In the New Testament, both riches and the law are depicted as obstacles to godly faith. In today’s reading, we see them together and the results are tragic.
In our times, the desire for wealth is still a great problem; just look at the widening gap between rich and poor. And the law just can’t repair what’s broken.
Meanwhile, rarely anymore do we hear calls to focus on root causes. Why? Well, take it far enough and you can’t avoid speaking of sin, and that’s just too close to home. It isn’t welcomed in public discourse.
God gave the law as a hedge against sin, a restraining order against evil. Like the man in today’s reading, you and I can perhaps keep the letter of the law and thus produce a limited righteousness. But no such effort will ever kill the root; that requires power beyond our abilities. For the sake of our salvation, God does it all, not by coercing us to comply with the law, but by lavishing astonishing grace through Jesus Christ. God’s outlaw Saviour creates and delivers outlaw righteousness. It’s outlaw wealth.
It’s new life for you and me.
Lord God, plunder our storehouses of legal check boxes and bottom-line security. Transform us by the treasure of your saving word in Jesus Christ, and open our eyes to the needs of our neighbour. Amen. —