For your mid-week reflection.
For your mid-week reflection.
>> "Too bad that Christ proved to be such a disappointment,
>> and no doubt the Rich Young Ruler is gnashing his teeth
>> in hell today, still complaining about the unfairness
>> of it all."
For contrast, the Bible record does not really preclude the salvation of the rich young ruler who (though leaving in sorrow) might well have been convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment; for his sorrow might well have produced a godly change of mind that brought his salvation, and a change of direction that produced acceptable works subsequently.
Would this not have been one outcome which Jesus suggested, and that the sermon might have included and emphasized? Might not this very young man possibly have been the Joseph of Arimethea that turned to The Anointed One for grace? and who graciously provided a resting place for His Body while His soul descended to Abraham's bosom to reclaim the accumulated souls of justifiable mankind? Certainly, in any case the pathway suggested to the young ruler is the same that Joseph must have had to choose to be acceptable as a follower-disciple of The Master!
There is an error often taken by preachers of this passage -- the one of succumbing to the sort of "reverse snobbishness" exercised by "the 99%" less materially favored toward "the %1" whom The God has put in charge of very great resources. This attitude tends to disallow God's offering of the same salvation, on the same terms, toward the rich that He offers the poor.
Yet subsequent to salvation, those who were given great resources have an even greater accountability for its management, to the preservation and distribution of those resources on the Lord's behalf. (Here read the parables of the talents.) (Was not John D. Rockefeller the Baptist Sunday School teacher of Dwight L. Moody, and a great philanthropist? Did not Robert G. Letourneau give 90$ of his company's income for Christian charity? One can name thousands of such Christians managing The God's earthly estate.)
Too often the liberal religionists play the tune of "the 99%" spendthrifts, that "social justice" means that the less favored should invade the coffers of "the 1%" having surplusses, and carry the benefits off just to feather their own nests. (Think of Joseph and his righteous conduct in the Egyptian famine in contrast.)
It is not wise for the expositor to get too huffy in tone, unless one knows what actually was in the mind of the rich young ruler, and how The Christ's admonition may have affected his life. That is information the passage does not give, and should not be supposed.
My thought here is that the writer of this homily may have assumed just a bit too much in his ability to read the young man's mind and future. The sermonist is accountable to The Lord for his hermeneutics and context in explaining the passage to a constituency needing a profitable investment of their time and thought. They need to be led into conviction and into truly humble effective confession without railing, the speaker himself being engaged in the same.
I believe that here Jesus was a bit more gracious than this preacher allowed.
Thanks for spotting and posting this little essay.
Oh Daddy! My Father will always forgive me.
Why I sinned an broke the picket fence but Daddy will always forgive myself.
So I sinned again I broke the window Daddy will always forgive me.
I sinned and busted the pipes. Water is everywhere but Daddy will always forgive.
I do not have to humble myself Daddy will do it for me.
I have tears in me eyes Daddy does it all!
Why I am not responsible for myself. Daddy does it all by himself.
Oh Daddy declared me a spoiled brat.
I played with Matches. The Couch burned then caused the drapes to burn. Now No house anymore.
I have not seen my Daddy in a few weeks.
Why the last time he had a gun. He shot three bullets into my car.
I am three states away from Daddy.
He does everything I do not understand.
Oh Daddy! Oh Daddy!
I guess I am eternally separated
He did say “ I never want to see you again.”
Yet he still was running toward me with the Gun to get close to me.
I did not want to look like swiss cheese
Oh Dadddyyyyyy!!!
But Daddy I have tears in me eyes you do it all.
Daddy caught up with me!
I am now on a shelf being sold as Swiss Cheeseeeeee!
Oh!!! Daddy!
You do it All!
Echo!
Tears in me eyes!
Oh Daddddyyyyyyyyy
Don't ya luv me anymore you do it all!!!
The above Swiss cheese was last seen on a ham sandwhich which was totally eaten.
The Parable of the no salt Swiss Cheeseeeeeee.........