C, Post-Pentecost 18 Proper 23 - Luke 17:11-19, 2 Kings 5:1–3, 7–15c, Psalm 111, 2 Timothy 2:8-15 "Remember, Endure, Remind, and Give Thanks"

 Remember, endure, remind, and give thanks. 

We remember what our parents taught us, we continue in their practices teaching them to  our children, then over and over again we remind them of what we have taught them.

Say, “please”.  Say, “thankyou”.  We teach our children good manners just as we were taught by our parents.  And we repeat this over and over again in our saying please and thankyou by way of example to our children, as well as reminding them to do the same and discipline them when they fail to follow what we’ve taught.

Imagine that having been taught to say please and thankyou by your parents you teach your children to do the same, but in practise you never say please and thankyou to your children or in front of your children with others!  What do you think they will learn?

This “do as I say and not as I do” lesson will be seen with all the hypocrisy it deserves by the young learners.  And they might just ignore the lessons from your lips, in favour of the practice of not saying please and thankyou.

The readings today focus us on thanksgiving — giving thanks.  Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, after initially ridiculing Elisha for his direction to dip himself in the Jordan seven times, is convinced to put his anger aside and do as commanded.

We hear, “Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him.  And Naaman said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel.” (2 Kings 5:15a-c ESV)

Saint Paul calls Timothy to remember Jesus Christ, the gospel of promise that, “If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.”  (2 Timothy 2:11-13 ESV)

Here Paul encourages Timothy in the Christian life cycle of death and resurrection — remembering, enduring, reminding, and giving thanks. 

When we die with him, we live with him.  Daily dying to self, letting the pride die, to confess sin, to serve sinners with the love of Christ, bearing the cross that Jesus and the Holy Spirit have set aside for you to bear, even before this world was created.

By enduring in this “death and resurrection cycle”, comes the promise of reigning with Jesus Christ.  When we are reminded of Jesus’ covenant made through his death and resurrection, we remember the many big and small deaths and resurrections we face in this life is a preparation for the great day of resurrection that awaits our final death.  This final death reminds us and causes us to remember our first death and resurrection, when we were baptised into Jesus’ death and resurrection outside Jerusalem two thousand years ago.

Paul then says, “if we deny Jesus, he will also deny us”.  Denial here is a refusal to endure, a rejection of remembrance, and stopping all means of being reminded.  It’s here we look at the ten lepers. 

Lepers are ritually unclean.  They cannot come into the presence of God in the temple until they are made clean (Lev 14:1-32).  Jesus sends the lepers to the priests after they say, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” (Luke 17:13 ESV)  They say, “please”.  But only one returns to say, “thankyou!”

This thankful healed leper is a Samaritan.  The other nine are assumed to be Jews.  Can you hear the levels of irony here? 

For the cleansing of leprosy, the priest goes to the leper, but here the lepers are sent to the priests by Jesus.  They plead for mercy and Jesus commands them to go.  Did the other nine realise they were healed on the way?  We are not told.  We are only told of one Samaritan who returns having been healed and is called by Jesus to, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:19 ESV)

To where would he rise and go?  Jesus is going to Jerusalem, he has sent the other nine there as well, to the priests in the temple.  This cleansed Samaritan is told by Jesus, “go your way.”  This is the way of faith.

One would  hope after the nine went to the priests in Jerusalem, they would have witnessed Jesus’ death and resurrection and with the Samaritan would have acknowledged Jesus as Lord.  In this way they would die with Jesus and be raised to life.  They then having died to self would have been strengthened to confess Jesus Christ in the face of denial, rejection, and death at the cross.

However, we know Jesus had no support at the cross.  All denied him.  But having been raised from death we now are one with him in his death and resurrection.  Denying him now, puts us on slippery ground knowing he has been raised.  Continuous denial of Jesus Christ is serious stuff, especially when we hinder the Holy Spirit’s work of our death and resurrection in Jesus Christ.

Saint Paul warns Timothy of the seriousness of denying Jesus’ death and resurrection having died to sin and enduring in our resurrection through him.  But even in the face of denial, Paul tells Timothy of Jesus’ faithfulness.

While we are alive, while we remain in the death and resurrection of our baptism, Jesus will continue to be faithful to us despite our faithlessness.  This is good news, as the way of death and resurrection always remains open for us, to be returned to our baptism into Jesus Christ, and the Christian cycle of death and resurrection.  This return is enacted by the Holy Spirit also because of  Jesus’ death and resurrection.

We are reminded here we are always remembered by Jesus Christ; he is faithful to us despite our forgetfulness and faithlessness.  This is why he sends the Holy Spirit as our helper, our reminder, the one who endures with us, setting up events, bringing lepers into our lives to remind us of Jesus’ love and faithfulness, despite the leprosy of our sin.

We are tempted to deny Christ, deny our sinfulness, and deny our subsequent salvation in these times.  Ridicule, being treated with contempt for revealing sin in others through our confession of Christ, being despised and mocked for our faith, tempts us to deny Jesus Christ.  We say, “please save us”, but find it difficult to say, “thank you Lord”, especially before others and the world.

Like Naaman, the leper, and the Samaritan leper, we are reminded of the leprosy of our sin and caused to remember our healing in Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit calls us out of denial and unfaithfulness into remembrance, reminding, and endurance. 

Jesus has healed you and says to you, Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.  We are reminded that our faith is faith given to us in Jesus’ death and resurrection.  We remember his promise that the Holy Spirit will guide us on our way through death to eternal resurrection.  This way causes us to give thanks and praise.

