Glory to Jesus Christ, in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
With the storms that we've experienced lately,
sometimes getting to where you want to go, not
so much in Selma County as elsewhere, as I've
seen on the news. Getting there can be a problem.
There's many obstacles down trees, down power
lines, high water. It makes it hard to get where
you want to go with these obstacles. Today's
lesson is really about obstacles. Since Christmas,
we've been hearing and experiencing and praising
God. the almighty, the immortal, the only good
one, and how that he has brought us his kingdom.
He comes as a child, gently, quietly, without
fanfare. But for those who are pure of heart,
like the shepherds, and those who are eager and
interested and desire, like the magi, God sends.
God sends help. And this kingdom we saw, we've
celebrated. And then the Feast of Epiphany, Theophany.
We see what that kingdom is. It's the kingdom
of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit.
And then we can enter into it, and we do by baptism
and the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are joined
to that kingdom, the everlasting kingdom, which
shall never be overcome. It's the kingdom of
peace, not a power of the world. but the power
of God's love and mercy. Last week, Jesus went
out on the road to preach after the baptism.
And he wants to tell about this kingdom. He is
the kingdom. To be united to him means you are
in the kingdom. You have the kingdom, not in
some geographical place, but in your heart. How
it got there is by baptism and the gift of the
Holy Spirit. So Jesus says, repent, change your
direction. You're all going the wrong way. You're
going off a cliff, the cliff of death, cliff
of sin. This way, he says. Repent, turn your
direction. Metanoite. The kingdom of heaven is
at hand. It's here. So this week, and we... I
do believe we are still feeling the reverberations
of Christmas and we will all the way to the feast
on February 2nd of the meeting of the Lord in
the temple. But this week you hear a lesson from
chapter 18 of Luke about the obstacle that's
going to stop you. Forget the man for a moment.
He's not with us anymore. He was sad. He went
away. That doesn't mean he was condemned. We
don't know what happened to him. I'm thinking
he came back. That's what I'd like to think.
Think of the obstacles that are in front of us.
And this particular lesson is very pointed. First,
it follows Jesus' words about children. and being
like a child to enter into the kingdom of God
please remember when you read the scriptures
it's not just and when we hear it in church not
just accounts random accounts Jesus was here
and he happened to say these words he was over
here and he happened to talk about this oh and
then he went up in the mountain and he was transfigured
just randomly no it's all part of a story it's
a life just before 18 chapter 18, verse 18, which
you heard the deacon read so beautifully. Infants
were brought to Jesus that he might touch them
and bless them. And the disciples at this point
didn't quite get what was going on. And rebuked
the parents, like, take these kids away. We're
talking about spiritual things. This is important.
These kids shouldn't be here. But Jesus says,
Let the little children come to me. Do not forbid
them. For of such is the kingdom of God. How?
Truly, truly, I say to you, amen. Whoever does
not receive the kingdom of God as a little child
will by no means enter into it. Does this mean
we are to be childish? And then what happens?
Immediately, a certain ruler. runs up to him.
Perhaps he heard this encounter. This man has
a different approach. Jesus says, like a child.
That is, basically, ones who are helpless. They
need to be fed. They need to be taught. They
need to be taken care of. They need to be embraced
and loved. That's how we are to be with God.
Let him teach us. Let him embrace us. Let him
feed us. This man comes up to Jesus. He has a
different idea. I did all these commandments.
Jesus mentions commandments 5, 6, 7, and 8. Just
about treating other people. No, the man didn't
murder anybody. That's good. He hasn't committed
adultery. That's good. He didn't lie. And so
forth. But he was rich. Jesus saw into his heart.
He saw the obstacle that was looming up before
him, the sickness in the man's soul, and Jesus
in his love wanted to cure this man, to give
him the remedy so he could be truly human. And
Jesus, so the man says, well, what then shall
I do? It's in my mind that the man came up to
Jesus and says, What should I do to have, inherit
eternal life, thinking, how can I use my money
to further this spiritual thing that we're doing?
Rich people think that way. I mean, so I've been
told I'm not rich. Although, if you look at any
statistics, we live at a far higher level. than
anyone else that has ever lived in history. And
most people on the planet live. We are rich in
many ways. You turn the light switch on, the
lights go on. Water faucet, water comes out.
You need something, you run to the store. We
have credit cards, we have all kinds of things.
Let's not think that this man's problem is not
also ours. Money... And this story is about money.
Jesus is very clear at the end. He was sorrowful
when the man left. He loved him, St. Mark says.
The man went away. Jesus says, how hard it is
for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of
heaven. Not because money is evil. No, the love
of money, says St. Paul, is evil. Money is neutral,
like anything else. It can be used as a blessing.
It could be used for the glory of God. It could
be used to care for your family. But this man
trusted in his riches. And he went away sad.
He thought that he could do something with that
money to enter into the kingdom of heaven. The
disciples say, who can be saved? Thinking, well,
if you're rich, you must be blessed by God. Everything's
going your way. Isn't that good? Jesus turns
that on its head. Blessed are the poor, for they
shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. In preparing
for this sermon, I read an account from the Desert
Fathers. A man named Serapion, he said, I gave
away the book that says to give everything away.
He gave his Bible away. That's a radical way
of doing it. We're not asked to do that, but
we are asked to consider what obstacles there
are to our life as Christians to be perfect.
How perfect? Completely, utterly devoted to the
Lord. That is why we're here, to be his servants.
Orthodoxy really does call us to be perfect,
complete, and committed to Christ. To love. our
enemies and to forgive them, these big picture
things, to reject all those thoughts that are
unholy and evil, something more close to us,
to pray constantly from our heart, to fast, to
deny ourself, to make it real by doing that,
to confess our sins honestly, to look at ourselves
honestly. To let God's light shine in us. That's
why we do all of that. How could I possibly live
the life to which Christ calls me? You may ask,
how is it possible? If that's your question today,
then focus on the final words. With man this
is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
The good news of the gospel is that no one is
left out if they want to come. Even St. Paul
says, and I mentioned this last night, he's the
chief among sinners. He's an example because
after what he did, even he can be saved by the
love of God. So sin can't stop us. Money can't
stop us unless we let it. That's within our power.
None of us will enter the kingdom because we
have checked off a list or somehow become perfect
by our own moral power. All of us, we tremble
when we hear the words, repent, for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand. Come, all the blessed of
the kingdom. Salvation is possible for this young
ruler. He turned away. Find. brothers and sisters,
the obstacle in your heart? The big picture thing
or the small thing? Whether it's the spiritual
life you have a hard time embracing or the moral
life that you say, no, the world is right upon
these questions about morality and I won't go
into the details, as if the world is more compassionate
than God. Now think about what is the obstacle?
And trust in God. He will give you the strength.
And you will overcome. And you won't go away
sad. But you will go away rejoicing in the kingdom.
Amen.