Another of
the hard sayings of Jesus, last week it was about divorce, and this week about
money, or rather giving it away.
No wonder
these are called the hard sayings. Last week’s reading had us thinking about
law and relationships. Jesus was not trying to do away with the law, but was
reshaping the way the law was interpreted. For Jesus the law about divorce
wasn't about when it was or was not permissible for a man to divorce his wife;
but about people in relationship.
In a society where women and children were
possessions, Jesus treats both groups as people, as just as important as the
men who held power. I don’t think Jesus was condemning divorce per se, but the
way that it was, and is, possible for people to be discarded. Women and
children are not possessions in the Kingdom of God, and therefore should not be
treated as possessions, but as God’s precious people.
Today’s
reading is another reminder that Christianity is about more than keeping a set
of rules. For many people that is the
image of religion; a set of rules, about how what you wear, about alcohol,
about money. Christianity is about more than keeping rules.
While this
reading is often referred to as the rich young ruler, in Mark he is simply
referred to as a man. This man is looking for something, he has been an
observant Jew, aware of the law and has followed it. Jesus doesn't question if
he has really has kept all the laws. For the Jews it was considered quite
reasonable to be able to keep these laws. He comes to Jesus, looking for
reassurance, security; it is like he knows there is more to life than keeping
rules.
Other people
who came to Jesus and knelt before him were looking for healing, I wonder what
this man was looking for healing from?
We was
rich, Jesus tells him to go and sell all he has and give it to the poor. This
is a difficult reading for somewhere like Australia, and especially like the
Shire. While there are people living in poverty, people who are homeless,
people without regular meals, in Australia that is not the norm. Most people in
Australia, including those of us here today, are not poor, we have enough and
often more than enough. This reading is again about how we relate to God’s
people, all of them.
In first
century Israel, wealth was at the expense of the poor. Just as today that may
not be intentional; but when we buy cheap goods manufactured in sweatshops, so
we can afford some luxury, who pays for that? Much of the inequity in the world
is not because we plan it that way; but we are complicit, because the
structures that serve our interest, keep many of the poor, poor. There are options, such as fair trade goods
and food, but it is easier and cheaper to go a supermarket and buy the cheapest
products.
“How would
we spend our money this week if we trusted God? What would we buy? What would
we refrain by buying? What would we save, and for what purpose? And what would
we give - how much and to whom?” [David Lose : Working Preacher]
The man is
challenged to give to those, whose poverty has allowed his wealth. How does it
feel to realise that you have more than enough? To be challenged to spread
around the resources that we have, so that all may have enough?
This isn't
only for the benefit of those who receive. Possessions, by their very nature
are things that belong to us, but in many ways they own us. The larger house you have, the more time in
cleaning. Some cherished items need special cleaning and maintenance. The
swimming pool or tennis court takes time, or money, to maintain. Possessions
have a way of keeping us focused on them.
Our
possessions do not bring us life, or hope, or peace, or the security we crave.
Life in Jesus provides life, and hope, and peace, and the security we crave.
Life in Jesus, the invitation is there, but do we accept it, along with the
challenges that life in Jesus entails? The challenge of investing resources in
all God’s people and all of creation; the challenge to live not only by the
law, but in the spirit of grace; in relationship with each other, with all
people.
The man
who approached Jesus wanted to know how to receive eternal life. In Matthew’s
Gospel we are reminded that we should
store up our treasure in heaven “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also.” [Matthew 6]
When our treasure
lies in possessions, that is where we focus our time and our energy. In
challenging the man to sell his possessions and give to the poor, he is being
encouraged to put his resources, his treasure in God’s people. Investing in God
is investing in the poor, the homeless, those seeking education, clean water,
sustainable food.
Maybe that is what
Jesus is telling this man, invest your wealth where it counts. How to do that?
That is hard, for some of us, almost impossible. No wonder the man went away
sad.
And then we get to the part about the rich not
entering the kingdom of God. Where does that leave us, we all have shelter and
food, that means each one of us is rich. Does this mean we can’t enter the
kingdom of God?
If it is
up to us, to our resources and our willpower, yes it means we can’t enter the
kingdom of God. But it is not up to us, entry into the kingdom of God, into
heaven, is through God’s grace, not our wealth, or our poverty or our keeping
the rules.
It is
God’s grace, that brings us life, abundant life, now and forever.
“God
doesn't want us bound up in rules as the Pharisees were. God offers us transforming love, that we
might live as God intended, disciples with an active, daring, self-risking
faith.” [Texts For Preaching]
Imagine
that you are kneeling before Jesus, as he heads towards Jerusalem. What do you
need transformed in your life?
What does Jesus
challenge you to let go of, to give away?
