The impossible or the possible?

Matthew 6: 19-34

22 ‘The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; ²³but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 ‘No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Jesus of the Nazareth Sermon, in presenting Himself as the fulfilment of the prophecy of the Kingdom of God contained in the book of Isaiah, is from that point on, formally and publically, inaugurating the Kingdom of God. This is done by presenting Himself and His teachings as the expression and revelation of the Messiah the Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer of the whole of creation. The story of Jesus is the continuation of the story that began back in Genesis; the story of the provision of plenty in and for all creation. The creation story reveals how it all went badly wrong, not by design but through decisions. Looking at, considering and desiring that which seems to hold such potential for personal  fulfilment but is known deep down as self and other destroying results in being overwhelmed by desire and the decision to meet human needs our own way. We lose it all or at least the best of it and find ourselves ‘East of Eden’ because we were prepared to look and consider meeting our personal needs at the expense and exploitation of others now and in the future. Jesus counsels us not to look, never to consider never mind to practice self-centred wealth creation. This is not simply a rule but Jesus is appealing to us not to engage in the impossible. It’s impossible to serve God and self-centred wealth. Don’t even look, consider, ponder or wonder because It’s impossible. It doesn’t matter the philosophy, the maths, the economic theory, the political justification; it’s impossible. We cannot meet our needs our own way. It’s clear and its official if we meet our needs our own way we will lose it all, find ourselves east of where we were created to be and we will suffer the; physical, social, psychological and environmental consequences. Worry will consume us, we will work till we drop and we will slave away our lives; dying alone, one by one stretched out in shrouds with no pockets; poverty stricken. The alternative?  Be transformed! Participate in the Kingdom inaugurated by Jesus. He taught the way that is possible and it is provided by Him. Jesus said in our passage: ³³But strive first for the kingdom of God and his (your Heavenly Father’s) righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Jesus, His teachings and practices reveal Him as the ‘Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer’. We don’t have to decide to throw it all away it’s not designed that way. We are all invited to decide to be transformed by hearing and putting into practice the teachings of Jesus.