Camels and Houses Mark 10:22-31
When one reads this passage from Mark the temptation is to focus on the most often discussed bit of metaphor uttered by Jesus - the camel going through the eye of a needle and how that would be easier than a rich man entering the kingdom of heaven.
We could look at that and talk about what all that means. We could speculate about camels and how they were loaded and unloaded. We could talk about the riches they carried. We could talk about whether there was or was not a gate in Jerusalem called the Needle’s Eye. From what I know there are just as many arguments for and against these ideas.
I am sure we can deduce, create, concoct, and infer, many things from these words of Jesus regarding entry into the kingdom of God. That might be fun to talk about over coffee, but to tell the truth, I am not sure any of those really matter, because the brunt of Jesus' argument is clear: we do not enter into the kingdom of heaven on our own accord or account, nor do we enter by our own will.
The rich man we heard about last week thought he was okay. We have to wonder if he was simply looking for affirmation from Jesus about what he already believed. As an observant Jew of the time he was golden - he had kept all the commandments since the time of his youth, since he was Bar-Mitzvah or a Son of the Commandments, what some call the age of accountability. But one thing held him back - his love of possessions. He was the proverbial “good guy.” He was like the “every Sunday in Church” Christian how goes to fulfill a requirement but trusts in something other than God.
But let us not dwell too much on that for if we do we might never get to the other part of Jesus’ teaching today - the part in response to Peter’s statement or as some might say complaint.
“See, we have left everything and followed you.”
Jesus’ previous words undoubtedly left Peter a bit confused. Unlike the rich man the disciples did exactly what Jesus asked - they left everything behind to follow him.
This seems to tell us a few things. One: the disciples were not impoverished as some in the church like to depict them - sort of the noble poor. Because in Jesus’ words regarding the rich man entering heaven, they saw themselves. Peter does not say, “I” but “We.” As he often does, Peter speaks for the group.
Two: the disciples willingly gave up their lives of comfort, possessions, maybe even wealth - homes, business, familial relationships, to make Jesus their priority.
How does this apply to us? Well, we too, are to make Jesus our priority, even if we were called to give up everything, because in the end He is the only thing that matters eternally.
We cannot follow Jesus if we carry the baggage of the world:
I will follow Jesus when it fits my agenda.
I will follow Jesus when it fits my schedule.
I will abide in His Word when I agree with it.
I will follow Jesus when it comes to the Gospel, but not the Law.
I will follow Jesus if doing so does not conflict with the world.
I will follow Jesus only if it causes no sacrifice.
I will follow Jesus unless I have to work or “today” is my only day off.
I will follow Jesus unless the Browns, the Guardians, or the Cavs aren’t playing.
Blessedly, we are not called to give up everything and live as destitute monks or disciples wandering around from town to town. Jesus does not call us to do that, but we are still called to make Him the priority in our hearts and then live out that priority in our lives. When the choice is between Him and the World, we are called to choose Him over our agendas, schedules, opinions. We are called to follow His Word regardless if the world likes it or not. We are called to sacrifice for Him - whether it be in work or pleasure. AND, even if we were called to give up everything we would not be left destitute. We would not be left orphaned.
Even if we give up everything- if we lose everything for the sake of the Gospel- through faith we inherit much in this world, because by faith we inherit a family bigger than our own. By faith in Christ we are made part of the church: a family bigger than our own, a family that remains even when others abandon us or are removed by death. We have a home. Because of the church the believer will not be hungry or destitute. I do truly believe it.
If any one of you found yourself tomorrow without a home, food, clothing - if you were “Jobbed” overnight and lost everything - especially for the sake of Christ, I do not believe you would be without a place to stay, food to eat, and clothes to wear, nor would you be alone and abandoned to carry the burden in isolation. That is what Jesus means about receiving a hundredfold houses and brothers and sisters, children and lands in this world. Even though there will come hard times - persecutions even - you will not be left to go it alone.
It is not for nothing that Jesus tells the disciples these things just before his final death prediction. His words are thus words of comfort to His disciples, as they should be to us. And these should be words of comfort far beyond the concerns of this world - for in them Jesus makes promises not confined to this world but to eternal life.
Unfortunately, we often forget this. Like James and John in the verses that follow soon after, we worry about our earthly well-being, about power and status and all the other things of the world. We want greatness. We want to be something special in this world and we try to obtain it through possessions as illustrated by the man who asked about eternal life; or by wealth which can be an impediment to our eternal well-being, or by status - as in the case of James and John. This takes our eye off Jesus and makes something else our priority Ecclesiastes tells us clearly that such thinking and concerns are useless.
“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this is also vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes.”
When we love the world, the world is never enough. When we love Jesus we have all that we need
Let us pray: Lord God, we know that all earthly things are fleeting. They are here for a moment and then gone. Possessions, relationships, and even life itself, are but temporary. Help us to strive for the things that endure. Help us to be at peace in this world so that we might honor and serve you and others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.