Year B Trinity 17/Proper 23 : Mark 10:17-31
A sermon follows, but I sometimes have a "sermon" which is like a Bible study, getting the congregation to answer questions. The first part of this page, before the sermon, is what I will be doing this Sunday. It can be copied and pasted into a two column, A4 landscape, word document
14/10/12 Mark 10:17-31 ( Heb. 4:12-16 )
Mark10.17 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?" 18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: `Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honour your father and mother.'" 20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." 21 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." 22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." 28 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29"I tell you the truth," 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 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Exodus. 20.3-17 The Ten Commandments
3 "You shall have no other gods before me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labour and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 "Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 "You shall not murder.
14 "You shall not commit adultery.
15 "You shall not steal.
16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
17 "You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour."
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Sermon
17 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?" 18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: `Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" 20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." 21 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." 22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." 28 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29"I tell you the truth," 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 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
INTRODUCTION
Charles Thomas Studd, born in 1860 in England. Became a Christian aged 18.
Son of a wealthy man. Became an outstanding cricketer. One of England side who lost to Australia in 1882, resulting in "The Ashes". Won them back the next year.
He gave up his cricketing career when, in 1885, he went to China as a missionary where he spent 15 years, then 6 in India before going to Africa where he formed the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade.
Was due to inherit a fortune in 1885. He gave most of it away to help people spread the gospel. Three years after arriving in China, C.T. married a young Irish missionary from Ulster named Priscilla Livingstone Stewart. Just before the wedding he presented his bride with the remaining money from his inheritance. She, not to be outdone, said, "Charlie, what did the Lord tell the rich young man to do?" "Sell all." "Well then, we will start clear with the Lord at our wedding." And they gave the rest of the money away for the Lord's work.
FOR MORE SEE http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/biostudd.html
PRAY
After a series of meetings had finished, the evangelist Billy Sunday was helping the workmen take down the tent. A young man who had been in the meeting the night before came up to Mr. Sunday and asked him earnestly, "What must I do to be saved?"
Sunday said, "You're too late," and kept on working.
"Don't say that," exclaimed the young man, "for I desire salvation; I would do anything or go anywhere to obtain it."
"I can't help it," Sunday replied. "You're too late; for your salvation was completed many years ago by Jesus Christ, and it's a finished work. All you can do is simply accept it. You have done nothing and can do nothing to merit salvation. It is free to all who will receive it."
This passage focuses on one question, 'How do you get to heaven?'
If you asked people today many would suggest that it is earned, you have to do good, follow commandments, or live your life according to a religious code.
The rich young man thinks that you have to work your way to heaven, he says 'What must I do' in verse 17. This contrasts with what Jesus has just shown his disciples in verses 13-16, where he says that the kingdom of God has to be accepted in a childlike way as a gift, relying upon the generosity of the giver.
Jesus goes along with the young man's question and recited an abbreviated version of the commandments, all of which relate to conduct to others. These ignore the first four commands which are God-ward' and especially the need to have no other gods.
The young man says he has kept these commands since he was a boy, probably the age of 13.
This young man was self-sufficient, respectable, wealthy, religious, well-educated. The type of person that would be welcomed with open arms at most churches. Surely God would accept him as a good prospect ?
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him.
Jesus showed his love by exposing what was the most important thing in this man's life. His wealth. This was more important to him than anything, even God. Perhaps you might say that wealth was this man's god.
Sometimes true love faces us with difficult decisions. Jesus gently but firmly challenges this young man who walks away from eternal life. There are times when Jesus can challenge us to look at the priorities in our lives through the Bible, or fellow Christians, or by his Holy Spirit.
Jesus' disciples were amazed. The reason for this is that religious teachers of that time saw wealth as a positive sign of God's approval. Jesus contradicted such ideas by teaching that wealth can actually be a barrier keeping people out of the kingdom of God. Jesus used a ridiculous illustration of a camel trying to get through the eye of a needle to show how difficult it is for a rich person to follow God. Sometimes we are so used to Jesus' words that we fail to realise the humour this would have generated when they heard this for the first time.
