"Just Let Go"

Austin Graduate School of Theology

February 28, 2008

It was a day like any other day; the disciples were doing what disciples do; following Jesus.  They did not have the luxury of a new building with a library and spacious classrooms.  They were in a practical internship.  They were in a mobile classroom.   They did not have books and articles to read.  There was no trying to get a handle on Long’s concepts of the witness of preaching.  There was no issue of trying to determine the benefit or cost of using Power Point in preaching.  And definitely no written tests or trying to determine the parameters of a text for an exegesis they had to turn in as a class assignment.  They were witnesses to an event.  They were with our Lord and Mark shows us throughout his gospel that disciples struggle with Jesus’ teaching.  This brings me a little comfort as I struggle with the text.  I may not get it right either as I experience this event.  We may not get it right as we relive our lesson today.  We are about to hear their experience an event that would puzzle the disciples and leave them to once again reconsider who it was they were following.  This is our challenge as well, who is this Christ that we follow and do we fully understand or even partially understand where He is going?

Jesus set out on a journey.  He was always traveling, always on the move.  He was on the “way,” a code word in the gospel of Mark for his journey to the cross.  It appears that they were having a little problem with their studies.  Some of the disciples appeared to be hung up with power and prestige.  They had looked earlier around at each other and had been curious about who was the greatest.  I wonder if they were worried about who had the best grade on their recent test.  I am sure each one wished that he or she might score the best.  It had to be a little frustrating, because, every time they had a question or they made a comment in class, the great teacher didn’t know how or just plain refused to be politically correct and soothe their egos.  Instead, he probed at them just a little more and He dug just a little more, needling them to think harder.e world taught them that children had a minimal position of authority.  All the MSN, NBC, and Fox News reports told them that sacrifice of one’s own power and prestige was foolish.  So, to entertain these children and allow them to come closer was just ridiculous and it must have seemed just unfair that Jesus counters their decision and welcomes these little ones.  In reality, Jesus rebuked them for trying to send the children away and then He made a big to do about no one entering the Kingdom of God unless they were like these children. 

Baffled and confused, they journey toward Jerusalem and this man runs up to Jesus and our text reads: Mark 10:17-22  

The disciples witnessed an interesting event, we too can experience the same as this man ran up to Jesus and fell on his knees.  It is an amazing encounter that centers on the issue of power and prestige around who is the greatest and the least and what we are willing to let go of to be a disciple and follow Jesus.  Who will enter the kingdom of God and who will not?  This encounter provides an important lesson in the development of Jesus disciple’s.  Another lesson is to be learned, but it was not just a lesson, it is a challenge.  Jesus challenges all of us to rethink those who will enter into the Kingdom of God and He leaves us with some doubts about all the things we have been taught and that we have taught others.  Even more distressing is the fact that Jesus is not just talking to us as a group; He is individually needling each of us to consider our discipleship. 

Entrance into the kingdom of God is not based on our platitudes to Christ.  No matter the good intentions, the number of times we call His name or the respect we give Him by getting down on our knees will gain us entrance into His Kingdom.  Entrance is not based on our ability to keep the commandments, the Law, or even the Bible.  I cringe at saying this because of my traditions rich heritage in trying to obey the commandments.  Entrance is not based on our inheritance.  We may come from the ride side of the track or have significant wealth, knowledge, training, what we think we might deserve or, whatever, but it still does not mean there is something God owes this rich man, owes the disciples, or even owes us.  Entrance is based on us letting go of whatever stands in the way of us picking up our cross and following Jesus.  The rich man had great wealth and Jesus looked at him and told him straight to give it all up and “follow Him.”  The cost was too high and the man was disheartened and left sorrowful. Mark 10:23

Jesus looks at His disciples.  They had to know the look.  Another lesson is coming.  Jesus tells them that it is difficult for those who have things to enter the Kingdom.  It had to be a difficult lesson.  Their culture had taught them that the rich were blessed by God and Jesus contradicts their belief. Mark 10:24-27 (ESV)

The disciples were amazed at His words.  I am amazed!  We are bombarded with gospel messages constantly that tell us how easy it is to enter the Kingdom. Yet, Jesus says, it is difficult.  It is so difficult that camel is more likely to fit through an eye of a needle.  We don’t see many camels in Austin, but we do see pickup trucks all over the place.   The religious world says, “It’s easy.”  Jesus says my black Ford Ranger is going to get in easier than those of us who have things.

I get this next part.  I really get it.  I like to pick on Peter; he is always shooting off at the mouth before he thinks.  However, I think my mouth would have asked the question before old Peter could have ever had taken a breath. Mark 10:28.

