Mark 10:17-22
October 13, 2024
I enjoy a variety of action movies where the lead character will do some amazing stunts, such as the Mission Impossible series or the Indian Jones movies. However, sometimes I see stunts in these movies and I find myself saying, “Come on, that’s not possible.” When Tom Cruise skids his motorcycle under an 18-wheeler and pops up on the other side, without a scratch on his body or dirt on his clothes in a Mission Impossible movie, I’ll say, “That’s not possible.” I get dirt on my clothes just getting into my car in the morning. When Harrison Ford, as Indiana Jones, falls out of an airplane on an inflated yellow life raft without a parachute and lands on a snowy mountain and slides down to safety without getting injured, I’ll say, “That’s not possible.” When I was growing up I remember watching TV shows where stuntmen did some amazing things and someone on the show would say, “Do not try this at home,” but it seemed like there was always someone in our neighborhood who wanted to try it or would try it at home and it would not go well.
In our Gospel lesson for today from Mark 10 we meet a young man who thought he could do the impossible. He thought he could earn his way into heaven. But God tells us, “Do not try that at home or anywhere, because it is not possible.” If we overestimate our goodness or underestimate our God, we will be in for an eternal world of hurt and death.
Many times these stunts we see in movies look fun and easy. Likewise, the young man we see in our Gospel lesson thought the commands of God were easy to follow and so he wondered if there was more he needed to do to earn eternal life. But his whole approach was wrong. The man, very respectfully, asks Jesus at the start of our text, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Now if you think for a moment about the word, “inherit,” you will realize what a strange question this was from the man. After all, imagine if you asked your parents, “What must I do to get my inheritance?” How would they answer that question or if you are a parent, how would you answer that question? When you are talking about an inheritance, the only logical answer a parent could give is, “You have to outlive me.” In other words, there is nothing a person does to get an inheritance. You simply live and it comes to you when another person dies.
So the problem we see here in verse 17 of our text is that when the man asks Jesus this question he is over estimating his goodness by putting the emphasis on himself and what he could do to save himself – which is impossible, since sinful human beings cannot save themselves. Jesus knows what this man is looking for, so Jesus appears to play along with him to help him understand what he’s asking for is impossible. But the good news is that the man has come to the right person, the only person, who can make it possible.
First, Jesus wants him to realize who He is – the Savior of the world, the Son of God, God in the flesh, because the man only refers to Him as “Good Teacher.” So Jesus says, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Jesus did not say He was God, but He wants the man to understand the implications of calling Him “good;” namely if only God is “good,” then what does it mean that you are calling me, “good”? But knowing the man was focused only on himself and not God, Jesus then answers the man’s question by referring to the commandments that involve him doing things for others – do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your mother and father. And the man says that he has kept all of those commandments, thus over estimating his goodness. After all, none of us can say that we have have kept all of those commandments perfectly. But by questioning Jesus the man appears to believe that he is on the right track towards getting eternal life, but thinks there must be something more he should do.
So Jesus gets to the heart of the matter. Jesus knows that behind this man’s question is an issue of values. What does this man value the most in his life? Jesus knows that this man loves or values his money and possessions more than Him. So to make him aware of his sinfulness, Jesus says in verse 21, “You lack one thing,” meaning you’re good at following commandments 4-10, but you’re failing to follow the first commandment – You shall have no other gods before me. And to prove His point, Jesus says, “Go, sell all that you have and give to the poor…then come follow me.” Jesus is not criticizing wealth at this moment. In fact, He met many rich people in the past and never told them to sell everything they had and give it to the poor. What Jesus is doing here is questioning the man’s values.
Actually, there are two parts to Jesus’ answer. First, “go and sell everything you have.” That’s the part we often focus on, because it’s the most shocking. How many of us would actually go and sell everything we have? But the second part of Jesus’ answer to the man is, “Follow me,” and that’s the most important part. That is what Jesus said to everyone He met – fishermen, tax collectors, Pharisees, and prostitutes. “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” “Follow me, because I am the way, the truth, and the life.” “Follow me, because I have come to give you life.” The one thing this man truly lacked in his life was a relationship with Jesus. Time, money, and talent can get you pretty far in this life, but they cannot get you into heaven. You can only get there through a relationship with Jesus. And that’s what prayer is all about. It is a relationship with Jesus, it is communicating with Jesus.
Jesus wanted to have a relationship with this man, after all, it says in verse 21 that Jesus loved him, but He knew that something was getting in the way, and for this man it was money, and as long as this man held on to his money, he would never take hold of the life that Jesus had for him So that’s why Jesus challenged him by saying, “Go, sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, then come follow me.” But this was the one thing the man wouldn’t do, and the text says that he walked away sorrowful, because he had great possessions – meaning great wealth. This is one of those rare times when Jesus says to an individual, “Follow me,” and the response is, “No.” The disciples left their jobs, their trades, their professions to follow Jesus, but not this man. He couldn’t do it, so he walked away very sad.
Are there things getting in the way of your prayer life and relationship with Jesus today? Maybe for some of us it is money. Maybe we work too hard and neglect the more important things in life, like family or church, just so we can have more money to buy more things or to retire early. Maybe it’s comfort that keeps us from fully following Jesus. I’ve met people who have said, “Pastor, I have volunteered for years in the church and I want a break. Other people need to step up and do the work. I deserve to relax now and just sit.” One of the many things that I admire about this congregation is that we remain focused on outreach to others outside of this church in so many ways – Hurricane relief, Backpack Buddies, Matthew Ministry, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, Open Arms, and these things often involve being uncomfortable at times.
I’m sure we’ve all had moments of hardships and struggles in which we look to Jesus for answers, but sometimes the answers Jesus gives us are not easy, as this man in our text discovered. And Jesus understands those struggles, after all, He could have chosen to remain in the comforts of heaven with His Heavenly Father forever. But instead, Jesus chose to come to this earth and to live in poverty and die on a cross for the sole purpose that you and I could become rich and live with Him forever. Jesus chose to make possible what was impossible for us to do on our own (having life with God) by pushing aside all of the temptations, distractions, and things of this world, and remaining committed and obedient to His Heavenly Father – which involved great sacrifice and prayer. Having a relationship with Jesus means praying to Him and trusting Him in all aspects of life – the good and the bad. So what will you do in your life? Play it safe and live for yourself or let go and take a leap of faith by being generous with what God gives you and allow Jesus to give meaning to your life by working in you as He will meet your needs and make all things possible?
