(While the Law always demands more,
Jesus always gives more.)
Mark 10:17-29
“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Isn’t shopping a wonderful experience? I mean this. When time and money finally become available for a shopping trip, we peruse the ads for the best buys. We travel to the store with great anticipation. Upon arrival, so many items seem tantalizing. “We could really use the latest (blank), you know.” Typically, we buy a few items off the list. That’s just part of the fun. However, the mood changes when we visit the cashier. What? How did the bill become that large? The total is invariably more than expected. A wonderful shopping experience has turned sour. The same thing happens when we look at the phone or cable bill. How did all those extra charges get on there to add up to so much? Similarly, when we beginning a task, it always requires more time and effort than expected. Always more!
The young man comes to Jesus with narrow pre-conceptions of who Jesus is and what he does.
As Jesus was setting on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Although his running and kneeling demonstrate humility before Jesus, the rich young man merely comes, expecting sage, self-help advice from a wise teacher. He asks an appropriate question about the way to eternal life. However, by asking what he must do, he proceeds the way of the Law and, thus, puts the burden on himself. He views Jesus as a source to provide the final touch to an already exemplary life. Jesus divine identity momentarily glimmers through the word good (v 18).
“Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.”
However, the young man is too intent upon his own merits to notice (vv19-20). “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’” Otherwise, before the Son of God in human flesh he would hardly dare to brandish his own merits. The rich man said to him, “Teacher, I have kept these since my youth.”
Like the rich man, today, many view Jesus as the ultimate source for affirmation of one’s lifestyle, confirmation of one’s choices, self-help advice, motivational guidance, and diet aids.
Jesus demands more than expected. Rather than giving advice, Jesus makes a surprising, earth-shattering demand of this young man. (v21) “Jesus, looking at him, loved and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have the treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’”
Jesus asks the young man to give up the most important thing in his life, the one thing he was not willing to sacrifice at that moment. Jesus’ demand exposes the man’s true diagnosis, the death lurking within him.
Although Judaism emphasized charity, it was unusual to require such an act from a prospective disciple. Overhearing this, Jesus disciples (v26) “were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’”
Fear not, you who break only the other commandments. Neither I nor Jesus are trying to steal from rich and give to the poor like Robin Hood, spreading the wealth. Here Jesus does not command all Christians to sell all their possessions and give to the poor.
Rather, Jesus individualizes the message of Law to this man’s need. We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor’s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income. Jesus individualizes the message of Law to this man’s need! Which commandment do you break? Do you not speak in truth and love? Honor authority even when it does not suit you? Do you not honor God’s name with your lips 24/7? Living a chaste life in word and deed?
The Law of God crashes into the darkest, most remote corners of our lives where we neither expect nor want God’s reach. The Old Testament Reading (Amos 5) articulates how nothing escapes God’s attention. He knows our offenses in all their detail. He knows the death lurking within us.
Whereas we prefer a Jesus who affirms our uprightness in the community, he confronts the sinner whose gossip, grudges, and insufficient charity toward others actually harm the community.
Whereas we prefer a Jesus who compliments our fidelity to home and family, he confronts the sinner whose secret thoughts and acts are often unfaithful.
Whereas we prefer a Jesus who blindly gives us the necessities of life, he confronts us the sinner who typically forgets to receive his good gifts with thanks. (v22) “When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.”
Jesus slices with the cutting edge of the Law to prepare for the healing Gospel. He wants to act finally as Savior, not enlightener, for this man and for us.
WHILE THE LAW ALWAYS DEMANDS MORE,
JESUS ALWAYS GIVES MORE.
JESUS ALWAYS GIVES MORE.
Jesus gives more than expected. In spite of human arrogance to assume success with the Law, Jesus takes the burden of the Law upon himself, since its demands are beyond our ability. Jesus love for this young man refers to Jesus’ wish to be more than a wise teacher for him and ultimately Jesus’ willingness to go to the cross for him.
At the time of this text, Jesus is on his trek to the cross, having predicted his death already two times and about to predict it a third time. In the cross we view the severity of our sin and the super-abundant mercy of God.
Jesus required this man to give up everything for him. He could not, and neither can we. Therefore, Christ gave up everything for us, even to the point of the cross.
So also today, Jesus super-abundantly comes to us in his Gospel and the Sacraments to remove the burden of the Law from us and grant us his loving forgiveness. As we are led to Confession and Absolution and to receive his holy body and blood in the Supper, Jesus’ grace overflows to us. Through the means of grace, he joins us to his sacrificial death and his victorious life.
Conclusion: This man was seeking life. To obtain life, he wanted just the right information, some wise advice for a formal adjustment. The young man came, expected to be uplifted by a pat on the back and an easy answer to his question. He came with a narrow view of who Jesus is and what he does.
Instead of a pat answer, Jesus first reveals that the Law demands even more. Through a drastic demand, Jesus exposes the depth of the malady, the cancerous death within him. In this diagnosis, and the context of our Gospel, Jesus also shows how much more he will give.
As Jesus approaches the cross, Mark’s Gospel indicates that receiving eternal life requires the Son of Man to sacrifice everything, since the young man cannot. Jesus brings him and us to the cross, where unlimited sacrifice flows for our salvation. There’s more with Jesus, always more.
What must I do to inherit eternal life? Do the impossible! Then who can be saved? For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible. Thanks God for the cross of Christ.
May the peace of God that transcends all understanding protect and keep your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus onto life everlasting. Amen.
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