October 29, 2006

Pentecost 21

So many things in life are hard, aren’t they?  Like filling out all the school forms that come home every night in your child’s backpack.  Or like trying to fix the sink thinking you could do it because you watched someone else do it once.  Or like getting out of bed every morning at that awful early hour to get to work.  Or like trying to take care of the children, the home, and a career!  Or figuring out what to do with your investments.  Or getting all the bills paid.  Or wondering when you will find the time to get the car fixed, the lawn mowed, and the house winterized. Or like studying for your exams.  Or having that difficult conversation with your client.  Or your girlfriend.  Or your spouse.  Or admitting you need to get counseling.  Or going to that funeral.  Or you might even find it hard just figuring out how to hook up the DVD player or get your computer to send email.  So many things in life are hard!

So isn’t it nice, for a change, when something is easy in life?  With all the hard things there are to do, we want some things to be easy, don’t we?  Staples Business Depot has figured out that this is true about us.  And so, they sell this neat little red easy button.  When you push it, it says: “That was easy.”  Their hunch, I presume, is that people in general will feel better if there are just a few things each day that they can take care of, or cross off their lists, that are easy.  So they can say, “That was easy.”  A tough decision comes across your desk…“That was easy.”  You completed a report…“That was easy.”  You finished the budget…“That was easy.”  You needed a bunch of office supplies, and thought you would have to go running all over to different stores to get them, but found out you could get them all at one friendly store…“That was easy.”

This appeals to us, because we want a few things in life to be easy.  Most new technology is an effort to make life easier.  Computers that are simpler to operate.  Software that is easier to work with.  Banking that can be done online.  Bills paid automatically.  “That was easy.”  Appliances to make life easier.  Lights on timers.  Garage door openers. “That was easy.” Getting the news and information easier and quicker.  Phones that hook to our ears so we don’t even have to lift them up with our hands!  Communication that is easier to understand.  Sermons that are easier to listen to.  Church services that are easier to go to.  Songs that are easier to sing.  “That was easy.”  We want things in life, when possible, to be easy.

Is the same thing true in our spiritual lives?  Do we sometimes want to put God in a little box so we can understand Him?  Easy directions on how to live our lives for Him?  An easy “how to” list?  An easy way to keep in his good graces – maybe attending church once a week?  An easy way to ease our consciences?  An easy way to heaven?  Wouldn’t it be great if religion was easy too?  That’s what the rich young man who approached Jesus was hoping…

This man thought he had life taken care of.  His great wealth meant that he didn’t have to worry about a lot of things other people had to worry about.  He didn’t have to worry about having a place to live or food to eat.  Because of his wealth and his intellect, a lot of things in life had probably come easy to him.  But now he had one final question.  He didn’t need advice for his life.  But his conscience told him there was a more important matter.  Life hereafter.  He had all his ducks in a row here on earth, but now just had to make sure that things were taken care of for eternity.  Since life had been easy for him he wanted salvation to be easy, too.  And he assumed his heavenly inheritance would come to him as easily as his earthly inheritance had.  He probably thought he was already set.  He was just checking to make sure if there was one more easy little thing he had to do to guarantee heaven.

“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  This man was deeply religious.  He wanted to be right with God.  He was loved by people and figured he was loved by God.  He thought that he was an heir because of his works.  Not because of a promise.  He thought Jesus was a good teacher who could help him on his way, but He didn’t see Jesus as the way.  So Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good?  No one is good – except God alone.”  In other words, are you saying that I am God?  Jesus knew he wasn’t.  He wasn’t trusting in Jesus.  He was trusting in himself.  Jesus knew the only way the dangerous cycle could be ended was if the man stopped trusting in himself and started trusting in Jesus as his Lord and God!

So Jesus asked him to examine himself.  “You know the commandments, right?”  “Teacher, all these I have kept since I was a boy.”  “Hey! That was easy!” This man wasn’t bragging or boasting.  He just had no doubts.  He was sure of himself.  He felt he had kept these laws.  He probably was a model citizen.  The ideal Hebrew young man.  He was sure he had done the things God wanted him to do to get to heaven.  Have you ever felt that way?  You know people who feel that way?  They aren’t worried because they are sure that they have been good enough for God.  How could He not take them to heaven?  The rich man was just looking for some confirmation from Jesus that he was good.  Just double-checking that he has been righteous enough to be right with God, so he can check “getting prepared for eternity” off of his to-do list, and say: “That was easy.”  He wanted an easy answer.  But he wasn’t going to get one from Jesus.

