One of the good things about moving house, especially from a larger one to a smaller one is that it makes you think about stuff. We have lots of stuff, each and every one of us. It’s understandable in that we live in a world which is built upon selling us stuff we don’t really need. But if you buy this you will feel happy, you can show it to your friends. And despite our best efforts to the contrary we all fall prey to it. We buy into the consumerist narrative, we think that things can make us happy, but it isn’t really the case. We need to ‘seek the Lord and live’ [Amos 5:6 ESV]. But such things are easier said than done, and that is the point.
The young man in this morning’s Gospel knows that, and that is why he has kept God’s commandments. Jesus calls him out, on his use of the phrase ‘Good Teacher’ Only God is Good. God is in fact the source of Beauty, Goodness, and Truth. Jesus is, because He is God.
Jesus looks at the man and loves him, because God is Love. God loves us, that’s why He sent Jesus to be born among us, to live among us, to die for us, and rise again. It’s the heart of our faith: God loves us. If I said nothing else this morning or ever after, know that you are loved by God, and let this love transform your life.
Then Jesus turns to the man and says, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ [Mk 10:21 ESV] It is stark, and uncompromising. All of us here haven’t done it, I haven’t, and it troubles me. But even if we haven’t followed Jesus’ exact words it is important to note that what He is saying is that God wants us to be generous, to share what we have with others. Now is a time when we give thanks for the Harvest, we thank God for His generosity towards us, in giving us food, the wonders of His Creation, even the wind and the rain, but most of all for giving us His Son, Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.
God is generous towards us, and expects us to be generous in return. It isn’t that much to ask, is it? We are called to live generously, to be a generous Church, full of generous Christians. We are, but it is good to be reminded of the fact, even if it makes us a bit uncomfortable on times. That is ok. Christianity can, and should be uncomfortable. As comforting and traditional harvest time is, it should make us think about how we treat God’s world, whether we share our bread with the hungry, how we put our faith into action in the world, and do God’s will. We have to keep trying, and we can always do better.
It’s hard living the Christian life, it takes effort, and sacrifice, and we probably don’t feel that we are doing a good job at it, but that is ok. The disciples are amazed at Jesus saying that it is hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus goes on qualify His statement and says, ‘Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ [Mk 10:24 RSVCE] If you trust in riches you’re like the man who built bigger barns, [Lk 12:13-21] Stuff cannot save you, you cannot buy your way to heaven, you need to have confidence in God, and God alone.
The world around will tell us otherwise. It will tell us that we need to care about wealth, and power, and stuff. That it’s the way to be happy, to be powerful, and successful, to gain respect, and value in the eyes of others and ourselves, that this is where happiness and respect lie. It is certainly a seductive proposition, and many are seduced by it, both inside the church and outside. The temptation to be relevant, to give people what they want rather than what they need, to go along with the ways of the world. To be seduced by selfishness, self-interest, and sin. But we need to get some perspective: these things do not matter in the grand scheme of things. Wealth, power, and influence, are of no use to us when we are dead. They won’t help us to stand before our maker. We cannot take them with us when we depart from this world, for there are no pockets in shrouds. They may benefit our immediate family and friends, but even that is no guarantee of anything in the long term. Would we not rather, when all is said and done be remembered as kind, generous, loving people, quick to forgive, and seek forgiveness. Isn’t this a better way to be?
What does matter, however, is firstly loving God, and listening to Him, and secondly loving your neighbour –- putting that love into practice. This is the core of our faith, what we believe, and how we are supposed to live our lives. The costly love of God and neighbour is how we need to live, to be fully alive and live out our faith in action. This is what Jesus shows us in the Gospels. This is what He teaches, and why he dies and rises again for us. And we need to listen to Him, and to follow His example.
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