What Are You Keeping That Is Keeping You From God?

 

Money, Power, Prestige? What are you keeping that is keeping you from following Jesus?

This sermon was preached on the 20^th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23B) at All Saints Church in Homewood, AL. A video of the sermon may be seen here. The readings for this Sunday were the following:

Job 23:1-9, 16-17
Psalm 22:1-15
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31

 

Holy God, let my words be your words and when my words are not your words, let your people be wise enough to know the same. Amen.

A man approached Jesus. He was well dressed and well kempt. The type of man whom others admired. Surprisingly he forced his way through the crowds to get to Jesus—stopping the teacher and his disciples from leaving on a journey in the process. Once the man had Jesus’ attention, he knelt down in front of the one people were calling the Messiah. Then, came the question.

“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” On the surface the question appeared innocent enough. The query had no thorns, no trap at least on the outside, but something underneath his words felt uncomfortable, hiding in plain sight, or sound, as it were. Inherit. What must I do to inherit eternal life? Not, “What must I do to enter eternal life?” nor “What must I do to have eternal life?” nor even “What must I do to earn eternal life?” This successful man wanted something else added to his portfolio. “So, what’s it going to cost me?” he might as well have said.

Jesus’ initial response pierced the surface—was this someone who just looked polished or was there depth beneath the façade? Jesus yearned to know this man’s soul. The teacher began to explore with his new student, “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.” Six of the ten big ones—over half of the Ten Commandments.

If this were the initial test, the rich young man seemingly passed, as he explained “I have kept all these since my youth.” Again, on the surface all appears put together. Listen deeper though, “I have kept all these since my youth.”

Kept, like one might keep a bond certificate, guard one’s fine china, or hide away a prized possession? Jesus did not directly pounce on this word, instead he did something else odd.

Countless times Jesus showed God’s transforming love to rich and poor, old and young, Jew and Gentile, male and female, but only here with this rich man did this Gospel writer say that Jesus loved someone. Jesus agaped him. Without limit he loved this man who had almost everything, sought to inherit eternal life, and kept the rules precisely. Jesus loved him, then he challenged him.

To use poker language, Jesus had let the man call and raise his way to this point, such that he was “all in” with everything sitting at the center of the table—maybe even the watch his father had given him. Now though, Jesus was going to call the man’s bluff. “You lack one thing,” Jesus said cutting through the man’s defenses with his tough and limitless love, “Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” That was it. The man folded. He walked away, like he lost more than his favorite watch. But why?

Did he not want to give up a certain standard of living? Was it that all those things made him feel important? Could he not let go of material stuff? Whatever it was, the rich man was too attached to, too enamored by, or too invested in something that kept him from selling it all and walking with Jesus. Maybe the man was shocked and heartbroken because he could not invest his way into inheriting the Kingdom. “You cannot buy your way in here. The only way in,” Jesus seemed to say, “is to sell it all.” What about us?

Life eternal awaits us now and always. Through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism we are outwardly marking this everlasting life, as Joseph Ryan Self is engrafted in the Body of Christ today at this service! As everlasting life beckons for us to enjoy, there are those things that we keep—whether they be material goods, social status, friend’s praise, family’s adoration, or whether our team won—those things that can keep us too. Don’t we get tangled up in them? We hang onto those things.

Think about what happens when we clutch onto something. As our hands grasp onto money, power, or prestige our clinched fingers do not allow us to be open to taking hold of anything else. “The things we possess, they possess us too.” Put another way it’s hard to follow the crowd and to follow Jesus too. Or, as Jesus himself put it, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). In this season when we discern our commitment to God in time, talent, and treasure, it takes courage to truly address those things that we hold onto that prevent us from receiving the gifts of God. So, I wonder for myself and for us, what happens when the things we keep are the things keeping us from following Jesus? What happens when the things you keep are the things keeping you from following Jesus?

For the rich man long ago, he wanted to keep things exactly the same (eat his cake and have it too). Even when he had eternal life right there in front of him asking him to follow, he wanted to make like Frank Sinatra, and do it “Myyyyyy WAY!!!” This sort of controlling though does not only derive from the love of power or control.

