Seek God or Else

Mark 10:17-22 and the Law That Exposes Human Sin

Welcome to the teaching ministry of Kungsvinger Lutheran Church. Kungsvinger is a beacon for the gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone.

And now here's a message from Pastor Chris Roseberg.

The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 10th chapter. As Jesus 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.

Honor your father and mother. And he said to him, teacher, all of 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 and follow me. Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. This is the gospel of the Lord. In the name of Jesus. Amen. I don't know if you guys noticed this, but when we were reading out our three texts for today, there was really little gospel.

It was I felt like saying at the end of the gospel reading, this is the law of the Lord. Thanks be to God. It was pretty intense. And that's kind of the point. In fact, I feel like today we have the wrong colors here.

We should probably put purple up. It's like we're doing Lent today. It's that kind of texts. They're brutal. And well, the picture is not that pretty. Let me start off with one of the key phrases from our Old Testament text.

Seek the Lord and live. Alright. Well, how much do I need to seek him? When can I say I've sought him enough? That's kind of the thing here. When you hear something like this, well that's law. Seek the Lord and live.

And then when you read the description of what Amos is talking about, and I would note this, if you haven't read Amos well, all I can say is you might need some personal safety gear when you read Amos.

Because the law is so intense in his pen. And what he says is so to the point and strips away all pretenses of self-righteousness. But what I find fascinating in reading out our Old Testament text is that one of the things that Amos is describing is not only those who hate reproof, they abhor those who speak the truth, but instead there's a little bit more to it.

And this is one of the darker sides of sin. And that is that we turn justice to wormwood and we trample down the poor and exact taxes of grain from him. I want you to think about it in these terms. Have you noticed that when we sin we are the most like the devil?

Because who are we looking out for? Me, myself, and I. All the commandments, the law, is summed up in two commandments. Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Love your neighbor as yourself. The word is love.

That's going to require kindness and mercy and grace and protecting others. But you're going to note, we human beings have this horrible thing that we do. And that is that we, how do I say it, slither up to people, try to gain their trust by behaving like we care about them.

That we're kind to them. We want to be their friend. And what do we end up doing? Enslaving them, abusing them, taking advantage of them. That's kind of what goes on here. Those who are in power, those who are in governmental power, they exist for the purpose of serving the people whom they govern.

Looking out for their needs. And yet we'll note that we have, well, story after story throughout human history of princes and kings and presidents and congressmen and parliamentarians and others who have, well, looked out for themselves, let's just say.

And they've made themselves very wealthy on the backs of the poor. They've oppressed them. I always like to note that I don't really have to worry too much of being eaten by a bear. There's not a lot of bears out here.

Have you guys seen any bears out here? Whenever I watch those channels that show wildlife, lions and tigers and jaguars and bears and sharks, and every time I watch channels like that I think, I just need to stay home.

I just need to stay home. But the reality is this. There's very little chance that I'm going to be eaten by a crocodile or by a bear or a lion or a tiger. But on the other end of that, have you noticed that we have to constantly be on our guard against other human beings?

It's really a tragic thing if you think about it. You'll note that throughout the United States there's a big debate on whether or not people should be having the ability to carry firearms. I always like to point out the fact that we're even having this conversation proves that we human beings are what?

We're dangerous. And we're dangerous to each other. And then you'll note that I constantly get emails from princes and royalty in Nigeria and stuff. It's the weirdest thing. And then now I've started getting text messages that say something like this.

Congratulations Chris, you won! Just click this link and we'll explain to you how you can get your prize. They're not there to offer me anything. They're not trying to help me out. They want my bank account number so that they can wipe it out.

That's what they really want to do. And so we're having to constantly be on guard against other human beings. And I would also remind you that when Jesus was betrayed by Judas, Judas betrayed him with a kiss.

And then don't even get me started about the dating scene today. I always feel bad for the singles in our congregation. Always do. Because you'll note that on the dating scene you will have people who will, under a pretense of offering you their heart and love, are really only looking for one thing.

To take advantage of you sexually. It's horrible. It's absolutely deplorable. So you'll listen to these words. Well, have I sought him enough? I don't know. It's kind of like God is saying through Amos, seek the Lord or else.

