Radical transformation
A little boy was shouting for his mother because he’d got his hand stuck in a small jar – as his mother arrived to help him he asked her, ‘Would it be easier if I unclenched my fist and let go of the money I’m holding ?’
Of course a clenched hand was needed to hold on to the money but it was also the very thing that was stopping the boy from getting his hand out of the jar – releasing the money meant his hand was free. And today’s gospel reading (Mark 10:17-31) is a call to let go of things that we are holding that are preventing us from enjoying real freedom.
There are many accounts of people with lots of money who fail to find happiness – money is nice, it helps quite often, but it is never the key to being happy. Today the rich young ruler approaches Jesus – in fact only Mark’s gospel suggests he is rich, Matthew’s is the only one who says he is young, and Luke’s is the only one who calls him a ruler – but anyway the rich young ruler approaches Jesus and asks what he has to do to inherit eternal life – and Jesus tells him that he must unclench anything he is holding that is stopping him from committing his life to Jesus.
Within the global rich list a person earning the average wage in this country is ranked in the top 3.5% of the richest people in the world – few of you will need convincing that it won’t feel like it !! Riches are relative – and with apparent wealth comes the demands of money associated with it.
Houses are more expensive, we have cars, we have a television, we have fridges and freezers and some have dishwashers, we have holidays, we have all kinds of things which we regard almost as necessities, but which to some people would be the height of luxury. Having money also often convinces us of the need to have more money – and so we take loans to buy that little bit extra.
The rich young ruler was not being told just to give away his money and his possessions to buy a ticket into eternal life – he was being told to change his lifestyle completely. Jesus talks about it being harder for a rich man to go through the eye of a needle than to enter the kingdom of God – and this phrase is often explained by describing a gate into Jerusalem which was so small that a camel had to be stripped of the various packages it was carrying, and then crouch down just to squeeze through the gate.
Actually there is no record of such a gate – but whether there was or not, it’s clear that what Jesus is asking us to do is not just to throw away possessions, but actually to undertake a radical transformation in our lives, a transformation so great that we can’t even complete it by ourselves – we will need God’s help.
It’s been said that the opposite of rich is not poor but free, and it is to that freedom that Jesus is calling this young man. For centuries different people have strived to find freedom – revolutions have happened, people have argued and fought, slavery and child labour have been eradicated in at least the more civilised countries in the world, but so many people have failed to find real freedom in their lives.
And that is simply because we don’t look for freedom in the right place – we assume that freedom is something we can buy, something that can be sorted out for ourselves, but true freedom comes only when we have a perfect relationship with God, and I don’t know too many people who would claim to have that !
So what are the things we’re clenching in the jar of our lives which can stop us from breaking free, and enjoying the real glory and power and wonder of God, and feeling his love covering us every moment of every day. Because that’s what he want for us…
Perhaps one thing would be money and possessions – many people in this country as I’ve said are relatively rich on paper, but perhaps there are debts or loans, or mortgages to pay, whereas someone who would say they have nothing owes nothing either !
Money and possessions can make us want more ! If money or our possessions are holding us back, we need to let go – Jesus didn’t really say it was wrong to be rich, but he did challenge us to use our money wisely and for the good of others as well as ourselves. It’s a perfect text for stewardship and a call that is often used to encourage people to consider what they really give to God financially.
In our giving to God we can’t specify a general amount for everyone, but we can call everyone to think about what they give – sometimes people moan about the cost of the Church for a wedding, not often but occasionally, and for some it can be a lot of money, but for some you will find that the couple of hundred pounds they are paying for the Church is absolutely dwarfed by the amount they’re paying for a photographer, for flowers for a dress, for table decorations and so many other things, all of which are paid happily.
But we can’t just criticise those outside the Church – the money that most of us spend in a week compared to what we give to God, and I very much include myself on this, is quite a worrying figure. Jesus asks for radical transformation – how ready are we to accept it ?
And there are other things that can also make us clench that fist in the jar – perhaps a dislike of someone, someone we believe it impossible that we could ever like – Jesus says that with God all things are possible ! And that includes even caring about those we really find it hard to like.
Or what about thinking we’re always right – Helen will tell you that I do this, but I have to say that even though I claim to be right most of the time (!!!), I’m not always ! And then there’s a lust for power or position – our society encourages such a lust, and yet people who seek power and maintain it at all costs, are not just hurting others, they are hurting themselves as well !
There are so many things that stop us from enjoying real freedom in our lives, and so many things which stop us from moving closer to God, and only we can choose to do anything about them – and our first step is to seek God’s help because we will probably need it !!
Jesus gave two very basic commandments – love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself. Basic, but radical life changing words – love means to offer to a person everything we have, not for the person to take those things away from us, but for that person to show us how we can best use them.
