Sermon 20th Sunday after Pentecost 2012

Sermon:

Text: Mark 10:17-31

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ who through baptism gives us the strength to put God first.

            So I spent the first part of this week at Outlaw Ranch in the Black Hills. It was great, I had not been there since I worked there as a counselor right after I graduated from College. Something about just getting away from the hecticness of daily routine is wonderful. No TV to distract me, no laundry to do, no chores around the house, no dishes to clean, no interstate and busy road to make noise. Just nature, quiet and calm.

            Now, as we are looking at the text about the rich man asked to get rid of all of his riches, I’m not trying to say that I’m the hero here and I managed to accomplish what Jesus asks of this man. When I worked out at Outlaw they didn’t have very good cell phone service, pretty much just a few spots on the hill, and they didn’t have any internet or wireless access. Now, they have good cell coverage and wireless throughout most of the camp. So, while I got away from TV and the like, I was still on my computer and cell phone, not as much as usual, but I would not have given them up. And I ate at good restaurants every evening, I enjoyed good snacks and treats, I bought some new books. I got away from a lot of business that we find, but I certainly did not rid myself of riches and possessions.

            I feel bad for this rich man, because he comes to Jesus with a sincere question. He has led what we would call a good life, he has kept the commandments, he has amassed wealth, which our culture says is the goal, and he has lived well. But, something still was bothering him. A similar problem that Luther found while he was a monk, am I doing enough? What do I have to do to inherit eternal life?

            So, he asks Jesus this, and Jesus asks him the question he already knew, follow the commandments. He’s done that since youth. Then Jesus looks at him, and interestingly loves him, probably knowing that what he was going to say was going to crush this man.  “Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” And the man walks away grieving and shocked because he can’t give up his possessions.

            It’s a text that is often used to put down those we define as truly and extremely wealthy, but when the disciples hear it, they don’t hold it to rich people, they understand everyone, even themselves, as a part of that group that holds too fiercely to their possessions. When I was writing this I had a 5 min period of word block on fiercely, I kept on wanting to write fearsly, based on fear instead of fierce, but as my sister who helped me remember the right word said, really they both work. We hold on fiercely to our possessions because we fear to give them away. Not just the super rich, but all of us as well.

            When we put it like that, it’s an especially hard text, people have tried to find ways around it. Oh, Jesus was being metaphorical, he just wanted the man to tithe 10% of this money to charity. Or my favorite was the renaming of one gate in Jerusalem as the Eye of the Needle and saying that really it’s not that hard to a camel to get through it, it just takes a little bit of work, instead of being impossible. All you had to do was unload the camel and have it kneel and scoot through and your good. But, the problem is there is no history of it being called that, certainly not in Jesus’ time. So, Jesus is truly saying that for all of us, to inherit eternal life, we need to somehow cram a camel through the eye of a needle. Which is just impossible.

            And so we ask the same question as the disciples. “Then who can be saved?” And just as Jesus looked at the rich man he looks at the disciples and says “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

            It really is Martin Luther’s problem and answer. As he says in his response to the third article of the creed. “I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith.” I can never do this on my own, it is only through the grace of God that I inherit eternal life.

            Yet, we have this idea that if we are good people, we get closer and closer to heaven, or if I come to church service enough I receive a “Get in Free Card.”

            Jesus tells us to rid ourselves of our fear of losing our possessions, to stop putting them first as the rich man does, but to put God first. But, on our own we cannot do that. It is only through God that we can put God first.

            That’s why we come to worship, because we realize that we cannot not do this on our own. It’s why we start with the confession and forgiveness and declare to God that we have failed to put God first. From our confession this morning.

In so many ways we cause or suffer brokenness:

envy, ambition, conflict, boasting,

hard hearts, lashing tongues,

dishonor for the poor.

It’s why we continue with the greeting, we ask God to be with us,

God of hosts most gracious,

God the Son who saves us,

God the Spirit placed upon us,

be with you all.

We move to the Kyrie, singing Kyrie Eleison, Greek for Lord have Mercy.

Kyrie Eleison, on our world and on our way,

Kyrie Eleison, every day.

Lord, Have mercy on our world, and on our way

Lord, have mercy every day.

We hear God’s word, we experience God’s presence through the word. We hear the proclamation of that word, and on Communion Sunday’s we are made one with the presence through Christ’s body and blood. Filled with God’s grace we are then sent into the world, Go in peace, serve the Lord, remember the poor, share the good news, Christ is with you, Thanks be to God.

            And today we mark a baptism, which we remember every Sunday and should every day. We remember when God came to us and washed us free of sin, a washing that continues to clean us to this day, one wash that cleans us always. Which helps us to release the grip we hold on our possessions and to instead fiercely grip God’ abundant grace and mercy, not out of fear, but thanks.

            When I worked at Outlaw I was in charge of doing the sermon at one evening campfire. And I talked about baptism, and remembering our baptism everyday. Telling the kids who were there about Luther’s line of rising and dying each day, and how I try to remember that during my shower each morning. And as I was talking it began to rain.

            As we go from here, I ask you to remember that we cannot not do this on our own, we will always put ourselves first, but through God’s grace poured upon us in our baptism like gentle rain we are washed clean and given the strength to put God first.

Amen.