The Temple: Cursed, or Cleansed? - Mark 11:12-22

The Temple: Cursed, or Cleansed?

Mark 11:12-22

Introduction: Last week we deviated from our series in Mark for Father’s Day, and the week before we had just finished Mark 10 and the healing of Bartimaeus, so you might be wondering if I have lost my place! On Palm Sunday, two months back, we had jumped ahead to the story of the Triumphal Entry! We were reminded that the King has come and the King is coming. He came first as the Servant-King, willingly laying down His life to make a way for fallen humans to become kingdom citizens… At the end of that scene we have an incident reported only by Mark…

¹¹ And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany...

What was He looking at as He entered the Temple? What was He thinking? Jesus knew what was coming on Friday, He knew what He had come to accomplish on our behalf. Jerusalem was the City of God, and the Temple was the center of worship, the place where God had chosen for His Name to dwell. It makes sense that the Messiah would appear there. It would not have been expected that when He arrived, the leaders would not recognize the One for whom the Nation, and humanity, had so long waited!

       Three times on this journey to Jerusalem Jesus had explicitly told His disciples that He would be rejected, cruelly treated, handed over to the gentiles and put to death, and then raised the third day. The conflict with the leaders of the nation would reach its climax shortly. We get an idea of that in the next scene, the next day, after the triumphal entry, as they return to the city and the Temple.

       This is not just a historical report of what happened back then. Nor is it just an indictment of the religious leaders of Israel. Mark would also invite us, as readers of the Gospel, to examine our own hearts. Recall Paul’s words to the Corinthians…

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?  ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple…” (I Cor 3:16,17).

He is talking about the church. Not a building, but the assembly of believers in the city of Corinth. And the gathering of believers in this place. What does He think our our worship today? That brings us to…

The Maine* Idea: As followers of Jesus we must live by faith, and guard against presumption, and religious hypocrisy.

I. Jesus, the Master, is constantly teaching us (12-14). We have heard Jesus teach in parables, here we see Jesus essentially acting out a parable in the sight and hearing of His disciples.

¹² On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.  ¹³ And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  ¹⁴ And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it. 

       One of the things that has impressed me as we have worked our way through the Gospel of Mark is that Jesus is always teaching His disciples. Through His words, His actions, His example, He is constantly seizing opportunities to open their understanding of His identity, to deepen their faith, and to prepare them for the mission that will soon be entrusted to them. That has been pretty obvious, hasn’t it? I may be a little slow, but it has also impressed me recently how the Lord is constantly, patiently, and persistently teaching me, teaching us. Yes, as we read and study the Word, the Spirit will open our understanding. It is also true that He works through the circumstances of life to teach us, and to grow our faith.

       Here, the Master, in His humanity, was hungry. He saw a Fig Tree in leaf, which would indicate that it should have some edible fruit on it. And, finding it fruitless, the Lord lays the groundwork for another “teachable moment.” Earlier, according to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus had spoken a parable about a fruitless Fig Tree. We read that in Luke 13:6-9,

And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  ⁷ And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’  ⁸ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.  ⁹ Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, the Fig Tree is sometimes used as a picture of Israel. For example, we read in Hos 9:10 (cf. Mic 7:1-6; Jer 8:13, 29:17),

 “Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers.”

Here, Jesus goes to a Fig Tree in leaf, but the early fruit, which apparently should appear with the leaves long before the later, sweeter and larger “in season” fruit, was absent. The absence of the early fruit was a harbinger of what was to come. A fruitless Fig Tree. Luke 13? What is “hypocrisy”? According to Webster, it is “the professing of qualities or character that one does not truly possess.” Jesus called the Pharisees “white-washed tombs, full of dead men’s bones.”

       Did you hear the story of the rather pompous-looking Pastor who was trying to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life? "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment's pause, one youngster said, "Maybe it's because they don't know you." Uh oh! That is not the answer he was looking for! Authentic faith will change us, from the inside out.

       In Hosea, as we’ll see literally happen here, “…their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit…” (Hos 9:16). The Lord used similar language as He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet,

“When I would gather them, declares the LORD, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them…” (Jer 8:13).

Jeremiah was warning that lifeless religion would lead to exile. Jesus was prophesying the destruction of the Temple which was fulfilled in A.D. 70. We are called to authentic, living faith. As followers of Jesus we must live by faith, and guard against presumption, and religious hypocrisy.

II. Jesus is the Glorious One, and we must worship Him in Spirit & Truth (15-17).

¹⁵ And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.  ¹⁶ And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.  ¹⁷ And he was teaching them and saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers."

       You may recall that Jesus had a similar confrontation in the Temple at the beginning of His public ministry, that event reported only by John. John tells us,

¹³ The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  ¹⁴ In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.  ¹⁵ And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.  ¹⁶ And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."  ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."  (John 2:13-17).

On that earlier occasion Jesus came like a prophet, indicting the religious leaders for their wrong attitudes. And the disciples remembered the Scriptures, no doubt considering where this confrontation would lead. Jesus subtly alluded to the cross and resurrection in the following verses,

¹⁸ So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?"  ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  ²⁰ The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"  ²¹ But he was speaking about the temple of his body… (John 2:18-21).

Now, three years later, that prophecy of Jesus’ death and resurrection was about to be fulfilled. He had walked among His people for three years. He taught with authority. He did miracles that gave a glimpse into the future, showing the multitudes and His disciples vignettes of their future Hope. And now, once more, Jesus is entering Jerusalem, at the time of Passover, and will clear the “merchants” from the Temple for a second time. Our God is a jealous God, He will not tolerate idols. He demands our whole-hearted devotion. That means, we take Him at His Word. He has told us who He is. He has shown us the Way to Life!