Our devotion to God is almost certainly directly proportional to what we give him not just financially but in every aspect of our lives – may we be willing to turn everything over to him trusting that in him we will be radically transformed to enjoy the everlasting peace which he offers us. AMEN
Of course a clenched hand was needed to hold on to the money but it was also the very thing that was stopping the boy from getting his hand out of the jar – releasing the money meant his hand was free. And today’s gospel reading (Mark 10:17-31) is a call to let go of things that we are holding that are preventing us from enjoying real freedom.
There are many accounts of people with lots of money who fail to find happiness – money is nice, it helps quite often, but it is never the key to being happy. Today the rich young ruler approaches Jesus – in fact only Mark’s gospel suggests he is rich, Matthew’s is the only one who says he is young, and Luke’s is the only one who calls him a ruler – but anyway the rich young ruler approaches Jesus and asks what he has to do to inherit eternal life – and Jesus tells him that he must unclench anything he is holding that is stopping him from committing his life to Jesus.
Within the global rich list a person earning the average wage in this country is ranked in the top 3.5% of the richest people in the world – few of you will need convincing that it won’t feel like it !! Riches are relative – and with apparent wealth comes the demands of money associated with it.
Houses are more expensive, we have cars, we have a television, we have fridges and freezers and some have dishwashers, we have holidays, we have all kinds of things which we regard almost as necessities, but which to some people would be the height of luxury. Having money also often convinces us of the need to have more money – and so we take loans to buy that little bit extra.
The rich young ruler was not being told just to give away his money and his possessions to buy a ticket into eternal life – he was being told to change his lifestyle completely. Jesus talks about it being harder for a rich man to go through the eye of a needle than to enter the kingdom of God – and this phrase is often explained by describing a gate into Jerusalem which was so small that a camel had to be stripped of the various packages it was carrying, and then crouch down just to squeeze through the gate.
Actually there is no record of such a gate – but whether there was or not, it’s clear that what Jesus is asking us to do is not just to throw away possessions, but actually to undertake a radical transformation in our lives, a transformation so great that we can’t even complete it by ourselves – we will need God’s help.
It’s been said that the opposite of rich is not poor but free, and it is to that freedom that Jesus is calling this young man. For centuries different people have strived to find freedom – revolutions have happened, people have argued and fought, slavery and child labour have been eradicated in at least the more civilised countries in the world, but so many people have failed to find real freedom in their lives.
And that is simply because we don’t look for freedom in the right place – we assume that freedom is something we can buy, something that can be sorted out for ourselves, but true freedom comes only when we have a perfect relationship with God, and I don’t know too many people who would claim to have that !
So what are the things we’re clenching in the jar of our lives which can stop us from breaking free, and enjoying the real glory and power and wonder of God, and feeling his love covering us every moment of every day. Because that’s what he want for us…
Perhaps one thing would be money and possessions – many people in this country as I’ve said are relatively rich on paper, but perhaps there are debts or loans, or mortgages to pay, whereas someone who would say they have nothing owes nothing either !
Money and possessions can make us want more ! If money or our possessions are holding us back, we need to let go – Jesus didn’t really say it was wrong to be rich, but he did challenge us to use our money wisely and for the good of others as well as ourselves. It’s a perfect text for stewardship and a call that is often used to encourage people to consider what they really give to God financially.
In our giving to God we can’t specify a general amount for everyone, but we can call everyone to think about what they give – sometimes people moan about the cost of the Church for a wedding, not often but occasionally, and for some it can be a lot of money, but for some you will find that the couple of hundred pounds they are paying for the Church is absolutely dwarfed by the amount they’re paying for a photographer, for flowers for a dress, for table decorations and so many other things, all of which are paid happily.
But we can’t just criticise those outside the Church – the money that most of us spend in a week compared to what we give to God, and I very much include myself on this, is quite a worrying figure. Jesus asks for radical transformation – how ready are we to accept it ?
And there are other things that can also make us clench that fist in the jar – perhaps a dislike of someone, someone we believe it impossible that we could ever like – Jesus says that with God all things are possible ! And that includes even caring about those we really find it hard to like.
Or what about thinking we’re always right – Helen will tell you that I do this, but I have to say that even though I claim to be right most of the time (!!!), I’m not always ! And then there’s a lust for power or position – our society encourages such a lust, and yet people who seek power and maintain it at all costs, are not just hurting others, they are hurting themselves as well !
There are so many things that stop us from enjoying real freedom in our lives, and so many things which stop us from moving closer to God, and only we can choose to do anything about them – and our first step is to seek God’s help because we will probably need it !!
Jesus gave two very basic commandments – love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself. Basic, but radical life changing words – love means to offer to a person everything we have, not for the person to take those things away from us, but for that person to show us how we can best use them.
Our devotion to God is almost certainly directly proportional to what we give him not just financially but in every aspect of our lives – may we be willing to turn everything over to him trusting that in him we will be radically transformed to enjoy the everlasting peace which he offers us. AMEN
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