“Jesus looked at him and loved him.  ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.’”  Jesus had to expose the truth that even though this man thought he had kept all the laws, he had actually failed bitterly at the very first one.  Loving God above all else.  And Jesus, who could read his heart, showed this man that God was not the most important thing in his life.  This young man had a deeply in-grown trust in himself.  And Jesus was saying: “You have to trust in God instead.”  “You have to trust in Me!” “At this the man’s face fell.  He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”  After hearing Jesus’ words, this man, as well as Jesus’ disciples, had mouths hanging wide open in shocked silence.  That was NOT easy to hear.

Jesus looked around at all the disciples whom He had just shocked and said: “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”  The disciples were amazed at his words.  But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  In other words, it isn’t easy!  It’s hard!  When you have all your riches and wonderful things in life loading you down, it is hard to enter the kingdom of God!  All self-righteousness and sin must be left behind to enter that narrow door! In fact, if you’re trusting in your own righteousness to get you into heaven, it is impossible!  As impossible as a camel walking through a needle!

That isn’t easy to hear, is it?  It applies to us too!  Do you think you have made God happy by the way you have lived your life?  Think you are one of the chosen because you are so good?  Because you have kept the commandments?  Because you have been a good parent?  A good neighbour?  Stayed out of prison?  Sorry!  That won’t get you in, friends!  Let go of your self-righteousness!  Let go of your attachment to things in this world.  Don’t let your wealth be more important than God!  For you and me, that has been impossible.  Not easy.  Impossible.  Does that knock you off your feet?  Do feel like asking along with the disciples: “who then can be saved?”  By our riches: no one.  By our works: no one.

But now Jesus shares some good news:  “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”  Nothing is impossible with God!  Friends, God can do anything!  Create the whole world in six days just by speaking “Let there be…”?  “That was easy.”  Part the Red Sea so that 2 million people could walk through it completely dry and safe?  “That was easy.”  Make the sun stand still for an extra day? “That was easy.”  Taking on human flesh and being born into this world to a virgin?  “That was easy.”  Feeding 5000 people with a few loaves and fish? “That was easy.”  Raising Lazarus from the dead?  “That was easy.”

Nothing is impossible for God!  How about cleansing the whole world from sin by his Son’s death on the cross?  Now, I’m not going to say that was easy, but with God, that was possible!  How about creating faith in the hearts of people who couldn’t care less about God?  People like you and me?  With God, that is possible!  How about leading a rich person to heaven by bringing him to repentance, getting him to stop trusting in his deeds and riches, and trust in Jesus instead?  Again, with God, that is possible!  And how about bringing you and me to heaven by leading us to trust in Jesus for forgiveness?  Yes, absolutely possible with God!

Getting to heaven is impossible for all of us on our own.  But getting us to heaven is very possible with God.  Eternal life costs far more than what you can pay. You don't need a system, you need a Saviour. You don't need a resume, you need a Redeemer!  God does not save us because of what we've done. Only a puny god could be bought with tithes. Only an egotistical god would be impressed with our pain. Only a temperamental god could be satisfied by sacrifices. Only a heartless god would sell salvation to the highest bidders. But only a great God does for his children what they can't do for themselves.  The rich man's wealth could not buy him a place at the table of God.  But the banquet was already spread! All he had to do was take and eat!  And that’s all we have to do, too, friends!  Take and eat!  “That was easy.”

That’s right, now we can say “That was easy” too!  So many things in life are hard.  It is hard dealing with Guilt.  Failure.  Fear.  Uncertainty of the future.  Death.  Our own mortality.  Wondering where we stand with God.  And it would be impossible to inherit eternal life.  Except for one thing.  Except for Jesus.  Except for the fact that Jesus has made everything possible.  Instead of wondering what we have to do to get to heaven, God wants us to trust that Jesus has done it all for us!  “That was easy.”   Because of Jesus, we can say: “That was easy.” 

Guilt?  Jesus took yours away.  “That was easy.”  Failure?  God overlooks yours because of Jesus.  “That was easy.”  Fear?  No reason to anymore because of Jesus.  “That was easy.”  Uncertainty of the future?  Jesus gives us sure hope, so that no matter what happens here, we have life with Him to look forward to. “That was easy.”  Death in the family?  Our own mortality?  Jesus rose from the dead!  And so will we!  “That was easy.”   Wondering where you stand before God?  No longer!  Jesus put peace between you and Him!  “That was easy.”  You were dreading coming to church this morning, because you thought you would just get made to feel guilty?  Well, hey, you just finished listening to the whole sermon.  And now that you have I hope that you feel that “that was easy.” Because of a Saviour who looks at you and loves you.   Amen.

 

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