Ordinary 23, 2012

Job 23:1-9, 16-17

Then Job answered:

"Today also my complaint is bitter;

his hand is heavy despite my groaning.

Oh, that I knew where I might find him,

that I might come even to his dwelling!

I would lay my case before him,

and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would learn what he would answer me,

and understand what he would say to me.

Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?

No; but he would give heed to me.

There an upright person could reason with him,

and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.

"If I go forward, he is not there;

or backward, I cannot perceive him;

on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;

I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.

God has made my heart faint;

the Almighty has terrified me;

If only I could vanish in darkness,

and thick darkness would cover my face!"

Psalm 90:12-17 Page 718, BCP

Domine, refugium

So teach us to number our days *

that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

Return, O LORD; how long will you tarry? *

be gracious to your servants.

Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; *

so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us *

and the years in which we suffered adversity.

Show your servants your works *

and your splendor to their children.

May the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; *

prosper the work of our hands;

prosper our handiwork.

Hebrews 4:12-16

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Mark 10:17-31

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."

Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

Job is a man of whom it really can be said that he was unjustly treated. He seemed to have everything going for him. He seemed to have everything... but... in short order, as the story goes, it was taken from him. He has some cause to be angry... I think, he has some cause to seek answers, and he has some cause to point a finger at God... at least to ask the question, “why?” Here is a man who works and wills to order his life in all ways it seems. He was a successful businessman, his neighbors respected him, he was a family man, and he was devoutly pious.

A man comes to Jesus. Is he the “rich young ruler”? Luke calls him “a ruler” in his Gospel and we know from the story that he was wealthy. He was devout... and I think he was sincere. He had some doubts and he saw in Jesus a teacher that could help him with these doubts. He leaves troubled... more troubled than he was before he asked his question... perhaps more troubled than he had been his entire life. We don’t know anything about this “rich ruler”. We don’t know how he became wealthy or how his stature in the community was developed. We do know that he was devout. We know that he cared about his religion and was serious about it. We know that he recognized something in Jesus that many did not. Did he have an agenda that we know nothing about? Was he hiding something? We just don’t know... however it seems he was simply a sincere seeker who really wanted to know the answer to the ultimate question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

The story records this moment where Jesus looks at the man... and loved him...

This is the moment before he tells him the one thing that he lacks...

This is the moment that I want to stay with. I want to cling to this one moment. I want to live in this moment... but... and I get this feeling that Jesus is almost reluctant to go on... the love of God, it seems, does not “live” in a moment.

So Jesus tells this man the one thing he lacks and it catches this poor man completely off guard. This is not what he expects at all... or so it seems. He is completely deflated... undone... dejected. He goes away sad. He knows that this is the one thing he’s feared and he can not, at least at this moment, in this crowd of people, agree to this demand. Maybe later... he came to desire so much to follow Christ that he gave all that he had to the poor and left all of his life behind... we just don’t know. We only know that this man left so deeply troubled about giving up this part of his life. So deeply troubled that he left and probably didn’t return. This is a man eager enough to be with Jesus that he ran to him and got down on his knees to ask his question.

What is it about Christ that is like this? What is it about Christ that we fear? I think this story instructs us about the nature of a truly devout life... a life given to God. I think when we approach Christ and ask “the ultimate question” we must be willing to hear the impossible. We must be willing to bear the weight of a sadness that may come when we hear the answer... the answer that we may not expect. I think that throughout our lives... if we are open to listen... we will hear the “answer”. Christ will take us unawares.

Christ turns to a group of disciples who have left everything dear to them to follow him. They are perplexed, frightened, and maybe even angry about what they just saw. “Why turn away a guy who has wealth and power... surely the kingdom could use men and women like this... but not only this... Jesus seems to say that his wealth and position just gets in the way of salvation. OMG! What are you saying!?” Jesus had much to say about wealth and power... none of what he says is flattering and what he doesn’t say is even less so ... but what we see here goes beyond that. Jesus is getting at the heart of what is ultimately important, what is important eternally... at least for this rich young ruler... and for the disciples... and for us, if we are willing to hear.

God’s love does not rest in moments. God’s love is pervasive and persistent. God’s love will not allow us comfort if being comfortable keeps us from really seeing what is important. We must be willing to bear the impossible. We must be willing to give all.

Amen.