       Notice that Jesus quotes the Scriptures. Isaiah had prophesied that the Temple of God would be “…a house of prayer for all peoples…” God’s plan always included the nations. When He spoke to Adam about the Seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head, humanity, all nations, were included in that hope. When He promised Noah not to destroy the world again by water he spoke to him as representing the human race. He chose Abraham and promised him a Seed who would be a blessing to all the nations. In case we miss what that means and how it would be fulfilled, Paul told the Galatians plainly, “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ…” (Gal 3:16).  Israel is God’s chosen, chosen as the ones through whom His written word would be brought to humans, and chosen as the line through whom the Messiah would come.

       By the way, don’t read this passage and assume that God is finished with Israel. We are told that “blindness in part has come upon Israel until the fulness of the gentiles come in…” (Rom 11:25). There will be a turning back to Jesus as Messiah by the Jews. We are also warned in that context not to be prideful or complacent, that if God so chastened the natural branches, how will He deal with those who have been grafted in? As followers of Jesus we must live by faith, and guard against presumption, and religious hypocrisy.

III. Humanity is divided over our response to Jesus (18,19).

¹⁸ And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.  ¹⁹ And when evening came they went out of the city.

       Words and actions from Old Testament prophets were rarely received well. Occasionally, as when Jonah brought a word of God’s impending judgement of Nineveh, people hear, are convicted, and repent. Not so with most of the leaders of the Jews at Jesus’ coming. Jesus astonished the crowds, perhaps confusing them, perhaps leading them to wonder if He was about to restore the Kingdom to Israel. The leaders were only driven further in their commitment to destroy Him.

       The words and works of Jesus brought division. Some heard and believed. Others would not receive Him. Jesus expected His hearers to be divided. He said in Matthew 10:34, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” At issue is the response of people to Him. We read in John 3:18, “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” A little further down in that same chapter we read in John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Belief or unbelief, condemnation or life. John summarized it in his prologue when he said,

“He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:11-12).

What will you do with Jesus? Have you trusted Him as your only hope of salvation?  If you have, you are called to follow Him. As followers of Jesus we must live by faith, and guard against presumption, and religious hypocrisy.

IV. Jesus is Lord, and we must take Him at His Word (20-22).

²⁰ As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.  ²¹ And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”  ²² And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God…”

       Jesus is revealed in these interconnected events as Prophet, Priest, and King. He entered the city as the promised Messiah. He cleared the Temple of its corrupt worship. As a prophet he foretold God’s chastening hand coming against Jerusalem. Sovereign, Son of David and Son of God. Priest, our great High Priest, the one mediator between God and man, a priesthood typified by Melchizedek. Only Jesus ultimately fulfilled all three offices. As they passed by the fig tree the next morning, Peter almost seems surprised, “Rabbi look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered!” What he didn’t yet see was that that Fig Tree was the picture, the symbol, of something much bigger. His final rejection by the religious leaders was at hand, and His judgment of their false worship was coming. The story would unfold exactly as He predicted. The treachery of the leaders would soon reach its climax. Jesus had prophesied three times on the trip to Jerusalem that He would be rejected, mistreated, handed over to the gentiles, tortured and killed. Seemingly the disciples could not grasp what He was saying. Much less did they understand the promise that He would be raised on the third day.

       The final word in v.22 is a call for response: “Have faith in God.” Mark has been presenting Jesus, the Son of God, and helping us to understand what He came to do. The call throughout the Gospel is to follow Him. Religious ritual or tradition, if it has become rote and empty, will not make us right with God. Our only hope is salvation by grace through faith in Christ. David wrote,

¹⁶ For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.  ¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise… (Psalm 51:16,17).

David knew he had sinned, and he realized that getting his heart right was essential before any sacrifices would be meaningful. Jesus said, “Have faith in God.” He is not simply talking about the need to pray in faith. In the context it is clear that there is a contrast between those who come to God on His terms, and put their trust in Him, and those who are relying on their own religious efforts to stand before Him. It means believing that Jesus is who He claimed to be, and that He accomplished what He came to do. The leaders of Israel had gone astray, they would not believe. Their traditions and their religious system had blinded them to such a degree that they did not recognize their own Messiah, even as He stood right in front of them. Ironically, their rejection of Him fulfilled the Scriptures and confirmed His identity. What will you do with Jesus? Mark has been showing us who Jesus really is. He has been telling us why He came. Will you follow Him?

What is God saying to me in this passage? As followers of Jesus we must live by faith, and guard against presumption, and religious hypocrisy.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? You probably know well that one of the leading excuses unbelievers give for not coming to church is always, “There are too many hypocrites!” Most likely what people usually mean when that say that is that they know the people who go to church are not perfect, that they still sin. In that they are absolutely correct. We are not yet what we will be, but, by the grace of God, we are forgiven! What we don’t want to do is to give any credence to the idea that there are, in fact, too many hypocrites in the church (see our series in James and in I Peter)! Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me…” We want to be serious about our faith, pursuing holiness, seeking to know God intimately and to walk in the Spirit. Don’t you know that you are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? We are not yet perfected, but we should certainly be changed!  We have been set free from bondage to sin and Satan.  With His presence and power we can say “no” to sin. Walk in the Spirit and you will be no means fulfill the lusts of the flesh! As we walk with God, people will, over time, see a difference! Our life is a witness. The nations were invited to come. We are called to go. Will you?  AMEN.

The Coming of the King - Mark 11:1-11

For the study of Mark 11:1-11 please see my Palm Sunday message from March 2018, at https://boothbaybaptist.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-coming-of-servant-king-mark-111-11.html 

Dad, the Family Priest? (or, "Daddy, HELP!) - James 5:13-20

Dad, the Family Priest (or, “Daddy, Help!”)

