Luke 18:15-30; 35-43
Babies, Rich Ruler, Blind
Beggar
Most Jews during Jesus' time had longed for God’s kingdom to
come. They addressed this glorious time
of God’s kingdom as ‘the age’ to come. The word for ‘age αἰώνιος ’ here is
often translated as ‘eternal’, and the phrase ‘eternal life ζωή αἰώνιος ‘ has regularly been used to
describe the blissful life of ‘the age’ to come.
In this “age to come”, everything will be new, fresh, and
free from corruption, decay, evil, bitterness, pain, fear and death. There
Heaven and earth will be joined together; God and his children will live together.
In
Luke 17:20-21, the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come.
Jesus answered them, ‘the kingdom of God is in the midst of you (or in your
heart).”
By this, Jesus meant that the kingdom of God, ‘the
age to come’ was breaking in; the powers of the new age are already at work. Wherever
Jesus is, people are not only welcomed into God's kingdom; they are healed, and
given a new life which truly anticipates the total healing and joy that are due
to be fulfilled in God’s final new day.
Luke continues in 18:1-14 tell the
parables of the Persistent Widow and the prayer of the Pharisee and tax
collector. By this, Luke tells us that
God’s kingdom embraces those powerless and underserved people. Jesus is the central figure of
God’s kingdom, yet we see that he was also marginalised,
persecuted, rejected, suffered and died on the cross.
Today we see there are sufferings and injustice in the world.
This should not weaken our faith, and lead us to doubt the presence and goodness of God. For wherever there is
suffering, Jesus Christ is there to suffer with the people. Jesus identifies
with the vulnerable and the lowly. He walks through
sufferings with the oppressed and
wounded. And together they shall overcome in the end.
Chapter 18, verse 15 onwards, Luke continues to delineate the
characteristics of people belonging to God’s kingdom,
and also the nature of God’s kingdom itself:
God's People Can Lose Everything
but Cannot Lose God, the Heavenly
Father
18:15-17 says that people were bringing babies to Jesus for
him to place His hands on them. The
disciples forbade the people for doing so sternly. But Jesus received them, “let the children come to me, God’s kingdom
belongs to the ones like these. I am telling you the truth: anyone who does not
receive God’s kingdom like a child will never
get into it.”
Luke emphasises ‘babies’. The focus is not about humility,
but something about the helplessness of children, and their complete trust of
those who love and care for them. Jesus sees deep into the heart of what it
means to receive God’s kingdom; it is like drinking one’s mothers’ milk, like
learning to see, and to smile, by looking at one’s mother’s eyes and face. The
fragile and helpless babies grab tightly to their parents even at the cost of
putting down their favourite toys.
There is nothing that we can rely on in order to enter the
kingdom, neither own effort nor merits, but solely on God, our heavenly Father.
Today are you clinging solely to God now? Can you let go of those
things or habits that are displeasing to God for the sake of entering God’s kingdom?
You may have just lost your loved ones or experienced a setback
in your career or business. As God’s people, we can lose everything but we
cannot lose God! Holding onto God, pray to him, serve him unceasingly, He will
help you to sail through the dark valleys and make a successful twist.
If you have already lost something you treasured much, and
you further lose the heavenly Father, you will enter into even more disastrous
stage.
The following text, verses 18-23
goes on to say:
There is a ruler asked Jesus: ‘Good teacher, what must I do
to inherit eternal life (the life of the age to come)?’
Jesus said to him, “Why call
me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: Don’t
commit adultery, don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t’ swear falsely, honour your father and mother.”
He said, “I have kept them all since I
was a boy.”
When Jesus heard it, He said to the ruler, “there is just one thing you are short of.
Sell everything you own, and distribute it to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
When the rich ruler heard it, he turned very sad because he
was extremely wealthy.
Jesus looked at the ruler, and He said, “How hard it is for those with possessions to
enter God’s kingdom! Yes, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for a rich man to enter God’s
kingdom.” (Vv.24-25)
Jesus is not against rich people, but against “people who obtain security from the many
possessions they have’. Their sense of security comes from possessions like,
‘wealth, fame, status, serving experience, and knowledge
of the law.” The rich ruler belonged to this group who are so
confident, so well organized, so determined, even looking into the face of the
one he calls ‘good’, but eventually had to turn away feeling sad.
