Sunday, October 13, 2024
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Mark 10:17-31
AI Contemporary Version:
As Jesus was getting ready to leave, a man ran up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what do I need to do to have eternal life?”
Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, honor your father and mother.”
The man said, “Teacher, I’ve followed all those rules since I was young.”
Jesus looked at him with love and said, “You’re missing one thing: go, sell everything you own, give the money to the poor, and you’ll have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
The man was shocked when he heard this and walked away sad, because he had a lot of wealth.
Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “It’s really hard for people who have a lot of money to enter God’s kingdom.”
The disciples were amazed by this, so Jesus said again, “Children, it’s hard to enter God’s kingdom! It’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to get in.”
The disciples were even more shocked and asked each other, “Then who can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “It’s impossible for people, but not for God. With God, everything is possible.”
Peter said, “But we’ve left everything to follow you.”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth: no one who has given up their home, family, or fields for my sake and the sake of the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this life—along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
AI Generated Sermon:
Sermon: The Unfinished Story of the Rich Young Man
Grace and peace to you, my friends, from God who is rich in mercy and love, and from our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
There are moments in the Gospel that leave us with more questions than answers. Today’s reading is one of them. The story of the rich young man comes to us like a punch to the gut—a sharp reminder of the cost of discipleship. It’s uncomfortable, challenging, and ultimately, it’s unfinished. And yet, I think that's exactly where we are invited to find grace.
Let’s set the scene. A man, we’re told, comes running up to Jesus, eager to know what he must do to inherit eternal life. He’s a good man—he’s kept the commandments, followed the law since he was young, and yet he feels that something is missing. There’s a hunger for more, a longing for something deeper. Jesus looks at him with love—can you imagine that? Jesus, seeing into the heart of this man, loving him with a love that is unshakeable. And then Jesus says: “Go, sell everything you have, give it to the poor, and follow me.”
And in that moment, the man’s face falls. He is sad. He is sorrowful. Why? Because he had many possessions, and those possessions—those things—were more important to him than the promise of eternal life.
This, my friends, is where the story leaves us hanging. The man doesn’t argue, doesn’t ask questions, doesn’t bargain. He simply walks away, disheartened. And we never hear from him again.
This is the moment of crisis in Mark’s Gospel—a brutal moment of truth. The rich young man, despite his goodness, despite his desire to follow Jesus, cannot let go of his wealth. In the end, his possessions have a stronger grip on him than his longing for life with God.
Now, many commentators—and I’m sure you’ve heard it before—will try to “manage” this text. They’ll say things like:
Well, the rich young man wasn’t really keeping the law; this is just a way of showing he’s not as good as he thinks he is.
Or maybe Jesus didn’t really mean that we all need to sell everything. This was just a command for him, not for everyone.
Some might even say, Sure, we’re not rich like him, so we’re off the hook.
And, let’s be honest, I get it. This text is hard. We don’t like to face the reality that the things we have—the comforts, the security, the privilege—can become idols, distracting us from God’s kingdom. But I think part of the power of this story is precisely in how unresolved it is. Mark doesn’t give us a neat ending, and I think that’s intentional. The story is unfinished because we are unfinished.
We don’t know what happened to the rich young man. Maybe, like the disciples, we hope he eventually came around. Maybe, over time, he came to realize that eternal life wasn’t about what he owned, but about following Jesus with an open heart. Maybe he went on to live a life of generosity, giving away his wealth and helping those in need. Or maybe he grew more attached to his possessions, even more reluctant to part with them, and drifted away.
But we don’t know. And that’s exactly the point. The story leaves us in suspense, inviting us to fill in the blanks with our own lives.
There’s an old saying in Christian circles: If you want to see what’s most important to someone, look at how they spend their time and their money. The truth is that we can do all the right things, follow all the rules, say all the right prayers, and still, like the rich young man, be holding onto something that keeps us from fully following Jesus. Jesus doesn’t just ask for a bit of our time or a donation to charity. He asks for everything. Not as a punishment, not because we’re bad people, but because He knows that only by giving everything—our time, our money, our hearts—can we experience the freedom of true discipleship.