James 5:13-20

Introduction: I remember a scene about twenty-five years ago when I was a pastor in New Jersey. Sarah was little, maybe three or four years old. She went into a little washroom off of our kitchen and suddenly I heard: “Daddy? Daddy? Daddy! DADDY!” With each “Daddy” her voice got louder and more urgent. First, I Iooked up casually, then by the time her voice got to a scream I was running in the door. She had been cornered by a large, fearsome… ANT! I guess when you are four years old a black ant can look big and scary? Well, Dad, the hero, swooped in and smashed the attacking vermin. Sarah’s reply, “Daddy, where were you?  Didn’t you hear me? What took you so long?”  When we cry out to our Father in heaven, Abba, He always hears, and He answers in the way that is best.

       We affirm the “priesthood of believers,” that is, every believer has the privilege of prayer, because of Jesus was have full and immediate access to the throne room of heaven.  We are invited to keep asking, seeking, knocking. We are also called to intercede on behalf of one another. In our study in Mark’s Gospel, we’ve seen parents, like Jairus and the Syrophoenician woman, interceding with great effect on behalf of their children. Parents have a unique responsibility and privilege to intercede on behalf of their children, and also to teach their children, by word and example, to pray. Today, for Father’s Day, I want to take a break from our series in Mark to look at a passage in James on the subject of prayer.

       Rather than an exhaustive exposition of this text in James, I want to apply it to a Father’s role as a spiritual leader in his family. My title for this message is “Dad, the family Priest?” I hope that title doesn’t confuse anyone. I believe with you that there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. We believe that every believer can come to the Father directly in the name of Jesus. Yet we do see in this passage the privilege and responsibility of praying for one another. Doesn’t that start in our own oikos, with our own household, and specifically with our wife and children? God already knows their needs before we ever speak. He knows the urgency of the moment. He understands our fears. And here is the most encouraging part: he knows the needs of our children more intimately, and He loves them more perfectly, than we do. Dads do their best, but Abba is always at the door, ready to help in the way that is best, every time. So…

The Maine* Idea: Fathers have the privilege and the responsibility to intercede on behalf of their children, and to teach them, by word and example, to pray to our heavenly Father!

I. Prayer in every circumstance (13). Prayer is the normal response of the believer in every situation of life… including Dads interceding for their kids! James says,

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.”  

       Prayer, for a mature Christian, is like breathing. It is our response of faith to the pressures and trials of life, as is praise and thanksgiving our response to God’s presence and grace in our lives. Kids get the idea fast when they see it at home. Many of our WOL Olympian kids are quick to pray! Nothing is sweeter to hear than a child’s prayers. Remember Jesus said that we need to have faith like a child (Mk 10:15)? Simple trust that God is real, that He’s listening, and that He’s able.

       James begins, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” The word “suffering” speaks of enduring evil treatment by people (cf. 5:10). The apostle Paul used that verb a few times in what was probably the last letter he wrote, toward the end of his second Roman imprisonment, the letter we know as Second Timothy. He used this word to describe both his own suffering for the Gospel (2 Tim 2:3,9) and to speak of the need for Timothy to endure suffering (2 Tim 4:5). Writing from prison, waiting for his date with the executioner, Paul had learned much about suffering. He said in 2 Timothy 2:3, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” The reality is that we live in a world infected by sin, and the consequences of the Fall are all around us. I’m not a mathematician, but this is pretty easy to add up: A world full of sinners + a world cursed because of sin = the certainly that believers will experience tribulation! Dads, as much as we want to protect our kids, they will experience tribulation. We can’t protect them from it, but we can do our best to prepare them for it and pray them through it. The good news for the believer in Jesus is that He has overcome the world (Jn 16:33). So as surely as we breathe to get the life giving oxygen into our bodies, we pray in the midst of our trials, because we know that life is in Him. When we suffer, we pray. When our kids are hurting, we cry out on their behalf: “Daddy, help!”

       “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” The word translated “cheerful” here doesn’t imply a time of fun and games.  We can have joy in every situation because we have a foundation that is sure and a future that is secure. We have already been transferred out of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of the Son. The word translated “cheerful” here is not used many times in the New Testament. In one scene in the Book of Acts, it implies “Cheerful courage in the face of danger or difficult circumstances” (see Acts 27:22, 25). We find Paul using this word toward the end of Acts where he is on a ship, a prisoner, on his way to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. The ship was caught in a horrendous storm, and even the experienced crew was beginning to despair. Paul brought hope…

“…I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.  ²³ For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, ²⁴and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.'  ²⁵ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.  ²⁶ But we must run aground on some island…" (Acts 27:22-26).

Paul used this word to encourage others on a ship with him in the midst of a storm, though headed for a shipwreck, to “take heart,” i.e. “cheer up,” despite the terror of the moment. Think of what Paul was saying: the storm was raging, the ship would soon be breaking up against the rocks, “Take heart,” “Cheer up!” The swim may be hard, the water may be cold, but you are going to make it. And all 276 onboard did make it to the shore alive.  God is bigger than any storm your children will face. You can trust Him. You can entrust them to Him.  Fathers have the privilege and the responsibility to intercede on behalf of their children, and to teach them, by word and example, to pray to our heavenly Father!

II. Prayer for spiritual and physical healing for our children (14-16a).

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed…”

 Is James talking about physical illness or a spiritual need? The word “sick” or “weak” can be used either way.  Physical or Spiritual? I think the answer is “yes!” First of all, all suffering and pain came into this world as a result of the sin of Adam: “By one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin…” James was also writing to the believing Jews who were scattered abroad after the martyrdom of Stephen, so they knew about trials. That’s a theme throughout this letter: “Take heart, God hasn’t forgotten you and he is working in the midst of your pain, sustaining you and strengthening you.”

