Things are Not What they Seem.

Job 23:1-9, 16-17 & Mark 10:17-31

Things are not what they seem! For Job, God’s judgement seat IS the place of refuge… not of condemnation for he says, “…my judge will deliver me forever” (Job 23:7)” The Holy Spirit gave Job the same certainty that Jesus gives us: that God’s kingdom is not just OUT THERE, but right HERE… on earth… NOW!

That’s what Job desperately wanted to know… that’s what… we need. For Christians it is a positive: not a negative; we rejoice it we embrace it! Jobs SO - CALLED ‘friends’ are scandalised by Job even suggesting he has direct access to God’s judgement and justice… to God’s love and freedom by which he - and we - are put to rights.

Our Coalition Government… not to mention world leaders… are equally scandalised that GOD is actually HERE - NOW. That God is NOT just a ‘private’ space… (up there) but ALSO in a very PUBLIC one (down here) which until now… human beings have treated as their very OWN space!

Just read the Crown’s statement about Christchurch Cathedral… which basically says churches have NO RELEVANCE in the PUBLIC sphere… and we’re told has been relegated - to the private pursuit by a few individuals who do no public good!

It is in these times that with Job we MUST know that God’s kingdom is… here… NOW. As Jesus said, God’s kingdom is arriving… it’s as close as my HAND is to my FACE! (Mark 1:15)”

I warn you: things are not what they seem… That’s why… it’s easier to SQUEEZE a camel… through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter God’s Kingdom!! (Mark 10:25)

That’s why… Jesus looks so ‘hard’ at the rich young ruler AND… with such love! (10:21)

That’s why… the RICH (young) ruler didn’t what to go to heaven when he DIED (and nor… was he offered that)… BUT he does want to inherit eternal life, that is the LIFE OF THE AGE TO COME… The ultimate promise of the gospel is… not… life after death… its “life AFTER… life after… death” (N T Wright). Jesus initiates the life… here and now… a life where God makes his home amongst us, where earth is made new… by God’s… heaven. (Revelation 21:1f)

Things are not as they seem! So when the young man bounds up to Jesus and asks, “What must I do in inherit the life of the age to come?”, Jesus responds by OMITTING the first four commandments and only listing the last six! He omits keeping the sabbath (hint: JESUS IS the sabbath) but more to the point… Jesus judges the rich young ruler as putting other gods (small g) before the LORD GOD! Of having good - things which he has allows to become… idols… and hints that his money could have been obtained by fleecing others, and that for sure he has taken God’s name… in vain!

If I was to apply this in our setting I would suggest that… for Anglicans the “liturgy”, the crossing of ALL the t’s and dotting ALL i’s… of doing ALL things in decency and in order and putting God somewhere up there (just like Job’s, “so - called”, friends) means that these otherwise ‘good’ things can ALSO take the place of… GOD (Capital ‘G’). AND because Jesus…is here - now… doing things… different… it’s HIS prerogative! And THAT’S why… to expect anything… LESS… from Jesus… is to take the Lord’s name… in vain!

The rich young man - and we - are sinners… and yet in God’s judgement of this young man we ALSO see God’s love. They are NOT mutually exclusive! We, like the rich young ruler do not (and cannot) keep ALL the commands. We need a Saviour who is able to identify with us and enables us to inherit the life of the age to come! Jesus gives this young man, a NEW commandment, “Sell whatever you possess and give it to the poor… THEN ( and only ‘then’) come and follow ME!” A word of judgement AND a word of love.

BOTH… are GOD’S WORDS. What God “demands” from Jesus… Jesus… “demands” from us! Whether is getting rid of whatever you possess (or whatever possesses you) only God can can make that loving - “demand” of us… and only we… of our own free will… can respond!

This is not just “playing” church! This is being disciples! This is following Jesus, this is creating treasure in heaven! (10.21). Again, we forget this is about the here and now… in other words… this is making ‘with drawls’ for life of the age to come… NOW! After all, every banker knows that customers don’t spend the money they’ve saved… IN the bank… AT the bank. Likewise, he ‘treasurers’ safeguarded in heaven… are for use… on earth… as the holy spirit of Jesus leads! That’s why Jesus looks at the rich young ruler in such a hard… way… he knows… this is a life and death decision in the sense that this man becomes… truely human by dealing with what… possesses him… so he can TRUELY inherit… the life of the age to come… which is here… now!

He also looks at the man with… such love. And doesn’t that say it all. Not a word is spoken by Jesus or the man. This is an eternal transaction!

Actions speak louder than words. The man who’d run to Jesus, (and like a good Anglicans!) then knelt before him… now… without a word… and with great sadness… slowly… turns on his heels and walks away from the life of the age to come… which is… both… HERE… and Now. Jesus looks with a slow - piercing - stare… it now rests on each of the disciples…(10:23)… for JESUS knows they’re on their way to Jerusalem and what they’re really made of… will be revealed for ALL to see… The crowd will soon SHOUT (Yah!) “Welcome to the …kingdom of our… Father David… the Kingdom coming (quote) right NOW!” (11:10)… BUT that would be replaced by, “crucify HIM!”

This… is their ‘Job’ moment! The moment when Jesus will absorb all death and destruction, all human idolatry, all sin, all evil, all frailty and folly, all accusers, and all accusations… for every side … and everyone… all malice… all hates… all violence… all false dichotomies, all the separations in heaven and on earth which God wants to bring together… including private and public… ALL OF THIS… JESUS bears… knowing that GOD is somehow with him! Inexplicably. judgement and… love… have come together…

At which point Job speaks for Jesus, “… I am not silenced by the darkness… by the thick darkness that covers my face…” For GOD is in THAT moment is with Jesus… and that THIS God will deliver JESUS… (and Job and us) forever!” God in Jesus, is ALSO in your darkest days… with you! Jesus looks at each of this disciples… he knows they will fail; just when he needs them, they’ll fall asleep… everyone of them will betray and walk away… Jesus is so alone: LORD GOD… not MY will… but YOURS be done…”

Just at that point… Jesus is arrested… and Mark records that, “… they ALL abandoned him and ran away… including a young man … wearing… only a linen tunic… who was ALSO seized by the authorities… and as they grabbed his tunic… he ran away… completely… naked (14:51 - 52).

We are NOT told this man’s name. I could have been Mark… it could have been any one of us, who, like Adam and Eve have hidden our nakedness… from God! But there’s also a chance… this naked man was… the rich young ruler… for we know the man was young and only the rich wore linen tunics……….. NOTHING… in my HANDS I bring… simply… to the CROSS………. I CLING!

The Rev Don Pilgrim, 13/10/24