Exodus 7:25-8:19
2 Corinthians 3:7-18
March 25, 2010
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said 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 a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." - Mark 10:17-31
Wealth prevented a young man from following Jesus. The lection deals with the power of wealth to keep one from entering God’s kingdom and thereby inheriting eternal life. (v.25) On the other hand, if wealth is secondary to Jesus, a rich man can enter the kingdom. (v.27) The occasion for this teaching is a man who asks Jesus how he can receive eternal life, life not necessarily in its quantitative but in its qualitative dimension. His kneeling shows that he really wants more than physical life; he comes begging. Does he see Jesus as the Son of God because he calls Jesus “good”? Jesus points out to him that only God is good. Though he obeys the commandments, he still does not have true life. Jesus perceives that his problems is wealth which keeps him from God, the Author of life. The man refuses to give up his welt hot follow Jesus and walks away from eternal life.
Look and love. How can we love if we do not see the person? Jesus looked at the young man and saw his fine qualities, eagerness for life, and bright potential as a follower. Often someone asks, “What does he see in her?” He sees something he can love. Also, Jesus looked at His disciples when they were discussing the possibility of rich people entering the kingdom. To get His point across, He looked at them. Look me in the eye when you say it and I will probably believe you!
Enlighten our minds, we pray, O God, by the Spirit who proceeds from You that, as Your Son has promised, we may be led into all truth; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.
Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
Collect for the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost Lutheran Book of Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House St. Louis
2 Corinthians 3:7-18
March 25, 2010
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said 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 a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." - Mark 10:17-31
Wealth prevented a young man from following Jesus. The lection deals with the power of wealth to keep one from entering God’s kingdom and thereby inheriting eternal life. (v.25) On the other hand, if wealth is secondary to Jesus, a rich man can enter the kingdom. (v.27) The occasion for this teaching is a man who asks Jesus how he can receive eternal life, life not necessarily in its quantitative but in its qualitative dimension. His kneeling shows that he really wants more than physical life; he comes begging. Does he see Jesus as the Son of God because he calls Jesus “good”? Jesus points out to him that only God is good. Though he obeys the commandments, he still does not have true life. Jesus perceives that his problems is wealth which keeps him from God, the Author of life. The man refuses to give up his welt hot follow Jesus and walks away from eternal life.
Look and love. How can we love if we do not see the person? Jesus looked at the young man and saw his fine qualities, eagerness for life, and bright potential as a follower. Often someone asks, “What does he see in her?” He sees something he can love. Also, Jesus looked at His disciples when they were discussing the possibility of rich people entering the kingdom. To get His point across, He looked at them. Look me in the eye when you say it and I will probably believe you!
Enlighten our minds, we pray, O God, by the Spirit who proceeds from You that, as Your Son has promised, we may be led into all truth; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.
Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
Collect for the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost Lutheran Book of Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House St. Louis
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