big your house or small your
checkbook. God desires all men to be saved. God blesses rich and poor alike
with the blessings that truly count. It's about the heart, it's about the
faith, it's about Jesus.
Jesus, who truly left everything behind, when he left his
throne in heaven to be born a lowly human and laid in a lowly manger. Foxes
have holes and birds have nests, but the son of man had no where to rest his
head. He had no wealth or beauty that we should regard him, but humiliated
himself – stricken, smitten, afflicted, chastised and condemned. Even his
garments were stripped from him at the end. A man of sorrows, well acquainted
with grief. Hardly a worldly success story. He who was first became last of
all... at the cross.
This is how God does the impossible. This is how God gets
the rich and the poor and even you through the eye of the needle into the
kingdom of heaven – through the cross. Through the impossible thought of God
becoming Man, and the Creator dying for the creature, the one without sin,
taking the sins of all. And through death, bringing forth life. Impossible? Not
with God. Not with Jesus Christ. Not with silver or gold, but with his holy
precious blood.
And this faith will lead us who believe to fear, love, and
trust in him above all things. Above all material wealth and riches. It may
mean literally leaving some things behind. Or it may mean simply repenting of
putting these idols before the true God. Christ is worth far more to us than
“houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands”. And
Christ promises us far more than any of that in the kingdom to come.
But he also mentions persecution. Before the bright shiny
day at the end of the tunnel, there are persecutions. Christians can expect
that the life of faith brings trouble, hardship, and persecution. People won't
regard us like they regard the rich – with awe and admiration. The world won't
roll out the red carpet for the followers of Jesus.
In the kingdom of God things aren't always as they seem. The
rich aren't always the ones with God's favor. And the persecuted and troubled
aren't always the ones out of favor. The last are sometimes first, and the
first are sometimes last. And even the extraordinary, the incredible, the
impossible.... is possible, and very real. Even for you the sinner, salvation
is sure, through Jesus Christ our Lord. In his name, Amen.
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