Tag Archives: Mark 10:21

Come, Follow Jesus!

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“Come, Follow Jesus!”

Mark 10:17-27 (10:21) – October 10, 2021

            From time to time, I have worked alongside of people who were big talkers, but that was all there was. Only talk. No follow through. I’m thinking of someone who was a fellow church member several decades ago, when I was in my twenties. She talked a great game, when it came to volunteering for the church. But, what about the follow through? Showing up? Getting things done? It just wouldn’t happen. She just could not show up to complete any project or task.

            I cannot tell whether this rich young man from Mark chapter 10 was all talk or not. Let’s listen again to the words from Mark 10: “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?” Sure, he engages with the Rabbi Jesus at the moment. I’m guessing he thought he was an upright, upstanding guy. The rich young man might even had had the best intentions!

            Jesus goes on to say: “19 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.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” This guy apparently was honest and sincere. In fact, the young man was so earnest, that our Gospel writer Mark even said that the Rabbi Jesus dearly loved this young man!

            Many people would not be willing to say that they loved their acquaintances, today. Do you know anyone who could easily say that, today? Jesus and the rich young man had just met. It was amazing that these two people connected in such a significant way.

A friend of mine, Rev. Maria, is reminded of the lyrics from the old Elton John tune. She says, “The words from “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word” pop into my head when I think of this reading… “What have I got to do to make you love me? What have I got to do to make you care?” It seems like the rich young man had this kind of tit-for-tat mindset. Quid pro quo. He would perform X, Y and Z, work really hard, be diligent all his days, and then, at his death he would get rewarded with eternal life. Both Maria and I are amazed by Jesus’s words of ultimate caring to the rich young man he just met – Jesus loved him!

 Can you and I say the same thing about someone we have just met? Our Lord Jesus did! Jesus connected with this young man in a significant way – a way that nevertheless had Jesus seeing this young man with clear, divine insight. Jesus really knew what was going on inside this man’s heart and mind.

My grandfather had keen insight. He was able to understand and interpret a person’s actions and thoughts with remarkable accuracy. I heard stories about how his marvelous instincts and intellect allowed him to excel in his chosen profession, which was being a skilled salesman. However, I am sure that the stories I heard about my grandfather did not even hold a candle to these stories in the Gospels about the Rabbi Jesus and His perceptive understanding of people.

But, wait! There’s more! Jesus had a ready response for the young man. He said, ““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.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” Jesus wanted the rich young man to change, to move, to transform. The problem with the young man? There was a barrier between him and Jesus: the very solid, very real barrier of money. Wealth. Power. Status. Material possessions.

Jesus invited the young man to follow Him. Become His disciple. What is more, this wasn’t just lip-service. I suspect if it was only a matter of words, the rich young man would have done it! Except, Jesus asked too much. He asked for the ultimate follow-through. Not just talk.

What I am going to do in my sermon right now is a bit different from what I usually do.

Settle into your seat, and get comfortable. I have a hand mirror here. Or, you can use the mirror feature on your cell phone. For those of you at home, you can look in a bathroom or bedroom mirror. I would like us to focus on transformation; and transformation begins within each person’s heart and soul. Often, we cannot experience transformation until we look honestly – and deeply – at ourselves in the mirror. Question to the congregation: “What is the one thing that prevents you from fully following Jesus?”

As you look at yourself in the mirror, ask yourself: “How can I do what Jesus does? What have I been meaning to start in my devotional life? How can I stay accountable to a friend or partner? What about my life of service to God? What might God be calling me to that I have thought out of the question?”

Another way of phrasing this question comes from our commentator Karoline Lewis. She asks, “What is the one thing that is at the core of who you are, what keeps you from being the follower, the disciple, the believer, the witness God wants and needs you to be? This is a terribly hard question to answer, I know.” [1]

Please, do not be in a rush when you do this. When you have some time, undistracted and thoughtful time, take a long look at yourself in the mirror. Reflect on your reflection, and sincerely pray. Ask God what God would have you do. Afterwards, I invite you to conclude with Jesus’ words: “Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow Me.”