Secondly, believers get sick too, and it is as natural as breathing that we should cry out to our omnipotent Father for help and healing. How much harder it is to see a child sick. We pray fervently in those situations. We know that our sickness could be chastening, something which God is allowing in our life to get out attention, to teach us, to draw us back to Him (I Corinthians 11:30). In other cases, it can simply be the result of living in a fallen world. Somehow God is working even in that situation for our good and for His glory (see John 9:1ff).

  The fact that the sick person here calls for the elders of the church to “pray over him” implies that he is unable to go to them, apparently sick in bed, so it’s a serious situation. (We do practice and encourage this in our church. When someone is sick and calls for the elders, we will go to their home and pray for them, and anoint them with oil, which for us is neither medicinal nor mystical, but it is symbolic, affirming our recognition of God’s presence and our dependence on Him). Our Creator and Redeemer is also the Great Physician.

  “And the prayer of faith will save the sick…” We shouldn’t interpret this to say that prayer offered in faith guarantees healing in this life (15). I do agree with those who say that healing is in the atonement, in this sense: ultimately, because of Jesus, we who know Him will receive a transformed, glorified body. That is certain, that is God’s promise to us. We will indeed be “by His stripes …healed” (Isa 53) since one day, because of Him, “…this corruptible will put on incorruption, this mortal, immortality” (I Cor 15). And I do believe, that when it serves God’s purposes, He does grant healing in this life. Nothing is harder than seeing our kids hurting. So, it is good and proper to pray for healing, not presumptuously, but recognizing his sovereignty, and, as always, praying in submission to his lordship. Whether now or then, He will answer. Sometimes gradually in response to medical treatment, sometimes immediately, miraculously, when it serves His purpose, and sometimes eschatologically, in the sure hope of the resurrection.

  James leaves no doubt that when some sickness is the result of sin, and then confession will lead to spiritual healing (16a). This is one of those “one another” passages in the New Testament, and it pictures an interdependent body of believers, a family where we can be transparent, and truly “confess our sins,” repenting, and asking for the prayer of a brother or sister that we would get victory over that area of rebellion. One of the themes in our current Sunday School series on “Awakening,” is that historically, “revivals” are always accompanied by deep conviction of sin, and repentance. This statement in James goes beyond the previous statement about calling on the elders for prayer and extends this ministry to the whole church.  Friends, as a church, we need to be that kind of a family, with relationships like this, where we are able to be transparent, to speak to one another honestly and confidentially, knowing that our personal struggle is not going to be posted on Facebook or circulated through the community, but that it is going to be personally lifted before the God of the universe on our behalf.  Kids need to know they can go to their parents, share their struggles. I don’t think James means we should tell our sins to everyone! But if the sin affects someone, or if it is known to them, or (and this is important) if they are of sufficient spiritual maturity to be trusted with what we are struggling with, it is a truism that “confession is good for the soul.” I believe this is part of “bearing one another’s burdens.” There is blessing in praying together. Fathers have the privilege and the responsibility to intercede on behalf of their children, and to teach them, by word and example, to pray to our heavenly Father!

III. Prayer for the will of God in the lives of our children is effective (16b-18).

“...The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.  ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”

       A “righteous man” is someone who is right with God. As our mind is transformed by the Word, our thinking will be more aligned with the will of God. James turns to an illustration from Scripture to show the power of prayer. Even a great prophet like Elijah was a mere man, no different than us, and he prayed to God and was used to tremendous effect. He was surely a man of great faith, and God used Him to speak to the nation and its king.

       A couple of take-aways: 1) we should pray in faith, knowing that the believing prayer offered in accordance with the will of God will be heard and is effective. God works through the prayers of His people. That’s the main point. 2) We also teach our kids about prayer by example, as we lift up needs beyond our immediate circle, and pray for our nation, for the church, for those in authority, for persecuted Christians in other parts of the world, and for the unreached who need to hear. It’s a mystery, but God works through prayer. Think about this: our influence in the lives of our children diminishes as they find the path God has for them in the world. But as long as we’re here, we can enter the throne room of heaven, and pray for God to make their paths straight, for His glory. Fathers have the privilege and the responsibility to intercede on behalf of their children, and to teach them, by word and example, to pray to their heavenly Father!

IV. Prayer for Prodigals (19-20).

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,  ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

       Though prayer is not specifically mentioned in 19 and 20, it fits the context to consider the need to pray for those who might be “wandering.” It is certain that James would assume that “turning back” a sinner from the error of his way is a matter that cannot be attempted merely in our human weakness without asking God to work in the heart of the stray sheep we are seeking. The language here is very much that of the parables that speak of a lost sheep. The shepherd seeks to find it and bring it back. That is God’s heart. Some of you have known the pain of an estranged son or daughter, or perhaps even one who has “wandered from the truth.” James also speaks of “turning a sinner from the error of his way.” The two ideas are related, as wrong thinking will inevitably be related to wrong living.

       First, there are those who are saved but have drifted away – we need to pray for them and to look for opportunities to turn them back to Jesus.  They are stray sheep, but they’re not goats!  Believers who try to live without recognizing God’s sovereignty in their life are inviting His discipline. See, for example, I Cor 11:29-32 where Paul is discussing those who presumptuously partake of the Lord’s table:

...For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.  ³⁰ For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.  ³¹ For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  ³² But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

This is not punishment, but loving correction. Who the Lord loves, He chastens. Dads may sometimes get it wrong. Jesus never does! Our part, is to pray.

       Secondly, there may be some who have heard and have not yet believed. That need is urgent, and we should seek to point them to the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6), even as we pray that God, by His kindness, would lead them to repentance and faith.  So, first we pray! Then, we pray more.

What is God saying to me in this passage? Fathers have the privilege and the responsibility to intercede on behalf of their children, and to teach them, by word and example, to pray to their heavenly Father!

