Sermon Based on – Psalm 104. 1-10, 26, 35c; Hebrews 5. 1-10; Mark. 10. 35-45
What is the one human quality that drives us to success while causing all sorts of problems at the same time? It is ambition. Ambition is one of the driving forces in our lives. It propels us to excel in our jobs. It pushes us to reach our goals. It can give us a reason for living. Ambition is one of the tools that the world uses to measure success.
There is another way to measure success-one that is not of this world-and that is the topic of the Gospel reading from Mark 10. 35-45. We sometimes think that we can measure success the way the world does. We mistakenly believe that if God receives glory for what we do, then it should be glorious for us also.
In Mark 10:35–45, Jesus and His disciples have one of the most memorable dialogues in the New Testament. In these eleven verses, Jesus emphasizes the importance of humility and service. He insists that self-giving service is the only greatness recognized by God, and only those who give of themselves for others will be the big winners with God. In so many words, Jesus insists that we must: Climb down the ladder to greatness. In other words, instead of ambitiously seeking to climb the ladder and attain greatness, we must sacrificially serve others.
First of all, this incident tells us something about the Evangelist Mark. Matthew tells this story but he has Salome, the mother of James and John, ask Jesus to give her sons positions of importance in the coming Kingdom. Matthew must have thought that it was inappropriate for an apostle to make such a bold request. Mark, however, is more honest. He wants us to understand that the disciples were not paragons of virtue but very ordinary people like you and me.
In 10:35, while Jesus is speaking of His looming death (cf. 10:32–34), James and John approach Him. James and John are two brothers who belong to Jesus’ “inner circle” together with Peter. They alone were present for the healing of Jairus’ daughter (5:37) and for the Transfiguration when Jesus was glorified (9:2). James and John are also called “the sons of thunder” (3:17). These brothers have fiery personalities and zeal for the Lord. This leads them to ask a rather presumptuous question: “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.”
This also gives us some valuable insights into James and John. They may have been lowly fishermen, but they were ambitious. These brothers wanted favored positions – seats on Jesus’ right and on his left – when he came in his glory. In a way they stand out for being boldly opportunistic, but all of the disciples were dreaming about a time when Jesus might win out over his opponents. Clearly they believed in Jesus and placed their confidence in his leadership.
But the great value of the Gospel is the manner in which it reveals what Jesus means when he speaks of greatness, a designation quite different from the way the world uses that word. For Jesus greatness is defined by total, unconditional trust in God. What is more, Jesus tells James and John … greatness is measured in service, in spending our lives for the sake of others.
How do we measure greatness?
Our world tends to define greatness in terms of power, privilege, and prestige. Sometimes, we measure the importance of a person by external markers – the house they own, the car they drive, the gadgets they use, the extravagant nature of their lifestyle. We are impressed by the visible achievement of people: their prestigious honors and academic degrees, the importance of their profession, and sometimes even the accomplishments of their children.
But when Jesus speaks of greatness he inevitably links it with service. He explains that greatness always involves suffering. As he said to James and John, that which makes us great is not our ability to rule over others, but, rather, our ability to invest ourselves for the welfare of others. In a world where most people want to put as little as is necessary into life and to get out as much as possible, our Lord speaks of a better way.
Jesus calls us to that “better way” today. Only when we are willing to put more into life than we take out .. to put service to others in a place of honor .. only then, Jesus tells us, are we worthy to be called his followers.
The Church of Jesus Christ establishes its credibility through its acts of mercy and kindness – the cup of water to the thirsty, the bag of groceries to the distraught or a tinned food for the homeless in Prague.
Once upon a time in a far-off country, a king had twin sons. One was strong and handsome. The other was intelligent and wise. As the ruler grew old, everyone speculated about which son the king would choose as his successor – the strong son or the wise son.
In this land the sign of kingship was a royal ring. Just before the king died, he had a copy of the royal ring made and presented both rings to his twin sons. The chief advisors to the king asked him, How shall we know which son wears the authentic royal ring?
You shall know, answered the king, because the chosen one will reveal his right to rule by his self-giving service to our people.
Our passage concludes with some of the most shocking words in the New Testament. Jesus says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Even the Son of Man had to follow the rule that Jesus just explained. He’s the great example of it. The way up is to go down. This verse is not only the climax of this paragraph (10:35–44), but it is the key verse of Mark’s Gospel. This verse is also the dividing point of the book of Mark. The first section of the book emphasized servanthood, whereas the second section will emphasize His coming death. In 10:45, Mark explains the purpose of Jesus’ death—He gave His life as a “ransom.” Mark uses the word “ransom” (lutron) which means, “The price paid to free a slave or captive.” Christ has paid that price for you and me.
The message of our epistle this morning is that, in Christ, God has become the suffering servant: the only one who can walk perfectly this way of sacrificial love, and so become the “source of eternal salvation for all who obey him”. Christ became both- the priest and the sacrifice for us. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews contrasts the sinless offering of Christ with the sacrifices offered by sinful priests. Only God can offer a true sacrifice, pouring himself out with no ulterior motive, but in an act of utter RECOMPENSE.
I really like our Anglican liturgy…
In the blessing before dispersal it declares – that the worship has ended – and is the time to go and serve the Lord. Let that be our hope as we hear those words, Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. For if that is our intention, then we can truly say and mean .. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Let us Pray..