Jan. 31st, 2011
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” Mark 10:23-25
My thoughts today have little to do with theology or even the interpretation of this particular scripture. They have more to do with Jesus. I wonder often why we don’t see Jesus laughing, smiling, or joking with the disciples or the crowds. My favorite portrayal of Jesus is of him laughing this huge belly laugh, head thrown back, huge smile…I just love the thought of him laughing. We don’t see that or read of that in any of the gospels. I suppose the easy answer is that there wasn’t that much room on the original papyrus scrolls – so the gospel writers didn’t want to waste any space on such useless trivialities as humor, laughter, lightness. Another reason may me that the disciples/writers didn’t feel that it painted a holy enough picture of Jesus to show him kidding around with the disciples. But there is no way 13 grown men, thrown together under this stressful and blessed mission, wouldn’t have down time to kick back and laugh.
I think this passage may give us a small glimpse into Jesus’ sense of humor. Here and in a couple other passages Jesus employs what we have come to know as one means of humor – absurdity. Making utterly absurd statements is a form of humor, and I think they reveal that Jesus did have a sense of humor, and he used it more than it is recorded. How else can you make sense of a passage such as: “don’t worry about that miniscule little speck in your brother’s eye, while you have that telephone pole sticking out of your own eye!” Or here – “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle…” I know some have tried to “spiritualize” this passage by attaching its meaning to a small, low, gate into the city of Jerusalem. The gate was so small that a camel would have to get on its knees and crawl if it wanted to enter the city through that gate. The “spiritualizers” then make the point that if any rich person wants to get to heaven, he/she must humbly get on his/her knees and crawl to Jesus. I think that is nonsense. If you have to play such “spiritual gymnastics” to make scripture make sense for you…then I think you are trying to hard!
Why can’t we just accept the fact that Jesus had a sense of humor, and that at least a few times in the precious recorded scriptures there was no other way to record or interpret what Jesus was saying other than to recognize He was making a joke, or being funny, or laughing hysterically…often times at our ‘other worldly’ attempts to make sense of His sense of humor…then and now!

Jan. 27th, 2011
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” Mark 10:23-25
I may have to spend a couple days on these couple verses. I know my heart and mind have been consumed of late with lots of things related to money. Not only have I just finished a 3-part series on “Enough – Creating Balance for Fiscal Freedom” – but our church has been blessed by experiencing another Christmas miracle where we gave away $32,000 to a local homeless shelter.
The phrase that jumped at me today is at the beginning of verse 24 after Jesus had just announced that it was hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. This amazed them. I couldn’t help but immediately wonder why this so amazed them. They were poor, mostly. Maybe Matthew the tax collector had some ill-gotten means; but as a group they were poor...none of them could even afford a decent set of fishing nets – what do we most often find them doing before Jesus came along? Fixing their nets! I would think that this pronouncement about “the rich” being hindered might please them…believing or assuming then that the opposite most likely would be true – that the poor would have an easier time getting in. The other thought I had was that most often we interpret this passage the Kingdom of Heaven. When we read the Kingdom of God and remind ourselves what that really is – a present reality defined by the reign of God in the hearts of God’s people, NOW, we see where what he said might make a bit more sense. It is harder for rich people to allow God into their lives and world, because they have so much other stuff, or so many other distractions diverting their attention.
I also believe what might have been going on to create the disciples “amazement”, was the underlying assumption or belief that money, riches, and possessions were often understood to be indicators of God’s blessing! Part of the disciple’s amazement might have been that seeing rich people reinforced their long-held pre-supposition that riches = blessing…and the blest of God would more easily qualify to enter God’s kingdom, than they - the poor or cursed!
I’m sad to say that a similar assumption is not only held in our society – it is espoused and taught by some well-meaning but misguided modern preachers of the day. The Health and Wealth advocates advance this centuries old assumption that a sign, maybe THEE sign of God’s blessing is wealth, money, comfort, riches. I think we’d be well served with a healthy dose of disciple amazement! Part of what I hear from this passage today – we have to have a different standard of understanding God’s blessing! Being rich is not a sin, but it is also not the single factor indicating God’s favor. Note how often throughout the Bible, God is aligned with the poor, and how often God/Jesus warn of the dangers of wealth! What Jesus said is not so fanciful to figure out – as much as it unearths some deep seated assumptions – some of which might be wrong! God’s blessings come in so many ways; sometimes financially – but way more times in other ways that are harder to measure but easier to handle.