Denying Christ’s invitation to follow could result from holding onto anything that prevents us from receiving and giving the transforming love of God. Even when we keep good things or great things instead of God, we find ourselves living a limited life. With God though, all things are possible even relinquishing power and control; affection, esteem, approval, and pleasure; survival and security that we long to keep but that can keep us from following Jesus. The good news though is that we love God by loving neighbors, loving strangers, and loving ourselves—it’s a both/and not an either/or. Again I wonder, what happens when the things we keep are the things keeping us from following Jesus? What happens when the things you keep are the things keeping you from following Jesus?

There is a helpful parable by Paulo Coelho (Quail-o) about how we often seek to keep things, such that we miss Christ’s invitation to open our eyes, arms, and hearts to see, receive, and give God’s love. Here it is:

There was once a businessman who was sitting by the beach in a small Brazilian village.

As he sat, he saw a Brazilian fisherman rowing a small boat towards the shore having caught quite [a] few big fish.

The businessman was impressed and asked the fisherman, “How long does it take you to catch so many fish?”

The fisherman replied, “Oh, just a short while.”

“Then why don’t you stay longer at sea and catch even more?” The businessman was astonished.

“This is enough to feed my whole family [and then some],” the fisherman said.

The businessman then asked, “So, what do you do for the rest of the day?”

The fisherman replied, “Well, I usually wake up early in the morning, go out to sea and catch a few fish, then go back and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I take a nap with my wife, and when evening comes, I join my buddies in the village for a drink — we play guitar, sing and dance throughout the night.”

The businessman offered a suggestion to the fisherman.

“I am a PhD in business management. I could help you to become a more successful person. From now on, you should spend more time at sea and try to catch as many fish as possible. When you have saved enough money, you could buy a bigger boat and catch even more fish. Soon you will be able to afford to buy more boats, set up your own company, your own production plant for canned food and a distribution network. By then, you will have moved out of this village and to Sao Paulo, where you can set up HQ to manage your other branches.”

The fisherman continued, “And after that?”

The businessman laughed heartily, “After that, you can live like a king in your own house, and when the time is right, you can go public and float your shares in the Stock Exchange, and you will be rich.”

The fisherman asked, “And after that?”

The businessman said, “After that, you can finally retire, you can move to a house by the fishing village, wake up early in the morning, catch a few fish, then return home to play with kids, have a nice afternoon nap with your wife, and when evening comes, you can join your buddies for a drink, play the guitar, sing and dance throughout the night!”

The fisherman was puzzled, “Isn’t that what I am doing now?”[1]

Christ Jesus invites you right now to follow him in eternal life. You cannot buy your way into this inheritance. You can’t earn it. You can’t keep everything perfect so you make it in. The only way into this now and forever life is to release all that you are keeping that keeps you from God. The way in is to let go of everything you are keeping, so you may be with Christ on this eternal journey. Is it scary? Bold? Requiring courage? YES! And, it is your invitation as a beloved child of God. So, let everything go—everything you are keeping that is keeping you from God—let it go, then come and follow Christ into everlasting life. Amen.

 

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[1] “The Fisherman and the Businessman,” Paulo Coelho. Written September 4, 2015. Accessed October 9, 2021. http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2015/09/04/the-fisherman-and-the-businessman/.

What Is Keeping You From Following?

This sermon was preached on the 21^st Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23B) at St. John’s Church. The readings for this Sunday were the following:

Job 23:1-9, 16-17

Psalm 22:1-15
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31

A man approached Jesus. He was well dressed and well kempt. The type of man whom others admired. Surprisingly he forced his way through the crowds to get to Jesus—halting the teacher and his disciples from leaving on a journey in the process. Once the man had Jesus’ attention he knelt there in front of the one people were calling the Messiah. Then, came the question.

“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” On the surface the question seemed innocuous enough. The query had no barbs, at least on the outside, but something underneath his words felt uncomfortable, hiding in plain sight, or sound. Inherit. What must I do to inherit eternal life? Not, “What must I do to enter eternal life?” nor “What must I do to have eternal life?” nor even “What must I do to earn eternal life?” This successful man, this man who had kept the commandments since his childhood, this rich man wanted something else added to his portfolio. “So, what’s it going to cost me?” he might as well have said.

