The chapter begins with Jesus healing the crowds. The Pharisees come to him and try to trap him in an argument about divorce. this discussion is still energized and contentious today. Jesus answer hearkens back to the Sermon on the Mount material in my mind. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was demonstrating to the crowds that the Law was more than just keeping minimum standards, it was deep heart material that had to be taken with large doses of grace in order for it to be fulfilled. It is also true with this teaching on divorce. Oh God, pour out your grace on us!
While Jesus is teaching some in the crowds bring their children to Jesus to be blessed by him and the disciples try to keep them away. Jesus scolds the disciples saying, "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs." And he laid his hands on them and went on his way." Matthew 19:14-15NRSV. I love this glimpse at Jesus love for children. I love children and I love their noises in our sanctuary. There are some who have left our fellowship and have told me that they can't stand the way the children are allowed to roam and even come up on the pulpit area. I understand their frustration with the noise and the occasional distraction, but I will never chase the children away from our worship!
A man comes to Jesus asking what good deeds he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus questions him about the keeping of the Law and the man says he is blameless in every way. Interestingly Jesus does not argue with him here, he simply gives him an assignment to go and sell all he possesses and give all he has to the poor, and come follow Jesus. The man turns to leave grieving because he had many possessions. I have always thought the man left never to return, but a good friend of min, Dave Kolassa wonders if the man was grieving because he was going to sell his possessions and he really liked them! Perhaps his grief was the beginning of his faith journey.
What has to go in your life, friend for you to follow Jesus? What will you grieve over today and then leave behind on this journey of faith?
About Me
- Pastor Bill
- I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a happy husband, father and grandfather!
2 comments:
I think Jesus' teaching on divorce are radical in the protection they would give women - women would suffer so much in the society from being divorced. At least that is one layer of what he says.
The rich young man...Jesus says to him, "if you want to be perfect" - I never noticed that before. How interesting. I love Jesus' saying about the camel, and how quickly we want it to mean something else, metaphorical, but how Jesus reminds us that thank God for God - salvation is still possible.
What a whirlwhind of a chapter - from divorce to salvation to children all in a few lines.
It's nice to hear something so serious about divorce. People have made it to be a way of life it seems, while others hold strong to the fact that vows really do mean forever. Divorce is really sad for me to see, and it's clear that it often hurts the children even more. I've worked with a lot of kids who have a lot of struggles and have trust issues and love issues becuase of what they have seen between their parents. :-(
Speaking of children - in this chapter it's great to see Christ talking about them again. "Let them come to me" - how great it is to picture our Lord with open arms.
I can understand the frustrations of people in the church, but it is true that the life and excitement that they bring is what our Faith should really be like.... I enjoy the fact that you never try to keep them away from the sanctuary.
I've always been really interested in this last story - the rich young man... He's pretty bold to be able to ask those questions, wouldn't you say? I wonder if he heard Jesus' Sermon on the Mount talking about the commandments, and how they were more than just what you see on the surface. If he had, would he still say that he had followed all the commandments all his life? Seems almost impossible, but maybe not completely. Maybe even Jesus was pointing out the fact that he had some sin in his life by asking him to sell all that he had...
When the man leaves, it does seem to imply that he will be never coming back...but maybe it just means that he was sad about selling his things. I always thought maybe he was sad because it wasn't the answer he wanted, and now he had some deep thinking to go through. He can't pretend like he wasn't told what to do to receive salvation, so he must make a very important decision: sell or face the concequences...
Can't say it's easy for anyone!
What do I have to leave behind? Seems like there could be a lot of things...
Thank God for being God to make all things possible. That is such a great and encouraging verse.
~Marsh
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