Like Naaman and the Samaritan leper we who see our healing and the way of death and resurrection are faithfully given words by which we too can say, thankyou God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, for reminding me of your faithfulness and remembrance of me, despite my sin. 

Therefore, let us daily thank him for his daily faithfulness to us in our death and resurrection in the words of Psalm 111…

Praise the LORD!  I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.  Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.  Full of splendour and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.  He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful.  He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.  He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.  The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.  He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever.  Holy and awesome is his name!  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.  His praise endures forever!  (Psalm 111 ESV)

Amen.

B, Pentecost 20Proper 23 - Mark 10:17-22 "The Rich Young Man"

Mark 10:17–22 (ESV) And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honour your father and mother.’ ”  And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”  And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”  Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 

Why did the rich young man refer to Jesus as good?  Jesus says, “no one is good except God alone”.  Was the rich young man so full of the knowledge of God that he knew Jesus was God, God the Son from eternity unto eternity? 

We know the young man was full of earthly riches and not so full of the knowledge of God, despite his proclamation that he had fulfilled the Laws from the commandments that Jesus lists.

Notice the commandments Jesus lists!  All are from the second table of the Law.  In the same account recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, Matthew also includes Jesus referring to the summary of the second table of the Commandments, saying, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself!”

The rich young man may have loved his parents, and his neighbour, and fulfilled these Commandments.  However, Jesus initiates an invitation of love by looking at the man, loving him and then invites him to follow him. 

It all sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?  Oh! By the way, you need to sell all that you have first, and then give what you’ve been paid to the poor.  Jesus answers the young man’s question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life? You must sell your life to get eternal life then you will get treasure in heaven, that’s what you must do!”

The answer the rich young man received was not a good answer.  The good teacher gave a bad answer.  One wonders what the fellow meant by “good”?  All his good at keeping the second table of the Commandments, was not good enough. 

We can only imagine what the fellow was thinking as his face dropped and he went away sad because he had great wealth in his goods. “The good teacher has told me to sell all my goods, but that doesn’t seem like a good idea, perhaps the teacher is not so good after all.”

What Jesus said was not lost on the disciples either.  They were amazed by his conversation with the rich young man. But we are told they were even more amazed, exceedingly astonished in fact, when Jesus says, “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 10:25 ESV). Gob smacked they asked, “then who can be saved?” (v26)

Jesus is tearing up the script from two thousand years of Jewish practice.  The young man rich in his law practise experienced it.  Even the fishermen disciples could understand the implications of what Jesus was saying to them.

We hear in the text a familiar phrase, “Jesus looked at them.”  He looked at them just as he looked at the rich young man and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27 ESV)

Only God is good.  Salvation is only possible with God.  What one does is not good enough.  So, what do we make of what Amos says to the Israelites…?

Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5:14–15 ESV)

We know the remnant of Joseph, the Israeli kingdom of the north, did not seek good but continued doing evil in the sight of the lord and were exiled into captivity by their northern neighbours.  Comparably, the rich young man appears to be seeking to do good and not evil, but Jesus seems to tell him different!

But Jesus was not being contrary to the Law of the Ten Commandments, nor is his call for the rich young man to sell all that he has and follow him any different from Amos’s promise that the God of hosts will be with the Israelites when they seek or worship good rather than evil.

Jesus is good. He is God the Son. Only God is good, so following Jesus is good.  The young man’s question is quite stupid and foolish when you consider that gaining an inheritance is not something one does.  Rather, an inheritance is given or bequeath after death. 

But although it is stupid and foolish, it gave Jesus an opportunity to teach a fundamental fact that only God is good. In fact, the young man’s expression that Jesus was a good teacher was indeed a prophetic truth although he didn’t realise it when he asked his idiotic question.

If only he had followed the invitation of this Good Teacher.  Jesus would have led the young man to the cross and he would have received a rich inheritance through Jesus’ death.

Speaking of idiotic, Peter, the archetypal blunderer, after all the amazement of the disciples at knowing there was no way they could pass a camel through the eye of a needle, pipes up and says, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” (Mark 10:28 ESV)

We have heard this from Peter before, but this time Jesus doesn’t tell Satan to get behind.  Satan would be overcome and put behind soon enough at Jesus’ death at the cross and resurrection to life.  Jesus waits for now, but at his trial he needed only look at Peter, as the cock crowed. 

But here Peter’s insistence that they had left everything to follow Jesus, flies in the face of Jesus looking at them and saying, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27 ESV)

All things are possible for God! Despite Peter falling away at the cross, Jesus Christ, the Good Teacher reinstated Peter through his death on the cross.  Peter received Jesus’ resurrection love, the forgiveness of his sin.  The impossible was made possible through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

When Jesus looks at you what does he see?

When Jesus, the living and active Word made flesh discerns the thoughts and intentions of your heart, what does he see?   When you hear his call to pour out the richness in which you trust, all the idols you trust in for your life, like the rich young man, we might be tempted to walk away in despair, or, the opposite, become haughty and look down on Jesus and his Words of life.

Nevertheless, you are encouraged in his word. Despite being exposed for what we are, by the Word of God, just as the rich young man and Peter’s motives are also revealed by the Word of God, God calls you to follow him. Why? Because only through Jesus, our Great High Priest, the impossible is made possible!

Hear God’s encouragement in Hebrews chapter four…

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  (Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV)

So, we hang onto the goodness of God, the goodness of Jesus together with the Holy Spirit whom both lead us and teach us in the Word of God and in the Sacraments that make and continue making us holy.

Let us pray.

Lord God, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.  Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!  Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.  Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.  Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.  Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!  (Psalm 90:12–17 ESV)

We ask this in Jesus’ name, trusting the Holy Spirit continues his holy work within us, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.