week 21

Psalm: Psalm 91

Old Testament: Isaiah 53:4-12

Gospel: Mark 10:35-45

Epistle: Hebrews 5:1-10

This week we are dealing with the idea of service.  I was first struck with the idea of reading Isaiah 53 even though it isn’t advent.  If you remember, Chapter 53 is one of the suffering servant songs where the Messiah is prophesied.  It includes lines like, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities…and by his wounds we are healed.”  If you read it, then you will know that this passage gets its moment in advent and is then put aside until next year.  Of course, it has its place during advent, but, lucky me, I wrote a note in my Bible that said Mark 10:43--which just so happens to be our Gospel reading today.  I am so glad I was able to learn under Pastor Steve at Southeast to give me these insights.  In verse 12, after the servant has been counted among the sinners and killed, the writer then says, “Therefore I will give him a portion among the great.”

Let’s move into the Gospel of Mark and see how this relates.  I first want to pause at verse 35 because it made me laugh and reminds us that the Gospels are full of humor if we look for it.  James and John, the Sons of Thunder, come to Jesus and essentially say, “We want you to promise to give us whatever we ask, but you have to promise to say yes before we tell you.”  If I was Jesus, I would have asked that I at least get the category we’re talking about.  This interaction reminds me of a movie or maybe something a child would say.  I think we could all agree that no one would make this promise.

Jesus doesn’t really promise to do what they want, but he still asks what they want.  I encourage you to read the interaction that follows, but James and John ask to be first in the kingdom and sit on Jesus’ side in his glory.  We can at least commend them in understanding that Jesus is the Messiah and is headed to glory.  But, of course, even though Jesus has told them he is going to be killed, they seem to be blind to this reality.

The point that Jesus makes in response to this question leads us back to Isaiah.  Jesus begins to teach them that whoever wants to be great in the Kingdom must be a servant or even a slave to all.  To quote verse 43, he says, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”  Jesus will earn a spot among the great through his obedience to the Father and his obedience serves as an example for us to follow.  The disciples, and us as well, should have learned from the suffering servant songs that describe the type of kingdom God desires is one in which we are a servant.  But by the time we get to Jesus and the life the disciples saw, it should have been obvious that following Jesus is about being a servant.  The path to greatness lies with service and it is a theme that runs throughout the Bible, not some strange idea Jesus just stumbled upon.

The suffering of Jesus is again picked up in our Hebrews chapter.  The suffering and obedience of Jesus serves the purpose of arguing that Jesus was the perfect high priest and able to provide salvation for everyone.  But the argument Hebrews makes really can’t be made here.  It is one of my favorite books for the fact that the author builds his argument so beautifully and intricately.  You really have to read the whole letter to understand it.  I will just leave you with his words from verses 7-9:

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

This week, the implication for us is obvious, yet still difficult.  We are to be servants to those around us.  As Jesus is our example, so we are to show his love to others.

Grace and Peace