16th Sunday after Pentecost 9/20/09 Mark 9:30-37
16th Sunday after Pentecost
9/20/09
Text: Mark 9:30-37
Title: You must be last to be first.
This morning’s sermon is based on our Gospel reading Mark:9 30-37, particularly verse 36 and 37; “And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
We read those verses and say to ourselves, “I can do that, in fact I already do it.” And we feel good about ourselves. Many a sermon has been preached on this text to teach people that we are to care for children all over the world, for Jesus loves children. It is true that we should care for children who are defenseless, but to use this text to preach that is not being true to the text.
This text is not about children at all. Jesus is using a child to teach his disciples a valuable lesson, a lesson that is essential to their being followers, that is imitators of him. And the lesson Jesus is teaching so long ago speaks directly to us today.
It was only a day or two before that the disciples had not been able to heal a boy who was possessed by an evil spirit. They were no doubt disappointed and perplexed because they had in other instances been able to heal people of their physical, mental, and spiritual problems. Jesus told them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
This must have been a big letdown for the disciples, for Jesus had been given them the power to heal. I wonder if they had forgotten where the power to heal had come from. I think that might be why they were arguing about who was the greatest. Maybe some had healed more than others and thus felt that they deserved recognition. Whatever the reason they started arguing among themselves about who was the greatest. It is not recorded for us why they were arguing. I think it was more than likely all about who was going to be the greatest in Jesus’ new kingdom; that kingdom he would set up after he gathered the people together and defeated the Romans.
They completely ignored Jesus statement that he would be killed and after 3 days rise again. Jesus wanted his disciples to understand what was going to take place so that they would be prepared when he was killed. Jesus wanted them to know that when he was killed it was not the end for in 3 days he would be alive. But they just did not get it.
So it is time to teach them in a different way. He needed to let them know that being a follower of Jesus is not about who is going to be first; that is served by others, but who is going to serve others by putting all people and their needs above their own. In other words to be a true follower of Jesus you must consider yourself as Jesus did, a servant of all. Jesus died for all. As far as the world did and still thinks today that Jesus was a failure. That is one of the reasons that so many Christians want Jesus to be an earthly king. The cross showed failure, but to rule over the earth; now that shows greatness. They say, “You go Jesus. Show all these unbelievers how powerful you really are. Vindicate our faith in you.”
And in saying that, in believing that Jesus power can only be shown by his earthly reign those that stake their faith on his coming back as an earthly king have rejected his power, his mighty act of salvation when on the cross in all weakness he took the punishment due all people on himself so that all people could escape God’s wrath.
Jesus became the servant of all. He took to himself all those who are considered unworthy before God, that includes you and me. By taking this child and setting him or her, we don’t know which he taught his disciples a valuable lesson about what it means to be a follower of his.
You see, when Jesus brought this young child into the midst of meeting with his male disciples he broke a taboo. Young children in the Hebrew culture were not allowed to be with men, especially when they were meeting. Young children were at the bottom of the social ladder. They were considered to be less than slaves because slaves had worth in that they could do something while young children, the word used for child in the text would indicate a toddler were only consumers and demanders of time and resources.
By doing what he did Jesus was showing that being first in the community was not what being a disciple of his was about. Not only were they to put others interests above their own, that is people of value, but that they were to put the interests of the lowest of society above themselves. That turned their world upside down, or as I like to say, “right side up” for when Adam and Eve brought sin into the world by their not trusting in God the world has and will continue to be upside down.
Putting even the lowest of society above self was a shocking turn of events for disciples who had the power to heal and forgive. Putting others above self was a hard pill to swallow for his followers who had dreams of being installed in high places when Jesus set up his kingdom.
But what Jesus said next must have really set them back. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
Jesus is telling them that if they do what he says they are to do they are truly followers of not just him, but God the Father, for the Father and Jesus are one.
I would doubt that there are many if any present here this morning that want to bask in the public acclaim. It is just not our style. We just want to be left alone. We are quite comfortable not striving for greatness and so we feel quite comfortable with this text. We are not seeking greatness. We love children. We want them to know about Jesus. Yup we are pretty sure that this text does not speak to us.
I would put forward this morning that this text does speak to us. In fact it strikes us by showing that we are in fact prideful and do not put the good of others above ourselves. Who here does not like to receive preferential treatment? Who here would not want to put in the front of the line especially when you have 10 or so people ahead of you in the checkout line. Who here likes to wait in line during road construction? Who of us does not consider our self as being, at least sometimes being more worthy than others.