Jesus’ initial response to the man had everything to do with throwing him off, or at least making sure he was more than just someone who looked polished. Jesus wanted to know his soul. He said, “You know the commandments.” The teacher probed this new pupil. “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.” Six of the ten big ones.

Over half of the Ten Commandments. Nothing about the Sabbath was mentioned, nor did Jesus bother with the others directly having to do with God—there is only One God and you shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain. Perhaps idol worship was on the horizon, but Jesus did not broach the topic, not now. Instead, he allowed for the rich man to respond. “I have kept all these since my youth.” Kept, like one might keep a bond certificate? Or guard one’s fine china. Jesus did not take the bait though, instead he did something odd.

Throughout the entire story that Mark told Jesus showed examples of God’s transforming love to rich and poor, old and young, Jew and Gentile. But, only here with this rich man did Mark say that Jesus actually loved someone. Jesus agaped him. He unconditionally loved this man who had almost everything and followed the rules precisely. Jesus loved him, then he challenged him.

To use poker language, Jesus had let the man call and raise his way to this point, such that all the chips were at the center of the table, but now Jesus was going to call the man’s bluff. “You lack one thing,” Jesus said piercing through the man’s defenses with his tough and limitless love, “Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” That was it. The man folded. He walked away, grieving like he had lost his mother. But why?

Did he not want to give up his pleasures? Was it that he did not want to let go of the things that made him feel important? Could he not let go of material stuff? Whatever it was, he was too attached to, to enamored by, and to invested in something to walk with Jesus at that moment. Maybe the man was shocked and heartbroken because he could not invest his way into inheriting the Kingdom. “You can’t buy your way in here. The only way in,” Jesus seemed to say, “is to sell it all.” What about us?

Life eternal awaits us. Yes, life everlasting is there for us to enjoy, but those things that we possess—whether they be material goods, social status, honorary positions, or even our friend’s praise and our family’s adoration—these things wrap onto us. Do we hold onto them?

Think about what happens when we hold onto something. As our hands grasp onto money, power, or prestige our clinched fingers do not allow us to be open to taking hold of anything else. It has been said, “The things we possess, they possess us too.” Said another way it’s hard to follow the crowd and to follow Jesus too. Or, as Jesus himself put it, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62), and more provocatively, “Let the dead bury the dead” (Luke 9:60). In this season when we discern our commitment to God, it takes courage to truly address those things that we hold onto that prevent us from holding onto God. So, I wonder for myself and for us, what happens when the thing we are doing is the thing that is keeping us from following Jesus? What happens when the thing you are doing is the thing that is keeping you from following Jesus?

For the rich man long ago the thing that he was doing was trying to buy his way into inheriting eternal life. Even when he had eternal life right there in front of him asking him to follow, he wanted to do it his way instead. He wanted to control his forever future. He wanted to be entitled to eternity even with God Incarnate inviting him to live into life everlasting right then and there. This sort of controlling though does not only derive from the love of riches.

Denying Christ’s invitation to follow could result from the love of anything that we put over and above the transforming love of God. Even when we love good things or great things over and above God, we find ourselves living a limited life. With God though, all things are possible, even relinquishing the control, even letting go of the thing that is keeping us from following Jesus. So again, I ask, what happens when the thing we are doing is the thing that is keeping us from following after Jesus? What happens when the thing you are doing is the thing that is keeping you from following Jesus?

Let me end with a parable by Paulo Coelho about how we so easily complicate the invitation from Christ to let go of all else, so that we can come and follow Christ:

There was once a businessman who was sitting by the beach in a small Brazilian village.

As he sat, he saw a Brazilian fisherman rowing a small boat towards the shore having caught quite [a] few big fish.

The businessman was impressed and asked the fisherman, “How long does it take you to catch so many fish?”

The fisherman replied, “Oh, just a short while.”

“Then why don’t you stay longer at sea and catch even more?” The businessman was astonished.

“This is enough to feed my whole family,” the fisherman said.

The businessman then asked, “So, what do you do for the rest of the day?”

The fisherman replied, “Well, I usually wake up early in the morning, go out to sea and catch a few fish, then go back and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I take a nap with my wife, and evening comes, I join my buddies in the village for a drink — we play guitar, sing and dance throughout the night.”

The businessman offered a suggestion to the fisherman.

