Mark 10:13-16: Jesus and the Children

INTRODUCTION

And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant, and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.”

This story brings back memories, doesn’t it?

Do you remember when your Sunday school teacher told you this story? You were sitting on little chairs in a circle. The teacher was holding up a picture of Jesus with the children. Or maybe the picture was on your Sunday school paper or one of the little colored cards they used to give out at Sunday school.

You see Jesus with his arms around the children, talking with them gently, loving them—and they are loving him. One is sitting on his lap. The children are happy. Their parents are standing around smiling. The disciples are in the background scowling.

I can imagine the little ones taking turns getting up into Jesus lap for their turn to be blessed.

I have wondered about the future lives of these little boys and girls who got to sit in Jesus’s lap and feel his hands upon their heads and hear the words of blessing from the Savior’s own lips.

Some of the older ones never forgot the experience. It changed their lives. That is what their mothers or fathers—or whoever brought them—intended.

Do you remember when you learned that verse: “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven”?

And your teacher explained that “Suffer the little children…” was just an old fashioned way of saying, “Let the little children come to me.”

And then you sang “Jesus loves me, this I know…” or “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.”

I. Let’s talk about this story and consider what was going on that day.

A. The first thing that strikes us is that Jesus’s disciples tried to shoo the children away.

Children weren’t valued in the ancient world as they are to us.

History books tell us that in the Greek and Roman world, children were considered non-persons. Unwanted children were often abandoned to die. Because so many children died in infancy or in the first few years, people avoided emotional attachment to their children. To love children too much was considered a sign of weakness.

The Jews had more respect for children. The Bible instructed them to teach their children and discipline them. But even the Jews didn’t have the sentimental idea we do of children’s sweetness and innocence.

Jesus’s disciples tried to shoo the children away because they were trying to protect Jesus from an embarrassing situation. They knew how busy Jesus was and how important his work was, and they just knew that he didn’t have time to waste with little children. That’s why they rebuked those who were bringing their children to him.

B. But Jesus had a different opinion. Children were important to him.

He was pleased that the mothers and fathers and grandparents—and whoever else might be bringing their children to him—wanted him to bless them.

Jesus was, we read, “indignant.” He was upset. He realized that his disciples had missed the point.

Children are not less important to Jesus than adults. Rather, children are especially important to Jesus. “And Jesus took them into his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.”

Maybe Jesus was especially busy that day, but he used this interruption to teach all who would trust in him that children were especially precious to Jesus.

It was a lesson the Christian community never forgot. Christians valued children. They were treasures. They were especially beloved of God.

That is why godly parents are so careful to teach their children that God loves them and to set an example that they can follow.

The story is told of St. Francis that one day he was especially busy. He told his companions that he was not to be, in any way, disturbed. If anyone should come to see him, they must be told to come back another time. And then, he paused and reflected a moment and added, “…still, if a little child should come, bring it to me.”

II. But there’s another, more important lesson than simply that Jesus especially loves children and we should too.

A. Jesus saw in this interruption a “teachable moment.”

Jesus says, “Let the children come to me…for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”

Many have commented on that statement and tried to explain what it means.

Some say that the kingdom of God belongs to people who are humble and innocent like little children. They romanticize children because they are so cute and loveable—at least, at their best, children are cute and loveable.

We have a new great granddaughter—our first great grandchild. Little Lydia is only four months old. She is adorable. I have never seen such a sweet child. She is friendly and affectionate and cheerful. We project upon her all the virtues of perfect childhood.

But Jesus wasn’t saying that the Kingdom belongs to childlike people because they are so innocent and good and sweet.

I’ve taught public school; I’ve taught Sunday school; and we’ve had children of our own—and I know that children can be selfish and rude and disobedient and quarrelsome and cruel.

I remember how we teachers would sit in the break room eating our lunches, and when the time came to go back to the classroom, someone would say, “Well, it’s time to go back to face the little monsters.”

Children can be adorable. They can also be dreadful.

