Mark 10:23–31

²³And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" ²⁴And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." ²⁶And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" ²⁷Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." ²⁸Peter began to say to him, "See, we have left everything and followed you." ²⁹Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, ³⁰who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

If there is any one thing that stands out in the teaching of Jesus, it's that he is always coming up with a surprise. So often he said things that were contrary to what people had always been taught and believed; things that went against their common sense. So, what is common sense? "Common sense" is what we know from general knowledge. It is knowledge that we just take for granted. The culture just accepts it as true. Everyone knows it. There is no way or need to prove it. It's just common sense.

Much of what we think we know is really common sense. We accept it because we have always been taught it; everyone believes it and we are convinced it is true without ever asking for proof or checking sources. Jesus was constantly proving that common sense knowledge is not always correct. Many of the things he taught were contrary to plain old common sense.

In those days, common sense taught that if a person was rich it was because he was favored by God. This is still true today. There are many who believe, that if God is pleased with someone, he will have no economic worries. In fact, financial difficulty is often seen as some sort of defect on the part of a person and so God withdraws his blessing from him. Wealthy people often feel that God is favoring them. People today are told that if they say the right prayer, or send money to a certain TV evangelist, or the like they will be blessed and their financial dreams will come true. So when Jesus said, "It is difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God; In fact, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven," people were shocked. That didn't make sense. It was contrary to common sense.

Jesus is saying here that having wealth does not mean you are a good person, or favored by God, or more spiritual. There are good people are rich, and there are evil people are also rich. It means that God is good to all people, both to the good and to the bad. He feeds the believer and the unbeliever. He clothes the faithful and the unfaithful. As Jesus says, "God makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." God blesses because He is good, not because we are good. He doesn't bless people because they deserve it; or because they have earned it or merit it. He blesses people who do not deserve it or merit it. That's why he blesses you.

You see, the problem with riches is not the riches, it's the people. The problem is that people are tempted to trust in their money or their possessions. People like to think they are self-sufficient and don't need God. Wealth makes a person feel autonomous, like he is in control, as if he were in charge of his own life, and as if he were invincible.

So the real problem is not money or wealth, it is faith. Money and wealth are signs of God's goodness. The real problem is sin and death. The real problem is not trusting in God. Whether rich or poor, no one can believe or trust in God by his own power. As the Catechism teaches us: "I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to him." When Jesus says that it is impossible for man to enter into the kingdom of God, but that with God all things are possible, that is a sweet statement of pure grace. It means that you don't do anything to get into heaven yourselves. There is nothing you can do to save yourselves. Not all the obedience, nor all the good works, nor all the love in the world can get you into heaven. Rather, going to heaven is the pure work of God alone. He does it all for you.

He didn't come to our world and take on human flesh and die on the cross for good people. He came for sinners. People who are his enemies. People who rejected him. People who rebelled against his authority. He died on the cross for the very people who whipped him, spit on him, put a crown of thorns on his head, and nailed him to that cross. He poured out his blood for people who deny him, turn from him, who live for themselves, who are selfish egomaniacs.

He has done everything for your salvation. He has taken care of your sins and disobedience. He has made it possible to enter heaven. He even has given you a repentant heart and forgiveness of sins. There is nothing you did. you didn't decide to follow him. you didn't accept him. It was the Holy Spirit who called you by the Gospel, enlightened you with his gifts and who sanctifies you and keeps you in the true faith." It is not your own doing that you are here today. It is not your own doing that you believe in Jesus today

And because it wasn't anything you did, salvation is secure. It is God's work so you can count on it. You don't have to wonder if you did it well enough, or if you were sincere enough, or if you have enough faith, or if you love God enough, or if you have been good enough because it been done by God, by God's grace, and God's mercy. Just as God sends the sunshine and the rain on people who don't deserve it, he grants his grace and forgiveness to people who don't deserve it; he died for sinners like you.

And so Peter, having understood that he was saved by the grace of God and not because of his works or deeds, asks a question: "What about us? We have left all our wealth to follow you. What will happen to us?"

In effect, Peter is asking what should a follower of Christ do with his earthly possessions? What is the right way to use our money? Is there a right way and a wrong way? Can we sin in the way we use our wealth?

Jesus' answer is "Yes?" there is a right way to use your material possessions. And Yes, it is possible to sin by how you use them. First of all, everything you have belongs to God. Including your money, your homes, your families, and your very body and life belong to God. It was God who created you. It was Jesus who redeemed you and made you children of God. It is the Holy Spirit who called you to faith. you belong to God and everything you have belongs to him. you are his possession and are under his authority. So with your lives, your bodies, your possessions you serve righteousness. you do not use your bodies or wealth to serve evil, rather you use them for the sake of righteousness.

And how do you do that? By living in the vocations that God has called you to. Vocation is serving your neighbor. Vocation is stewardship of what God has given to you, beginning with your life, your bodies, your talents and your possessions. To live as followers of Christ is to use your bodies, your possessions, your skills and talents in service to your neighbor. It means that you are the daily bread of your neighbor. It means that you bear the burdens of your neighbor. That is your responsibility; that is what God commands you to do. Giving your lands, your homes, your wealth, yourselves and using your bodies, hands, feet, ears, mouths to serve your neighbor is stewardship; is vocation. your neighbor is your responsibility. When Cain asked God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" the answer was "Yes." The fact is, we live in community. We are not individuals, islands unto ourselves. We are not autonomous people who live for our self, who determine our own destiny, who make our own life independent from others. God has made mankind to live in community. We are the body of Christ. The Christian faith is lived out in relationship with other people. There is no such thing as an individual Christian life apart from the community of believers, the communion of saints. We are part of each other. We belong to each other. We depend on each other. And that is why we gather together to worship God instead of each individual off on his own in his own place and time. That is how God has arranged the Christian life.

And who is your neighbor? It is whoever God has given you to serve. First and foremost it is your spouse. Then it is you children. These are your two primary vocations; your first priorities. Your neighbor is your parents and all those in authority whom you are to honor and esteem. Your neighbor is the church, the communion of saints. Your neighbor is your community and nation. It is you job; your employer, your employee and your customer. God has given them to you as neighbor so you have a responsibility to them. They depend on you because through you God provides their daily bread, and you depend on them because through them God provides your daily bread. Therefore, if you do not use what God has given you in the service of your neighbor, to love your wife, to raise your children, to support your church with your presence and your offerings, to fulfill your duty as a citizen, and to be a faithful employee and to serve your customers, it is sin. It is disobedience to God.

And along with that, it must be said that the neighbor God gives you is not always someone you like. He says to love your enemy. He sent Jonah to a people he loathed. He made the Samaritan and the Jew to be neighbors, two people who despised each other. And often God provides you with a neighbor you don't like just to see if you will obey him or not.

But Jesus says, "There is no man who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time along with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life." Use your possessions, your talents, and give yourself to serve your neighbor, because you have already received a hundredfold. You have received your life from God who created you and formed your body and gave you your skills and abilities. You have been purchased for God by the blood of the Lamb who gave his life for you on the cross. Your sins are forgiven. You have been made holy and righteous. You have been made the children of God and heirs to the kingdom of heaven. You have received eternal life and the promise of resurrection from the dead on the last day. You already have received a hundredfold from God's infinite goodness and mercy. You have already received the riches and treasures of heaven which cannot be taken away.

Amen.