| Matthew 19:16-22 "When Your Neighbor is a Moving Target" |
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| Written by Rev. Don Lee | |
| Saturday, 15 September 2007 | |
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Got a question for you: If Jesus said to you, “Don…” Well it wouldn’t be Don, but just insert your name here, “Go, sell all your possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow me,” would you do it? I know what some of you are thinking, “Jesus wouldn’t ask me to do that!” Maybe not! But if he did, would you? There’s something resistant in the human spirit to the idea that God would ask us to give up something important to us, something that guaranteed our quality of life or independence; something that really mattered. We want to follow Jesus on our terms. But in his characteristically subversive manner Jesus challenges all that we love and hold dear with four simple words, “Go, sell, give, follow.” Just what am I suppose to do with this? What are you? Our reading comes from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, verses 16-22. As you are able, please stand for the reading of the Gospel: 16 Then someone came to him and said, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ 17And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ 18He said to him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said, ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 19Honour your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 20The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these; what do I still lack?’ 21Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ 22When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions. Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth. Amen. Here’s a little back ground: 1st, from Mark’s Gospel we learn the central character of this narrative is rich; from Matthew, that he was young; and Luke, that he was influential (a member of the ruling class)! That’s quite a composite character! And one I suspect many of us wouldn’t mind trading shoes with! Young, successful, wealthy. He represents, as one writer puts it, the wealthy, successful, young people Matthew’s church wants to attract but who are uninterested in the value system by which the Christian community is called to live. 2nd, there’s a clear parallel between this narrative and last week’s, Narrative from Luke, the parable of the Good Samaritan. They both begin with the inquiry, “What must I do to have eternal life?” The answer is the same, “Love God, Love others,” the essence of the Ten Commandments. It’s a safe simple answer. But the young inquirer wasn’t satisfied. And here the narrative diverges. Instead of asking, “Who is my neighbor,” the rich young ruler asks, “What do I still lack?” Different questions but I’ll bet you my Bubba Bible the same motivation is behind both. “Seeking to justify himself,” is how Luke’s gospel puts it. Notice how the young man reacts to Jesus in verse 22: When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions. He’s already professed to being a good Jew, someone who met the rigorous requirements of the law! No question then, Jesus’ response should have been, “Nothing. There is absolutely nothing you lack.” He had loved both God and neighbor. What more could Jesus possibly ask of him? And then Jesus drops the big one. “Go, sell, give, follow…” Nothing in the Law or the Prophets demands this level of sacrifice, this amount of self-denial. You can almost hear him scream back at Jesus, “What! Are you crazy? You have no idea what you are asking…what that would cost me?!” No wonder her turns and walks away. Mark’s Gospel records the disciples’ own incredulous response: “Who then can be saved?” You know, the power of these stories is in what they tell us about ourselves, God and others. “Seeking to justify himself…” Is that what I do? Try to justify myself before God? -This is important to me. -I deserve this. -Surely God wouldn’t deny me this one thing. Follow, yes, but on my terms. The more I think about what it means to be a good neighbor, I wonder if the neighbor we have the hardest time loving is God. I’m not sure what we’re more scared of God’s “no” or God’s “yes?” So what do you think Jesus would ask you to give up? I wish I could answer that for you but I can’t. That’s specific to each individual. Here’s what I do know; My behavior, my lifestyle, my spending habits, my social voice (or lack thereof) all have a wide ranging impact on people. I want to believe that God cares about me and the things I care about. And I’m sure God does. But, does God really care about what kind of car I drive, or the kind of clothes I wear or the health of my investment portfolio when there are children half way around the world starving to death in the world? According to statistics released last Thursday by the UN Children’s Fund, for the 1st time since record keeping began in 1960, the number of deaths of young children (those under 5 years of age) has fallen to a new low. The drop, the report states, has been attributed to increased vaccinations, greater use of mosquito nets and vitamin supplements and more women breastfeeding rather than mixing formula with dirty water. So what is the new “under-5 years old, annual mortality rate? Just under ten million children! Did you hear that? From where I’m standing 10 million is a staggering number and honestly, all the things that I care so desperately about, noble and ignore, seem to pale in comparison. Will Campbell, a white Baptist preacher active in the Civil Rights movement once preached at Riverside Church, (William Sloan Coffin’s church). This is what he told that upper west side affluent congregation, sitting in a gothic cathedral built with Rockefeller money: "You have invited me here today to talk to you about ending racism, but I think what you actually want me to tell you is how you can end racism and keep all of this. I am afraid I don't have an answer for you." "You all want something you can't have: not justice rolling down like waters, but justice practiced 'in moderation.” Wow, is that what I want; what we want? Justice practiced in moderation? My nine year old son is one of the most loving, generous persons I know. Chris freely shared what he has with others even to the point of walking away empty handed. And I’m so worried that life will take this from him, this beautiful generous spirit. The wealthy young ruler did what was expected of him but it wasn’t enough, not according to Jesus. Did he realize that his wealth created a dilemma for God who loves all of God’s children equally and thus cannot understand why the one who has more then he/she needs, hoards that wealth while others suffer? One thing you still lack…. Ever wonder what happened to this rich young ruler? I imagine him moving on with life, continuing his pursuits; amassing wealth and prestige. Marrying and having children. Attending temple worship (perhaps less frequently then he used to). He does what is expected but continues to feel unsettled, incomplete, as if something is lacking. “I’m living the dream, so why doesn’t it feel that way?” he wonders to himself. One day he finds himself walking aimlessly, through city streets and back roads. Eventually finds himself on the other side of the tracks; passing dirt hovels and children playing in rags. He sees the poor the diseased, the dying and a famine of compassion and charity. And he wonders to himself…Had he contributed to their poverty, seeing his success as fodder for his lifestyle, to use as he pleased, while ignoring the suffering of others. As daddy used to say, “No one gets rich by giving their money away.” And suddenly he realizes that despite his faith in God, that his real passion has been for himself. He has been living for himself, while claiming to live for God. And he weeps. But the voice is still there speaking the same words, “One thing you still lack….” And he knows what to do. But it won’t be easy! For me this story raises all kinds of questions and few if any answers. And maybe that will continue to be the case until we are ready for the answers. |
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