Jesus isn’t idealizing children. He’s pointing to a childlike quality in children that they typically lose as they grow up.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

The quality that children have that we need to recover in order to come to Jesus is their weakness and dependence. Children know how weak and dependent they are on the kindness of their parents.

Children have no choice but to trust the grown ups for about everything in their lives—to keep them clean, to feed them, to tie their shoes, to keep them from danger, to care for them when they’re sick.

Like children, we need to know how weak we are and how much we depend on the kindness of our heavenly Father.

We enter the Kingdom of God like a little child when we realize that we don’t have to deserve God’s love, but that he loves us anyway.

We enter the Kingdom of God when we realize that we need God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

B. When we grew up, we lost some of those childlike qualities. We didn’t need our parents so much.

Maybe we thought we didn’t need God.

We were strong and knew stuff. We got jobs and earned money. We were happy and content as we made our way in the world. Maybe we thought God was lucky to have such fine persons as we were in his family!

But the time has come when we know again that we are weak and helpless and dependent. We are like God’s little children, weak and needing his help every step of the way.

Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to him belong.

They are weak, but he is strong.

Think of yourself as Jesus’s little child. Imagine yourself crawling up into his lap and letting him put his arms around you. Let him love you. Let him wipe away your tears. Let him tell you that all will be well.

I remember the bedtime prayer my parents taught me. Every night my mother came in and we knelt beside the bed, and I said this prayer. It’s a good prayer:

Jesus, tender shepherd, hear me

bless thy little lamb tonight.

Through the darkness be thou near me.

Keep me safe till morning light.

All this day thy hand hath led me

And I thank thee for thy care.

Thou has warmed me, clothed me, fed me.

Listen to my evening prayer.

Let my sins be all forgiven.

Bless the friends I love so well.

Take me, when I die, to heaven,

Happy there with thee to dwell. Amen.”

CONCLUSION

 Here is a third application of this story.

Like the grown ups in the story who brought their children to Jesus, we can bring our little ones to him.

When we share our faith with our children and grandchildren, we are doing what we can to bring them to Jesus.

When our grandchildren or great grandchildren visit us, we can let them know that Jesus loves them.

We can bring our children to Jesus in our prayers.

I hope you pray for your children and grandchildren and great grandchildren every day. Or if you don’t have children, pray for your nieces and nephews or children of your friends. That is your way of bringing them to Jesus.

Psalm 23: Do You Know the Shepherd?

INTRODUCTION

I suspect that most people our age or older—who went to Sunday school as children—have learned the Twenty-third Psalm. I can’t remember memorizing it. I was so young—4 or 5-years old.

We started our children out with books when they were little, making weekly trips to the library. When John, our first child, was three we checked out a picture book of the 23rd Psalm. It was illustrated by one of the famous children’s book illustrators of the time. On each page was a line from the psalm and on the opposite page an illustration of a shepherd with his sheep—in the green pastures, beside the still waters, and so forth. On the last page was King David playing his harp and singing the psalm under a starry sky.

Johnny studied each picture intently as we read and when I closed the book, he said, “Daddy, I like God.”

I would rather have heard that than anything he could have told me. That’s the effect scripture is intended to have on us.

John is now pastor of a thriving church in Minneapolis, and we are pleased that he still “likes God.”

I. The beginning of the psalm is a testimony about who God is to the ancient believer who wrote the psalm.

A. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

We want so many things. Years ago a radio commercial for a church began like this: “What I want is...What I want is...What I want is.... Sometimes we must sound like a broken record to God.” The idea of the commercial was that we “want” do many things, we neglect the “one thing needful.” (Young people don’t know what it means: to “sound like a broken record”—but we do.)

But when the King James Bible was translated in 1611, the word “want” had a different meaning than it does now. It meant “to lack” or “to need.” I read old books and constantly find the word used in this way.

For example, in a book written in 1728, I read this line: “God Almighty has sent us into the world with very few wants; meat and drink and clothing, are the only things necessary for life…”

So when we read the first line: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” it means “The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing.”

One time a little girl, trying to memorize it, said, “The Lord is my shepherd; that’s all I want.”

