20TH LORD’S SUNDAY FROM RESURRECTION (1 Cor 15:1-11, Mt 19:16-26)
“God said, I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you”. Mal 3:1; Jn 1:23.
Yesterday, on 29th August was the commemoration of Beheading (the precious head) of John the Baptist. On this Church feast, compare Mt 14:1-12; Mk 6:14-29; Lk 9:7-9 and Jn 3:22-36;10:40-42. John the Baptist is the one of whom the scripture says: “God said, I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you”. Mal 3:1; Jn 1:23. Therefore, “I assure you that John the Baptist is greater than any man who ever lived. But he who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist ….” Mt 11:11-15.
We are at the 20th Sunday from resurrection. Today we learn about the Young rich man, who knew and practiced the Mosaic Law (Ex 20:1-17; Lv 19:18, 34; Mt 22:37-40), but he never fulfilled the principle of “not to love more the world than the eternal life, the Kingdom of God”! Compare the passage of the day with other related passages: MK 10:17-31. Lk 18:18-30.
The Young rich man, in himself, seems to had been desiring the eternal life, his salvation as participation in the kingdom of God! But also, the Young rich man loved the world, loved money (Mt 6:24), and to gather the treasures of material things around himself! In this lesson we see that, the Young rich man loved more this temporary world than the eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
That is why, the Young rich man when was asked by the Lord to share with others what he had gathered in plenty excessively, he entirely became disappointed. He even abandoned the struggle for eternal life! Mt 19:22-23. He went away to join the people who do not know the Mosaic Law at all, practicing the worldly attitude of serving Mammon as the master, but not the God’s Kingdom of eternal life.
As theme, this problem always is contemporary for every generation of humans in the world. Who will re-evangelize the Christians of today on this matter? Please, do not doubt godly nature of Christ Jesus. Also, do not doubt about existence of eternal life in God. Stand firm on what is preached.
Christ Jesus does not cheat us. He died for our sins. He was buried and raised after three days. He appeared to the apostles and to Paul the least worker! Mt 11:11. We believe in resurrected Christ.