We have left everything to follow Jesus.  We have given up so much to get our theological education.  At times we even sacrifice our families to attend ministry meetings and care for the needs of those in our churches.  We have fallen behind with our neighbors the Jones.  They have collected more and more but our faith has cost us more and more.  I get this question, because I don’t know about you I have given up a lot.  But upon reflection and with guidance from Jesus, we recognize that we have been blessed with a lot more than we have ever given up.  But notice the blessing of receiving more than we have given up includes persecutions as well. Mark 10:29-30

In Wilson Rawls classic children’s book, “Where the Red Fern Grows,” a young ten-year old boy named Billy learns to hunt raccoons with two hunting dogs in the Ozark Mountains.  The book begins as Billy does odd jobs to save up the money to buy his dogs. The reason, I am telling this story is that there is one section in the book, where he has to teach his dogs how to hunt by letting them smell the hide of a raccoon.  Billy has to hunt a raccoon himself and find a way to do this without his dogs.  He learns about drilling a hole into a log and dropping something shiny in the hole.  He hammers several nails into the hole at an angle into the log.  The theory is that a raccoon likes shiny objects and will stick his paw into the hole.  His paw passes the nails, he grabs the shiny object and he makes a fist. The fist is too large to exit out of the hole because the nails dig into his paw.  He will not let go of the shiny object and it is supposedly a perfect trap for the raccoon.  Billy builds it and he catches a raccoon and is able to get a hide for his dogs. 

When I read this book as a kid, I have always been fascinated with the raccoons.  They are smart creatures and on several occasions outsmart Billy and his dogs in finding a way to escape.  But when tempted with a shiny object, the raccoon will just not let go and therefore, the end comes quickly.

There is always something that catches our attention.  Each of us in our own way sticks our hand into some kind of trouble to grab a hold of some kind of object and we just won’t let go.  As we struggle to get free, the futility of it all probably sinks in when we look up into the face of Jesus and He looks deep within our soul and asks us to let go but we cannot.  We bow our head in sorrow.  We know we ought to let go, we know it will not help us.  We are stuck, our Lord that we love so much encourages us to “just let go.”  We know salvation is with Jesus but we just can’t let go and this fascinates me.  Because too many times I have refused to let go and there are things now that I know I need to let go of and I just can’t.  The danger is ever present.  Billy finds the raccoon and hits him over the head and skins him.  I know I am about to be skinned and Jesus is pleading for me to “just let go.”

Back to our text, I want to thin about what Jesus see.  He looked at the children and what did he see?  He looked intently at the rich man and saw immediately the one thing preventing him from eternal life.  He looks at the disciples and what does he see?  He looks at us and what does He see? I believe He sees our guilt.  We are all guilty of something.  It is an amazing thing to be so guilty and look at our Savior face to face, eye to eye and see two things.  First, we see Jesus is on the way to the cross to “just let go.”  He has a mission and He will do nothing less than let it all go for us.  He leads by example.  Paul writes: Philippians 2:1-13

Second, we see whatever we cling to, whatever we hold tightly in our fist that impedes our journey with Jesus to the cross, our guilt will flood to the surface when we encounter the One who lets it all go for us.

Is our hand stuck in the hole?  We feel the nails.  It is not the pain of self-sacrifice but it is the pain of self-gratification, instant gratification, narcissism, and ego-centrism.  We feel the results or consequences of our sins digging deeper into our hands.  Yet, it seems to me there is an encounter for us; we can fall on our knees before our Lord.  We have entered the selfless task of ministry.  We have the sacrifice of our theological education.  We have been trained; we help save souls, but are we saved?  Are we entering the kingdom of God?  Have we worked out our salvation with fear and trembling? Have we looked up from our sins and looked into our savior’s face and listened to him tell us to “Just let go!”  JUST LET GO! 

I am encourage because Jesus’ journey ends at the cross and from there the disciples quit trying to be first and they become last.  What about us? Lamar Williamson writes:

If this message does not take our breath away, if we are not shocked, appalled, grieved, or amazed, we have either not yet heard it or heard it so often that we do not really hear it any more.

The good news is that we can still learn to be last. Jesus says in Mark 10:31

I want to close with two words of encouragement.  First, may we look into the eyes of Jesus and hear His words to “just let go.” Let us be “shocked, appalled, grieved, or amazed” at His demands for discipleship to “just let go.” Second, may we in our ministries follow Jesus to the cross and enter the Kingdom of God last. We serve a frail and hurting people, they will turn on us, they will criticize us, and they may even crucify us.  As we follow Jesus, we will still love them and we will challenge them to follow Jesus and “just let go.”