Friday I received in the mail a card from Friday’s, a chain restaurant that, if I so choose would let me, actually it has Penny’s name on it, a one time only skip to the front of the line. You see Fridays knows human nature. They know that we all want to, at some time or other, be number one that is be moved to the front of the line.
How disarming it is to our ego that Jesus tells us that we are to servants of those who we consider to be only takers. But that is the lesson he is teaching us, for he knows that when you have moved from head knowledge of his salvation to heart knowledge that is who you will be. He knows that there will be times when you will not be as he wants, for he knows that you, as well as I, are still struggling with our sinful nature. He knows this, but he does not want us to not struggle with our sinful desire to put ourselves first. He wants us to grow in our faith, for in the mature faith the less struggle one has with their sinful nature.
In this Gospel lesson, in fact in the Old Testament reading and the Epistle we learn that the only proper way to be first in God’s eyes is to step back and be last, and from that humble position serve others in all we do. This is something more than a bit of wisdom, more than a few comments from say “Dear Abby”. It speaks of the attitude of the heart toward others. He is not saying that you have to give up everything or do without, that is unless it is keeping you from being a true active disciple of Jesus. Becoming first by serving from a position of last is how we are to live in the right side up kingdom that Jesus brought to pass when he descended from his power and might to be servant to all by dying on the cross. He set aside on our behalf his power and might and in doing so turned the world as we know it, not upside down, but right side up. And in doing so he has, if we do not ignore his gift, transformed us from selfish ambition to selfless serving and giving.
Can you imagine what our world would be like, but particularly what our congregation would be like if everyone would take to heart Jesus’ words, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” There would be no more harshness toward each other. There would be no more bitterness or looking down on others. There would be acceptance, forgiveness, restoration and a willingness to work together putting aside differenced for the common good, for the showing of others what it means to be a Christian. It is the way our Lord and Savior wants us to live, for he, through his actions on the cross made you first in his eyes. You no longer have to strive to be first, for you already are. And because you are first you are now free to serve others. You are free to be the servant Christ wants you to be. Amen
9/20/09
Text: Mark 9:30-37
Title: You must be last to be first.
This morning’s sermon is based on our Gospel reading Mark:9 30-37, particularly verse 36 and 37; “And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
We read those verses and say to ourselves, “I can do that, in fact I already do it.” And we feel good about ourselves. Many a sermon has been preached on this text to teach people that we are to care for children all over the world, for Jesus loves children. It is true that we should care for children who are defenseless, but to use this text to preach that is not being true to the text.
This text is not about children at all. Jesus is using a child to teach his disciples a valuable lesson, a lesson that is essential to their being followers, that is imitators of him. And the lesson Jesus is teaching so long ago speaks directly to us today.
It was only a day or two before that the disciples had not been able to heal a boy who was possessed by an evil spirit. They were no doubt disappointed and perplexed because they had in other instances been able to heal people of their physical, mental, and spiritual problems. Jesus told them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
This must have been a big letdown for the disciples, for Jesus had been given them the power to heal. I wonder if they had forgotten where the power to heal had come from. I think that might be why they were arguing about who was the greatest. Maybe some had healed more than others and thus felt that they deserved recognition. Whatever the reason they started arguing among themselves about who was the greatest. It is not recorded for us why they were arguing. I think it was more than likely all about who was going to be the greatest in Jesus’ new kingdom; that kingdom he would set up after he gathered the people together and defeated the Romans.
They completely ignored Jesus statement that he would be killed and after 3 days rise again. Jesus wanted his disciples to understand what was going to take place so that they would be prepared when he was killed. Jesus wanted them to know that when he was killed it was not the end for in 3 days he would be alive. But they just did not get it.
So it is time to teach them in a different way. He needed to let them know that being a follower of Jesus is not about who is going to be first; that is served by others, but who is going to serve others by putting all people and their needs above their own. In other words to be a true follower of Jesus you must consider yourself as Jesus did, a servant of all. Jesus died for all. As far as the world did and still thinks today that Jesus was a failure. That is one of the reasons that so many Christians want Jesus to be an earthly king. The cross showed failure, but to rule over the earth; now that shows greatness. They say, “You go Jesus. Show all these unbelievers how powerful you really are. Vindicate our faith in you.”
