Lacking – Radical Discipleship Part IV

Sermon Title: “You Lack Something:” Replacing What We Lack

Good News Statement: Jesus replenishes what we lack

Preached: Sunday, January 30, 2022 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Mark 10:17-22 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Mark chapter ten verses seventeen thru twenty-two. Listen to the words of the Apostle Mark…

The Rich Man

¹⁷ As he 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?” ¹⁸ Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. ¹⁹ 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.’” ²⁰ He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” ²¹ 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.” ²² When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, Amen.

 

Introduction:

          A police officer pulls over a speeding car. The officer says, ‘I clocked you at 80 miles per hour, sir.’ The driver says, ‘Oh my, officer I had it on cruise control at 60; perhaps your radar gun needs calibrating.’ Not looking up from her knitting the wife says, ‘Now don’t be silly dear, you know this car doesn’t have cruise control! As the officer writes out the ticket, the driver looks over at his wife and growls, ‘Can’t you please keep quiet for once??!!’ The wife smiles and says, ‘You should be thankful your radar detector went off when it did.’

            As the officer makes out the second ticket for the illegal radar detector unit, the man looks at his wife again and says through clenched teeth, ‘Woman, can’t you keep quiet?!!!!!!’ The officer frowns and says, ‘And I notice that you’re not wearing your seat belt, sir. That’s an automatic $75 fine.’ The driver says, ‘Yeah, well, you see officer, I had it on, but took it off when you pulled me over so that I could get my license out of my back pocket.’  The wife says, ‘Now, dear, you know very well that you didn’t have your seat belt on. You never wear your seat belt when you’re driving.’            

            And as the police officer is writing out the third ticket the driver turns to his wife and barks, ‘WILL YOU PLEASE BE QUIET!!!!!’ The officer looks over at the woman and asks, ‘Does your husband always talk to you this way, Ma’am?’ and she said, ‘Only when he’s been drinking’.

            After reading this joke, a line from the movie A Few Good Men (1992) produced by Columbia pictures came to mind. In this movie Lt. Daniel Kaffee (played by Tom Cruise) is a military lawyer defending two U.S. Marines charged with killing a fellow Marine at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. When Lt. Kaffee asked Col. Jessep (played by Jack Nicholson), “Did you order the CODE RED?” a multitude of words were exchanged; but within this heated exchange of words, Lt. Kaffee says with clenched teeth and determination, “I want the truth.” Col. Jessep responds, while under oath and motivated by honor, loyalty, and code, “You can’t handle the truth.”

To quote American song writer Henry Rollins, “Sometimes the truth hurts. And sometimes it feels real good.” Sometimes we can’t handle the truth, because it is something that we need to hear but don’t want to hear it. Sometimes the truth hurts because it is something that will make us feel good in the future. The truth challenges us.

The Rich Man from Mark 10 did not want to hear the truth. This man reminds us of how powerful and life changing the truth can be, especially when it comes from above. The Rich Man runs to Jesus and kneels before him—worshipping him and giving praise. Not knowing the outcome of his actions, the Rich Man practically throws himself at the feet of Jesus to get an answer to his question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). Upon answering the Rich Man’s question by giving him the commands to “go…sell…give…come follow me” (Mark 10:21), Jesus states something that is never really answered. Jesus states in Mark 10:21, “You lack one thing….”

The Rich Man lacks many things, but he lacks one specific thing—the very thing that will give him eternal life in the Kingdom of God. He lacks the truth—the love for and compassion towards others. And this truth is something that he cannot handle. The text reads, “[The Rich Man] was shocked and went away grieving…” (Mark 10:22). Could you handle the truth if Jesus told it to you? Could you give up everything and follow him? What are you lacking in life that keeps you from committing your full life to Jesus? Remember, Jesus replenishes what you lack in life.

Opening Prayer:

            Let us pray…Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you allow today’s message to encourage all of us to seek your truth and to listen for your truth. Help us to avoid being like the rich man as we search for what is lacking in our life. I pray that my words fall to the ground as your words settle in the hearts of those before me. In your name we pray, Amen.

