THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 10:35-45
“Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” (Mark 10:44)
Jesus seems to be backwards in all He says and does.
In a time of disposable marriage, He advocated lifelong faithfulness.
Where children and disabled were disregarded, He valued and blessed them.
Where wealth and power were sought, He pressed for sacrificial giving and servanthood.
And He modeled it Himself, willing to die so that others might be saved.
But in God’s kingdom, everything is opposite to what it is like in our world.
James and John are having a hard time entering God’s kingdom.
They were still looking out for #1, which is the opposite of God’s way.
Adam and Eve (and us too) were made to be servants, slaves to all!
Instead of loving ourselves, we were made to love God and others.
This ‘self-denial’ does not make us doormats, but treasures in God’s world.
Our true worth is revealed in selfless loving and serving.
Of course Jesus seems backwards in our sin-messed, selfish world.
What does it look like for me to think of myself as a servant, a slave?
How does it change the way I respond, spend, use my time, focus my energy?
To seek first God’s kingdom, this is what I need to figure out.
For this is the life we were made for, the only life worth living!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, am I any different? Am I still looking out for myself most of all? Help me to stretch myself, to take steps beyond my comfort zone towards loving, serving and blessing others.
Observations/Application
I wonder why James and John were called sons of thunder?
Once again the disciples did not understand. Going towards Jerusalem they thought would be a glorious thing – a grand entry and why not positions with the Master? And when confronted by the mob in the garden they also fled. Who knows what we do in threatening situations?
Remember the be-attitudes? They were upside down according to the thinking of the age and today? Here too we are reminded of our place and our task in the world. Serve Him. I am a servant. I am called to serve. A foot washer. And I need help with that each day anew.
Help me Lord to be Your servant true.
Will you let me be your servant?
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.
We are pilgrims on a journey.
We are trav’lers on the road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you;
Speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
‘Til we’ve seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven,
We shall find such harmony
Born of all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony.
Will you let me be your servant?
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.