And in saying that, in believing that Jesus power can only be shown by his earthly reign those that stake their faith on his coming back as an earthly king have rejected his power, his mighty act of salvation when on the cross in all weakness he took the punishment due all people on himself so that all people could escape God’s wrath.
Jesus became the servant of all. He took to himself all those who are considered unworthy before God, that includes you and me. By taking this child and setting him or her, we don’t know which he taught his disciples a valuable lesson about what it means to be a follower of his.
You see, when Jesus brought this young child into the midst of meeting with his male disciples he broke a taboo. Young children in the Hebrew culture were not allowed to be with men, especially when they were meeting. Young children were at the bottom of the social ladder. They were considered to be less than slaves because slaves had worth in that they could do something while young children, the word used for child in the text would indicate a toddler were only consumers and demanders of time and resources.
By doing what he did Jesus was showing that being first in the community was not what being a disciple of his was about. Not only were they to put others interests above their own, that is people of value, but that they were to put the interests of the lowest of society above themselves. That turned their world upside down, or as I like to say, “right side up” for when Adam and Eve brought sin into the world by their not trusting in God the world has and will continue to be upside down.
Putting even the lowest of society above self was a shocking turn of events for disciples who had the power to heal and forgive. Putting others above self was a hard pill to swallow for his followers who had dreams of being installed in high places when Jesus set up his kingdom.
But what Jesus said next must have really set them back. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
Jesus is telling them that if they do what he says they are to do they are truly followers of not just him, but God the Father, for the Father and Jesus are one.
I would doubt that there are many if any present here this morning that want to bask in the public acclaim. It is just not our style. We just want to be left alone. We are quite comfortable not striving for greatness and so we feel quite comfortable with this text. We are not seeking greatness. We love children. We want them to know about Jesus. Yup we are pretty sure that this text does not speak to us.
I would put forward this morning that this text does speak to us. In fact it strikes us by showing that we are in fact prideful and do not put the good of others above ourselves. Who here does not like to receive preferential treatment? Who here would not want to put in the front of the line especially when you have 10 or so people ahead of you in the checkout line. Who here likes to wait in line during road construction? Who of us does not consider our self as being, at least sometimes being more worthy than others.
Friday I received in the mail a card from Friday’s, a chain restaurant that, if I so choose would let me, actually it has Penny’s name on it, a one time only skip to the front of the line. You see Fridays knows human nature. They know that we all want to, at some time or other, be number one that is be moved to the front of the line.
How disarming it is to our ego that Jesus tells us that we are to servants of those who we consider to be only takers. But that is the lesson he is teaching us, for he knows that when you have moved from head knowledge of his salvation to heart knowledge that is who you will be. He knows that there will be times when you will not be as he wants, for he knows that you, as well as I, are still struggling with our sinful nature. He knows this, but he does not want us to not struggle with our sinful desire to put ourselves first. He wants us to grow in our faith, for in the mature faith the less struggle one has with their sinful nature.
In this Gospel lesson, in fact in the Old Testament reading and the Epistle we learn that the only proper way to be first in God’s eyes is to step back and be last, and from that humble position serve others in all we do. This is something more than a bit of wisdom, more than a few comments from say “Dear Abby”. It speaks of the attitude of the heart toward others. He is not saying that you have to give up everything or do without, that is unless it is keeping you from being a true active disciple of Jesus. Becoming first by serving from a position of last is how we are to live in the right side up kingdom that Jesus brought to pass when he descended from his power and might to be servant to all by dying on the cross. He set aside on our behalf his power and might and in doing so turned the world as we know it, not upside down, but right side up. And in doing so he has, if we do not ignore his gift, transformed us from selfish ambition to selfless serving and giving.
Can you imagine what our world would be like, but particularly what our congregation would be like if everyone would take to heart Jesus’ words, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” There would be no more harshness toward each other. There would be no more bitterness or looking down on others. There would be acceptance, forgiveness, restoration and a willingness to work together putting aside differenced for the common good, for the showing of others what it means to be a Christian. It is the way our Lord and Savior wants us to live, for he, through his actions on the cross made you first in his eyes. You no longer have to strive to be first, for you already are. And because you are first you are now free to serve others. You are free to be the servant Christ wants you to be. Amen
posted by Pastor Rhoads | 1:29 PM
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