I like her version best, because it expresses in strong terms what the verse really means.

When the psalmist says, “I lack nothing,” he is referring, not to material things, but to spiritual riches.

St. Paul expresses this idea: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

God is enough. The Bible says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

If we really love God and experience his love like this psalmist did, we won’t need all the stuff people think they need to be happy. We will have joy because we know the Lord Jesus.

B. “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters…”

The shepherd led his sheep to green pastures and still water. The shepherd knew the places where the sheep could find food and where they could rest—the green pastures, where the grass was rich and deep.

And sheep need still water because rushing water is dangerous. The sheep may tumble in and be swept away.

Shepherds in the ancient middle east—and as far as I know, even today—didn’t drive their sheep. They led them. Shepherds didn’t use dogs. The shepherd used his voice. He called each sheep by name and the sheep followed. They followed because they trusted the shepherd and knew he loved them.

These little word pictures show us how Jesus, our Shepherd, is our companion, our protector, our provider, and our friend.

C. “…he restores my soul.”

Sometimes our souls are bruised and bleeding. We become so discouraged that we wonder how we can go on with our lives. But as we bring our cares to God, he lays his hands upon us and heals and strengthens us.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

D. “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Left to ourselves we are bound to stray. Just as sheep need a shepherd to keep them from straying and getting into trouble, so we need our Shepherd to guide us in the path of obedience.

“…for his name’s sake.” God’s name is his revealed character—his character of faithfulness and kindness. When we say “in God’s name” we are reminding ourselves of all we know about who God is, and what he has done, and what he means to us.

Here is an old Irish prayer that I use. It must have also been written by a shepherd.

“Fair Jesus, you guide your straying sheep along lush and fragrant valleys

where the grass is rich and deep.

You guard them from attacks of wolves

and from the bites of snakes.

You heal their diseases and teach them always to walk in the ways of God.

When we stray, lead us back;

when temptation besets us, give us strength;

when our souls are sick, pour upon us your love.”

II. But when we come to verse 4 something interesting happens. The psalmist changes from testimony to prayer. Now he is addressing God.

A. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…”

Life is dangerous—we all know that. Sometimes we feel that disaster is just around the corner—especially when we are old and prone to illness.

The death of a loved one may be a dark valley we have to walk through.

Our own departure may be a dark valley.

But the verse doesn’t refer only to death as a dark valley. The Hebrew original actually says, “…though I walk through the darkest valley…”

Whenever you feel alone, abandoned, fearful—even if you think God is far away and feel your faith ebbing away—God is with you.

These are the dark canyons in life where the sun cannot penetrate and where we are really scared and maybe doubt—but God is with us.

I have told you about the dark valley of my life. I struggled with faith. I wondered if God was real.

But when I finally came back into the light and looked back, I knew that God had been with me all the time.

B. “…thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”

I believe that the rod and staff both refer to one implement. The “rod” is the staff used as a weapon to protect the sheep from predators.

If a wolf or a lion or a bear approached the flock to pick off a little lamb on the edge of the flock for dinner, the alert shepherd went to the rescue and with his stout staff killed the predator.

We read in 1 Samuel that David, as a shepherd boy, killed both a lion and a bear.

But the shepherd’s staff had another use. The shepherd could use it to guide the sheep one way or another. And if a careless lamb got into a crevasse or ledge on a mountain, the shepherd could use the hook on the end of his staff to catch that little lamb and pull it to safety.

I don’t think sheep worry much. They just depend on their shepherd to protect them.

It’s comforting to know that we have a strong rescuer with us in this perilous world.

C. “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.”

When the psalmist says that his Shepherd prepares a table before him in the presence of his enemies, he recognizes that even when there is danger, God still provides.

In ancient times kings and priests were anointed with fragrant oil. This symbolized God’s Spirit that gave them dignity, wisdom, and power. At a banquet, honored guests were also anointed with fragrant oil as a mark of esteem.

When the psalmist says “My cup runs over” he is expressing the abundance of blessings that God has poured into his life.

As our cup of blessing overflows, the blessings of God pour into other lives as well.