Now, this doesn’t mean that we all need to sell everything we own and live in poverty. That would be too simple, and frankly, I think that’s part of the management strategy that many of us cling to in order to avoid the real challenge here. What Jesus is really asking us to do is to examine what’s standing in the way of our complete trust in God. Is it our wealth? Our ambition? Our need for approval? Our fear? Our desire to control our lives?
Jesus knows that these things can hold us back from the fullness of life that God promises. And that’s why He challenges us, just as He challenged the rich young man, to look deep within ourselves and ask: What is more important to me—my stuff, or my relationship with God?
This isn’t a guilt trip; it’s an invitation. It’s an invitation to trust that God’s love and grace are bigger than our attachments. It’s an invitation to let go of what holds us back, and to step into the unknown, following Jesus into a life of service, generosity, and love.
But here’s the good news, friends: Jesus doesn’t leave us alone in this. In the end, He says, For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible. We can’t do it on our own. We can’t give up everything on our own. We can’t overcome the hold of wealth or status or fear by ourselves. But with God, all things are possible. The good news is that even in our failure, even in our reluctance, even in our incomplete discipleship, God is still at work in us. God still calls us, still loves us, still invites us into the fullness of life.
So, how do we manage this? How do we live with this uncomfortable text, knowing that Jesus challenges us to give it all up, yet understanding that we can’t do it alone?
We manage it with grace. We manage it with patience. We manage it by remembering that this journey of faith is not about perfection, but about growth, transformation, and trusting that God can do the impossible in us. And when we fail—and we will fail—God will still love us, still call us, still invite us to try again.
The story of the rich young man is unfinished. But in that unfinishedness, we find our own story. We, too, are called to follow Jesus, to give what we have, to share what we possess, and to trust that God is at work even when we’re unsure of what will come next.
So may we, in our unfinishedness, be open to God’s call. And may we find the courage to follow, knowing that with God, all things are possible.
Amen.
AI Generated Children’s Sermon Ideas:
"God's Love is Bigger Than Stuff"
Theme: Letting go of things to follow Jesus' way of love and service.
Message:
Hey friends! Do you know how much stuff we have? Toys, clothes, gadgets, books... so many things, right? There’s nothing wrong with having nice things, but did you know that sometimes, all our stuff can get in the way of following Jesus? In today’s story, a man came to Jesus and asked what he needed to do to get eternal life. Jesus said, “Sell everything you have and give it to the poor.” That sounds kind of crazy, doesn’t it? But what Jesus was really saying is that when we hold on too tightly to our stuff, we might miss out on the joy of loving others, sharing, and caring for those in need.
God doesn’t want us to be focused on our stuff; God wants us to focus on loving one another. So, the next time you’re thinking about something you really want, ask yourself: “Would I rather have this, or would I rather share what I have to make someone else happy?” When we share, we follow Jesus' way of love, and that’s where we find real treasure!
Reflection Question: How can we share our “treasures” with others to make the world a better place?
"Everyone Can Be Part of God's Family"
Theme: The Kingdom of God is for everyone, regardless of wealth or status.
Message:
In today’s story, Jesus tells us that it’s hard for people who have a lot of money to get into God's kingdom. But what does that really mean? Does it mean that rich people can’t be part of God's family? No! Jesus wasn’t saying that money is bad; he was saying that when we focus too much on money and things, we can forget to care for others.
God’s kingdom is for everyone! Whether you have a lot of money or not, God loves you and wants you to care for others. Being a part of God’s family means sharing what we have, helping those who need it, and showing kindness, no matter who we are. In God’s kingdom, everyone is welcome, and we don’t need to be rich or perfect to join.
Reflection Question: How can we help everyone feel like they belong in God’s kingdom, no matter what they have?