Resurrection, El Greco, 1584-94. CGFA.
A rich official approached Jesus one day and asked what he had to do in order to follow him. One may imagine Jesus' disciples feeling flattered that a rich official wanted to know how to join their cause. Judas, as the money manager of the group, must have been delighted at the prospect. So imagine the disciples feelings when Jesus told the rich official, "Sell everything you have and give the money to the poor then come and follow me." The disciples, dumbfounded, may have looked at one another with bulging eyes of disbelief. Not surprisingly, the rich official deferred from such a demanding offer. The price was too high. (Cf. Luke 18:18-30)
Perhaps the rich official was like that ultimate American icon, a self-made man. Perhaps he'd made his money the old-fashioned way - he'd earned it. We don't know how he got his wealth for the Bible doesn't say. The Bible does say the man was morally pure. Yet the issue between the rich official and Jesus went deeper even than money or morality. The issue went as deep as the mystery of a joyous God who offers resurrection life to any who are willing to give up everything to obtain it.
To paraphrase what Jesus told his disciples before sending them out as missionaries around the countryside, "If you can't fit it in a backpack don't take it with you." Jesus put this requirement on the front end of the deal in his encounter with the rich official. Jesus welcomed the rich official provided he packed light.
The problem for the rich official and for each of us is our difficulty in letting go of those things that are most valuable to us. If you've recently moved, you know what I mean. There are precious memories associated with our possessions. We have invested ourselves in personal effects. We face a similar challenge when we have to clean out the house of a parent of relative who has died. We are reluctant to be parted from that special chest of drawers in the master bedroom – the one our grandmother gave us. Physical objects help us feel planted securely in the soil of a particular place.
We all share a human need for shelter and a sense of being loved. We seek security in our investments whether they be financial, physical or spiritual. We crave security especially in our relationships. The blessing and tragedy of family life is the unconditional love we sometimes experience and the love we sometimes lose. Our deep need for love goes beyond reason into our very subconsciousness and it is at that deeper level where Jesus meets us. Jesus meets us at the level of our deepest needs for security and unconditional love.
In the sacrament of baptism we enact our need for supportive relationships and God's unconditional love for us. The baptismal ritual reminds us of the give and take of Christian discipleship. Recall these questions for the baptismal candidate.
Do you renounce all evil,
and powers in the world
which defy God's righteousness and love?
I renounce them.
Do you renounce the ways of sin
that separate you from the love of God?
I renounce them.
Do you turn to Jesus Christ
and accept him as your Lord and Savior?
I do.
Will you be Christ's faithful disciple,
obeying his Word and showing his love,
to your life's end?
I will, with God's help.
In our baptismal ritual we enact the challenge Jesus presented to the rich official. The rich official was denied discipleship because he was unwilling to make the necessary renunciations. We all face the choice Jesus gave the rich official. This choice is incorporated into our baptismal liturgy. We say "Yes" to Christ only after saying "No" to the old way of life. Resurrection life comes after death to the old way of life.
The Apostle Paul understood this concept. In our text for today, Paul's letter, as translated by Eugene Peterson, reads, "So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!" Paul calls our new life in Christ "resurrection life." Resurrection life is what Jesus offered the rich official and resurrection life is what Jesus offers us. And we take it! We take this resurrection life like a poor beggar grabs a $100 bill. We are desperate for a deep experience of God. We are as ready to journey with God into resurrection life as a small child is ready to go on vacation to Disneyland with Mommy and Daddy.
Yet, even in Disneyworld, all is not fun and games. It is hot and humid in Orlando in the Summer and in the Magic Kingdom even a ham sandwich for lunch costs nearly ten dollars. Resurrection life is not constant parades with Mickey and Minnie. Resurrection life is the daily decisions that come so fast we hardly have time to think. Hard choices. Costly choices. Resurrection life is paying our pledge to Christ's church when we'd rather upgrade to a smart phone or buy a high definition television.
Resurrection life is not all miracles and glory and it never goes on sale at 40% off. Resurrection life is being patient with tedious people and loving those whom we consider unworthy of our affection. Resurrection life is being open to the Spirit and ready to roll whenever and wherever God leads. As Jesus demonstrated in his challenge to the rich official, the price of admission to resurrection life is extraordinarily high. Renunciations come before profession. Good Friday comes before Easter Sunday. Crucifixion comes before resurrection.
Scott Libby, a traveling minister for a Presbyterian church in Iowa, was to preach for a vacationing minister one Sunday. He decided to get to church early and become familiar with the order of service. Going down the hall, he passed the nursery and saw one child there all by himself. He paused a minute and the child said, "Hi, my name is Tommy."
Dr. Libby replied, "My name is Scott."
Tommy said, "I'm all by myself in this big room."
Dr. Libby repeated, "So you are all by yourself in this big room?"
"Yes," said Tommy, "and I'm lonesome."
"Well, I'm sure somebody will come shortly and be with you, Tommy."
With this, Tommy pulled up to his full stature, looked Dr. Scott in the eye and asked, "What about you?"
Well, what about us? What about you? What about me? We may have only one talent, we may be only one note on God's musical scale, but without us the music will not sound right, the job will not be done well. (On Living Before You Die, Edward Inabet, ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc.)
Jesus challenges us to give up whatever holds us back from living the resurrection life. Pray about this and see if the Spirit shows you the price of discipleship in your own walk with Christ. Count the cost. Run the numbers. You may find that resurrection life is worth the investment. As Paul reminds us, we go through exactly what Christ goes through. The agony of the cross precedes the glory of the resurrection life. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him! With God's help, we will get what's coming to us -- an unbelievable inheritance.
Resurrection life is not cheap but it is available right now. Let's live the resurrection life today. You see, resurrection life does not begin in the sweet by and by when we meet on that beautiful shore. Resurrection life begins right now, today, in the present moment and in each moment of our lives.
Dr. Jon Burnham preached this sermon from Romans 8:12-17
at St. John's Presbyterian Church on Trinity Sunday, June 7, 2009
