Introduction
How does the story of Jesus’ encounter with the rich man illuminate our contemporary world of politics? Do we see this story as irrelevant to the reality of a divided world, and perhaps an increasingly divided nation? Is the challenge to the rich man also a challenge to us, and to our choices as consumers and voters?
Context
The summer season, when silly stories sometimes seem to sell newspapers and politics is on the back shelf, is well and truly over. We have come to the end of the party conference season (and both Houses of Parliament return on Monday, 12 October), but some of the speeches can still be watched.
Reflection
There is polling evidence that the British people do not trust our political leaders as we once did. Indeed all institutions, the church included, have lost trust and respect. Organisations of all sorts, political parties and churches included, have lost members as people pursue more individualistic paths. Do Jesus’ questions to the rich young man in today’s gospel challenge that individualism?
Have those of us who are still regularly in church also become more individualistic? Do we treat our political choices as rather like the choice of yogurt in the supermarket, something we can change on a weekly basis? Do we sometimes even treat our faith in the same way?
Are we as complacent as the rich man? Are we, like the rich man, being challenged to consider a lifestyle change? In the light of this gospel can we justify being part of a world which, we are told, has already used a year’s worth of resources by mid-August? Moreover, most of that overshoot is caused by those of us who live in the richer countries; do we, who are relatively rich, need to take the challenge to the rich man even more seriously?
What might it mean for us in this age, when Jesus asks us to put the kingdom of God first? What might that mean in terms of our everyday choices? Might we find it as hard as did the young man in Jesus’ story?
How do we respond to the challenge to ‘sell what we own and give the money to the poor’ (v.21)? If we took those words seriously, surely it would affect our choices as consumers. Might we feel that we should shop more ethically? And how might that challenge also affect our political choices?
If the first are to be last and the last first (Mark 10.31, c.f. Matthew 19.30; 20.16 and Luke 13.30), what implications does that have for political choices on issues such as welfare and health and education?
Today’s epistle speaks of the word of God as ‘living and active’, ‘judging the thoughts and intentions of the heart’ (Hebrews 4.12). How comfortable are you with the notion of rendering an account for your choices and actions (Hebrews 4.13)?
Prayer
Pray for the UK Parliament as it returns to work after the party conferences.
You may also wish to pray for the family and friends of Merseyside PC Dave Phillips, and indeed police forces across the country, as they respond to his murder this week.
A prayer for ourselves, which could be used after the sermon or during the intercessions:
God our creator,
recalling that Jesus said,
‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God’,
we come in penitence for our own love of possessions,
and for the time we spend on seeking personal satisfaction
rather than on working to bring in your kingdom.
Help us to understand what your kingdom means for us,
and how to work effectively for a village/town/community/city,
for a country, and for a world,
in which kingdom values predominate.
Amen.
Questions
- What do you think are the implications for you, personally and as a group, of Jesus’ challenge: ‘go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me’?
- What do think Jesus meant when he said, ‘many who are first will be last, and the last will be first’? And what are the implications of those words for us? (If it helps, I – the writer of this Postscript – once heard those words read at Evensong as I sat under the banners of the ‘Knights of the Garter’ in St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle; I could not help wondering what all those knights, over the centuries, would have made of Jesus’ words.)
Action
Did you attend a hustings meeting before the General Election to hear the candidates’ views? Have you followed that up by engaging with your MP on issues which concern you? Why not do so now, as Parliament returns? Contact details for all MPs can be found here.
Young People
As Parliament returns, do you know who your MP is? And which party they represent? Have you ever contacted your MP? What subject might you take up with her or him, if you did make contact?
Dudley Coates is a Local Preacher in the Yeovil and Blackmore Vale Methodist Circuit and a former Vice President of the Methodist Conference.
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