And it devour with none to quench it. You who cast down righteousness to the earth. They abhor him who speaks the truth. Therefore, because you trample the poor and do exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them.

You've planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins. That's not good news. That's bad news. If God knows how many are your sins and how great are your transgressions, well, you are in a lot of trouble.

It is a terrible and fearful thing to fall in the hands of God. And then you'll note that our epistle text talks about law. Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil and unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

And exhort one another every day as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. And you'll note we rightly recognize as Christians that sin is not our friend.

And at the same time, every single Sunday, you say those words that I confess that I am by nature sinful and unclean. So we hear words like this. We hear God's law. And God's law rightly nails us to the wall.

The Rich Young Man and the Problem of Salvation by Works

And then you come to our gospel text. Again, a lot of law here. And there was a rich young fellow. A rich young fellow. Back in those days, there was no middle class. You were either really wealthy, and that was a small group, or you were under the boot of Rome, and you were poor, which was pretty much mostly everybody else.

And so this guy, you can kind of see him coming up with his Armani suit, dressed really well. Maybe he parked the Lamborghini off over next to the temple or something. And he comes up to Jesus, and he kneels before him.

That's not a bad thing. A little piety here, showing some respect for Jesus. I mean, after all, Jesus is a holy man. And then he asks him the question that we all are guilty of asking at some time. Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

And there's your problem. You see, the law can't save you. It can't. Good luck on keeping it, because you don't. I always like to tell people, you can be saved by the law if, and here's the next part of it, if you keep it perfectly from the moment of your conception until you draw your last breath.

Have you done that? I haven't done that. So those who mistakenly, errantly, foolishly think or assume, well, my situation may be bad, but it's not that bad. I can see if I can just kind of sort this out.

I'm sure there's something I can do to inherit when inheritance is a gift. Inherit eternal life. It ain't gonna work. Well, what are you saying, pastor? You're doomed. Why? Because Jesus turns right around and says to this fellow, why do you call me good?

No one is good except for God alone. Let that sink in. No one is good except for God alone. Yeah, but I'm a good, no, you're not a good person. You gotta knock that off. You're not. No one is good except for God alone.

Think of it in the words of the Apostle Paul, who, quoting the Psalms, these words appear three times in Scripture. In Romans 3, Paul writes, none is righteous. No, not one. No one understands, and listen to these words, no one seeks for God.

Wait, what? Amos says, seek the Lord and live. Paul, quoting the Psalmists in Psalm 14 and 53, says no one seeks for God. Well, how do you untie that Gordian knot? This makes a Rubik's Cube look easy.

For some, it is.

Right?

All eyes over there. But you get what I'm saying here. The rest of us mere mortals, it's kind of complicated. One time I knew how to do it, but now I don't. But the Rubik's Cube looks easy compared to this.

How do you solve this conundrum? God says, seek me and live, and Paul, quoting the Psalmists, says no one seeks for God. And this is building off the exact same theme of what Christ was talking about in our Gospel text when he says, no one is good except for God alone.

And watch what Jesus does with a fellow. He does law with him. And he says, alright, you know the commandments. Do not commit murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't bear false witness, don't defraud, honor your father and mother, and then listen to this answer.

And he said to him, teacher, all of these I've kept from my youth. That's baby stuff, Jesus. I've kept all those commandments. If Jesus had to wear glasses like I would, you can almost see him taking his glasses down and going, really?

Seriously? You really think you're keeping these commandments? Oh my goodness. Okay. Let's go back to the beginning again, shall we? No one is good except for God alone. Does this guy think he's good?

Yes. Is he listening to Jesus? No. Alright? Not at all. It was like when my kids were smaller and you'd give them instructions. I need you to go and here's your list of chores today. And next thing you know, you find them playing video games.

Well, why aren't you doing your chores? It's like things just flew through their ears. It didn't seem to register. Well, same with this guy. No one is good except for God alone. No one seeks for God. None is righteous.

Not even one. So Jesus decides to crank things up a bit because Jesus being God in human flesh knows a thing or two about this fellow. And he says, alright. And he does this in love. Note that what Christ does is he lays bare this man's sin.

