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God and Money, Part 1

God and Money, Part 1

Last updated on: October 9, 2024 at 6:52 am by Herb Montgomery

God and Money, Part 1 2024-10-09T06:52:27-04:00 Herb Montgomery

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Our title this week is God and Money, and our reading is from the gospel of Mark,

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

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“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:17-31)

This week’s reading gets to the heart of one of the central teachings of Jesus in the synoptic gospels—the gospel Jesus himself teaches in the story. It may be challenging for us today depending on how invested we are in our current economic system. To understand it in its context, let’s go back to an ancient story in the Hebrew scriptures that may have shaped Jesus’ vision of a world where everyone has enough to thrive. This is the story of the manna provided during the Exodus narratives.

According to the Exodus stories, one of the very first lessons the Hebrews learned in their wilderness journey was to trust God to provide for their daily needs to the degree that those who had more than they needed shared with those who had less and everyone was ensured to have enough.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’” The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them. Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. (Exodus 16:15-21)

If anyone attempted to hoard rather than share, what they hoarded spoiled and was full of maggots. The point of this was, there will be more manna tomorrow. Everyone could bring what they gathered each day and find it was enough to divide between everyone, an omer per person. There was enough for every person’s need, but not every person’s greed.

Later in the book of Deuteronomy, we encounter more. We’ll begin with that, next.

(Read Part 2)

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General Christian

Politics and Religion

About Herb Montgomery

Herb Montgomery, director of Renewed Heart Ministries, is an author and adult religious re-educator helping Christians explore the intersection of their faith with love, compassion, action, and societal justice. You can read more about the author here.

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October 9, 2024 God and Money, Part 2

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