Greatness in the Kingdom of God

Mark 10:32-52 (NLT) The Gospel of Mark Greatness in the Kingdom of God Introduction: Mark is written for disciples. It’s a road map for discipleship to Jesus. So in a time where there is a lot of confusion about what’s going on, who we are and what we are to be doing - Mark’s gospel is a road map for the people of God in how to follow the way of Jesus. Mark is also a book of mystery - Mark’s Gospel is so filled with mysterious references to Jesus and his identity. Mark, though rarely quoting the OT, is a master of the Biblical text and has told the story of how God is cryptically and mysteriously present and bringing his kingdom on earth through the suffering, crucified and resurrected messiah, Jesus. Contextual note - These sections (Mark 8:27-11:11) are all about power, authority, leadership and greatness and how we wield those as followers of Jesus. Jesus redefines for us what power and greatness look like and how they work in his kingdom. I think we often imagine that the career of Jesus was first humility, service, sacrificial death, THEN glory, power and honor. But actually - it is all power. “Weakness as humans measure power and weakness, is the way God is and the way God operates in the world. To live in a way that corresponds to this reality may indeed be paradoxical, but above all it is faithful; it is true. To seek power as humans measure it - is not merely a mistake; it is to betray and renounce the gospel. It is important therefore to note that the NT does not understand the gospel as power and weakness but power in weakness” - Michael Gorman, Reading Paul But when the NT letters speak of Jesus' current state, although they do speak of his glory, authority, and his power they highlight his continuing service to his people - he ever lives to make intercession. The prophets foretold that the Messiah would be a priest upon his throne - a priest is essentially a servant to the people, offering right worship and sacrifice to God on their behalf… Jesus is the servant King; Jesus is the shepherd King. Luke 6:40 Says, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Therefore if we have power, authority and prominence it isn’t to be used for ourselves; but rather, as followers of Jesus, power, leadership and authority, are to be used for the benefit, the blessing, the service, protection and promotion of others - especially the weak, the poor, and the powerless. 1. On the Way. a. Mark introduces this section with these words - “And they were on the road, or on the way, going up to Jerusalem.” Mark along with Luke uses this term to describe a life of discipleship to Jesus. It’s a life of journeying the way, following Jesus wherever he goes. b. Mark makes a strange note about those who followed Jesus being amazed and afraid. Why? Maybe because like in the Gospel of John the disciples understand the real threat of going to Jerusalem? The religious leaders have plotted to kill Jesus. But Jesus marches on to Jerusalem without fear of what he knows awaits him.. c. Now it is “On the Way”, that Jesus once again gives teaching about where this way is heading - to the cross. Jesus here gives the most detailed description of his future sufferings and death waiting for him in Jerusalem.. 2. Missing the Way. a. IT IS IN LIGHT OF THIS NEWS that we are brought to the bulk of our passage - James and John’s request. It clearly shows that they don’t understand in any real way What Jesus has b. c. d. e. been teaching them about his sufferings, death and resurrection. They are seeing this journey to Jerusalem as a march to glory for this is where the kings of old reigned! Jesus responds - “What do you want me to do for you?” Their request: "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” The Jews had very specific ideas of what the Messianic reign/ kingdom of God would look like in terms of who would reign alongside the Messiah, and what those qualifications were. These details can be found among the scrolls that were recovered from the ancient community at Qumran namely, the Rule of the Congregation. Their rule rewarded and appointed for leadership those with knowledge, skills, and piety to name a few. Jesus takes this moment as a teaching, discipleship moment for his followers and lays out his qualifications for ruling and leadership in his kingdom. i. The first qualification that Jesus brings up is “Drinking the cup that he drinks and being baptized with his baptism.” ii. Jesus is speaking cryptically of his sufferings to these two disciples. They give Jesus a very sure answer that they are able, and Jesus agrees they will drink the cup and be baptized with his baptism. So the first qualification for leadership in Jesus’ kingdom is sharing in his sufferings - Paul the Apostle will make a similar statement in his epistle to the Romans stating that if we suffer with Jesus, we will also reign with him (Romans 8:17-18) iii. Here’s the thing about sharing in Jesus’ sufferings, sharing in his disgrace - we don’t get to choose what those sufferings are - I’ll suffer this, but I will not suffer that. If we wish to share in his glory, in his reign we MUST also share in his sufferings. Our call is to follow Jesus wherever he might lead us. f. Nevertheless Jesus tells the two brothers that the place they have requested, sitting on Jesus’ right and left hand, have already been prepared by the Father… i. What James and John do not realize at this point is that Jesus’ moment of coming into his glory, his kingdom, will be when he is pronounced king of the Jews and then exalted on the cross. There at this dark and mysterious coronation, on his right and his left hand will be two thieves - being executed with him. This is why Jesus responds to James and John saying, “You don’t know what you are asking…” ii. "The cross is where the glory shall be revealed because it is there that God turns worldly power and authority on its head. The cross is God’s way of putting the world and ourselves to rights, it challenges and subverts all the human systems which claim to put the world to rights but in fact only succeed in bringing about suffering, death, and a different set of humans on top. The cross calls into question all human pride and glory. This carries radical, dangerous political meaning." - NT Wright, Mark for Everyone 3. Redirection on the Way a. Now Jesus takes