Rich Young Man 2023

Glory to Jesus Christ, in the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

With the storms that we've experienced lately,

sometimes getting to where you want to go, not

so much in Selma County as elsewhere, as I've

seen on the news. Getting there can be a problem.

There's many obstacles down trees, down power

lines, high water. It makes it hard to get where

you want to go with these obstacles. Today's

lesson is really about obstacles. Since Christmas,

we've been hearing and experiencing and praising

God. the almighty, the immortal, the only good

one, and how that he has brought us his kingdom.

He comes as a child, gently, quietly, without

fanfare. But for those who are pure of heart,

like the shepherds, and those who are eager and

interested and desire, like the magi, God sends.

God sends help. And this kingdom we saw, we've

celebrated. And then the Feast of Epiphany, Theophany.

We see what that kingdom is. It's the kingdom

of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit.

And then we can enter into it, and we do by baptism

and the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are joined

to that kingdom, the everlasting kingdom, which

shall never be overcome. It's the kingdom of

peace, not a power of the world. but the power

of God's love and mercy. Last week, Jesus went

out on the road to preach after the baptism.

And he wants to tell about this kingdom. He is

the kingdom. To be united to him means you are

in the kingdom. You have the kingdom, not in

some geographical place, but in your heart. How

it got there is by baptism and the gift of the

Holy Spirit. So Jesus says, repent, change your

direction. You're all going the wrong way. You're

going off a cliff, the cliff of death, cliff

of sin. This way, he says. Repent, turn your

direction. Metanoite. The kingdom of heaven is

at hand. It's here. So this week, and we... I

do believe we are still feeling the reverberations

of Christmas and we will all the way to the feast

on February 2nd of the meeting of the Lord in

the temple. But this week you hear a lesson from

chapter 18 of Luke about the obstacle that's

going to stop you. Forget the man for a moment.

He's not with us anymore. He was sad. He went

away. That doesn't mean he was condemned. We

don't know what happened to him. I'm thinking

he came back. That's what I'd like to think.

Think of the obstacles that are in front of us.

And this particular lesson is very pointed. First,

it follows Jesus' words about children. and being

like a child to enter into the kingdom of God

please remember when you read the scriptures

it's not just and when we hear it in church not

just accounts random accounts Jesus was here

and he happened to say these words he was over

here and he happened to talk about this oh and

then he went up in the mountain and he was transfigured

just randomly no it's all part of a story it's

a life just before 18 chapter 18, verse 18, which

you heard the deacon read so beautifully. Infants

were brought to Jesus that he might touch them

and bless them. And the disciples at this point

didn't quite get what was going on. And rebuked

the parents, like, take these kids away. We're

talking about spiritual things. This is important.

These kids shouldn't be here. But Jesus says,

Let the little children come to me. Do not forbid

them. For of such is the kingdom of God. How?

Truly, truly, I say to you, amen. Whoever does

not receive the kingdom of God as a little child

will by no means enter into it. Does this mean

we are to be childish? And then what happens?

Immediately, a certain ruler. runs up to him.

Perhaps he heard this encounter. This man has

a different approach. Jesus says, like a child.

That is, basically, ones who are helpless. They

need to be fed. They need to be taught. They

need to be taken care of. They need to be embraced

and loved. That's how we are to be with God.

Let him teach us. Let him embrace us. Let him

feed us. This man comes up to Jesus. He has a

different idea. I did all these commandments.

Jesus mentions commandments 5, 6, 7, and 8. Just

about treating other people. No, the man didn't

murder anybody. That's good. He hasn't committed

adultery. That's good. He didn't lie. And so

forth. But he was rich. Jesus saw into his heart.

He saw the obstacle that was looming up before

him, the sickness in the man's soul, and Jesus

in his love wanted to cure this man, to give

him the remedy so he could be truly human. And

Jesus, so the man says, well, what then shall

I do? It's in my mind that the man came up to

Jesus and says, What should I do to have, inherit

eternal life, thinking, how can I use my money

to further this spiritual thing that we're doing?

Rich people think that way. I mean, so I've been

told I'm not rich. Although, if you look at any

statistics, we live at a far higher level. than

anyone else that has ever lived in history. And

most people on the planet live. We are rich in

many ways. You turn the light switch on, the

lights go on. Water faucet, water comes out.

You need something, you run to the store. We

have credit cards, we have all kinds of things.

Let's not think that this man's problem is not

also ours. Money... And this story is about money.

Jesus is very clear at the end. He was sorrowful

when the man left. He loved him, St. Mark says.

The man went away. Jesus says, how hard it is

for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of

heaven. Not because money is evil. No, the love

of money, says St. Paul, is evil. Money is neutral,

like anything else. It can be used as a blessing.

It could be used for the glory of God. It could

be used to care for your family. But this man

trusted in his riches. And he went away sad.

He thought that he could do something with that

money to enter into the kingdom of heaven. The

disciples say, who can be saved? Thinking, well,

if you're rich, you must be blessed by God. Everything's

going your way. Isn't that good? Jesus turns

that on its head. Blessed are the poor, for they

shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. In preparing

for this sermon, I read an account from the Desert

Fathers. A man named Serapion, he said, I gave

away the book that says to give everything away.

He gave his Bible away. That's a radical way

of doing it. We're not asked to do that, but

we are asked to consider what obstacles there

are to our life as Christians to be perfect.

How perfect? Completely, utterly devoted to the

Lord. That is why we're here, to be his servants.

Orthodoxy really does call us to be perfect,

complete, and committed to Christ. To love. our

enemies and to forgive them, these big picture

things, to reject all those thoughts that are

unholy and evil, something more close to us,

to pray constantly from our heart, to fast, to

deny ourself, to make it real by doing that,

to confess our sins honestly, to look at ourselves

honestly. To let God's light shine in us. That's

why we do all of that. How could I possibly live

the life to which Christ calls me? You may ask,

how is it possible? If that's your question today,

then focus on the final words. With man this

is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

The good news of the gospel is that no one is

left out if they want to come. Even St. Paul

says, and I mentioned this last night, he's the

chief among sinners. He's an example because

after what he did, even he can be saved by the

love of God. So sin can't stop us. Money can't

stop us unless we let it. That's within our power.

None of us will enter the kingdom because we

have checked off a list or somehow become perfect

by our own moral power. All of us, we tremble

when we hear the words, repent, for the kingdom

of heaven is at hand. Come, all the blessed of

the kingdom. Salvation is possible for this young

ruler. He turned away. Find. brothers and sisters,

the obstacle in your heart? The big picture thing

or the small thing? Whether it's the spiritual

life you have a hard time embracing or the moral

life that you say, no, the world is right upon

these questions about morality and I won't go

into the details, as if the world is more compassionate

than God. Now think about what is the obstacle?

And trust in God. He will give you the strength.

And you will overcome. And you won't go away

sad. But you will go away rejoicing in the kingdom.

Amen.