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Men, do you have children still at home? You set an example for them by your faith, and by your prayer life. I am blessed to see the priority the young fathers in our church family put on investing in their kids, and shepherding them toward faith in Christ. Keep praying for God to be glorified in their lives, as He leads them in right paths for His name’s sake. Do you have a child who has not yet believed? Do you have a child who is wandering?  Those prayers never stop. Be right with God, and keep praying fervently. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much!  AMEN.

"Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord!" - Mark 10:46-52

“Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord!”

Mark 10:46-52

Introduction: When John the Baptist was imprisoned, we read in Matthew’s Gospel that he made an inquiry about Jesus,

² Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples  ³ and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"  ⁴ And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:  ⁵ the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them… (Matthew 11:2-5).

The works and the words of Jesus bore witness to His messianic identity. One of the ministries of the Rescuer in the prophesied messianic age would be to open the eyes of the blind. Isaiah at least twice refers to this future work of the messiah. We read in Isaiah 42:6-9…

⁶ "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,  ⁷ to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.  ⁸ I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.  ⁹ Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare..."

That passage talking about the coming Servant of the Lord seems to refer to spiritual darkness and blindness being overcome by the Light of the World. It seems this is what Isaiah had in mind when he said in Isaiah 53:5, “…he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” The context is talking about spiritual restoration, but ultimately that will subsume the physical as well. One day we’ll have a new, resurrection body! Earlier in Isaiah we read in 35:4b-6a…

…Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you."  ⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;  ⁶ then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.

Physical healing of all kinds of handicaps and ailments are to accompany the coming Kingdom of God. The miracles that Jesus did were a glimpse ahead to that coming kingdom. The kingdom was present, because the King was present! Ironically, most did not yet have eyes to see, they did not recognize their own Messiah, even though He was “…attested to you by God, with miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did through Him in your midst as you yourselves know…” (Acts 2:22). His works bore witness to His identity and gave a look ahead to the future kingdom, for those with eyes to see.

Context: The two healings of blind men (10:46-52; cf. 8:22-26) bracket the three predictions of Jesus’ impending death and resurrection, as well as the extensive teaching on discipleship in these chapters.

The Maine* Idea: As we call on Jesus in faith He will open our spiritual eyes and we will follow Him. We’ll look at this from four perspectives, 1) The Prerequisite of a Disciple: Recognizing our need; 2) The Perception of a disciple: His sheep hear and heed the call; 3) The Prayer of a Disciple: He calls on the Lord to be saved; and 4) The Path of a Disciple: Saved by faith, saved to follow Him.

I. The Prerequisite of a Disciple: The path begins with seeing our need (46-48).

⁴⁶ And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.  ⁴⁷ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  ⁴⁸ And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 

       It seems Jesus and the disciples had crossed the Jordan and taken the road south on the east of the Jordan, and then crossed the Jordan as they headed toward Jerusalem. The ancient city of Jericho was about a mile away from another city that arose in the New Testament era, which was also called Jericho. That probably explains the differences in the Gospel accounts, was Jesus entering or leave Jericho when this encounter with the blind man happen? Both! And on the way, another divine appointment. This would be the last miraculous healing reported by Mark before the events of the week of Jesus’ life are elucidated.

       “…Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.” This would have been a common sight in the ancient world. There was no system of welfare to help with the handicapped or the poor, it was through begging that such people were able to survive. Remember also the timing of this encounter. Jesus and the disciples were heading to Jerusalem at the time of Passover, one of the “pilgrim feasts” of Israel. Diaspora Jews from all over would be streaming to the city at this time to celebrate the feast. For a beggar these times probably presented a key opportunity to be blessed by the “mitzvahs” [which in rabbinic Judaism went beyond the “commandments” to meritorious acts, good deeds]. People may have been in a charitable mindset as they prepared to celebrate the Passover, more inclined to be generous to a beggar by the side of the road. This day, Bartimaeus may have reasonably hoped for a good day, as days went for blind beggars in the ancient world. He experienced a blessing far greater than he could have imagined.

       He heard, somehow, that Jesus was coming with the crowd of pilgrims. How? What did He know about Jesus? We can only speculate. He hadn’t seen a single miracle done by Jesus. He was blind, after all! Perhaps he had heard stories of Jesus, people testifying about His works of power and His teaching with authority. Had he heard people asking, “When the messiah comes will He do greater works than this man?” He cast out demons, healed the sick, made the lame walk and the deaf hear. He made the blind see! Some had even said that He even raised the dead (Lazarus’ home in Bethany was only a few miles away). No one could do the works this man did except by the power of God. And now He was here!

       Normally beggars would quietly ask for alms, not expecting much attention from passersby. During our time in Brazil we experienced quite a bit of interaction with beggars. In most cases they were happy to accept almost anything. If you ate out in a restaurant, someone would be ready to receive your leftovers. If you stopped at a traffic light, beggars, and sometimes venders, would come up to the window. After awhile, they almost become invisible. As Fay Murphy’s song reminds us, we were all just like the blind beggar. The first step in having our eyes opened is seeing our own need. Bartimaeus was blind, but he saw His need and seized the opportunity and cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” There are a few “firsts” in this story. This is the first time the name of someone healed by Jesus is mentioned. Why here? We don’t know for sure, but it may be that He later was known in the early church, maybe a leader. Mark was sharing the testimony of old Bart! Could it be that he was one of the 200 or so gathered in the upper room on the day of Pentecost?