Oh, and by the way, next week's gospel text will be Jesus' commentary on how hard it is for rich guys like this to be saved. Jesus is actually going to reveal more next week. So Jesus lays bare his idolatry in quite a wonderful way.

And he says to him, alright, you lack one thing. You go and sell all that you have and give to the poor and you'll have treasure in heaven. Come follow me. And the guy is disheartened by the saying. He went away sorrowful because he had great possessions.

Oh, I thought you said you were good. But you're not. Why? What's the real sin here? The one we're also all guilty of. Idolatry. You will have no other gods. This man's God is his money. And the reality is that as we work through all of our law texts today, because that's what they all are, have you heard anything that convicts you of your sin?

Your unrighteousness? How you have fallen short? I know I have. It's a weird experience, by the way, being a pastor because when you preach things like this, you recognize you're preaching to yourself.

Zacchaeus, Wealth, and Christ Seeking the Lost

But you know what? I don't like leaving sermons off on a bad note. And I really don't like leaving people sitting there puzzling, having to figure out how to solve the riddle of how is it that on the one hand the Scripture says, seek the Lord and live, and then on the other hand it says no one seeks for God.

Well, what are we going to do with that? And thankfully, using these same themes of Scripture, dealing with wealth and idolatry, there happens to be in the Scripture an account of a very wealthy man who was known for oppressing and taking advantage of other people.

You may have heard his name. Zacchaeus? The wee little man? The wee little man was he? Climbed up a sycamore tree? Guys remember that song? So consider this in this regard. You and I are just like Zacchaeus.

Just like him. And if you don't think you are, let's go back to those words again. No one is good except for God alone. And so what I know a little bit about Zacchaeus from the context here and also what happened historically.

So when the Romans came in and they took over, and boy did they take over, taxes were a big thing. But the Roman tax system, let's just say it was super inefficient. It makes our IRS today look simple.

It just really does. But at the heart of it was basically they would say to tax collectors, especially the chief tax collectors, in your territory, in your zip code, we expect you to raise this amount of money.

This amount. But the tax collectors were known for saying, well I've got to make a living. And so rather than making this amount, they would make this amount. And they would make sure that Rome got their cut.

And they got their cut. And who is it that was responsible for paying all the rest of that stuff? Everybody else. So remember what I said. Lots of rich, not very many rich people in Jesus' day. No middle class.

And a lot of poor. Everybody else. Well, Zacchaeus is one of these tax collectors. And he's not just a tax collector. He's the boss. He's the chief tax collector in the region of Jericho. And he is wealthy.

Where did he get his money from? His neighbors. Do you think his neighbors like him? So there he is on a Friday night enjoying a wonderful meal. And his next door neighbor is sitting by a candlelight eating a piece of dry, crusty bread.

And he looks over. I hate that Zacchaeus. Because I would have had a good meal tonight except for he took my last denarius. That's how these guys operate. And in Jesus' time, men like Zacchaeus. And Zacchaeus, that's a Hebrew name.

He's a Jew. He's considered to be a turncoat. A traitor. He's in league with the idolatrous oppressors. This guy is not liked. And so you'll note that he fits all the bill of what we hear in Amos. He's oppressing and taxing the poor for his own gain.

And is he seeking God? Not on your life he's seeking God. And we hear that when Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, because that's his final destination as we get into the later chapters of Luke. Jesus decides that he's going to travel to Jerusalem via Jericho.

And while he was passing through, Zacchaeus, the rich tax collector, heard about Jesus. And he wanted to see who he was. And if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Because in the wealthy mindset, what matters?

Wealth, power, prestige, beauty, right? And so Jesus, he has power. And the word about Jesus is out. Jesus can heal the sick. He can give sight to the blind. He raises the dead. And you'll note that Jesus cleanses lepers and he tells sinners that their sins are forgiven.

And does Jesus live in a palace? No. See, Jesus is the exact opposite of Zacchaeus. He's the exact opposite of you because no one is good except for God alone. And wouldn't you know it, Jesus just happens to be God.

Right? And so Jesus' values are totally different. He doesn't come to oppress and to dominate. He makes himself a servant, a slave, the least. He doesn't serve himself. He's come to serve you. And so Zacchaeus scratches his head.