This kind of people refuses to submit to God’s command,
because that would demand them to effectively depend on God solely rather than
their possessions.
Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be
saved?” (v.26)
When we realize that we are helpless, weak and fragile like babies, and we humble ourselves to solely relying
on God’s grace, grab hold on God, we will enter
into God’s kingdom and receive the life of the kingdom.
Let’s grab hold
unto God, find refuge in Him and be obedient to his will. We will once again
mount up like an eagle!
God's People Are to Freely and Joyfully Follow Jesus
The following text verses 35-43,
says that as Jesus and disciples were approaching Jericho, there was a blind
man sitting by the road, he was begging. When he heard that Jesus is coming by,
he shouted out, ‘Jesus—son of David, have mercy on me!’
The people told him to be silent, but he yelled out all the
more, “son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and told them to bring
the blind man to him. When he came up, Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to
do for you?’
He said, “Master, I want to see again.” Jesus said, ‘see again,
you faith has saved you.” At once he received his sight again, and he followed
Jesus, glorifying God. When all the people saw it, they too gave praise to God.
Let’s compare 'babies brought to Jesus "and "blind
beggar brought to Jesus”. They both wish
to come to Jesus but are hindered by the people. But Jesus clears the way for
them to come to Him and receive salvation. They are helpless, deprived groups
but Jesus helps them to enter the kingdom of God.
One thing different in the blind beggar compared to the
babies; is that he has faith in Jesus. He trusts Jesus so completely that, when
offered the chance to ask for money or food, he asks for his sight back again. And
he received his sight, and then he
followed Jesus, glorifying God, praising Him.
The blind beggar’s reaction is a sharp contrast to the rich
ruler who had to turn away very sad!
We notice there is a 'sandwich' structure where ‘the rich
ruler’ was inserted in the between ‘babies’ and ‘blind beggar’. Luke's purpose
is to emphasise the characteristics of God‘s people, that is ‘grab hold unto God
alone’ and ‘follow Jesus joyfully and praising God’.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will fill all of us, to empower
us to follow Jesus joyfully and praising God everyday!
God’s People Make Up a Wonderful New World of
Love and Shared Abundance
After hearing Jesus’ illustration of the characteristics of
people who enter God’s kingdom, Peter said, ‘Look here, we have left everything
and followed you.’ (v.28)
Jesus said, “I am
telling you the truth, everyone who has left his house or wife or brothers or
parents or children, because of God’s kingdom, will receive far more in return
in the present – and in the age to come they will receive the life that belongs
to that age.” (Vv.29-30)
By this, Jesus indicates that, in the present time, this new age of
God’s kingdom already breaks into our sad old world. Followers of Christ are to leave behind the old ways to form
a new community. This community comprises new homes, new families, new fellowship based on mutual love and shared abundance
with one another, and all kinds of new possibilities will be opening up for them.
The church is called in every age to be this sort of
community, to be a living example of “the age to come”. In this sort of
selfless and trusting, living the common life, the world around is attracted to
this community and join in. The community of God’s people can now glimpse at what
God’s final new world is like, and learn to live out the characteristics of
God's kingdom more and more.
Some people may doubt if this wonderful new world does
happen in our midst: “It is just a utopia! The communists have tried but they
also failed.” Or “It is not happening here at this church, but happening at the
other church.”
The whole Bible actually challenges us not to doubt God’s
kingdom, but rather to ask a different question, “When this wonderful new world
breaks in, where are you? Do you participate in it? Or do you contribute a part
to make it happen?”
Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters, we are all citizens of God’s
kingdom: We may be in
a season of experiencing setbacks now; we may have lost some things, but we
must not lose God, our Heavenly Father. Hold onto God tightly, glorify Him and
joyfully follow Jesus closely.
The Holy Spirit’s empowering presence is with us to heal and
to bless. There is excitement, heartfelt praise, and celebration of God’s
kingdom here and now. Let’s participate in and
share with one another the abundance of God’s blessings here! Let’s make
ourselves available now as God’s kingdom breaks in here and now!
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