III. Then when we get to the end of the psalm, the psalmist again offers a testimony of his confidence in God

A. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…”

Like two bright-faced angels, God’s goodness and mercy walk behind us, guarding and watching over us.

Actually the word “shall follow me” means “shall pursue me.” And it is translated so in some modern translations. God is actively pursuing us with his grace and his faithful love.

God has you always in mind. You may forsake him, but he will never forsake you.

B. “…and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

Actually the Hebrew literally reads, “…and I will dwell in the house of the Lord to the length of days.”

The “house of the Lord” in ancient Israel was the Temple. They believed that God especially dwelt in their beautiful Temple.

But our psalmist is using the word in its metaphorical sense. He means that his life will be a life of constant communion with God.

In the time that this psalm was written, even very devoted Israelites didn’t have any clear idea of life beyond the grave. So what he is saying is that he will dwell in the presence of God his whole life long.

But we read the psalm with Christian eyes. And we see a deeper and more wonderful meaning in the words “to the length of days,” and so our translation quite properly translates it, “…and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

CONCLUSION:

Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places…I go to prepare a place for you, so that where I am, there you may be also.”

We know that Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He knows our names. He called us to him. He laid down his life for us. He lives for us.

He said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27).

We will live with Jesus forever, not only as his guest, but as a member of his household, in the most intimate and unbroken fellowship. Jesus will be our dearest friend forever and ever.

I found an interesting story in the New York Times, July 10, 2005. It was written by Tayari Jones, a professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. It is entitled, “Among the Believers.” You can find it on the Internet.

Professor Jones, an African American, tells about growing up in a family that didn’t believe in God. Her father was a preacher’s son, but he had rejected the faith.

Until Tayari was in second grade, whenever someone asked her where she went to church, she replied, “My father says that we don’t believe in God.” Her little friends would say, “Then you’re a devil worshiper?”

She asked her father about that, and he said, “No, we don’t believe in the devil either.”

But during her summers Tayari would visit her grandmother in Louisiana. During these visits, she felt really out of place because Grandmother took the children to church and Tayari didn’t know the songs or when to stand up and sit down.

The most humiliating time was during meals when she and her cousins had to bow their heads and repeat a Bible verse before starting to eat. When her turn came, she was embarrassed because the only verse she knew was “Jesus wept.”

But the summer before fifth grade, her visit to Grandmother’s coincided with vacation Bible school. Now, Tayari thought, now I can find out what religion is all about.

But Bible school was a disappointment. All they did was color pictures of animals in pairs going into a big boat, and dead giants, and bread and fish.

The teacher sensed that something was bothering little Tayari, and asked her about it.

Tayari said, “If God made the world, who made God?”

The teacher said, “Are you trying to be funny?”

“No,” Tayari said, “I just want to understand religion and be like everybody else for a change.”

The teacher gave her a mimeographed sheet to read. It was the 23rd Psalm.

She read, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” Intrigued, she read on. She learned a verse or two. She felt something akin to faith and decided to learn the entire Psalm. She imagined the surprised faces of her cousins when she came up with this psalm at Sunday dinner.

The next Sunday, the children gathered around the table with their heads bowed. Beside her, her cousin said, “Peace, be still.”

It was now Tayari’s turn, and she let go with the entire psalm. She felt something real. She says, “In my mind’s eye I saw myself lying down in green pastures, and eating at the table prepared by the Lord.” She said, “I’ll never forget that moment of connection between myself and the glorious words; the comfort they described was the warmth of well-being that I felt. By the time I got to the good part, I’d whipped myself into a fine crescendo: ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…’”

At this point her cousin mumbled, “Shut up, you annoying little freak.”

But Tayari, was on a roll. She continued, feeling the power of this powerful song. It was a life-changing experience.

Professor Jones concludes, “The 23rd psalm mimeographed on cheap paper gave me my first glimpse into spirituality. That moment was forever etched in my memory as the day that language revealed to me its awesome potential. Maybe this is the day it was decided that I would be a writer, when I saw in the beauty of a poem the true glory of God.”