The rich young man turned away from Jesus, sad and sorrowful, because he had great wealth. But, we don’t have to. Again, hear the invitation of our Lord Jesus: “Come, follow Me!” May we truly follow. Alleluia, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

(Thanks so much to the website www.umcdiscipleship.org and Rev. Lindsey Baynham, an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church currently serving as the Director of Clergy Excellence in the Virginia Annual Conference. I appreciate her guided time of prayer for this reading from Mark 10.)

[1] https://www.workingpreacher.org/dear-working-preacher/the-thing-you-lack

“The Thing You Lack,” Karoline Lewis, Dear Working Preacher, 2015.

Compassion and a Rich Man

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Mark 10:17-27 (10:21) – July 16, 2017

Mark 10-21 Jesus-Christ and-the-rich-man

“Compassion and a Rich Man”

If we turn on the television, read a book, or listen to a podcast or talk radio, sometimes we might hear experts giving advice. These knowledgeable experts are often from well-known places.  This week I am thinking about advice on how to live the “right” way. That’s sometimes thought to be a fruitful life, or a healthy life, or a spiritual life. Wouldn’t you be interested if you heard a radio program with a noted author or well-known expert in just this subject?

That’s the case with Rabbi Jesus, today. In today’s scripture lesson, we get just a hint of what our Lord Jesus had to deal with much of the time. Can you see this situation? I love St. Ignatius and his suggestion to put ourselves into the narrative. Let us imagine ourselves being there, right with our Lord Jesus the itinerant Rabbi, and His disciples.

Mark tells us that Rabbi Jesus (and some others) are about to leave on a journey. Can you see the hustle and the bustle as they get ready to leave? Maybe several of Jesus’s friends are concerned about last-minute details. Perhaps they have already contacted someone in the town they plan to go to, to find some kind of lodging, some kind of food and board.

I would imagine Jesus being calm and self-possessed, amidst all of this rushing around. Just like our scripture reading today says, someone runs up to the Rabbi and asks Him a parting question. After all, you don’t get an expert in religion and spiritual life coming to your town just any old day. The Rabbi Jesus was a widely acknowledged wise person, an expert in the interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Law of Moses and in lots of things associated with religious and spiritual life.

Looking at it from that angle, of course this young man would rush up and try to get the ear of the wise Rabbi just before He and His followers left their town.

The Gospel writer tells us: “Jesus was beginning a journey when a man ran up and knelt in front of Him and asked, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?’”

Do we hear what this man says? He wants to know how he can get God’s approval. What is more, we can watch this man kneel humbly before the wise Teacher and Rabbi when he asks.

Let’s continue with St. Ignatius and his suggestion to imagine ourselves there with Jesus. Perhaps as one of the disciples, maybe as one of the crowd, watching and waiting to hear what the Rabbi was going to say. And, we are packed into a small area. A good amount of people usually gather around when Jesus is talking in public.

The Rabbi Jesus makes an unexpected response to the young man: “Jesus asked him, “You’re calling me good? Only God is good. You know the commandments: Don’t kill, don’t betray, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, honor your father and mother.”

This is a straightforward, traditionally Jewish response that many Rabbis would give, in answer to such a question. This is the way you gain favor with God: keep the commandments. In fact, Jesus even gives a little recap of them, a “highlights” list, just in case anyone forgot.

We look to the young man, who says. “‘Teacher, I’ve always obeyed all of these, ever since I was a kid.’”

I am sure we all know someone like this. Some goody-two-shoes who always follows the rules, straight as an arrow. Pious and earnest. Always trying his hardest to win God’s approval, as well as the approval of his parents and other grown-ups.