       Another first in this story is that it is the first time that someone publicly uses a messianic title to address Jesus. Bartimaeus was crying out, calling Jesus David’s son. That is a clear reference to the messianic hope, particularly the promise God made to David in 2 Samuel 7:13,14. The people tried to shut him up, but he cried out all the more. And as Paul would later say, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” He knew he deserved nothing. But cried out for mercy. And As we call on Jesus in faith He will open our spiritual eyes and we will follow Him. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved! The prerequisite is seeing our need. Once we see the truth about ourselves we know we need mercy! That brings us to…

II. The Perception of a Disciple: Hearing and Heeding the Call (49-50).

⁴⁹ And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."  ⁵⁰ And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

       The language here presents a vivid picture. Jesus is moving on the way, heading toward His “appointment” in Jerusalem, when He hears the cries of Bartimaeus and stops in His tracks. Have you noticed as we’ve worked our way through Mark’s story of Jesus, that the Lord always had time for people? The demon possessed man living among the tombs, the man lowered down through the ceiling in the middle of a busy home meeting… Jairus, asking Him to come and heal his daughter… the woman with the issue of blood who touched Jesus’ garment in the crowd… the children… Syrophoenician woman who interceded for her daughter… the deaf-mute in chapter 7… the blind man at Bethsaida in chapter 8… Jesus was always interested in people, interacting with them, making time for them, meeting them at the point of their need. He always acted with compassion. Now, He was resolutely heading toward Jerusalem, His face “set like flint” to carry out the Father’s plan, yet He heard the desperate cry for mercy from a blind man in the crowd. Let’s learn from that. There are lonely, needy people all around us. Yes, we all have things to do. But we know the One who is the answer to their deepest need. What would Jesus do?

       Just a detail, rather than going to the man, rather than shouting to him to come, He tells someone, presumably the disciples, to “call him.” That is still the way He works under most circumstances. He uses ambassadors, people like us, to invite others to come. And so, these unnamed intermediaries obediently “go and tell,” offering encouragement: “Take heart,” don’t be despondent or discouraged, “Get up, he is calling you!” He has committed to us the message of life, and the invitation to come to Jesus in faith. Paul said it in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21,  

¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;  ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.  ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Who was Paul speaking of, just the apostles? I think not. It seems he is talking of the church, the body of believers in the world. We are His ambassadors, called to bring the message of reconciliation to those who need to hear!

       “And throwing off his cloak…” The enthusiastic response to the man stands out. He didn’t get up and shuffle over, he leapt up and threw off his cloak! As a poor beggar by the side of the road that cloak may have been one of his few possessions, but right now he needed nothing to encumber him, he wanted to get up and get to Jesus as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Today he might have cast off his white cane. I read a sermon from Charles Spurgeon on this verse. He said “Cast away the raiment of your worldliness and the garment of your sin. Cast away your self-righteousness and come…” This is exactly what the rich-young ruler earlier in this chapter was unwilling to do. Jesus knew His heart and He told him to sell all his possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, and to come, and follow Him. But he went away despondent, because He loved His “stuff” more than He loved Jesus. This man had little, and He would not have even that impede him from getting to the Master as quickly as possible. So, he threw off his garment, and sprang up as soon as Jesus’ invitation was conveyed to him. Be encouraged by that example. As we sow seed in the world, as we extend the message to those around us, some will respond.

       “…he sprang up and came to Jesus…” No hesitation, no excuses, no demands. Just a beggar looking to the Lord for mercy. Some are prepared to hear and believe. As we call on Jesus in faith He will open our spiritual eyes and we will follow Him.

III. The Prayer of a Disciple: Lord, I want to see (51)!

⁵¹ And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight." 

       “What do you want me to do for you?” Does that question sound familiar? It’s the same question that Jesus had asked the Sons of Thunder, James and John, back in 10:36. The exact same words in fact. What a contrast! Do you remember James and John’s request? They wanted prestige, honor, perhaps power, the seats at Jesus’ right and left hands in His glory. I can’t help but hear a deliberate contrast with the disciples in the cry and the request of this humble beggar. He knew he was unworthy, and he cried out for mercy. He didn’t ask for riches or power or glory, but for healing, to be made whole, to see.

       “And the blind man said to Him, Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” He had called to Jesus using a messianic title, “Son of David.”  And now he makes a request for a messianic act of mercy and healing. Had this man sat outside the synagogue hearing the Scriptures read? Had the messianic hope taken root in his heart, so that when he heard the stories of Jesus from travelers, he recognized Him, he saw Him more clearly than many of the sighted people around him? Think of the faith he is expressing in his request. Who but the messiah could make the blind see? He is expressing faith even in the asking. And the Lord hears the prayer of faith. As we call on Jesus in faith He will open our spiritual eyes and we will follow Him.

IV. The Path of a Disciple: Saved by Faith, Saved to Follow Him (52).

⁵² And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

       “Your faith has saved [sozo] you…” Faith has been called, “The hand of a beggar reaching out to receive a gift from a king.” That is what we see here. It is an interesting detail that in the New Testament the verb translated “made well” here in the ESV is the word sozo¸ which can mean to heal, but it also means “to save.” Jesus used the exact same expression when the woman with the issue of blood was healed in Mark 5:34, “Your faith has made you well.” The same verb is used in the Septuagint, in the context of the messianic ministry spoken of Isaiah in 35:4-6,

⁴ Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you [sozo]."  ⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;  ⁶ then shall the lame man leap like a deer…

Coincidence? I don’t think so. Jesus is speaking, and Mark is writing the story, and echoing the language of Isaiah.  The Promised One, the Deliverer will undo the effects of the fall, He will ultimately make whole all who put their trust in Him. There is an indication in this context that the man experienced more than just physical healing…

       “…and he followed Him on the way…” (contrast 10:21,22). Remember that Jesus had invited the rich, young ruler to follow Him, but the cost seemed too high?  He went away, despondent. This blindman, now healed, could see more clearly what really mattered, and He followed Jesus. The words of John Newton come to mind, “I once was lost, but now I am found, I was blind but now I see.”