“I am a PhD in business management. I could help you to become a more successful person. From now on, you should spend more time at sea and try to catch as many fish as possible. When you have saved enough money, you could buy a bigger boat and catch even more fish. Soon you will be able to afford to buy more boats, set up your own company, your own production plant for canned food and distribution network. By then, you will have moved out of this village and to Sao Paulo, where you can set up HQ to manage your other branches.”

The fisherman continues, “And after that?”

The businessman laughs heartily, “After that, you can live like a king in your own house, and when the time is right, you can go public and float your shares in the Stock Exchange, and you will be rich.”

The fisherman asks, “And after that?”

The businessman says, “After that, you can finally retire, you can move to a house by the fishing village, wake up early in the morning, catch a few fish, then return home to play with kids, have a nice afternoon nap with your wife, and when evening comes, you can join your buddies for a drink, play the guitar, sing and dance throughout the night!”

The fisherman was puzzled, “Isn’t that what I am doing now?”[1]

Christ Jesus is asking you right now to follow him into eternal life. You cannot buy your way into inheriting this life. You can’t earn it. You can’t think or achieve your way in. The only way to eternity, the only way to oneness with God is to release all other attachments that are not God. The way in is to let go of the thing you have been trying to do, let go of it all, and simply be with Christ on the journey. It is scary. It is bold. It takes courage and insight. But, it is your inherited invitation as God’s child. So come, let everything else go, and follow Jesus.

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[1] “The Fisherman and the Businessman,” Paulo Coelho. Written September 4, 2015. Accessed October 12, 2018. http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2015/09/04/the-fisherman-and-the-businessman/.

An Embarrassment of Riches

Who doesn't love lists of 10 things? Here are 10 sermon topics for this coming Sunday!

This blog focuses upon the Gospel lesson for the 21^st Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23B) Mark 10:17-31.

This Sunday’s Gospel lesson in which Jesus and a man have a conversation about the love of money getting in the way of eternal life is an embarrassment of riches. No, this is not just my attempt to make a bad priest/dad joke. I mean something more by this comment. For those of us who will preach on the 21^st Sunday after Pentecost on Mark 10:17-31 there is so much to choose from that it’s an embarrassment of riches, while talking about someone who was embarrassed by his riches. Here are ten options—yes that’s right ten of them!!!—that might be worth pursuing this coming Sunday:

1.The Opening Words

Mark sets the stage for this text by pointing out that Jesus is about to begin a journey. Where is Our Messiah going? What is he going to do on this journey? Why does he stop to listen to this rich man? There could be an entire sermon preached on the faith journey that we live with Christ and what obstacles get in the way of us even starting to follow Jesus on the way. 

2.God Alone is Good

We might find Jesus’ words shocking when he said, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” It makes me think about a common greeting, at least here in the Southeastern United States. Someone asks, “How are you doing?” Often people respond, “I’m good.” And, when they do I want to say to that response, “You are good only by the grace of God.” However, I only respond that way in my head because I don’t want everyone I meet to think I’m a psycho-priest. So a second sermon idea might focus upon goodness. If Jesus did not call himself good, then how can we? Spoiler alert: Only by the grace of God!

3. The Commandments Are Not Enough

This man who approached Jesus is either a liar or an admirable person. Some scholars like to point out that the only way to get rich in those days was to do something dishonest (i.e. disobey the commandments). I’m not sure that is universally true, as it is not true in our current context. Still, Jesus makes it clear that blindly following the rules is not enough. This sermon could connect with #5 below as the preacher explores how many things, even good things like rules keep us from following Jesus.

4. Jesus’ Loving Glance

Love did not get thrown around in the New Testament a whole lot. In fact, in Mark this is it for Jesus loving someone. Strange, I know! This man who had money, who followed the rules, and who sought a very good thing in eternal life might be compared to a person in a position of power in this day (white, educated, rich, and male). And yet, Jesus lovingly looked at that person too. Maybe love is included here because those examples of Jesus tending to the outcasts were obvious instances of love. As a friend once said to me, “Rich people need Jesus just like poor people do.” Another sermon might explore Christ’s loving look at all of us.

5. Possessions Obstruct Us from Following Jesus or Riches in God’s Reign

As previously stated, even following the commandments blindly is not enough. A powerful sermon might explore how many things distract us from following Jesus. To build up riches in God’s reign, to build up treasure in heaven we must let go of our love of things in this life.