For the full story in Professor Jones’s words, Google this link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/opinion/among-the-believers.html?_r=0

Mark 10:17-22: What It Costs to Follow Jesus

INTRODUCTION

In Chaim Potok’s book In the Beginning, we are introduced to a young Jewish student named David. He is studying scripture with his teacher Mr. Bader.

At one point in the book, eleven-year-old David expresses to his father his disappointment because his teacher doesn’t have answers to all of his questions.

His father tells him: “It is as important to learn the important questions as it is the important answers. It is especially important to learn the questions to which there may not be good answers. We have to learn to live with questions.”

I have been reading and studying the Bible seriously for almost 70 years, and I have more questions every year.

I have chosen to talk to you today about what seems to me to be one of the most important stories in the gospels. And the more I read it, the more I wonder.

It is the story of the rich, young ruler.

Actually, the New Testament never calls him a “rich, young ruler.”

Matthew tells us that he was a young man who had many possessions.

Luke tells us that he was a ruler who was very rich.

And Mark simply tells us that he was a man who had many possessions.

So putting all these descriptions together we refer to him as the rich, young ruler.

I will read the story, as it is recorded in Mark 10:17-22:

And as Jesus was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”

And the man said to him, “Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth.”

And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

At that saying the rich man’s countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

The story is repeated in Matthew, Mark, and Luke—so it must be important.

I have heard many sermons on this story, but none of them has satisfied me.

Although I have listened to sermons on this story, I’ve never heard a pastor call his hearers to sell everything, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow Jesus.

In fact, I’ve never known of a missionary or pastor or even a most committed believer to sell everything, give the money to the poor.

Today I’m going to tell you what I have learned as I have puzzled over this story—even though I don’t have all the answers.

I. First, let’s consider this rich, young man.

A. He is an attractive person. We like him. Here’s what we can say in his favor:

1. He was serious; he was earnest: he ran to Jesus.

2. He honored Jesus: he knelt before him and called him “Good Teacher.”

3. He asked the most important question of all: the question about eternal life.

4. He was rich, but by coming to Jesus he admitted that riches weren’t the answer to the meaning of life.

5. And Jesus loved him. Did you catch that? “And Jesus, looking upon him, loved him.” Nothing in life is better than to be loved by Jesus

B. Many who were poor responded to Jesus. They loved Jesus and followed him.

One would suppose that Jesus would be delighted that finally someone who was rich was interested in following him.

We would suppose that this is the kind of person who would add credibility to the Jesus movement.

What’s better than being young? We love young people. Our culture worships youth. We hold on to it as long as we can.

This eager young man, who was also rich and a ruler, would seem to be well-qualified to be an outstanding disciple of Jesus.

II. But Jesus doesn’t seem so eager to welcome him.

A. The first words out of the rich man’s mouth are: “Good teacher.” 

But Jesus stops him right there. He says, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.”

Why did Jesus quibble about the eager young man’s expression of respect? Wasn’t Jesus a good teacher? He was.

I think that Jesus wanted to direct the man’s attention away from himself to the Father. He wasn’t satisfied with a compliment.

The rich man was seeing Jesus only as someone who was good. The rich man needed to see that all goodness comes from the one who is perfectly good—God.

So Jesus brushes aside the compliment to direct the man’s attention to God, his Father.

We, who read the story, know that Jesus was God incarnate, but that wasn’t the first thing the rich man needed to know.

If the man decided to follow Jesus, there would be time enough for him to learn about the Incarnation, Jesus as Son of God, and the Trinity.

B. Then when Jesus hears the rich man’s question—“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus surprises us again. He refers his questioner to the Law.

I have heard hundreds of gospel messages, and most of them followed an outline similar to this.

1. Admit that you are a sinner, and you can’t save yourself.

2. Believe that Jesus paid the price for your sins on the cross.

3. Confess that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

4. Receive forgiveness by inviting Jesus into your life. This is the way to eternal life.

But Jesus doesn’t tell the rich man that he is a sinner. He doesn’t tell him about salvation by faith. He points him to the Law! Haven’t we been taught all our lives that keeping the Law is not the way to salvation? Salvation is always by faith, not by works!

