Luke
18:15-30; 35-43
Babies, Rich
Ruler, Blind Beggar
In the preceding text, 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 received 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 (consummation).
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.
Jesus Christ is a saviour who suffers
with the people. He identifies with the vulnerable and the lowly. He walks through sufferings with the oppressed and wounded. And together they shall overcome
in the end.
Today’s passage, 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 vulnerable 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 religious 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.
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)
The answer is: 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, your 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 us all, empowering us to follow Jesus joyfully and praising
God every day!
God’s People Make Up a Wonderful New World
of Love with 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 socialists or 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 bursting in our midst, but
rather to ask a different question, “When this wonderful new world breaks in,
where are you? Are you participating in it? Or are you contributing 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, having lost some things or some loved ones, 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 is breaking in here and now!