I've got to get a look at this guy. Who is this fellow, right? And so because of the crowd, he wasn't able to see. So he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead. And like a child, he climbs a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus.

And as Jesus was about to pass by, he came to the place and he looked up and he said to him, first word, Zacchaeus. Let that one sink in for a second. Wait, what? We've never met. You know my name? Well, Jesus knows the name of everybody whose name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

It's almost as if he has the whole thing memorized. Ah, your name's in that book, Zacchaeus. And so what does Jesus say to him? Zacchaeus, you hurry down. I must stay at your house tonight. That is a great honor, by the way.

To have a meal in someone's house is to honor them. You're going to honor this Zacchaeus guy? This guy who is oppressing the poor and taxing them? Amos preached against this Yahu. And you're going, what?

Right? And you could just see the crowd just have a big, you know, kind of shake their head kind of moment, right? But Zacchaeus, he hurried down and he received Jesus joyfully. And when the crowd saw it, they all grumbled.

And listen to these words. These are really dumb words. He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner. Let me go back to those words again. No one is good except for God alone. Right? Have you got that part?

So if Jesus couldn't eat with sinners, who could Jesus eat with on any day-to-day basis? Nobody. He'd be like me when I was in the seventh grade or sixth grade having to eat lunch by myself in the bathroom in order not to be beaten up.

Right? Jesus would be all by himself.

Poor Jesus. He has no one to eat with because he can't eat with sinners.

Well, if Jesus showed up at your house and said, I'd like to have a meal at your house and he would be your honored guest, guess what? He'd be eating with a sinner too. Right? And see, there's the issue over and over again.

You can see it throughout Scripture. People who do not recognize they're sinners. People sitting there,.

He's going to eat with a sinner. Duh!

There's no one else to eat with. No one is good except for God alone. Right? And here's something beautiful that happens. Zacchaeus, he understands their grumbling because he knows full well that he is a sinner.

And it's true. He's oppressed people. He's taxed the poor. He hasn't sought for God. Again, how do we solve this conundrum? Well, Zacchaeus stood and he said to the Lord, Lord, half of my goods I now give to the poor.

Right now. I'll write the check and I'll hand it to you right this second. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I'll restore it fourfold. He emptied out his bank account. Not in order to be saved, but because you'll note by Christ calling him by name, he was saved.

And here's where it says, Jesus then, today's salvation has come to this house since he's also a son of Abraham. Now it's true that Zacchaeus is genetically related to Abraham, but Scripture's very clear.

It's not the genetic descendants of Abraham who are the blessed. It's those who have the same faith as Abraham. And by Christ saying that he is a son of Abraham, Jesus is confirming that Zacchaeus has that same faith that Abraham had.

And that same faith, just like it saved Abraham is going to save Zacchaeus and it can save you. And here's the important words. For the son of man, he came to seek and save the lost. Seek the Lord and live, but no one seeks for God.

Don't despair. Christ is coming. He seeks you. The same Jesus took all of that sin that Zacchaeus had committed. His defrauding, his oppressing the poor, his not seeking God, him not listening to the truth, and he carries Zacchaeus' sin with him the rest of the way from Jericho to Jerusalem.

Just like he carried your sin and mine. And he bled and died for Zacchaeus. He suffered in his place so that Zacchaeus can be forgiven. Where we fail to seek God, Christ closes the gap. He seeks us. He came to seek and to save the lost.

And that's you and me. And you know what? You'll never cry out to God if you don't recognize that none is good except for God alone. You'll never cry out for God to have mercy on you until you realize that you have sinned greatly against God, against each other, and that you deserve, well, to be thrown into hell and to experience God's wrath.

So the good news is that Christ has bled and died for you and that he's the one who seeks the lost. And he has found you today. He's found you today and he's assured you that your sins are forgiven. He found you when you were brought to the waters of baptism and he joined you to himself in his death and his resurrection.

He washed away your sins and circumcised your heart. He fed you last week with his body and blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins. And I would say Christ is here seeking and saving lost souls like you and like me today.

What a great Savior we have in Christ. It is true, none is good except for God alone. And dang, Jesus is good. In the name of Jesus,.

Amen.

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