Texts in Context | Imagining the Texts -- First Lesson;  Epistle;  Gospel | Prayer&Litanies |  Hymns & Songs | Children's Sermons | Sermons

•  The "M" - Word, Mark 10: 17-31, by Rev. Randy L Quinn     (see below)
   

• Sharper than a Two-Edged Sword,   Hebrews 4:12-16, Rev. Frank Schaefer
   

• Help in the Time of our Need,  Hebrews 4:12-16, By Rev. Randy Quinn
   

• Being Read By The Word, Mark 10:17-31, Hebrews 4:12-16, by Rev. Thomas Hall
   

•  When The Usual Wisdom Doesn’t Work, a sermon based on Job, by Rev. Thomas Hall
   

• Security Without Money, Mark 10: 17-31, Jim from B.C.
   
• God Who Gave Everything, Mark 10:17-31, Jim Chipps in VA
   
• The Way of Christ, Mark 10:17-31, Greg In South Africa
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• Willingly Give Up Everything! Mark: 10.17-31, Reuben Condie
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• I am them, Mark 10:17-31, LukeW in Oz

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The "M" - Word
a sermon based on Mark 10: 17-31
by Rev. Randy L Quinn

Most of us hear this text and think it’s about someone else. It’s about people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet and Carolyn Kennedy. It’s about people like Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez. It’s about people like Bill Cosby and Oprah Winfrey.

Or maybe we think it’s about people who won the lottery or who took home the prize on “The Wheel of Fortune” or who correctly answered all the questions on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”.

When we think of sin, we like to look at the sin of other people. We don’t like to look at our own. It’s OK for a pastor to speak about sin, just not OUR sin. That’s when a pastor crosses the line and begins to meddle.

In a similar manner, we look at the rich young ruler and assume it’s about someone who is rich, but not about us.

But the truth is, we are rich. When you compare any of us to the vast majority of the people in the world, we are rich. If we had half of what we own and earned half of what we earn, we would still be among the richest 10% of the world’s people.

And most of us didn’t do anything to be included in that category. We were simply born in America. Most of us were born with a silver spoon in our mouths. Our wealth was inherited from our parents – and that’s true for those of us who were born in the depression as well as those born during this recent period of economic expansion.

If we don’t recognize ourselves in this story, we’ve simply not heard the story. This story is about us. It’s not about the rich entertainers who entertain us – though they are included in it. Nor is it about the rich ball players we pay to play for us – though they are included in it, too. This story is primarily about us – the ones who can afford to be entertained or spend time watching a ball game.

We are people who have money. And whether we want to admit it or not, we have lots of money.

And not only do we cling to it in ways not too different from the young man who meets Jesus, we can also say we’ve attended church since our youth. We’ve learned the commandments and obey them.

Most of us can say we’re basically good people.

This story is about us.

The Disciples are stunned by what they heard and we need to be, too, precisely because he is talking about us (v 26). But when the Disciples ask if it counts that they have given up home and family and income, Jesus assures them that they will receive their reward (vv 27-30).

Are we just as fearful as the Disciples were when we ask if we have done what needs to be done to “inherit eternal life” (v 17)?

It’s OK to feel a little squeamish.

We don’t like to talk about money, and we especially don’t like to talk about our own money. It’s OK to talk about taxes and rising prices, but it’s another thing altogether to speak about personal wealth in our society.

The fact remains that Jesus spoke more about money than he did about prayer. He spoke more about money than he did about family. He spoke more about money than he did about faith. In fact, the only thing he is reported to have spoken about more than money was the Kingdom of God.

And I believe that’s because money is more than just a “medium of exchange” as we were taught in school. It’s a powerful force in our society. Money is a rival god to the God we claim to worship.

“In God We Trust” is printed on our money, but the truth is that money has become our god. It’s money we trust.

And money is an all-consuming god. Jesus was right when he said we cannot serve God and mammon (Mt 6:24). They are rival gods who want our everything.

I’ve said many times before that I don’t believe money should make our decisions, especially not in the church. When money makes our decisions, money has become the god we serve.

Those who have no money as well as those who have plenty of money can fall prey to the power of this false god. Those who have no money can just as easily spend their lives wishing they had money or pursuing money as if it were the solution to their problems. And those who have more money than they can count can just as easily spend their lives looking at the bottom line when they make decisions.

In either case, money is making their decisions. Money has become their god.

I challenge you to take that standard to measure your own lives. Which god do YOU serve? How do you make decisions in your life?

I confess my own guilt at this point. While I have tried to live my life differently, I can still name times in my life – and some of them have been fairly recent – when money made a decision for me.

We are all guilty. [continue]