6. Salvation Comes From God Alone

Hidden in the background of this text is a powerful truth about God’s grace. When the disciples were puzzled with what Jesus said they wondered who it was that could save the rich. God is the obvious answer, but behind this statement is a truth about what that salvation looks like. There are two parts to it. First, the desire to turn away from a love of worldly things. Second, the turning towards God’s grace as one experiences the fullness of eternal life now and always. One sermon could focus on the double nature of God’s grace (shout out to all my Calvinist friends!).

7. For God All Things Are Possible

In this unique moment in human history what problems need addressing? Political division? Climate change? Addiction? Poverty? Violence? There is a list that goes on and on, and it is chock-full of overwhelming dilemmas that we cannot solve on our own. Perhaps at the root of all the problems though lies a misconception that we ought to love things and use people instead of the other way around. This could be a powerful sermon that addresses how we have prioritized wealth over the wellbeing of ourselves and our neighbors.

8. Humble Bragging Discipleship

Everything was going so well, and then Peter just had to open his mouth (shake my head). Actually, we are all like Peter. At times, all of us throw out a subtle compliment, like “I’m so tired from my workout this morning,” (alright we know you worked out today!) or “My schedule is so busy” (okay, you’re so important I get it). Peter humblebrags by pointing to his own and the disciples’ own dedication to Jesus, such that they left everything else. While Jesus answers this comment pointing to the reward of good discipleship, one sermon might address how we are called to examine our motives for following Jesus. This leads into another sermon idea.

9. The Rewards of Following Jesus

Why do you follow after Jesus? For rewards? What kind of rewards? Are you looking for a certain feeling? Do you crave some sort of accolade that someone will give you for being a good Christian? Are you following Jesus simply for consolation? How is it that you can focus instead on the journey itself? How might you choose to follow Jesus solely because you want to walk with Christ? This could be a good and challenging sermon examining why we want to be Jesus’ disciples.

10. The Last Will Be First and the First Will Be Last

God’s Kingdom is a mixed up kind of place. However, this saying of the first being the last and vice versa often gets frozen in time like a photograph. A tenth sermon idea could examine how God’s economy, community, and life calls us to dynamically move with this often used tagline of God’s way. The first are last, but then they become first, which means that they are last, and again they become first. It’s fluid when God rules. How is God calling us to move to be a part of the Kingdom together?

Which sermon idea seems most appealing to you? There are countless other ways to approach this text. In what direction is God calling you to go?

Still Looking

The summer of 2011 was unbearable hot in San Antonio, Texas. Even though I tried desperately to venture into the outside world only before dawn or after dusk, moments arose when I boldly confronted the overwhelming heat. In those brisk walks from my car to the hospital where I was working the “real feel” temperature often crept over 110°. Scorching temperatures provided an adequate backdrop for the noble quest afoot. For eleven weeks I worked as a hospital chaplain.

Clinical Pastoral Education or C.P.E. remains a dreaded requirement of all Episcopal seminarians in which they serve in some chaplaincy setting. At first glance one might think C.P.E. could hardly count as a daunting task; however, walking boldly into a stranger’s room to offer prayers, counsel, or just a listening ear took every ounce of courage that I could muster. Even more intimidating than the encounters with people suffering from chronic pain, cancer diagnoses, recovery from surgery, or a host of other ailments were the moments when I had to sit in front of a group of peers and my supervisor to talk about all the ways that I had botched the visit. A Baptist minister named Steve served as that supervisor, and—as hard as it is for me to say—by the end of the summer he helped me to realize that I had been going about the program entirely wrong.

Steve used a method that reminds me of a karate master who so adeptly employs defensive moves that eventually his opponent tires out, lets his guard down, and provides an opening for the crucial blow to be landed. After almost every statement from one of the C.P.E. interns Steve would say, “I’m curious about that.” Then I was forced to confront the validity of my statement. Was I just saying what I was saying or did I mean it? Was it some greater Truth from God or was it some automatic response that served as a defense mechanism? Was it church speak or the reality of God? In our final one-on-one evaluation Steve provided some of the hardest and most fruitful words I have ever heard.

