GOOD NEWS PRESENTED BY MARK
Study of the Gospel According to Mark
As you read Mark, be aware that you are reading the very first written account of the ministry of Jesus – a fact well documented by credible Bible scholars. Quite naturally, we want to know who Mark was, and we find that he is mentioned frequently in the New Testament.
What we know about him is that he was the son of a very well-to-do woman in Jerusalem; her name was Mary, and her home became the center of early church get-togethers. So, you can imagine that Mark was there when Jesus’ closest followers came to his mother’s house for a “church council” meeting. Peter the chief elder referred to Mark affectionately as “my son.”
Mark was also the nephew of Barnabas who talked Paul into letting the youngster go with them on one of their missionary journeys - which, you may recall, resulted in Mark’s falling out of favor with Paul by leaving and going back home. However, it’s interesting to note that, years later, when Paul was in prison, facing execution, he asked Timothy to bring Mark with him, “for he is a most useful servant to me.”
I suppose Paul saw in this young man a Christian who had the ability to write; and, apparently having redeemed himself, he could now be counted on to carry out Paul’s wishes. This explanation is plausible because Mark had served as Peter’s scribe and, as such, had written much of what Peter related to him about his eye witness account of the ministry of Jesus.
MARK SERMON VIII – MARK 10:32-45 . . .
SUCCESS IS NOT WHAT SOME FOLKS THINK IT IS
Have you ever had the feeling that you were not “getting through” to someone you were trying to explain something to? You simply had a hard time getting an idea through somebody’s “thick skull” – which is just another way of saying that someone is “hard-headed”. Or, perhaps you became frustrated with yourself and exclaimed, “I just can’t seem to get it through my ‘thick skull’.”
As Jesus headed down the “home stretch” of His redemptive mission, He got somewhat exasperated with His inner circle of followers due to their denial, or refusal, to accept the notion that He was headed to a Cross rather than a Coronation.
In vivid, pointed language, our Lord laid out exactly what was going to happen to Him; but He ended with a triumphant declaration - one that the apostles may not have heard with their “inner ear” - Mark 10:32-34 . . .
Why were these guys so “astonished” . . . “amazed” . . . “afraid”? Wouldn’t you say that, by now, they had become very much aware of the dangers that lay ahead of them as they approached Jerusalem? Or, perhaps some of the sayings coming from the lips of Jesus - the one they had left everything to follow - sounded a bit strange; for example, “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
How could this be? Isn’t it a law of life that people who get to the top stay there? Not necessarily. Many a person stands tall in the sight of men, or in their own sight, but eventually fall. Why? Pride gets the best of them! And, you know what? Sinful pride always trips up anyone who boasts of being “superior” to, or more “spiritual” than, everyone else. Peter, are you listening? Mr. or Mrs. “whoever”, are you listening? Pride goes before a fall!
Notice the observation by Mark that Jesus “walked ahead of” them. At this point in His ministry - with danger looming on the horizon - Jesus was out front by Himself! Yet He kept going steadfastly toward His destiny.
Let us suppose Jesus was thinking that if He had to go it alone, so be it! After all, God the Father was there to comfort Him!
Never underestimate the courage required of any commander who would “lead the charge” into battle against any foe! Folks: our Lord is our great commander who has promised to go before us wherever we go - especially as we go through the valleys, or dwell in the shadows, of life.
As did the psalmist, cannot all children of God say and really mean it, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I have no reason to fear the evil one, for Thou art with me?” Christ Jesus takes charge when we need Him most! Yet, the Twelve found this fact hard to grasp . . .
Consider this: You have committed your life to Christ and have said, in effect, “Wherever He leads, I’ll go.” But after a while, He comes to you and starts talking about being: “handed over” . . . “condemned to death” . . . “made fun of” . . . “spat upon” . . . “scourged” . . . “killed”! Would you begin to have “second thoughts” about continuing to follow this man?
Well, if you were as sure as His followers were that He was indeed the Christ - Messiah – Son of the living God – the One who had “drawn” you into a personal spiritual relationship, wouldn’t you stay with Him no matter what? That IS exactly what He asks us to do. Of course, you would continue to follow Him – especially if you were listening with your “inner ear” and heard Him declare that, on the third day, He would rise!
Of all the “persons” associated with all world religions looked to for divine leadership by millions of people - and, yes, considering all the good that some of them have been known for throughout history - I am going to stay with the only One who, on the third day, rose from the dead as He said!
But, getting back to the frank discussion Jesus had with His closest followers, wouldn’t you know it? After all that Jesus said about there being no distinctions as to the importance of any one or two of His followers, compared to all His followers, two of them – now that they “got it” about a heavenly kingdom rather than earthly kingdom – quietly come to our Lord and ask to be favored – Mark 10:35-40 . . .
Here’s the gist of our Lord’s response to these “good guys” who meant well, but did not fully comprehend the inevitable outcome for which Jesus was preparing them: “Forget about position and power in the kingdom of God!”
There are no first, second and third places in the kingdom that is not of this world. Anyhow, those positions are already occupied by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All the rest of us are called upon to “drink of the cup” that Jesus drank of and to be “baptized with the baptism” that He was baptized with.
This very interesting terminology used by Jesus was well-known to Jewish folks. He used “cup” and “baptism” as metaphors – words that say one thing yet mean something else.
Let me explain the basis for the use of these metaphors: At a royal banquet given to honor a king, it was customary for the king himself to hand a cup of wine to invited guests and ask them to drink of it. So, in religion, the cup became the symbol of a life experience that had been handed to him or her, or passed on to them, by the Lord God.
For example, when the psalmist said, “My cup runs over”, he was expressing the happiness of the life God had given – handed - to him.
Jesus was pointing out to the twelve apostles – and through them to us – that His followers have got to be willing to accept the role handed to them, or passed on to them, by God the Father - and to give it all they’ve got.
The other metaphor – baptism – means “dip” or “submerge.” It was not unusual for a Jewish person to speak of a family member or friend as being “submerged” in an experience of life – for example, “submerged in grief.” Jesus was saying, “Whatever God asks you to do, submerge yourself in that experience - to the extent that you go all out to accomplish the task.”
As is inevitably the case, when anyone tries to elevate themselves above everybody else, there was resentment expressed by the others toward the two who had asked to be favored; their indignation gave Jesus a chance to reiterate what’s really important – Mark 10:41-45 . . .
Would to God preachers, politicians, people in all walks of life could bring themselves to realize that what the world needs is more folks who are willing to give their lives serving rather than being served – not what can I get, but what can I give!
No better argument can be made on behalf of serving one’s fellowman than the example Jesus gave of how He Himself served God. Yes, our Lord had the power to alter the scheme of things to suit His own Will, but chose rather to be submissive to God’s Will.
To give one’s life “a ransom” is to pay the price for “freeing” another from bondage. Voluntarily Jesus gave His life to set us free from the guilt of sin and the consequences of sin! Jesus paid the price because of His and God the Father’s love for us! “Oh, how He loved you and me!” He still does!
Christians in our day struggle with many of the same issues that early followers of Christ wrestled with. It’s not unusual, for example, for someone to evaluate his or her worth as a person in terms of honors received or positions held – even the church they belong to. Not so in the sight of God!
Jesus made it clear that “greatness” is determined on the basis of willingness to pattern one’s life after Christ who gave His ALL in service to God and others.
So, from our Lord’s perspective, success is not what some folks think it is. A Christian’s success is measured by how closely and to what extent he or she follows the example of Jesus.
Not all are called to be Mother Teresa, but all are called to succeed at living a life of devotion to Christ! Amen.
