OPEN: I’m going to read from the words of an ancient document. When I’m finished I’m going to ask you what document these words are from (we put the words up on the screen and underlined the word “Rights” in the passage):
“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness….”
Does anyone know where these words come from? (the opening words to the “Declaration of Independence”)
Now I don’t know if you noticed, but the word “Rights” (as in “unalienable Rights”) began with the capital letter “R” (I underlined it for you). The fact that this word was capitalized indicates that our nation’s founders regarded this declaration of our “RIGHTS” to be highly important – and so they capitalized it!!
The United States of America is a NATION of RIGHTS. In fact, our nation’s founders saw fit to include additional document to Constitution. It’s called the “Bill Of Rights” and it listed 10 amendments declaring the rights of individuals and states in our nation. These rights are (theoretically) rights that neither the President nor the Congress, nor Court or Lawyers… can take away from us.
Among those RIGHTS (listed in the Bill Of Rights) are the rights to freedom of religion, of speech, of the press… and so on.
Now just in case they missed something, the founders put this as the 10th amendment “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”
In other words – if the Constitution didn’t give a specific authority to the Federal Government, then the Federal Government did not have the right to claim that authority. If it did so… it would be violating the rights of the States or of Individuals. Our Nation’s Founders realized that unless they restricted the power of the Federal Govt. our elected officials might be tempted to run roughshod over folks and create a tyranny where people would be enslaved. Realizing this, they put a high premium on our individual RIGHTS.
So, this nation is a nation of RIGHTS. That’s how we were founded. And we should thank God every day that we were blessed by being born into a nation like this one.
But as much a blessing it is to live in a nation where our “RIGHTS” protected there can be a problem if YOUR rights conflict with MY rights (or vice versa). When your rights and my rights clash… then we have a problem! When that happens it too often leads to lawsuits, church splits, and even family divisions.
And we have a case study of that kind of conflict right here in the book of Mark:
“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.’
And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’
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?’
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, 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.’
And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. Mark 10:35-41
Now, what’s the problem here? Why are the other disciples indignant at James and John?
Well, all the disciples believed Jesus was about to set up as an earthly Kingdom, and (of course as King) He would appoint people to serve as officials. They all presumed that important task would fall to them, as His close and trusted followers. Those who would sit at right and left hand seats were special positions of power and authority, and only the most trusted most important of those officials would be given that honor.
The reason the other disciples became indignant is 2 fold. 1st they were annoyed James and John thought about it before they did! And 2nd they felt that THEY had as much right to sit at right and left hand seats as much as James and John did. In short they ALL believed they had a RIGHT to a position of power and influence (maybe even more)
Now, this kind of mind-set is fairly normal for most folks. At one point or another in our lives we ALL want to have OUR way on something. We have a RIGHT to be listened to. We have a RIGHT to have things go as we think they ought to go. After all if I think it’s right, it’s right. I wouldn’t think it was right if it wasn’t right. Right?
AND if people ignore me or don’t listen to me AND if things don’t work as I want them to - at church or at work or at family gatherings - I can become very annoyed and indignant… and you wouldn’t like to be around me when I’m annoyed.
ILLUS: When I first got here to Logansport I restarted our church newsletter. I’d been in the ministry for 14 years at the time and I’d always viewed the church newsletter as a tool of ministry – far beyond being just a newsy document I’ve always tried to use its articles to encourage, enlighten and empower. In the previous two communities I’d served the employees at the Post Office were the nicest people who would bend over backward to help me get our newsletters out on time.
(Pause) But then I came to Logansport (pause). My first mailing was prepared and I took it up to the Post Office and ran into one of the most rude employees I’d ever met. She was abrupt and officious and difficult. In addition, she imposed all kinds of rules and regulations on how to prepare the mailing that I’d never encountered before (remember I’d mailed out newsletters for 14 yrs.). It became obvious to me that she was deliberately being difficult… and it upset me. She had no RIGHT to do that me. I had a RIGHT to mail out these letters just like I’d always done before. And I found my blood pressure rising. I was tempted to go above her and talk to her supervisor. I thought of causing a scene. I even considered getting her fired. I’ll tell you what I actually did a little later - but the point is she had violated my RIGHTS and I wasn’t going to stand for it.