As we talked about my time as a C.P.E. student, Steve expressed some praise before pointing out an obvious statement that still serves as a North Star on my life journey. He said, “Seth, you are like a great adventurer who has been on this monumental quest. This entire summer you have been seeking validation, praise, and approval from others—like it was the Holy Grail. What you have found throughout this summer is that God already buried the treasure right where you are. You have everything you search for already here within you.” I remember crying when I heard Steve say these things because no one had ever been so honest with me. While I am not positive, I am confident that the person who approached Jesus in today’s Gospel lesson may have felt very similarly.

This story of the young man coming to discover how to be good sounds so familiar to us. I often overlook details when I engage a story that I have heard so many times, but as I read these words this morning I found myself caught on a detail. The young man had been doing what I had been doing when I was trying to be a good hospital chaplain. He was doing his very best to earn his way into eternal life by following every letter of the law. Those of us who have made our spiritual life a sort of to-do list we must check off may know this feeling all too well—that even when we finish everything we still find ourselves lacking. Primarily this is because we are seeking the wrong thing and in the wrong place.

Whether it is this young man, me, or even you, we all at some time or another have made life in Christ a chore and not a relationship. The crucial moment when I had to confront the truth that Steve told me and I believe the crucial moment for this young man was discovering that it was not about getting something done or following a certain set of guidelines, but rather letting go of all else, so that we may wholeheartedly follow Jesus. When we release all possessions, all expectations, all control, and everything else, then we discover a treasure far greater than anything material on this earth.

The treasure that we seek is buried not on some far off island, nor beneath an “X”, nor can it be purchased from a website or catalog. Relationship with Jesus—fullness of life—the greatest treasure of all human history lies hidden right here within ourselves. Questing to find it does not require us to follow a litany of rules, but rather a relinquishing of all that may keep us from truly seeking. We all are still looking for a deepening of that relationship with Jesus, but as we do may we look for that treasure within ourselves.

Reckless Love

Jesus talks a whole lot about the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven. If I am not careful I will read parables like the ones we heard today without really thinking about what a kingdom is. We, in the United States of America, are not intimately familiar with kingdoms anymore. Long ago we overthrew tyrannical leadership and while there certainly are disproportions in wealth, power, and status here we do not have dukes, princesses, or kings telling us how to live our lives. So what does it mean to hear what the Kingdom of God is like when there are no kings here?

I do not have a good answer for that. Typically what I believe when I hear about the Kingdom of God is not so much Jesus sitting on a throne of power, but rather Jesus kneeling down to serve the neediest. If we look at  the words Jesus spoke, the life Jesus live, and the Resurrection Jesus underwent we clearly may see that the Kingdom of God is not a kingdom in the earthly sense, but rather a realm that flips the corrupt ways of this world on its head. Let us explore the two short parables Jesus gave us today to understand this further.

“The kingdom of heaven,” Jesus said, “is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” This story sounds confusing. Did the man bury his own treasure in someone else’s yard, then go dig it up? While the original language is not crystal clear, a more logical interpretation of the story goes as follows: one man buries treasure, another man finds the treasure on someone else’s property; the second man digs up the treasure, then buries it back, sells all he has, buys the treasure-laden property, and only then takes hold of his prize. Honestly, this does not sound like any earthly kingdom. There is no logic here.

Looking deeper into this story we find that a man trespassed, dug up someone else’s property, and sold all he had so that he could get some treasure—and this somehow describes God’s realm? If we only use earthly parameters—like logic and reason and good sense—we might think this not only sounds different, but also crazy, risky, and illegal! And yet, Jesus uses this story to describe the way God’s world works. He makes it clear that we must be willing to risk our reputations, our wealth, and even our lives to go in search of God’s way of being. The Kingdom of God is not an easy path or a walk in the park it is risky love.

The second parable confirms that tough way in describing a merchant longing for a pearl. All of us when we are not resting in God will feel restless to paraphrase a line from Saint Augustine of Hippo. Here it is interesting to note that the Kingdom of God is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; not the merchant or the pearls individually, but the one in the action of searching. Again, this realm of God is not like the wisdom of this world, which tells us to diversify our investments. No, the way to God requires us to give all that we have to take hold of that relationship with God, which will in turn multiply our blessings a hundredfold. I am not saying this will be easy or that all will be rich financially who believe. Rather, when we give God everything God in return blesses us with the full abundance of life.

