Candle lighting
We light this flame to affirm that new life and light
is ever waiting to break through to enlighten our ways:
that new truth is ever waiting
to break through to illumine our minds,
and that new love is ever waiting
to break through to warm our hearts.
May we be open to this light,
and to the rich possibilities that it brings us
call to worship
Creator God, you formed the heavens and the earth and all that is by your Word and your Spirit. You give us life and breath, and so we come to praise you.
Redeeming God, you came to us in Jesus and walk this journey of life with us. You know us completely. Our hearts and lives lie open to your loving gaze.
Healing God, your presence is balm to our hurts and in your loving forgiveness we are set free. We freely offer ourselves to you, and trust you, Holy Spirit, to guide and inspire us.
touching base
reading
As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?” Jesus said, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the commandments: Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, honour your father and mother.”
He said, “Teacher, I have—from my youth—kept them all!” Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.”
The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.
Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s kingdom?” The disciples couldn’t believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: “You can’t imagine how difficult. I’d say it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for the rich to get into God’s kingdom.”
That got their attention. “Then who has any chance at all?” they asked. Jesus was blunt: “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.”
Peter tried another angle: “We left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They’ll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first.”
reflection threads and questions
The man’s question is about getting eternal life – in the NRSV it says ‘inherit’ eternal life.
As Jesus reflected on how hard it is for the rich to ‘enter the kingdom’, the disciples are shocked, dismayed and astounded. Conventional wisdom has a cause and effect approach to life: those who do good are blessed and favoured while those who do ill meet with suffering and failure.
The rich man wants to get something for his good behaviour – his just desserts – and Jesus’ idea of justice is …unexpected, shall we say?
The kingdom of heaven, God’s kingdom, isn’t a location – it is a way of being in the world. Eternal life isn’t a reward after death for living a good life – it is a way of living this life now, this now, received as gift, open to possibilities, trusting that whatever comes there is grace to offer and confident that we can do this. We can receive and offer grace, without strings, without fear, without limits. This is the hope we are living into.
- What has your experience been of receiving grace? Do you have a story from the last week or two where you entered into this way of living with trust and hope?
- How have you understood ‘the kingdom of heaven’ and how does this idea of ‘a way of living now’ fit with your understanding?
- Looking forwards, what gets in the way of your trusting and hoping? And what might support you to deeper trust and more spacious hope?
prayers of the people
blessing
Go in peace.
Love and care for one another in Christ’s name; and may God so bless you,
that all who see you or hear you feel welcome in your presence;
may the Spirit so touch you that others are comforted by your words and your actions,
and may Jesus the Christ dwell in you so richly that others are drawn to God by you. Go well, go humbly, go in peace. Amen