the opportunity to gather the whole group of disciples and to speak once again about what greatness and leadership looks like in his kingdom.. Discipleship to Jesus happens with him, on the way, on the road, as we be with him, listen to him, take stock, and adjust our thinking, our posture and actions to his way... b. I think it’s crucial for us to note that Jesus affirms the one who wants to become great and wants to be first in the kingdom of God. It’s clear that Jesus is not down on ambition, or desire (This is often the way we portray God - we shouldn’t want power, greatness, or honor, those are bad) But these are not inherently evil in the Biblical view (remember that Adam and Eve, the first humans, were created to rule over the creation they were created for greatness) c. The problem is that power and greatness and ambition have been twisted through human sinfulness and selfishness. Therefore what Jesus desires to do is correct ambition and put it in its proper context. d. Jesus wants to redefine for his disciples, for us, what is honorable, what is worthy of praise in his kingdom. And the answer is Service. An “others” oriented life. An "at your service" posture (the foot washing in John) Or in the Sermon on the Mount we have Jesus telling us that it is Meekness, Humility, Mercy, suffering, justice and righteousness, peacemaking, and pureness of heart, etc - these are the characteristics that are to mark Jesus' people. The posture of leaders and rulers in God’s kingdom is to be a servant of all, regardless of worth, honor, color, class, politic, sex... you get the idea. e. We (humans) think of leaders or of those who are great being the ones who are served - this is the way it works in all human cultures. It is the one at the top who is supported by everyone else, waiting on them to do their will. Jesus' kingdom diagram is like an upside down triangle - the one who leads, or on the "top" is actually the one who is servant of all! It's completely backwards and upside down... f. Jesus puts that capstone on this by speaking of Jewish theology’s ultimate ruler - The Son of Man - The long awaited King, the one to whom YAHWEH will grant the Kingdom, the power and the glory. The one who will rule the nations with a rod of Iron..etc This great one will exhibit his greatness not by being served, but by serving and giving his life as a ransom (a sacrifice) for many. 4. Bringing others on the Way (vs.46-52) a. Son of David -The only time this term is used in mark’s Gospel. (Are there undertones of David the king and mephibosheth? The Davidic King exalting the lame beggar to his banquet table b. c. d. e. - Jesus, the son of David, honors, heals and brings this blind beggar into his community?) i. Jesus does here what Hannah prayed in her prayer in 1 Samuel 2:7-8- he lifts the beggar from the ash heap and exalts him among the rulers and princes… This is exactly what Jesus is calling disciples to do, showing them how they are to rule and lead. The story of Bartimaeus serves as the perfect example of the type of leadership and authority that Jesus’ disciples should wield. Jesus graciously responds to a man, who everyone else denies and tells to shut up. Jesus (the king) hears his cry, and responds to his plea for mercy, healing him and bringing him on the way. He becomes a disciple, on the way of Jesus…. Jesus, by his example, shows disciples how to use their power and authority correctly - by using their platform, their power and authority to give honor to the shamed, to give voice to the voiceless (The crowd told him to shut up), the Nameless, (Bartimaeus The son of timaeus) showing hospitality to the “worthless” person. Jesus includes Bartimaeus, this outcast, in his school of discipleship. Jesus said to him, Go your way, your faith has made you well. And immediately he recovered his sight and followed Jesus on the way. The way of discipleship, the way to the cross and on to glory…. The sons of Zebedee ask for power and Jesus shows them the correct way. The son of Timaeus (Bartimaeus) asks for mercy and he is exalted and brought on the way with Jesus. Closing: Mark 10:45 shows us how Jesus’ death is service on behalf of others - He serves humanity by taking our burden, our debt upon himself, in order to free us to God. i. This is incredible, Jesus, the creator, to whom all power and glory belongs, the rightful king of the cosmos, is also the servant - the one who gives himself sacrificially for the life of the world - That is, any and all, regardless of honor, worth, class, color, sex, politic, you get the idea… ii. Therefore leadership, power, authority, in God’s kingdom, as defined by Jesus, is the opposite of the way our world has done and still does power to this day. Ours is dog eat dog, cut throat, gossiping, back biting, leaving a trail of dead in our wake, climbing over others to get to the top and to stay on top. iii. But Jesus' way of power and authority is not about how much power we can wield, but how much we can serve, not about how high can we go, but how high we can lift others, especially those who have no honor and love in our society… iv. What an incredible and tangible way that we are invited to put the life of Jesus on display - The one who went low, so we could be lifted high, the one who was shamed so we could be honored, the one who was made poor so we could become rich, the one who became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God in him - This means that whatever money, opportunity, stewardship, or leadership role that you have been given, you are to use it not for yourself, your own comfort, your own benefit but that you might serve others and particularly serve the least, and the lowest of society (Philippians 2:5-11) f. Mark’s gospel promotes servant style power and leadership rooted in Jesus the Messiah’s own self giving. It’s not that there isn’t reward and status in the kingdom of God, the Bible teaches that there is - the question is more around how eschatological glory and greatness are obtained. Jesus’ answer is counterintuitive as always. It is through humble service to any and all, in this life. g. Will we follow Jesus on the Way of self sacrifice? Will we wield power for ourselves or for the benefit of others? Will we put his kingdom on display in our own lives or will we use power to advance and defend our own little kingdoms?