Now, in our passage today Jesus is saying: Don’t do be that way. Don’t do that.
We may have the privilege of being citizens of the United States of America (with all the enumerated rights listed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights) but we actually have a higher citizenship. What kingdom do WE belong to? That’s right - the Kingdom of God. And in God’s Kingdom the rules we’re to follow are different for us than they are for others. As Christians there are 3 principles I found in Scripture that should guide our thinking when we get upset that our rights have been violated.
1st – we need to ask ourselves (when faced with difficult situations where we feel misused) WHO is it that ministers TO US?
In my story, I had a RIGHT for that Post Office official to minister to my needs. That’s what she was being paid for. And she wasn’t doing that. She wasn’t meeting my needs (rights). I felt violated. How dare she be so difficult?
And that’s where we get it wrong.
When we get to thinking that the government (or the business we shop at, or the family member, or the people at the work place, or the people at church) should minister TO US… When we start feeling entitled to have our RIGHTS respected in those settings we’re eventually and inevitably going to have conflicts. Even if those individuals have it in their job descriptions that they’re supposed to treat us in a specific way –they aren’t always going to do that. And thus – we're always going to end up being disappointed.
The Declaration of Independence actually gets it right. It doesn’t say that our rights come from the government (or any other earthly power). Who is it that gives us our rights? That’s right – our Creator. It says: “all men are created equal… endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”
When we forget that - as Christians - our only rights come to from our Creator we will inevitably get into struggles.
In fact, when we place our hope in earthly powers… we’re always going to struggle, Romans tells us that when things don’t go our way we need to …“glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 (NKJV)
When things don’t go our way (pause) I should be glad. I should rejoice. I should “glory” in my tribulations because if I HOPE in God I will not be disappointed… as long as I’m willing to look to God for whatever RIGHTS I may have. Because God will supply for my needs in His way and in His time.
AND in the meantime, my troubles produce perseverance and my perseverance will produces character, and this stronger character will give me hope. But if I place my hope in EARTHLY powers… I’ll eventually be disappointed.
James puts it this way: “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because (pause) you do not ask.” James 4:1-2
Who is it I’m supposed to ask for stuff from? God In other words it is God we should be looking to - to minister to us. That’s what He Promised He’d do.
2ndly – when faced with difficult situations we need to ask ourselves not only who ministers to US.. (answer should be God) but we should also ask: “Who AM I ministering to?”
In my illustration about the Post Office worker, I forgot to ask myself if I was ministering to her. There was a reason she was behaving the way she was. Maybe another preacher (or 2) in town had made her life rough or maybe she’d had a bad experience with a church she’d been going to… and now maybe she was taking it out on me. But if I had responded to her by treating her like my SERVANT I would just be making matters worse. I’d just be reinforcing the image she had about preachers/ churches.
So, how should I have treated her? Well Jesus tells us: “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” Mark 10:42-44
If I think like a pagan (like the Gentiles) I will expect others to serve ME!!! If they don’t jump through my hoops and satisfy my needs… then I’m going to be upset. I’m going to declare war. But Jesus says: DON’T BE A PAGAN!!! Jesus says - if I’m your King and Master then there is one principal rule in of MY Kingdom. If you want to be great in MY kingdom then you need to be a servant. You need to find ways to minister to (to serve) others.
ILLUS: So this woman at the Post Office has ticked me off. She has been difficult. She’s been officious and unhelpful. (Pause) And I’m supposed to serve her??? Hmmm.
Years ago I listened to wise preacher who encountered a difficult person in him ministry. He explained how he made that difficult person his “project”. So I decided to make this woman MY project. I did everything she asked me to – without complaining. Every day when I went into the Post Office I would ask her how her day was and I listened to her tell me about it. I’d compliment her on how she looked. I told her I appreciated her help. I gave her the broadest smile… and I did everything I could to make her feel that she was the most important person I saw that day
And do you know what happened? She began to light up like a ray of sunshine every time I came in. And the burdensome rules and regulations? They all began to melt away. And do you know why? She did that because I obeyed Jesus and became that person’s servant.
Now I’d like to say that I ALWAYS get this right… but I don’t. I still mess up and forget to be a servant of others. But when I remember I’m a much better follower of Christ.
