In our previous study, we reviewed the possible evidence that could unmask Lazarus as being the rich young ruler who refused to be a disciple, trusting rather to his own great wealth to make him happy. In our quest to unmask Lazarus, we found an eerie similarity to the Christians in our own day. For it is “we” too, who are unmasked by a dependence on our means rather than on our Lord. Jesus asked the rich young ruler to give away ALL of his wealth and join the other disciples, and he refused. Is Jesus extending the same offer to us now, and we reciting the same response? Oh sure, it is easy to give some of our means to the poor; you know, the part of our incomes we can part with, with only minimal sacrifice. But to give all, is another story. To give everything away to those less fortunate has no income evaluation in the ask. Bill Gates would have much to give away, and perhaps Bill is already on that journey. But the poorest church goer, even though he has little, is also called to give that which he has, to those who have less. And let’s face it, there are always those who have less.
And if, like the rich young ruler who we believe might be Lazarus, we refuse this offer; what will happen to us? What is the fate of one who cannot bring themselves to give all that they have? The answer to this question was recorded for our benefit as well. Peter recited the aftermath of this exchange to John Mark in his gospel in chapter ten and picking up in verse 23 it says … “And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” It is important to note 2 things in this declaration. First, Jesus does not limit the audience to strictly those who are “rich”. Instead He expands the audience more broadly by saying “they that have riches”. This is done by intent to eliminate the relativism of wealth when examining self. I may not for example, consider myself rich. My income is not as high as I would like. My cars not as nice. But under this definition, if I own jewels of any kind, if I own any clothes said to be finery (perhaps like the suits I wear on Sabbath); if I own a home, or a car. I do in fact have riches. So Jesus cuts through 2000 years of time, and directs this passage straight at me.
Next, the passage does not restrict entry entirely from the Kingdom of God. But it does say that entry will be difficult and rare. In understanding this, we must make a distinction between salvation at the end of all things, and entry into the Kingdom of God where we are freed from our sins slowly in the here and now, and where we are freed from our slavery and addiction to self-love. Christ had already said, the Kingdom of God had arrived in His first mission, in His day. It is in that Kingdom where we learn how to love, or more precisely where we learn how to love others. The freedom from loving self, is not a discovery that happens without submission to Christ. We must submit our will to Him, and in this instance, more importantly, our very desires to Him. We must learn to want different things. When Jesus frees us from loving self, the concept of “ownership” no longer governs our lives. We realize that God owns everything, we merely use some of His gifts for a time. When that kind of thinking infects our brains, we are no longer as adamant about protecting the wealth we borrow, and are more likely to let it go. We realize our “ownership” is really more like “custodial oversight” and the mission has ever been to see it given away, not retained.
For those who refuse to accept discipleship and immediate entry into the Kingdom of God, all hope is not lost, but the journey will be delayed … painfully. For trusting in riches for happiness, or for salvation, is a fool’s game, where we are the fool. Riches can neither make us really happy and fulfilled, nor can they save us, freeing us to love others. Instead they distract us from both. It has always ever been this way. But the disciples were amazed at His response as John Mark continues in verse 24 saying … “And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!” The Jewish society and religious system had always enforced the idea that wealth equated to the favor of God, which equated to being a good person. Sinners then, were poor, sick, and evil. This is what they knew from birth. And in one sentence Jesus had blown away their scripturally based teachings. This was hard to digest. So Jesus repeated it once again.
But there is a difference now, in the second repetition of the words of Christ. He begins with the declaration of “Children”. We must all unlearn what we have learned. The Kingdom of God requires the adoption of the persona of Children before entry will be granted. There are no “adults” in there. For it is kids who do not care about money. Toddlers care about love, eating, sleeping (which they resist), and playing. Toddlers care about time with Dad, not time counting their golden coins. Toddlers throw coins around and dip them in the mud for fun. They share them with other kids in order to make the play more interesting. In the persona of children, we cannot use the excuse of working to support our families to provide for them, as a reason to hoard our wealth. Because if all of us are kids, our heavenly Father is the only one with a job, and He takes care of us all, He meets all of our needs. That is the whole point of being a kid in the Kingdom of God, it frees us to play with Dad. So Jesus here reminds His disciples and those who are listening, you do not NEED wealth in the Kingdom of God. You actually need trust.