Maybe the reason Jesus starts with the Law is that the rich man isn’t ready for the gospel yet. The rich man’s question was actually not the right question. He said, “What must I do to inherit eternal life.”

The rich man knows that he is a good person. He also knows that something is missing. He wants to be sure of eternal life. So he is hoping for something more that he can do to insure that he will share in the world to come.

The rich man wanted Jesus to tell him one thing he lacked—the one thing that would put him for sure on the road to eternal life—maybe a prayer to pray, a habit to form, an outstanding act of charity to perform, a costly act of self-denial.

C. But Jesus doesn’t tell him something to add to his already good life. Jesus names some commandments: “Don’t kill, Don’t commit adultery, Don’t steal, Don’t bear false witness, Don’t defraud, Honor your father and mother.”

The rich man honestly says he has kept those commandments. And Jesus accepts his answer.

But notice. There is one commandment that Jesus didn’t quote. He didn’t quote the tenth commandment: “Don’t covet.”

Coveting is simply wanting more. Coveting is greed.

The tenth commandment is the hardest one for most of us to keep. It was the one the rich man needed to think about.

D. When Jesus challenged the rich man to sell all he had and give the money to the poor and follow him, he was asking something he must have known the rich man couldn’t—or wouldn’t—do.

I think Jesus was trying to help the rich man see that what he needed was not something added to his life, but a radical change in his lifestyle, his thinking, his behavior.

“Just sell everything and give the proceeds to the poor, and follow me.”

Jesus realized that the one thing coming between the rich man and God was his love for his wealth.

This is a parable of following Jesus. To follow Jesus, we must turn everything over to him. He is asking the rich man to see that God is more important than every possession he owns.

The main point is not getting rid of all his possessions. It is not helping the poor. The main point is following Jesus. And those possessions were the one thing standing between this eager young man and following Jesus.

E. I have mentioned my big problem with the story.

We don’t read that Jesus asked anyone else to give up all his possessions. We know that some of Jesus’s early followers had possessions—even wealth. I think of Lydia. I think of Philemon.

Who could do what Jesus asked this man to do? We can think of a mature disciple giving up everything. St. Paul gave up all. He wrote: “For Christ’s sake I have suffered the loss of all things and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8). But that was the mature Paul. Jesus didn’t ask that of him when he called him.

Although we don’t read that Jesus asked anyone else to give up all his possessions, Jesus did warn people that it would cost to follow him. He said, “Count the cost.” He said, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.”

F. So here are my best thoughts on what is going on in this story.

Jesus saw in this young, rich man the potential to be an outstanding disciple. The rich man was attracted to Jesus. He approached Jesus eagerly. He was a good person. Jesus looked at him and loved him.

Surely Jesus knew that no one—or only a very rare one—could take such a step at the beginning of discipleship as to give up everything.

Is Jesus maybe seeking to bring the rich man to an acknowledgment that he doesn’t have it in him to be “good” enough to be a follower of Jesus?

What would have happened if the rich man had fallen at Jesus’s feet and said, “God be merciful to me, a sinner”? That’s what the tax collector said in his prayer in the Temple. And. we read, he went home justified.

What would have happened if the rich man had said, “Lord, I don’t have it in me to take that step yet. Just let me follow you and learn to trust you with that kind of faith and obey you with that kind of obedience.”

But the rich man gave up at the beginning. “He went away sorrowful.”

There are two things that lead me to suppose that the rich man did come back and did become one of Jesus’s disciples. The first is that “Jesus looking upon him loved him.” And the second is that “He went away sorrowful.”

It’s sorrow that leads to repentance.

I hope that the rich man did come to Christ eventually. His sorrow could have led him back to Christ. Maybe eventually he did find enough faith to sell everything and give the money to the poor and follow Jesus. We don’t know, but we can believe that this one who ran to Jesus and who Jesus loved and who went away grieving—this man could have come back and followed Jesus.

I hope so.