We return to our Lord Jesus, and listen to what He said. “Jesus looked at the man and loved him. Then Jesus said to the man, ‘There’s one more thing: Go sell all your stuff. Whatever money you make, give it to the poor. Then you’ll be rich in the things of heaven. And then, come follow me.’ The man was really surprised by what Jesus said, and really sad. He had a lot of stuff, and he really loved some of it. He walked away, still upset by what he’d heard.”

Now, we are learning additional information. This is not just any young man. No, this is a rich young man. I wonder whether the rich young man was aware that all of his stuff could act as a barrier between him and God? That’s why Jesus tells him to sell all of his stuff.

Dr. David Lose said about this point in the reading, “what Jesus really meant was that we needed to unburden ourselves of whatever might be keeping us from relying on God.” [1] Yes, the rich man had a great deal of difficulty hearing these words of Jesus.

Let’s face it: these are difficult words for many people to hear. We love our stuff, don’t we? Or, if not most of our stuff, at least some of our stuff. I would really have difficulty giving up my computer and my car. I think I am not the only one in this room today for whom that is true. Others might have difficulty unburdening themselves of whatever might be keeping each one from God.

This is a huge lesson for all of us from this Scripture reading today. And yet, it is not the only lesson. Remember our sermon series? Our sermon series on compassion is continuing with Jesus having compassion on this rich young man. What does our Gospel writer say? “Jesus looked at the man and loved him.” Jesus loved this young man—this rich young man.

Dr. Lose wonders: “whatever [the young man’s] appearance on the outside, whatever his faithful and pious life, he’s still missing something, something important, something that matters, something that’s a matter of life and death.”[2]

What about us? What is our reaction to Jesus and the rich young man?

Turn it around. Imagine we are friends of the rich young man, standing right next to him, meeting Jesus. We have a lot of stuff, too. Jesus is asking us to give it all away. We may want so badly to follow Jesus! We want to travel around with Him everywhere He goes. But, since we have so much clutter, so many things, we just can’t uproot ourselves and follow Jesus.

Can you relate? “The man was really surprised by what Jesus said, and really sad. He had a lot of stuff, and he really loved some of it. He walked away, still upset by what he’d heard.”

Just as much as Jesus loved this young man, that’s how much He loves each of us. Jesus loves you, me, and every person on the face of this earth. Even when we don’t do what God has asked us to do, God still loves us. Does everyone feel God’s love for us? And, not only us as a group, everyone in this sanctuary, but also for each one, for every individual.

And, the capper for this interaction between Jesus and the young man? “The disciples were amazed at his words. Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, ‘It is so hard—can you even imagine how hard?—for someone who has so much to come to God’s kingdom.

It’d be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.’”

In other words, really, really hard. All of our stuff gets in the way between us and God’s kingdom. All of this clutter and distraction in our lives keeps us at a distance from God. We know what Jesus has asked us to do, just like this young man did. When you don’t do what God has asked you to do, how do you picture God responding to you? Do you imagine God looks at you—at us—with loving compassion like Jesus did in this story?

We might not be able to follow Jesus completely, all at once, but we can make steps in that direction. We can make small steps toward doing what pleases God. I encourage all of us to choose someone or something and be kind. Be compassionate towards them What’s more, we all will see how all of our “small steps” in loving and giving combine to create a beautiful impact of compassion in God’s world.

And, maybe, just maybe “God’s gift of salvation can actually free us to do something: to love each other, to care for God’s people and world, to share the good news…right here, right now, wherever it may be that God has placed us.” [3]

God willing, we can all show love and compassion, every day. Amen.

[1] http://www.davidlose.net/2015/10/pentecost-20-b-curing-our-heartsickness/

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

(A heartfelt thank you to An Illustrated Compassion: Learning to Love Like God. Many of these sermon ideas and thoughts came directly from this series.  I appreciate this intergenerational curriculum, which is the basis for my summer sermon series on compassion. This curriculum comes from Illustrated Children’s Ministry. Thanks so much for such great ideas!)

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my regular blog for 2017: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and my other blog,  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!)