3rd – when we encounter difficult situations in this world we should not only ask who ministers to us and who we minister to… but we should also ask “WHO IS OUR MASTER”.
ILLUS: I once read the true story of a woman who married a man who’d been a flight engineer in the Air Force for 16 years. As newlyweds they’d made plans spend the weekend with her parents. But on that Friday, her husband’s squadron called and told him that, he had to pack his flight bag and leave the next afternoon for an 8-day mission. Understandably she was upset. She said "Don't you get weekends of like normal people?” He replied that – No. As a member of the Air Force - on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. She looked up at him pleadingly and then said: “But, honey, can’t you just explain to them that we had plans?" (R.Digest 9/95 p. 51)
Could he tell the Air Force he had plans? No. Why not? Because the Air Force OWNED HIM. They didn’t ask him to do things – they ordered him to do them. As the old saying goes: “When the Air Force asked him to jump, he asked how ‘high’ on the way up.” The Air Force was his master.
In the same way I Corinthians 6:19-20 “… (we) are not (our) own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
Now Jesus is not like an earthly King who makes decrees and presumes that you’ll carry them out simply because He told you to. Unlike an earthly King Jesus asks this of us because He has already done such things Himself. Jesus told His disciples: “For even the Son of Man CAME NOT to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
Philippians 2:3 tells us “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (NIV, 1984) and then it continues by saying: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5) What is it about Jesus attitude that we copy? Well, He was God. But He stripped Himself of His Godhood so He could come down to earth in the form of a man and allow Himself to be mistreated and killed for our sins.
ILL: A few years back Time magazine had an article about a lawyer from Kenya named Dola Indidis. He had approached the ICJ (International Court of Justice at the Hague) asking them to overturn a conviction and death sentence (PAUSE) from 2,000-year-ago. Care to guess who’s conviction he was seeking to overturn? That’s right – Christ’s.
The targets of the lawsuit were the religious leaders of the time Emperor Tiberius, King Herod, Pontius Pilate and the chief priests.
The Lawyer said “I filed the case because it’s my duty to uphold the dignity of Jesus and I have gone to the ICJ to seek justice for the man from Nazareth. His selective and malicious prosecution VIOLATED HIS HUMAN RIGHTS through judicial misconduct, abuse of office bias and prejudice.” (http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/169338-kenyan-lawyer-tries-to-overturn-christ-s-death-sentence.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=clnewsletter&utm_content=CL+Daily+20130809b)
(PAUSE) Now think about that. If this lawyer had been alive in the days of Jesus and he’d have been as effective as many lawyers in our days are He MIGHT just have gotten Jesus off. He MIGHT just have spared Jesus His death sentence. I mean – this lawyer was right – Jesus’ human rights had been violated. The trials and convictions were inappropriate and highly illegal even by the standards of that day.
But would that have been a good thing? Would it have been a good thing for this lawyer to have gotten Jesus off? Would it have been a good thing for Jesus not to have to die on that cross? (PAUSE) No.
“… the Son of Man CAME NOT to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
You know - if Jesus had demanded His RIGHTS back then He didn’t need a lawyer to get it done. When Peter drew his sword to prevent Jesus from being arrested, Jesus said “Put your sword back into its place. … Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” Matthew 26:52-54
Had Jesus called upon the powers of heaven no kingdom on the face of the earth that would have the power to crucify Him. He’d have mopped the floor with them. But if He’d done that… you’d still be in your sins.
Romans 6:23 tells us “the wages of sin is (pause) death…” in other words if you got what you deserved, if you’d have gotten what you had a RIGHT to have you wouldn’t have had the chance to go to heaven. You wouldn’t have had the RIGHT to be accepted by God. If you have gotten what you deserved – you’d get death. You’d get hell.
But it’s because Jesus went to the cross and had HIS RIGHTS violated that you and I have now been given a RIGHT we didn’t deserve. We’ve been given the free gift of eternal life through the blood of Christ. All Jesus is asking in return is that we remember that.
When you and I were saved, we were not saved so that we could demand our rights. We were saved so that we could serve others who don’t deserve that… just as we didn’t deserve it when Jesus served us and gave His life as a ransom for ours.
INVITATION