 

Body:

The story of the Rich Man (also found in the Gospels of Matthew 19:16-30 and Luke 18:18-30) is most commonly used to encourage and motivate followers of Christ to give more than what they are already giving to the church and to the Kingdom of God. After all, Jesus does tell this man sell all that he owns and to give his money to the poor; and if he does so, if you sells everything and gives his money to the poor, then he will have treasure in heaven: a treasure that is so great that no one can really describe except for God himself. If the Rich Man does what Jesus wants him to do, then he will be rewarded in heaven.

If that is the message you want to hear today, then I can certainly stand behind this pulpit and preach about money and attempt to motivate you to give more than what you are already giving because the Kingdom of God can only grow by your financial giving—at least that is what some ministers may say. But that’s not the message that God has laid on my heart. Sure we can all give a little more, sure we can do a little more, sure we can help a little more, but we can only give, do, or help a little more when we realize that we are lacking something in our own lives—that we are lacking something that gets us closer to God—to eternal life. The Rich Man is lacking something in his own life that we may be lacking ourselves. The Rich Man is lacking love, compassion, and truth. These three things are what hold the idea of radical discipleship together. Remember, Jesus replenishes what we like in life.

The story of the Rich Man begins by reminding us that sometimes in life we can’t wait for Jesus to come to us. Sometimes in life we have to run to Jesus. We have to meet Jesus where he is. And when we meet him, we must worship and give thanks to him for all that he has done, is doing, and will do in our lives. Now your Pastor is not much of a runner by any means: to be honest, I didn’t even run to the bust stop when I was running late for school. But if I need to run to Jesus to let Jesus know that I am his servant, then I am going to run towards him every day of the week, every hour of each day. As Forest Gump would say, “I just felt like runnin’.”

When the Rich Man gets to Jesus, he says, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). Notice here, the Rich Man calls Jesus ‘good’ which Jesus strongly rebukes by asking the man, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone” (Mark 10:18). In Greek, the word ‘good’ is translated by using two different words: 1) kalos meaning good, nice, well, kind, doing good, and 2) agathos meaning beautiful, pure, upright, being good. The Rich Man uses agathos to describe Jesus, but Jesus says that agathos is strictly reserved for God alone. Jesus is basically saying that here on earth I am of the people while God is in heaven. I am walking with you, while God is watching over you. I am healing you, while God is preparing to save you. I am doing good while God is being good.

After realizing that calling Jesus the “Good Teacher” was probably not the wisest thing to do, the Rich Man asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Notice here that we get a glimpse at the true nature of the Rich Man: someone who only thinks about themselves—“What must I do to inherit eternal life.” Socially and sadly speaking, a lot of people with wealth or many possessions think this way. We hear this in the news almost every day. The news usually begins by informing us of a horrendous event that took place just several miles away leaving people in desperation, seeking aid and financial support. Then 60seconds later, we hear of a famous actor who just bought a new car and got pulled over for doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing. The Rich Man is only seeking fame for himself while others are trying to figure out where their next meal is coming from. As followers of Christ, yes we are to seek eternal life, but we are to do so in the company of others. After all are we not told to love our neighbors as we love ourselves? Eternal life can be sought and pursued alone, but there is a greater reward in heaven if we bring others along.

The story continues. Jesus tests the Rich Man by listing several of the Ten Commandments, by which the Rich Man responds, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth” (Mark 10:20). From his response, we gain a little bit more about the Rich Man. First, the Rich Man dropped the title ‘good’ and just went with ‘teacher’ to describe Jesus: so we know that the Rich Man is able to listen and take advice. Second, the Rich Man is faithful and loyal to the teachings of the Old Testament, to the Prophets of Old. Third, the Rich Man is capable of change. Because of these realizations, Mark writes, “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” (Mark 10:21). Jesus loved him! It is not very often that we are told that Jesus loves someone. It is noted that the word ‘love’ in this passage, egapesen in Greek is the same ‘love’ that is used in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

Jesus is not messing around when he uses the word ‘love.’ The love that he gives is an eternal love, a love for all human-kind, a love that cannot be duplicated but only given by God and shared by Christ. Even though this Rich Man had faults, Jesus still loved him. Even though this Rich Man thought only of himself, Jesus loved him. And even though this Rich Man didn’t give Jesus an exact answer, Jesus still loved him. To be a radical disciple, we must realize that Jesus will love us for who we are—for our faults, sins, and wrongdoings. The love that we lack in our life, Jesus replenishes with his love so that we may have eternal life and not perish.