How we live our lives is an indicator of how true, how radical our faith really is. This includes how we use the resources at our disposal such as wealth, possessions, time, energy and talents. It also includes how we relate to other people.
In verse 24 Jesus says to his disciples, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!..."
By calling them children he draws attention to his words earlier in the Chapter, verse 15, I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
Jesus is saying that he realises that his disciples have accepted God's reign like children. Helpless, happy to be dependant on God's provision for them, something we looked at last week.
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Apart from God's undeserved favour there it is impossible for anyone, especially a rich person, to enter God's kingdom. But what we can never do for ourselves God can. He has redeemed us through the blood of Jesus shed for us on the cross. He has worked in us by His Spirit to give us the gift of faith. He is, or should be working in our lives by His Spirit to make us more like Jesus. Improving our character, giving us the gifts and the power we need to live and minister for Jesus.
After this passage Jesus warns his disciples again that he will be betrayed, suffer, die and rise again.
Peter picks up on the idea of self-sacrifice, which contrasts with the young man's response.
28 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29"I tell you the truth," 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 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
Jesus is saying that those who are committed to him will have another, larger family, the church. One where the quality of relationship may be better than those with earthly relatives.
Jesus is saying there will also be a practical sharing of possessions, 'homes and fields'. This reminds us of the obligation that we have to share our abundance with those who are less fortunate that we are, and especially fellow Christians.
Just as Jesus was be persecuted, so will his followers be.
The body of a Muslim convert to Christianity who went missing in mid-July 2003, has been returned to his family, slaughtered and cut into four pieces by Islamic extremists.
The man left his friends and family almost two weeks ago heading into a mountainous region of the Palestinian Authority area. He took Christian materials including cassettes, videos and Bibles with him. After approximately ten days during which his friends and family received no word from him, his body was returned to them. He had been brutally killed and his body carved into four pieces as a warning to other converts. He leaves behind a wife and two small children. Local Christians in this part of the Holy Land have been involved in supporting converts from a Muslim background who suffer persecution from Islamic extremists in the Palestinian Authority areas. Some of them have also been the target of attacks. Last year one such Christian received a phone call telling him that a Muslim convert was in a serious condition in hospital; in response he immediately set off in his car. On the way his vehicle was deliberately driven off the road by another car. The phone call later proved to be a hoax designed to lead him into trap. In another attempt on his life this same Christian was hospitalised. Local Christians working to support converts from Islam report that Islamic militants in the Palestinian Authority area deliberately target converts. Hamas in particular reportedly receives funding from Iran specifically for this purpose.
According to shari'a (Islamic law) any Muslim male who leaves Islam (apostatises) faces the death penalty.
PRAY
We can also support organisations who minister to those who are persecuted, encourage prayer for them and publicise their plight. One such organisation is the Barnabas Fund, The Old Rectory, River Street, PEWSEY, Wiltshire, SN9 5DB, UK, Tel 01672 564938, Fax 01672 565030, E-mail info@barnabasfund.org Web: www.barnabasfund.org
Jesus promises his followers a full and difficult life on earth, and a perfect, eternal life with God in the future. We are called to put Jesus first and, unlike the rich man, let nothing get in the way of this.
After arriving in China in 1893 under the American Presbyterian missions board, Dr. Eleanor Chestnut built a hospital, using her own money to buy bricks and mortar. The need for her services was so great, she performed surgery in her bathroom until the building was completed.
One operation involved the amputation of a common labourer's leg. Complications arose, and skin grafts were needed. A few days later, another doctor asked Chestnut why she was limping. "Oh, it's nothing," was her terse reply.
Finally, a nurse revealed that the skin graft for the patient came from Dr. Chestnut's own leg, taken with only local anaesthetic.
During the Boxer Rebellion of 1905, Dr. Chestnut and four other missionaries were killed by a mob that stormed the hospital.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
In eternity wealth, power, status, and intelligence will count for nothing. We are not to pursue or exalt these things. In this life we may be derided, even persecuted for this. It is those who have given up everything in childlike acceptance of Jesus' rule of their lives who will be first in God's kingdom. Let us ensure that we accept God's free gift in Jesus like children, and let nothing come between ourselves and God.
PRAY