Wednesday, November 29, 2023  

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Today’s Scripture Reading
Matthew 19:23–30

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, “Then who can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter said in reply, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. (NRSV)

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Reflection

Our passage this morning is an immediate follow up to the conversation Jesus has with a rich young man earlier in chapter 19, who comes to Jesus inquiring, “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus responds by challenging this young man to sell all his possessions and give away the money to the poor — watching the young man go away grieving “for he had many possessions” (Matthew 19:22). It is a passage that has made many of us squirm over the years — the disciples included! In verse 25 you can practically hear their fear as they ask Jesus, “Then who can be saved?”

It is an impossible standard to live up to — but that, seemingly, is Jesus’ point. Jesus uses the rhetorical power of hyperbole numerous times throughout the Gospel of Matthew – including the infamous fifth chapter when Jesus tells the crowds to “tear out their eye” or “cut off their hand” if it causes them to sin. For those who read the Bible in a strictly literal fashion, these passages can be extremely troubling — but there is another way to interpret them that offers us far more grace.

Part of Jesus’ purpose, it would seem, was to deny there is anything we can do to “earn” our salvation — “For mortals it is impossible,” he tells the disciples, “but for God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). There is an unavoidable urgency and importance to how we use the gifts God has given us, but we should never make the mistake of believing we use those gifts to earn God’s love and grace. Instead, we give generously and care deeply because our Savior has first shown us what it means to love and has shown us deep and abiding grace.

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Prayer
Generous God, help me use all of the gifts you have given me to serve you and your people — for you have shown me what it means to love. Amen.

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Written by Matt Helms, Associate Pastor for Children, Family, and Welcoming Ministries

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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