The love that Jesus gives us is a love that only He can give: it is a love that loves all humankind. It is a love that loves all neighbors. We are told to love our neighbors, but sometimes it’s tough to love them. How can you love the neighbor that is using a snow-blower while you are stuck shoveling? How can you love the neighbor that takes the last jug of milk that you drove 30minutes to get because the store near you was out of milk? How can you love the neighbor that causes you pain and sorrow? How can you love everyone? You must seek what you lack: you must seek the love of Christ, and this love of Christ will help you love everyone.

If loving everyone seems too difficult or like a mountain that will take years to climb, consider showing compassion for others. The Rich Man was lacking compassion: he was only concerned about himself. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” and “I have kept all these [commandments] since my youth” (Mark 10:17 and 20). I have been guilty of only thinking about myself at times. Have you ever put yourself before others? When I think like this the words of Paul and Peter come to mind. Paul writes in his epistle to the Ephesians, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). Peter writes, “Be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble” (1 Peter 3:8). We can practice compassion in everyday life. But are we?

To show compassion—to be with passion, kindness, warmth, humility, and care—we are letting others know that we are here for them. We are here to help them, to provide for them, to pray for them, to walk with them, and to give what we can for them. “Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21) Jesus said to the Rich Man. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). Where is your heart today? Where is your compassion going?

To be compassionate, we follow through on the words of John Wesley, “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” To be a radical disciple, we must be compassionate with those around us. The love that we lack, Jesus will replenish with compassion before we learn to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. I wonder if the Rich Man loved himself.

Conclusion:

The Rich Man received the truth that he couldn’t handle. Mark writes at the end of this passage, “[He] was shocked and went away grieving…” (Mark 10:22). The Rich Man realized the truth: he would have to give up all his possessions if he wanted to inherit eternal life and he would have to gain what he lacked. The Rich Man lacked what you and I practice on a regular basis: he lacked showing love and compassion for others. And most importantly, he realized that he lacked the truth—the truth that he will have to change his life, the truth that will set him free. He would have to receive what Ezekiel states, “a new heart and new spirit” before he could come, take up his cross, and follow Christ. What the Rich Man lacked Jesus replenished by telling him the truth and by saying that he loved him.

Hearing the truth is never easy sometimes. But sometimes we need to hear the truth before we can change; we need to hear the truth before we can spiritually grow; we need to hear the truth before we can authentically and honestly call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ. We need to hear the truth before we can love and be compassionate with others. As J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of The Rings, noted, “Living by faith includes the call to something greater than cowardly [protecting yourself].” Receiving the truth is to become a radical disciple that extends one’s faith beyond one’s self. To be a radical disciple means being able to handle the truth and to allow Jesus to replenish what is missing in your life. What is missing in your life? What is keeping you from completely following Christ?

Are you ready to give up everything to follow Jesus? Are you ready to practice love and show compassion? Are you ready to handle the truth that Jesus needs you to hear? Are you ready to inherit eternal life? The choice is yours…

Closing Prayer:

            Let us Pray… Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you allow your truth to enter our lives today. Allow your truth to motivate us to practice love and show compassion. Help us to not be like the Rich Man but instead help us to be like you. In your name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

As you go about your week, listen for the truth, practice love, and give compassion. You never know when Jesus is going to say to you, “Come, follow me.” Let Jesus replenish what you are lacking in life. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go, transforming lives as you live well and wisely in God’s world. Amen. Amen. Amen.