Jan. 26th, 2011
Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done.” He told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” [/i ] Mark 10:21
This encounter between Jesus and an enthusiastic young man began with the young man calling Jesus good. Jesus responded: “Why do you call me good? “Only God is truly good.” Most of us might think that this was in some way an attempt by Jesus to show that His perceived goodness paled in comparison to God’s ultimate goodness – but I think in fact what Jesus was doing here was reaffirming Mark’s original intent to reveal Jesus’ identity; Jesus is here saying “I am God.” You recognize me as good, because I and my Father are one. You know I am good because I am God.
The heart of this exchange though is what happens next. The young man wants to follow Jesus, and so he inquires of the Master what he has to do in order to become a disciple and join the merry band. I wonder if he really didn’t know? Could you be so committed to becoming a disciple and not have any idea what that commitment required? Anyway, Jesus tells him to obey the commands. The young man makes a remarkable statement: “I’ve obeyed all these commands since I was young” Wow! This guy was either a self-righteous braggart, or the nearest things to perfect Jesus had probably ever seen! Apparently he was telling the truth because Jesus didn’t spend any time arguing or questioning him about that further – he just cuts to the heart of the matter.
Jesus tells the man with genuine love, “Ok then, there is still one more thing…go and sell all your possessions and give them to the poor, and come follow me.” The man went away sad. Apparently he loved his possessions more than he loved the idea of following Jesus.
We could rag on this guy’s faulty commitment, but better we’d be to look deeper. Seems this guy had it all right, except for one thing. One thing was keeping him from following Jesus. What is our one thing? Is it money or possessions like this guy, or something else, status, power, prestige, security, safety, complacency, fear. Whatever it is that stands between us and God, has to go in order for us to follow Jesus. I don’t think Jesus wants all of us to sell everything we have in order to follow Him, we just have to be willing to commit our whole selves without reservation…including that one thing that we most dearly love – if we want to be true disciples.
One last comment. I find it interesting and frustrating to deal with people who are just like this guy. They seem to have every other aspect of their spiritual lives in order – except their relationship with their money. I believe this guy has attempted to do what so many in our modern day and age attempt: to keep separate our fiscal lives from the rest of our spiritual lives. Too many people say they want to be Jesus followers – but hang on to their money as if God can’t touch that. It’s not all about money, but money and our relationship to it, is one HUGE spiritual indicator in our society. So many of us are just like this bright young guy: We’ve keep all the laws – but we’ll keep our money thank you very much. Going away sad…again.

Jan. 25th, 2011
“Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Mark 10:14-15
I have always loved children. I hope I always do! More than that, I hope to always be childlike in my faith – so that I might receive the Kingdom of God. What does a “child-like” faith look like? It is different than being “childish”. Childish is associated with simple, selfish, immature, demanding, whining, tantrums and such. Unfortunately…I have known way to many ‘adult’ believers whose faith and life (ok, maybe just their ‘church’ life) is described by this very definition! Childlike faith is a faith that believes easily, is open to mystery, fascinated by the unknown, receptive to differences, joyous and sometimes even playful! Childlike faith sees the good in others, embraces new thoughts, entertains new ideas easily. I hope my faith might always look like that.
I think that most of us wish to remain childlike in our faith for the prospect of one day inheriting the eternal Kingdom of God – but I’m more convinced that living with a childlike faith RIGHT NOW – brings the Kingdom - RIGHT NOW! It is not the future reward that ought to motivate us to love children and maintain a faith like theirs – it is the present reality that that Kingdom is revealed to children, (of all ages). Lord, help me embrace the children you bring into path today. Help me look at life and the world with the eyes of a child. Help me practice the discipline of maintaining a childlike faith so that I might enjoy your Kingdom. AMEN

Jan. 24th, 2011
[i ]Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?” Mark 10:1-12
Divorce is such a multi-layered topic; I won’t get at the whole of it, but feel compelled to address it at the inception of this new chapter. The conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees continues to escalate. Here they are trying to trap Jesus with this unusual question. The Pharisees believed that Moses allowed divorce, and they practiced it quite openly. Herod had already taken John the Baptist’s head because of his condemnation of Herod and his adulterous ways and his multiple divorces. Maybe the Pharisees were hoping that Jesus might miss-speak, and raise the ire of Herod again, and then allow Herod to do away with Jesus, and end their opposition with our Lord.
Jesus doesn’t get caught in their devices. He clearly illuminates the highest standard for marriage; affirming that God makes one out of the two, and what God joins, no one should put asunder. But Jesus also doesn’t speak in opposition to Moses who said divorce was allowable; instead reminding them (us) that divorce is allowed by God and Moses to help accommodate our human sinfulness. He doesn’t lower the standard, and he doesn’t let us off the hook.
I’m afraid our divorce practices today are probably not much different than in Jesus’ day. Except that today both men and women have equal opportunity to seek and attain a divorce. I believe that Jesus’ standard is that marriage is permanent, and divorce is regrettable – but sometimes it is the lesser of two evils. In the case of abuse or for the safety of children; I’m certain that Jesus allows for our humanness to justify a regrettable divorce – not lowering the standard; but allowing for the consequences of living in this broken world. I know many good people who have been divorced – some with very legitimate and valid reasons; some with no other good reason than they were stupid or wrong, or just plain “human”. In either case, God’s grace is sufficient, and God’s love is supreme. People can be forgiven, and people can be remarried. I’m not trying to lower God’s standard anymore than Jesus did – but I’m trying to allow for God’s grace. I’m afraid in our society divorce is way too easy, and whenever it is kept as an option in a relationship – it will be the first option exercised when difficulties enter a relationship…and they will enter. My advice – don’t make divorce an option, don’t tease or kid about it, don’t joke or even speak of it with your spouse. Make divorce the only last ditch choice when every other option has been exhausted. Marriage is sacred, divorce is allowable, but always regrettable.