And again, Jesus does not condemn those who remain with their trust in riches forever and ever, He merely states how “hard” it is for them to let go, become kids, and be freed from their wealth, and the addiction to get more of it. But the disciples do not yet understand how hard this is. So Jesus must make an analogy that will help get them to see. Jesus continues in verse 25 saying … “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Ut-oh. There are laws of physics that come into play on this one. There are no micron sized camels anyone has ever seen, nor are there giant needles many feet high used in the production of cloth. So then, Jesus has just declared that it is in fact impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom. And is He wrong? Even within the walls of any Christian church today, how many are willing to give ALL to become kids, and enter His Kingdom? How many are able to trust this much, believe this much, and “know” they are freed from the burden of their wealth.
What Christ is pointing out here is a painful fact, too few Christians will admit. We CANNOT change our own hearts, minds, desires, or actions. We CANNOT bring our motives into alignment with God. We simply cannot save ourselves, though we seem determined to try. We make lists. We read our Bible. We sing in church. We listen to praise music on the radio. We try to refrain from cursing. We confront sinners whenever we find them (particularly in church). And somehow we believe, that if we just do enough of these things … we will be saved. Exactly like the rich young ruler who came to Christ, when he asked “what more” do I need to do? There is no more action. There is no more self-sacrifice that “you” can do. What is needed is to let go, to return to Childhood, with a childlike trust. What is needed is to allow Christ to change what you want, and therefore what you do. A human response to this will fail. This is the fact Jesus is pointing out, as plainly as He could state it.
And the disciples then ask the same question as Christians do today as John Mark continues in verse 26 saying … “ And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?” The disciples were blown away. The disciples had done the math. If I own riches (which could be defined as anything), and I cannot fit through the eye of a needle (me being smaller than a camel) … I am unlikely to ever enter the Kingdom of God. In effect, if I am unable to save myself even after a life of “trying” to keep the commandments, how can anyone be saved. It is the right question to ask. Even if this question ran against every Jewish teaching and tradition, and scriptural interpretation. It remains the right question to ask, even if it runs against every recent Christian tradition, and scriptural interpretation.
And Jesus had the answer, both then and now, as He answers in verse 27 saying … “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” It was as if He had to say it again … you cannot save yourselves, you cannot let go your wealth, you cannot become a child again, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God on your own. I don’t know how else to say it people … you cannot save yourselves. But where it is impossible with man … get that, impossible with man. All things are possible with God. It is God who can save you. In fact, it is Jesus Christ who can save you and Him alone. He can change your heart. He can transform you until you want other things. He can make you small enough to fit through the eye of a needle (or at least reduce your ego to this size, replacing it with humility). Or He can make the needle large enough for you to walk through (performing miracles that you simply cannot do). In either case, the rules of physics are not applicable to the Author of physics.
Whether we have unmasked Lazarus, as the rich young ruler, or whether we have only discovered it is we who are unmasked; the important lesson is that there is hope to become a child, and be freed from our wealth, from the same One who saves us entirely. We learn through these passages that it was never supposed to be a burden we carry; our salvation was ever in the hands of God. When we attempt to save ourselves we only delay the process and increase the misery we need not experience. There is a reason Jesus keeps going back to calling us children … we were meant to be free like children. We were supposed to be playing with Dad, enjoying His time, sitting on His lap, curling up to sleep under His chair. There is no pre-requisite to all of this, there is only acceptance of it. To rather trust in our means is to embrace the pain of trusting in a false solution. It is NOT Jesus punishing us for choosing wealth over Him, it is US punishing US for doing something so stupid. Jesus is here to free us from the pain we otherwise would choose. This is the whole nature of salvation, to free us from the pain we cause ourselves.
God does not have to administer the spankings, the “sin” is the spankings (and worse), that He is trying to free us from. Gold cannot change the soul for the better, only for the worse. Love can change the world for the better, and place the appreciation for gold in its rightful place … as concrete. It is for the Love of God that we were made. It is for the Love of God, that He set aside one day in seven to hang out, stop His work, and make time to play with us. It is for the Love of God, that even though we rejected Him, He would not abandon us, but provide a way to reconcile us. He would offer us His love, even when we spit on Him, cursed Him, and eventually killed Him. But for the Love of God, He would take on our punishment, to free us to be kids in His Kingdom. We were supposed to be free, like toddlers, able to trust, and play till our hearts are content with our Dad. Wealth only distracts from that. Wealth only delays our time with Dad, and chance to play with Him. It is a hollow solution, a false solution. Let us come to Jesus and finally be rid of it, and anything else that would burden us. Let us shed the burdens of adults, and take on the freedom of children that shelter under the Father’s wing.
But even when we unmask the problems we face outside of the church, there can still enter problems to be unmasked within the church as we will continue to examine in our next study …
No comments:
Post a Comment