APPLICATION: 

I suggest that the lesson in this story for us is that it will cost to follow Jesus. It will cost to have God in our life. It will cost us something to inherit eternal life.

You’ve been told that salvation is a gift. That’s true. But salvation involves a changed life. Salvation involves following Jesus, and following Jesus costs!

For the rich man, it would cost his wealth. His wealth had become to him a god. He couldn’t imagine life without it. So Jesus told him to give it up.

For us, it probably isn’t our wealth that is keeping us from God.

Here are some of the things that shut God out of a life. Here are some things we may have to give up.

1. We may have to give up our love for money. We are not rich, but money could still dominate our lives. We can make sure that it doesn’t by choosing to be really, truly generous. When we give generously, trusting the Lord rather than trusting in our CDs or savings, we are choosing the riches of heaven over the riches of earth.

The main reason old people are stingy is because we crave security. Luther called security the ultimate idol.

We crave to have our future assured. Remember Jesus’s story of the Rich Fool.

The Rich Fool was a farmer who had such an abundant crop that he decided to retire. He would build more barns and store his goods and have enough for many years. He said to himself, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” He thought his wealth gave him security.

But God said, “You fool! Today your soul is required of you. So it is with everyone who lays up treasure on earth and is not rich toward God.”

Let’s learn to trust God for our security, not our bank accounts.

2. We may have to give up our grudges. Some people cling to their grudges. Last week a friend complained about some harsh things people had said to her.

I said, “But we have to forgive. We have to give up our bitterness. We have to let it go.”

She said, “I can’t, until they apologize.”

I answered, “But they won’t apologize. They don’t see anything to apologize for.”

My friend can’t accept that—at least not right now. Perhaps she will let her bitterness torment her for ever. But I hope she will learn to forgive. She’ll have to let it go.

It’s right there, in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

3. We may have to give up some habit or addiction. Some people are addicted to drink…to pornography…to mindless TV shows…to luxurious food…to some hobby or pastime. With all of us, there is something that we love that can keep us from following Jesus wholeheartedly.

4. Another thing we may have to give up is our good opinion of ourselves.

Most of us are convinced that we are pretty good people—certainly better than average. But to follow Jesus we have to know that we are needy people. We are sinners in need of a Savior. We have traveled the wrong road and need to change directions and own that we are not what we should be. (The Bible calls it “repentance.”) We need forgiveness.

If we have been at the center of our life, God must become the center—and that will make all the difference.

What have you had to give up to follow Jesus? What do you still need to give up to follow him more closely?

Think about Jesus. As he hung on the cross, he had nothing. Even his clothes were no longer his. Then Jesus was nearest the Father. Then the Father was everything to him.

Jesus invites us to identify ourselves with Jesus on the cross—dying to this life and living for God.

CONCLUSION

Elizabeth Speare, in her classic children’s book The Bronze Bow, a story set in the time of Jesus, records this exchange between Jesus and Daniel, a young Jewish revolutionary.

“Daniel,” Jesus said. “I would have you follow me.”

“Master!” A great burst of hope almost swept him to his knees. “I will fight for you to the end!”

Jesus smiled at him gently. “My loyal friend,” he said, “I would ask something much harder than that. Would you love for me to the end?”

Baffled, Daniel felt the hope slipping away. “I don’t understand,” he said again. “You tell people about the kingdom. Are we not to fight for it?”

“The kingdom is only bought at a great price,” Jesus said, “There was one who came just yesterday and wanted to follow me. He was very rich, and when I asked him to give up his wealth, he went away.”

“I will give you everything I have!”

Something almost like a twinkle of humor lighted for an instant the sadness of Jesus’ eyes. “Riches are not keeping you from the kingdom,” he said. “You must give up your hate.”

Is there something that is coming between you and God?

Here is a famous prayer from St. Ignatius of Loyola, who died in 1556:

Lord, take to yourself all my freedom.

Take my memories, my thoughts, my plans, my desires.

Whatever I have, you have given me.

I give it all back to you and entrust it to the guidance of your will.

Only give me your love and grace and I am rich enough.

I ask for nothing more.