The Message, October 13, 2024: "What Must We Do?" Mark 10:17-31

Author: Rev. Scott W. Cousineau
October 15, 2024

 

“What Must We Do?”
A Message by Rev. Scott W. Cousineau

Mark 10:17-31 (New International Version)

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said 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.”
The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”


            Let me ask you … how does that scripture passage sit with you? How does it strike your ear? How does it speak to your hearts?

            At our Bible Study gathering this week, one of the members shared a thought from a commentary that he had read. The commentator had opined that in his experience this is one of the least popular passages of scripture for people. He said that it makes them feel uncomfortable … uneasy … with all of that “sell all your possessions” stuff.

            Is that how you react? Does it make you feel uncomfortable?

            Please, bear with me. I do not have one of those tithing men walking around with long sticks to poke, or prod you, or tickle you. Please do not tune me out or doze off. There is a LOT of material here, but do not worry, I will not attempt to cover it all this morning.

[Note: Sunday, October 13, is Founder’s Day. At the beginning of the service, I read a brief snippet from the history of the church. In it I read about the “tithing man” that would be given a long stick with a rabbit’s foot attached to one end and a rabbit’s tail on the other. The foot was used to poke or prod those men that were disruptive, and the rabbit’s tail was used to tickle the noses of women that had dozed off.]

            It is an interesting encounter. It is a compelling passage of scripture. In typical Markan style, he shared this story with just the bare bones. And because of that, Mark gives us room to place ourselves in the story.

            The man ran up to Jesus as he was travelling through the countryside and knelt before him. That one sentence gives us a glimpse of the man’s situation. He was enthusiastic. It was unseemly for men to run in that age, but the man did not care about that social convention. He knelt before Jesus, a sign of respect and honor. He addressed Jesus as “Good Teacher.” From all appearances, the man seemed genuine and sincere.

            First Century Jews believed that a great event was going to come that would change everything. This event would bring peace, justice, freedom for Israel, punishment of evildoers, and a time of prosperity when all of the prophesies would be fulfilled. This even would usher in a new spring … new life!

            They referred to the age in which they were living as “the Present Age” and that time after the great event as “The Age to Come.” The Age to Come was that time when God would bring heaven and earth together. It would be that age when God would rule the earth. And the man wanted to know how he could be a part of that. “What must I do, Good teacher? I do not want to miss that.”

            Jesus the rabbi began teaching.

            He began by challenging the man’s understanding of what it means to be “good.” Jesus referenced the Law with which the man was well-versed, and reminded the man that God, and God alone, is good. Jesus challenges the man’s apparent belief that following the Law will be sufficient to inherit eternal life. Jesus challenges the man to think.

            The commandments that Jesus cited are those that address human relationships and interactions. The man testified that he has followed every one of them since his youth. He has been a “good” person. He has not committed any harmful acts against anyone.

            It was then that Jesus brought the lesson home. He looked lovingly at the man that clearly does not lack anything and told him that he lacks one thing. The man is likely stunned. He had likely never known lack. He had probably been a man of wealth and prominence since his birth. What could he possibly lack?

            Although the young man had devoted himself to keeping the commandments, Jesus knew that he had failed to keep the first and greatest of the commandments, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Matthew 22:37-38). That was what he lacked. Jesus saw that the man did not have God as his center. He did not have God as his focus.

            Jesus said to the man, “Yes, brother, you did the ‘right’ things according to the Law, but did you love? Did you love?”

            Has anyone dozed off yet?

            Let me pause here and point out a couple of things.

            First, Jesus was doing what Jesus does. He turned the world view on its head. The popular belief of that day was that prosperity was a sign that the wealthy person was a “good” person, they obeyed the Law. If a person was wealthy they must have been blessed by God. Wealth was an indication of excellence of character and favor with God.

            Jesus turned that understanding upside down and inside out.

            He was NOT saying that wealth or money are inherently bad or evil or sinful. What he was addressing was one’s relationship to wealth or possessions. What Jesus was really saying that that what matters in our lives is our relationship with God. Everything else flows forth from that.
And, let me also point out that we ought not condemn the man for walking away. After all, Jesus did not condemn him. Plus, we do not know how his story ends. Did he walk away and ponder Jesus’ lesson? Did he pray about what Jesus had said? Did he tag along behind Jesus and the disciples as they made their way to Jerusalem? What happened? We just do not know if the seed that Jesus planted in his heart took root, grew, and bore fruit.

            Remember, this encounter comes in the midst of Jesus paying particular attention to teaching the disciples how to be disciples. This was not Jesus launching his first stewardship campaign. As far as we know, he did not pass out pledge cards after the man walked away. He was teaching the man … and by extension all of those who do follow him … what it means to be a disciple.

            You may recall that a couple of weeks ago, we explored the passage in which Jesus warned the disciples about the problem with being a “stumbling block” for one of these “little ones” … those who are new to the faith.

            As Jesus lovingly taught the wealthy young man, he was trying to tell him that his attachment to his wealth and possessions was his stumbling block. It was that attachment that got in the way of his relationship with God.

            That was HIS stumbling block. HIS attachment to his possessions and wealth and status was his stumbling block. The message of this encounter is that we all have to consider what our stumbling blocks might be.

            Jesus turned his attention to the disciples. They were still struggling to understand. They had argued about which one of them was the greatest. And then in today’s passage we once again heard Peter stick his neck out there, “Listen, Jesus, we have already given up everything to follow you! What more do you want from us?”

            And Jesus replied, “Peter … I want you to stop thinking like that. I want you to stop counting the cost. I want you to stop thinking about the Kingdom of God in earthly terms. I would like you to stop believing that the earth revolves around you … or James … or John … or any of the others. Peter … I want you to set your hearts and minds upon God.”

            This is a “call” story. Jesus says again, “Come and follow me.”

            Imagine the promise of a Beloved Community built upon the foundation of God’s love and compassion. Imagine a community that is built upon kindness and care of all its citizens. Imagine a community in which all members are blessed by an abundance of peace and joy and love. Imagine.
Jesus was saying that the Age to Come is happening now. “I am teaching you how to be true disciples. I am teaching you a whole new way to be God’s beloved people. You do not have to wait. You can participate in it now!”

            Remember that all things are possible for God. Grace is possible for God. Forgiveness is possible for God. Generosity is possible for God. Goodness is possible for God. Abundance and joy and peace are all possible for God.

            Therefore, remove that which is between you and God. Remove that which is your stumbling block. Place God at the center.

            As I said at the beginning, we can all place ourselves in the story. We can each hear Jesus say to us, “You lack one thing.” And we can all prayerfully consider what that one thing may be in our lives.

Sometimes our “lack” is our belief that we do not lack anything.
Sometimes our lack is our pride, or our certainty that we are right, that we know better.
Sometimes our lack is our fear that God will not really take care of us.
Sometimes our lack is that we just do not want to give up our creature comforts.
Sometimes our lack is our insecurity, our belief that we are not “good” enough.

            Each of us has the opportunity to ask ourselves the question that the man asked Jesus. “What must I do, Jesus? What must I do to fully participate in the Kingdom of God?”

            I cannot answer that question for you. I can only answer for myself.

            What must I do? That is a question that each of you has to discern for yourselves.

            What must we do, Jesus? Amen.

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