"Christian, Love Me More Than These"

Sermon for 28th Sunday of the Year, cycle B, Oct 11-12, 1997

by Most Rev. Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Presiding Bishop, United Catholic Church

Wisdom 7: 7-11

Psalm 90: 12-17

Hebrews 4: 12-13

Mark 10: 17-30

I’d like you to think about the most important things in your life. Now pick one that you particularly enjoy. It can be your dream house or a new car, an Oriental rug, a family heirloom, or a collection — maybe stamps or old clocks. It can be an activity, like fishing or playing golf or watching television. It can be a person — a spouse, a best friend, a child, a lover. It can be a condition, like your health or financial stability or retirement. For some it’s their job or a career, or maybe an avocation like music or theater. What is the one thing you value the most, the thing that brings you comfort, enjoyment, pleasure, security, whatever?

What would you do if someone asked you to give it up? You wouldn’t be very receptive. But what if you were trying to trade for something else you wanted very much? You’d probably say, "No, no. I’ll give you anything but that. Ask for something else. I’ve got a nice 386 computer, and a 13 channel black-&-white TV, and a 1983 Plymouth Duster, and a lifetime pass to the roller-coaster at Coney Island (It’s good from October to March.). Take one of those. Take all of them. Just don’t ask for my ........" You fill in the blank.

What is it that you are least willing to part with? That may be exactly what God asks you to give up.

Now that’s not always the case. God may let you off easy, and ask for something that’s not hard for you to give up. Not! God isn’t much into obsolete computers, worn-out automobiles, and activities you’ve grown tired of anyway. God is much more likely to ask for something really tough. He’s into favorite things.

Of course God always asks us to give up sin. If we have a favorite sin, that’s the first thing to go. Repent. Obey the commandments. That’s the first thing Jesus asked of the young man in today’s gospel. And the young man said, "Hey, no sweat! I’ve been doing that all my life."

But then came the hard part. Jesus said, "If you want to follow in my footsteps, go sell what you have and give to the poor, then come follow me." But that was too much. For this young man, his wealth was his favorite thing. He was unwilling to give it up.

Jesus didn’t always get turned down. Peter and Andrew gave up their boat and their lives as fishermen. So did James and John. Peter gave up the companionship of his wife. Matthew (who was Levi, the tax collector) gave up a comfortable position of considerable wealth. But the rich young man was unable to give up his favorite thing.

Why does God do that? Why does he ask us to give up the things we value the most? It’s very simple. If we are to be his disciples, we must put him first.

It’s said very well in an old hymn in the Methodist hymnal (#398):

"Jesus calls us o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea; day by day his sweet voice soundeth, saying, ‘Christian, follow me!’

"As of old the apostles heard it by the Galilean lake, turned from home and soil and kindred, leaving all for Jesus’ sake.

"Jesus calls us from the worship of the vain world’s golden store, from each idol that would keep us, saying, ‘Christian, love me more!’

"In our joys and in our sorrows, days of toil and hours of ease, still he calls, in cares and pleasures, ‘Christian, love me more than these!’

"Jesus calls us! By thy mercies, Savior, may we hear thy call, give our hearts to thine obedience, serve and love thee best of all."

Oh, the music is old-fashioned (and very Protestant), but what a beautiful poem. "Christian, love me more than these." What is God asking you to give up today?

Now some of us may be still in the first phase, where all Jesus is trying to get us to give up is our sin. In that case, we’re worse than the young man who wouldn’t give up all his wealth to follow Jesus. He followed the commandments. He was a good Jewish man, and Jesus loved him. If you believe, as I do, in an all-powerful God who can save people no matter what their religion, then this young man probably went to heaven and is enjoying the eternal life he wanted. (Remember Jesus saying with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible?)

But we are Christians. God guarantees our salvation, because we have repented and turned our lives over to him. We have, haven’t we???

If we have, then we are free from sin. It has no hold on us. We do not willfully and willingly turn our back on Christ and break God’s commandments. Now don’t get the idea that we’re saved because we obey the commandments. We obey the commandments because we are saved. There is a difference.

But as today’s gospel points out, obeying the commandments isn’t enough. There’s more. As Christians, we are called to "take up our cross" and follow Jesus. What does it mean to "take up our cross"? It means that following Jesus won’t be painless. It usually entails sacrifice — giving up weekend activities to come to church, giving up free time to help someone in need, giving up some of our treasure to do God’s work, giving up everything to serve the poor in Calcutta (like Mother Teresa), or giving up just a little to help the poor in Melbourne, ... whatever!

All my life I’ve loved the beach. It has been my fondest dream to live on the ocean; to be able to lay in bed and listen to the waves; to get up before dawn and walk along the sand, watching the sun rise; to go fishing from my front yard. Well, I’ve got it. But now the Lord is asking me to give it up. In a week or two, our house will go on the market.

God is asking something of you, too. What is it? What is God asking you to give up?

God does have work for you to do. There are people out there who need the healing touch of Jesus through your hands. There are people out there who need the comforting words of Jesus through your lips. Jesus is calling you to be his disciple. Yes, it will mean giving something up, maybe your favorite thing. But Jesus promises that you will receive much more in return, even in this life (and persecution as well), and eternal happiness in the next.

Will you answer his call, like Peter and Andrew and James and John? Or like the rich young man, will you turn your back on Jesus and sadly walk away? That is the choice each of us faces today, and every day.

"Jesus calls us o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea; day by day his sweet voice soundeth, saying, ‘Christian, follow me!’

"As of old the apostles heard it by the Galilean lake, turned from home and soil and kindred, leaving all for Jesus’ sake.

"Jesus calls us from the worship of the vain world’s golden store, from each idol that would keep us, saying, ‘Christian, love me more!’

"In our joys and in our sorrows, days of toil and hours of ease, still he calls, in cares and pleasures, ‘Christian, love me more than these!’

"Jesus calls us! By thy mercies, Savior, may we hear thy call, give our hearts to thine obedience, serve and love thee best of all."

What is God asking of you today? Whatever it is, say, "Yes!" Say, "Yes!"

Let us pray. Lord, we give you thanks for all the blessings you have given us. We thank you for our favorite things. May we always remember that they come from you. And when you ask for them back, may we always say, "Yes." For we do love you more than these. Amen.

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