What is God saying to me in this passage?  The prerequisite of a disciple, the perception of a disciple, the prayer of a disciple, the path of a disciple. As we call on Jesus in faith He will open our spiritual eyes and we will follow Him.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice…” Have you heard the voice of Jesus inviting you to come? Have you responded to the invitation? Believe Him… recognize who He is, trust in what He did for you! Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved! For you who have believed, have you heard His call to go and tell? You are His ambassador where He has sovereignly/strategically placed you! Do you hear the call? Will you follow Him?

Gospel Shaped Living: Set Free, to Serve! - Mark 10:35-45

Gospel Shaped Living: Set Free, to Serve!

Mark 10:35-45

Introduction: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? We just had our last WOL Olympian meeting this week. I asked our Olympian parents to help me by asking their kids that question. Sometimes it may be that kids want to follow the example of one of their parents, or someone that they admire, or something they like. Here are the few of the answers I got… seven boys from two families! First family, unnamed, but the Dad is in law enforcement. The 3 boys said: Andrew, “maybe” a mechanic, Avery, an ambulance driver and EMT, and Kameron, a policeman!  The four boys from another family responded: Eric age 11 has a plan, he says that he would like to be a soldier and work on military vehicles. Then he'd like to be a diesel mechanic or a welder. Christian (9) says that he'd like to be a mechanic and also an artist as a hobby. Matthew (7) would like to be a home builder when he grows up because he really likes to build forts now. David (5) would like to be a digger so he can dig up anything that he'd like, but mostly worms! I listened to a few children answer that question on YouTube and one girl said she wanted to be a Doctor. When asked why, she said, “Duh, everybody knows doctors make more money than like anybody in the WORLD!” Another girl, maybe 4 years old, was asked what she thought about salary, she answered, “I don’t like celery, I like carrots and corn!” A “little miss” communication! Oh well.

      I am thankful that our WOL Olympian Kids are being raised in the way of the Lord!  (We trust they’ll keep up doing quiet times this summer!). God loves every one of them, and He has a plan for each of their lives. Whatever our occupation or profession, believers in Christ are called to follow Jesus’ example of willing service. We’ll look in some broad strokes at this passage, leading to v.45, one of the key verses in this gospel, in preparation for the Lord’s Table.

Context: Jesus had just predicted, for the third time, his betrayal, torture, death and resurrection which would soon occur in Jerusalem.

The Maine* Idea: As we follow Jesus’ example of selfless service, we are lifted up in the eyes of God.

I. The World’s view of greatness: Can a person really consider others as more important than himself (35-40)?

³⁵ And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."  ³⁶ And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?"  ³⁷ And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."  ³⁸ Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"  ³⁹ And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,  ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." 

       Selfish ambition of the disciples. This response by James and John is even more amazing in light of the context. Clearly, they were not “hearing” what Jesus was saying about His suffering and death, much less His resurrection, which was about to happen in Jerusalem. Rather than striving for understanding this teaching which Jesus has been repeating during this journey to Jerusalem, they jump ahead in their thinking to the coming messianic kingdom. If Jesus is going to establish His kingdom on earth, he will need a few good men at his side! James and John were obvious choices, right? They thought so! After all, they had been with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. They had been privy to some teaching for which most of the twelve weren’t present (yes, Peter was always there, but that guy was always putting his foot in his mouth!). So, these two brothers decided to get their names in the mix, before someone else beat them to it! Their approach to “asking” Jesus here is almost humorous, I’m referring to the “request before the request.” Almost like a child would ask a parent, thinking they can lay the groundwork so they can’t get a “no” answer: “We want you to do whatever we ask… say yes, then we’ll tell you what it is!” Did your kids ever try that on you? Did you try it on your parents? How did that work out!?

       Rather than rebuking these two, especially in light of the teaching about humility and serving that He has already been giving, but also in light of His teaching in the near context about what was coming in Jerusalem, Jesus asks James and John if they are able to drink the cup He will drink, and be baptized with the baptism with which He is baptized. Obviously, this is a rhetorical question, and the assumed answer is “of course not!”  Jesus is clearly talking about His coming passion, His suffering and death. He is not only referring to being mistreated, tortured, and killed by men, but also alluding to being the substitute for us who would drink the cup of the wrath of God. Later in this gospel, as Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples, we read in Mark 14:33-36,   

...And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.  ³⁴ And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."  ³⁵ And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.  ³⁶ And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."

Of what cup was Jesus speaking? The cup of suffering is the cup of the wrath of God! God is holy and He must punish sin. Jesus willingly took that cup, the One who was without sin was made sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He is about make the ultimate act of service and sacrifice. He has repeatedly told the disciples what was going to happen (10:32-34; cf. 9:31; 8:31). And instead of pondering Christ’s example of selflessness, these men are jockeying for positions 2 and 3 in His kingdom!  Rather than directly rebuking the disciples, Jesus asks them a question which is designed to provoke self-examination and a reality check: Are you able to drink the cup, and receive the baptism that I will receive?  The disciples’ answer reveals their still dull hearts…

      The clueless presumption of James and John – “Yes, we can!” They had no understanding of what Jesus would suffer, and so their confident affirmation was pure presumption.  I can’t imagine that the disciples got this totally turned around, that they were thinking of the “cup” and the “baptism” in terms of kingdom blessing and initiation. But clearly, they had no understanding of what Jesus would soon endure. We are able, you can count on us Lord!

       Believers and the suffering of Christ . If Jesus’ question was rhetorical and the expected response was “no,” why does Jesus answer as He does? Why does He agree that they will indeed share in drinking the cup and experiencing the baptism? Jesus has been teaching that the cost of following Him will include suffering and self-denial. He has said that a disciple must be willing to deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him. For James, martyrdom, for John exile.

