Emptied, to be Filled
A Sermon by the Reverend Shearon Sykes Williams on the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (B), October 10th, 2021
Mark 10:17-31
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ Mark 10: 17-31
The young man in today’s Gospel has done everything right. He has done all that he has been taught his whole life. He has kept the commandments. He has lived honorably. He loves God and loves his neighbor. And yet he isn’t sure that he is going to heaven when he dies. He runs to Jesus, kneels before him and earnestly asks, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” What must I DO? And Jesus tells him something shocking. “Sell what you own, give it to the poor, and come, follow me.” Jesus challenges him to change his focus from what will happen when he dies and concentrate on the here and now. Eternal life starts right now and lasts forever, if he is willing to give away everything so that he can receive something far more precious.
In Jesus’ day, wealth was a sign of God’s favor. It was thought to be evidence that God had rewarded you for living a virtuous life. And that’s the worldview that this young man had grown up in. You work hard, you do the right thing, and God will reward you. (It’s not that different today when you think about it.
Jesus knows that what he is telling him is hard to hear. And he is filled with love for this very sincere, devout young man. Jesus looks into his eyes and straight into his heart. He sees that what is holding him back is his attachment to his wealth, his comfort, his security. And most importantly, Jesus sees that at the root of it all is pride. His pride is the biggest obstacle to his spiritual growth. It is evident in his question to Jesus. What do “I” need to “DO.” He thinks it’s all about him. He wants to know how he can achieve his eternal reward, how he can earn his salvation. And Jesus tells him that it’s not all about him. It’s about being emptied so that he can be filled. Jesus invites him to follow him on a path of relinquishment in order to receive everything. And he cannot do it alone. That is why Jesus later tells his disciples, “For mortals, it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” That is the paradox of the Kingdom of God. We cannot save ourselves. God alone can save us. And it is also true that we have to cooperate with God. It’s a both-and. Grace is sufficient and we have to respond to it. Jesus opens the door, he shows us the way, but we have to choose to walk through it. Jesus never forces himself on anyone, but he invites and invites and invites. And he also challenges. His way is hard because it goes against the grain of the world we live in. Jesus repeatedly tells us throughout the Gospels in a variety of ways, that we are to be “in the world but not of the world”. We are to put our trust in him and not deceive ourselves that we are our own master. And yet we have agency. Both are true. God is our Savior and yet God allows us to decide the path we will follow.
Most of us can connect with the young man. We all have wealth and privilege, especially compared to the vast majority of the rest of the world. And many of us have worked hard to get to where we are in life. But it’s a big spiritual problem for us if we think we got where we are on our own. Pride and a sense of self-sufficiency are antithetical to walking the Way of Jesus. It’s not bad to feel good about our accomplishments, that’s a good thing, but realizing that none of us accomplishes anything without God’s help is the key to the kingdom. Pride is a big obstacle to our spiritual growth. And practicing generosity is a powerful antidote to pride because it takes us out of ourselves, and redirects our focus to God and other people.
Generosity is an important spiritual practice. Generosity takes two forms, generosity of spirit and generosity of material wealth. And they work hand in hand. Having a generous spirit means having an open and accessible way of being in the world, looking for the image of God in others and being willing to share ourselves, offering hospitality and kindness.
We all know people that we admire for their generous spirits. Archbishop Desmond Tutu is always someone who springs to mind for me. He radiates generosity with his incredible warmth and joy. And he has had an extremely challenging life. He has followed Jesus on the difficult path of discipleship, working to realize God’s kingdom of justice, peace, and love in the here and now, the kingdom that will last forever. Living through apartheid as he was growing up in South Africa, speaking out against injustices, and suffering slings and arrows from all sides. After apartheid finally came to an end, Archbishop Tutu chaired the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate human rights abuses that had taken place during the struggle for civil rights, a process that brought these things into the open so that there could be forgiveness and healing. Most people would have become hardened after everything he has been through, walling themselves off spiritually, but just like Jesus in today’s Gospel, Archbishop Tutu looks at people with an open heart, and speaks the truth in love, even to people who are very difficult to love. He walks the Way of Jesus.
And having a generous spirit is what leads us to be generous with our wealth. When our hearts and minds are open to others, we want to give in response to their needs – and giving is very good for our own spiritual health. It’s a both-and. Jesus calls us to give not expecting anything in return and yet we receive something priceless, the gift of God’s kingdom, now and forever. Not all of us are called to give all of our money away, but we are called to examine our relationship with money and give a portion of it away so that it will not have control over us. Our walk with Jesus is about transformation and growing in generosity over time is an important part of that.
Generosity is what our new mission statement is all about. “Growing in God’s love to promote justice, healing and reconciliation.” As we grow in God’s love, our desire for justice, healing and reconciliation increases. When we grow in God’s love, our spirits become more generous and we are more attuned to the needs of those around us. We come together for worship seeking our own transformation so that God can empower us to minister to those around us.
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”