Based on the Gospel lesson for October 14, 2012
Mark 10:17–27 as a Gospel dialog
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and
grace my fears relieved… (“Amazing Grace,” st. 2)
The Gospel, we’re told, afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted. Indeed, for us to believe that grace is amazing, we need to be afflicted. We need to be convicted, convinced, of our utter dependence on the grace of God through Jesus Christ for our salvation.
This lesson is well versed at afflicting, convicting and convincing.
Many of us know this story as “Jesus and The Rich Man.” The man kneeling before Jesus was rich. Like him, most of us are owned by our possessions. Our garages, closets and hearts are stuffed full of things.
In global terms, an annual salary of $25,500 puts a person among the world’s richest 10 percent. An annual salary of $50,000 puts a person among the top 1 percent of the world’s richest people [www.globalrichlist.com].
The man asks Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). He is shocked and grieved by the answer: “Sell what you own, give the money to the poor…and follow me” (Mark 10:21). The man is convicted.
But maybe the story of the Rich Man does not afflict you. You don’t feel rich. You might have good reason to feel poor. Maybe you are this close to selling your earthly goods and becoming a long-term missionary.
For you, let’s retitle the story, “Jesus and the Good Man.”
The man kneeling before Jesus was good, not Jesus GOOD, but very good. Good people can be tempted to be full of themselves. Good people can begin to think their faithful actions are earning their way into heaven.
Maybe the convincing title for you, good reader, is “Jesus and the Generous Giver,” or “Jesus and the Smart Person,” or “Jesus and the Hard Worker,” or “Jesus and the Long-term Missionary.” What is it that makes you feel you are in control, earning more and more Heaven Bonus Points every day? That is the title of the story for you.
Jesus summarizes for the disciples: “How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:24). How hard it is—impossible, really—for a rich person to get into heaven, but any number of fill-in-the-blank answers would work.
How hard it is—impossible, really—for a faithful or kind or popular person to get into heaven. How hard it is—impossible, really—for the likes of you and me to get into heaven.
Good news: Salvation is not up to us.
Jesus loved the rich, good man as he knelt before him. Jesus loved the rich, good, shocked and grieved man as he walked away. The man was undeserving of salvation as he knelt before Jesus and he was undeserving of salvation as he walked away. Christ’s death and resurrection saves him, anyway.
“Who can be saved?” the disciples ask each other. Loving them, Jesus answered, “For mortals [salvation] is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible” (Mark 10:26–27).
We are saved because of amazing grace. That’s amazing good news.
—Sue Edison-Swift