¹² Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  ¹³ But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  ¹⁴ If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you (I Pet 4:12-14).

Believers do, in a sense, share in Christ’s suffering. The world is at enmity with God, and just as Jesus was rejected by the world, the world hates those who follow Him. That enmity, that conflict and hatred, gives occasion for us to share, in a limited way, in the suffering Christ endured. Part of my devotional reading this morning was from the last letter written by Paul, a prisoner, shortly before his death at the hands of Nero, he wrote to Timothy,

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,  ⁹ for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!  ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  ¹¹ The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;  ¹² if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;  ¹³ if we are faithless, he remains faithful – for he cannot deny himself… (2 Tim 2:8-13).

In Christ we have a new life, we are part of a new creation, our citizenship is in heaven. Even so, for a time, He has left us on assignment in a fallen world. So, as the world hated Him so it will hate us. The huge difference is that for us, the wrath of God is averted, because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice. That is mercy! Jesus came as the promised “Servant,” the Suffering Servant. As we follow Jesus’ example of selfless service, we are lifted up in the eyes of God.

II. Greatness redefined: Exaltation through humility and service (41-44).

⁴¹ And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.  ⁴² And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  ⁴³ But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,  ⁴⁴ and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all… (cf. 10:31). 

       The indignation of the ten. I don’t get the impression from the text that this is “righteous indignation” on the part of the ten. They are probably angry that these guys stepped ahead of them in the line!  Peter may have been thinking, “What about me, I was there on the mountain too!” Jesus is contrasting the prideful, self-aggrandizing leadership of the world, with the servant-leadership that reflects His kingdom. The “reversal-theology” He had taught had not yet taken hold (31)!

       “But it shall not be so among you…” The kind of leadership that exists in the world is contrary to what God has in mind for His disciples. We are to think like Jesus, as Paul told the Philippians, “Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” He took the form of a servant. He willingly laid down his life for our sake.

       The “greatness” of service in the eyes of God – In the upper room Jesus gave a simple but powerful illustration of humbly serving one another. It was appropriate for a host to have a servant at least bring water, if not actually wash, the feet of his guests. Here they were visiting Jerusalem for the feast, the room was ready, the preparations made, but no one offered water for the dusty feet of the group. And then Jesus, the one they called “Lord and Master” stooped down and washed the feet of his disciples. Jesus said as I have done for you, so you should do for one another. He was not giving an ordinance, but an illustration. As we follow Jesus’ example of selfless service, we are lifted up in the eyes of God.

III. How far would Jesus go? All the way to Calvary, to pay a price that we could not pay (45).

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

       “For even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve…” That is, follow His example! Jesus is saying listen, look and learn, you call me Messiah and Lord, and you are right about that. But I am not here to be served, but to serve, even to the point of death on the cross. For even the “Son of man”–the Rescuer for whom you have been waiting, the Savior spoken of by the prophets, the promised Son of David, even I have come to serve. If the King is a Servant-King, should not you all be servant-followers? Remember the scene in the upper room, as Jesus took a towel, and stooped down to wash the feet of His disciples. The humility of that moment! But even that was only a prelude, a glimmer, of the humiliation that He would experience in his passion, and ultimately His crucifixion. The words of Paul to the Philippians speak to the point Jesus is making here…

⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form,  ⁸ he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father… (Philippians 2:5-11).

Consider who He is, think of what He did! How should we respond? Free, to serve.

       “…not to be served, but to serve…” The verb is repeated, Jesus didn’t come to be served (passive voice) but to serve (active voice). The verb is diakoneo, “one who waits at table.” The idea is humbly serving another. It doesn’t imply thinking badly of yourself, but rather putting others first, doing what is best for them.

       “…and to give His life as a ransom for many…” The English word “ransom” for me connotes a very specific idea: paying a price to free a hostage. The use of this Greek word in the ancient world was different, it commonly to refer to the price paid to “manumit,” or set free, a slave. That is the idea here, “payment of a redemption price,” typically to set free a slave. If the Son therefore shall make you free, you are free indeed!  The price for our redemption was the life of the Son.

       The question of the meaning of “many” here is not the main point. Jesus was not entering into the limited atonement debate, “many” or “all” (cf. I Tim 2:6)? The argument is concerning the One who is given to set free the many, “the one and the many.” He gave His life as a ransom, a redemption price, for many. The preposition anti has the idea “in place of.” So, we see the idea of substitution.  Jesus died to offer salvation to all, and to purchase salvation for those who will believe.  It seems certain that Jesus expected the disciples, and Mark expects us, to remember (the passage I quoted last week from the prophet) Isaiah, 53:4-6…   

...Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  ⁵ But he was wounded for our trans-gressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.  ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He gave His life as a ransom for many. That is the extent of His love: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus laid down His life for His friends.

What is God saying to me in this passage? As we follow Jesus’ example of selfless service, we are lifted up in the eyes of God.

What would God have me to do response to this passage? Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He paid a price He did not owe, to pay a debt we could not pay. As Paul told the Romans, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Rom 6:23). Have you trusted Christ? Have you received the gift that He is offering? If not, why not?

       Now that you are grown up, what do you want to be? For those who have trusted Christ, remember that we are called to follow His example of service. How do you know if you have the attitude of a servant? Ask yourself (or, better yet, ask your spouse) how do you react when someone treats you like one? Think of what Jesus did for us. Are you willing to humble yourself and follow Him? How can you serve the Lord, by serving someone else in His name this week?

      The Lord’s Supper is not just a nice little ceremony we do each month. It is an opportunity to reflect, to remember what He did, and to worship Him.  As we do, by His grace, through His Spirit, we will be motivated to follow Him!     AMEN.