Now, do not walk out of here thinking that I am saying liquefy every asset you have. Do not think that I am saying be reckless with how you live your life. I am not saying be imprudent. Rather, we must be wise as serpents and kind as doves. Still, God’s way of being—God’s Kingdom if you will—calls us to be reckless in love. For love is an infinite resource that we can give to all. In Jesus God shows us the way to love, in the Spirit God gives us the power to do the same. We are called to take part in the love of God to be part of God’s way of life to exist in the Kingdom of God, which is unlike any other kingdom that has ever existed, for it is based completely on reckless love that we share fully with all!

Go Sell Everything?

Some people want to get literal about the Bible except when it comes to gluttony and fiances!

This sermon is inspired by the Gospel story from Mark 10:17-31.

Sermon audio can be found here.

Just over a week ago I got engaged to be married (WAHOO!!!). This, at least to me, is very good news. My pending nuptials have since occupied my thoughts: Where will we get married? How much money do we want to spend on this celebration? Who all can we invite? These and many other questions have been swirling around in my mind. I usually sleep like a log at night, but this week I have been more restless. All of these questions have produced a bit of anxiety, but I take it as a good sign; I am taking this next step seriously. Admittedly though, I have a hard time not relating everything back to getting married, even today’s Scripture from Mark comes back to this life-changing event.

Kim and I are not uprooting our lives today, but things will certainly be different for us in the coming months. While I may not sell all my possessions, I know that the days of living in my bachelor pad are now numbered. We both live our lives as followers of Jesus, but the way we walk with Christ will be different as we join together as a married couple. This is all very good, but like any big step into the future (going to college, buying a house, moving jobs, getting a prognosis, confronting a loved one about addiction, etc.) it is not without its share of sorrow and sleepless nights. We may respond to these transitions like the man from today’s gospel story with shock and grief.

Scholars differ in how they interpret the departure of this man, who is a “ruler” in Luke’s account and “young” in Matthew’s account of the good news. Does the “rich, young ruler” walk away devastated because he does not want to get rid of what he has or is he grief-stricken as a result of letting go of everything that he owns? I tend to lean towards the sorrow stemming from having to let go of those possessions, so that he can follow Jesus. The things we own eventually own us too!

On the day of Kim and my first date my soon-to-be-in-laws did something very strange. They sold their home, the place where Kim and her brother spent their formative years, and bought a motor home. They sold most of what they owned and put some family keepsakes in storage and have since traveled across the United States and beyond. I did not know them before this moment in their lives, but even since getting to know them I have recognized a shift. They are different than they were over two years ago. I sense that there is freedom in not being tied down by a mortgage, four walls, and all that adorns the houses we call home. So what do we just sell everything we own and move into RVs? Maybe.

Younger generations are taking part in a movement to live in tiny homes, with tiny environmental footprints and less of a financial impact on their lives. Somehow though I don’t think that is Jesus’ message from today’s gospel. A friend of mine said recently, “Everyone wants to be a Biblical literalist except when it comes to gluttony, then they ignore those words and stuff their faces at Ryan’s.” I have a similar sensation when hearing Jesus speak about financial matters.

Jesus says directly to sell all that this man owns and give the money to the poor, then to follow him. This is not an analogy or parable. We are consumed by the consumerism in which we participate. We are possessed by our possessions. Where our treasure is there is our heart also. It is not that we are “bad” if we have possessions, it is that those things that possess us also distract us from fully following Jesus. Do we sell it all? Maybe not right away, maybe not all at once, but remember we cannot take it with us when we go.

The intention of our lives is not to live without possessions, for that can all too quickly turn into a type of competitive spirituality. There have been monks throughout the years who take on one another in this type of asceticism. It is as dangerous as the isolation that comes from a certain type of wealth. Rather, our intention is to follow Jesus and whatever gets in the way of this relationship must be sacrificed, whether it is a possession, an addiction, or even someone who is a stumbling block to us.

It might seem impossible for us to get rid of all of these things and that is because it is. “Then who can be saved? Who can enter into the Kingdom of God on her own? Who can earn, achieve, or possess his way inside?” “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

This is the very best news of all.