10/15/2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5.17)

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6.24)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Let’s not be so narrow-minded so as to interpret this teaching of Jesus by limiting it to a financial question or situation. As we will hear in the disciples’ question of Jesus as they watched the Rich Young Ruler walked away emptied of hope, “If that rich man cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with eternal life then what chance does a poor man have?” I can only imagine that the disciples were not listening to what Jesus actually said to the young man. It was a fact that he had a great deal of wealth, by whatever means, although his identity is known to them only by the title of “rich young ruler.” We would do well not to create an identity for him in our scouring of the gospels for such facts. Such pursuit only exhibits our desire to control the narrative as was the disciples’ pursuit. When they saw the conference between the two end they could only “read” the situation. Jesus remained steadfast in His position as the rich young ruler found Him. I am not talking about His location though it would safe to say it was near Capernaum and by the sea. I say that because of the information given at the end of chapter 17 in Matthew. That entire dialogue occured after Jesus had taken Peter and the Sons of Thunder up Mount Tabor where He was revealed in glory in the presence of Moses and Elijah. There they heard the voice of God who said, “This is my Son, listen to Him.”

Well, I am not sure what they were listening to except for the interest of their own hearts and mind. It was not so much to their spirit that they listened because by the time they all arrived in Capernaum we find the disciples arguing about “who is the greatest among them.” You can imagine that such a conversation and banter might arise since the disciples had been separated into two “camps.” The one camp was Peter, James and John. Even Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter who was normally identified as a cohort with the inner circle, was not among them during the Transfiguration. Perhaps, he was chosen to remain with the others at the foot of the mountain to do crowd control as a representative of Jesus “and the three.” I don’t know. I am only creating a way of looking at the events as they unfolded. The other camp, the remaining eight disciples plus Andrew, were busy doing whatever they could as a way of ministry and keeping the growing crowd at a dull roar. There was a fire for warming or cooking. Perhaps they had set up camp not knowing how long Jesus and the three would be on the mountaintop retreat. What we do know is that they were not prepared for what happened in Jesus’ absence. A man with a possessed and distressed son approached the disciples. He must have been looking for Jesus and bring his concern for his son so that Jesus could remedy the situation. It was a dire situation as the boy would throw himself into the fire. He had a habit of throwing himself into water as well but there being none into the fire he went. The disciples were at a loss. They depended still mightily on Jesus to handle “the big problems.” Regardless, when Jesus and the three descended from the mountain, the whole chaotic and tragic situation was in full tilt. The boy was out of control. The disciples were covered in fear. The father was frantic. Jesus was not pleased. He asked those disciples “How long must I put up with you? No special chants, herbs or well wishes will do here. This kind of demon can only be dealt with by sincere faith.” Now the disciples are truly dichotimized: three who are blessed with an insight they could not reveal until after “the Son of Man is raised from the dead” (Who heard that one?); one seeing that something special had happened on the mountaintop and he missed out; and the rest who were told their faith didn’t even amount to a mustard seed. (Who heard that one?)

You see, there in Capernaum, this was the backdrop of disciple against disciple saying “who is the greatest.” They meant only among themselves. They didn’t even take into account that Jesus was standing right there like the elephant in the room. We can only imagine that the Sons of Thunder (James and John) may have asked the question. We see that happening in another situation later in Matthew’s gospel (chapter 20) and in Mark 10. They surely could have felt confident in asking it because of their “privileged” information. It could have been Peter who always spoke boldly without first counting the cost to do so. It could have been Andrew who had been entrusted with the “lesser” disciples. Perhaps, it was one of the “other” disciples having counted upon the compassion of Jesus to not leave them out as they may have felt at the foot of Mount Tabor. Jesus, however, included them all by taking up a child and sitting him or her on His lap. He taught “the greatest…” series of lessons ranging from “like a little child” to the shepherd who sought out the lost one from the flock of one hundred and finally to the role of forgiveness on the part of the forgiven and the one needing forgiveness. In other words, being the greatest wasn’t a title but an attitude. The distinction was a choice between “two masters.” And who are those two masters? Well, God and self (or the one who is truly the father of selfishness- Satan and all those who identify with his way of living out the truth.)

Service is always the defining aspect of “greatness” in the kingdom of Heaven and on earth. Service to God or to the “other” reveals in what one places their faith and what kind of faith it is. Is it faith in God or faith in what “works as god in my life”? Too often it is about whatever money can buy. What it can’t buy is faith, faithfulness, hope, hopefulness, peace, peacefulness, salvation, redemption, reconciliation and most of all eternal life with God. You see, there are two eternal life realities. One reality is life with God in perfect harmony and the bliss of spirit and truth. The other reality is life without God in chaos, torture, grief, misery, terror and emptiness. All those things are what too many believe money can resolve. They commit themselves to the money that “solves all problems.” So, when the disciples see the rich young ruler walk away they only assume it had to be that even he didn’t have enough money to gain eternal life. And it is true, just ask the Rich Man in the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man. Money cannot buy love, hope, salvation or eternal life with God. What can provide those things is service, humble service, sacrificial service, willing service, service to death us do part and the commitment to live by faith and not by sight. That way of living opens up a whole different reality for all of us in this world and in the world yet to come. This is where Jesus wanted the disciples to begin their grasp of “the way, the truth and the life.” He wants us to be in that place, too.

PRAYER IN LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD:

Father, You have revealed to us best in Jesus the Christ. By Him and Him alone shall we gain the eternal life and our place in eternal rest, living for You always. Show us more and by Your Holy Spirit instruct us in the way we should go, the truth we should reveal and the life we shall live with you forever. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.