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THE GOSPEL OF MARK – GREATNESS IS DOWN, NOT UP

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GREATNESS IS DOWN, NOT UP

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:33-37

The disciples had not yet learned to live in the realm of the kingdom of God as Jesus did. They were still very much a part of this world system with its understanding of power as force and control. In complete contrast to the yoke of Jesus, they contended for top political place in a kingdom that already had its hierarchy in place which Jesus had no intention of overthrowing.

By contrast, the kingdom of God drew its power from everything opposite to what they understood. Leadership and greatness flows from servant-hood. Power lies in gentleness and humility and love overcomes fear, light drives out darkness and government begins on the inside, in one’s heart first, by submitting to and embracing the rule of God over one’s life first.

By engaging in the on-going power struggle, the disciples were feeding the old selfish, greedy nature that reflected the darkness still in their own souls. It was obvious that they needed the transformation of the new heart but that experience for them lay beyond the cross and resurrection when they could finally “see” for themselves what God’s reign in the hearts really meant.

Jesus continued, patiently to sow the seed of truth because the Holy Spirit’s role in their hearts was to bring that truth to life in the on-going experiences of their lives. He would remind them of Jesus’ words and open the eyes of their hearts to see what they could not see now. Jesus did not despair of their “getting it “. He continued to lay the foundation of the real yet unseen kingdom in them into which they would finally be catapulted on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

Their lack of understanding meant loss for Jesus at this point. He would have to endure the cross experience without their understanding or support. He knew that but it did not faze Him because He was fully confident of the Holy Spirit’s partnership in the ultimate success of His mission.

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE – UPSIDE DOWN KINGDOM

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UPSIDE DOWN KINGDOM

“Within minutes they were bickering over who of them would end up the greatest. But Jesus intervened. ‘Kings like to throw their weight around and people in authority like to give themselves fancy titles. It’s not going to be that way with you. Let the senior among you become like the junior; let the leader act the part of the servant.'” Luke 22:24-26.

Would they ever learn? Three years with Jesus, watching, listening and even imitating Him had not yet convinced them that He had no intention of overthrowing Roman occupation and setting up a renewed Davidic kingdom. What more did He need to do to get the message past their misplaced expectations.

Vying for position in His kingdom was an old story. It cropped up regularly and now that it was becoming clear to them that this new kingdom was just around the corner, it became even more urgent that they sort out who would occupy the most important positions in Jesus’ “cabinet” – or so they thought.

How patient Jesus was! Once again He had to explain to non-comprehending, thick-skulled, ambitious, so-called “disciples” that His kingdom was not just another earthly system to control and regulate people, not even one as glorious as the kingdoms of David and Solomon. He was operating in a realm which functioned deep within the inner workings of human beings, exposing the source of the unseen power that influenced them to be who they were.

He had come to take back the authority and power to return His estranged people to fellowship with the God who had created them and designed them to be mirror images of Him. Satan had derailed God’s plan by deception but, by giving His own life as a payment for man’s going astray, Jesus was on the brink of restoring man to God and putting him back on course to compete the Father’s plan.

This was the kingdom He was talking about, but this kingdom’s values were the opposite of the values subscribed to by the world’s systems. At His trial, Pilate asked Jesus, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ and Jesus replied, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’ John 18:33, 36 (NIV).

So what does God’s kingdom look like?

Firstly, it a system that rules by choice, not force, by obedience, not coercion and by truth, not deception. We are in it because we chose to believe the truth and God responded by supernaturally setting us free from our slavery to the devil and relocating us to His kingdom which He rules by truth and love. Every time we choose to obey God, His Holy Spirit enables us to do what we have chosen to do.

Secondly, the values of God’s kingdom reflect His nature and are opposite to the world’s ways. As Jesus had painstakingly taught them, true greatness lies, not in lording it over people but in serving them. He showed them how by giving His life for them. Our needs are met when we meet the needs of others; we receive by giving; we live by dying; we are happy when we make others happy; we find life by losing it; we lead by following. It all becomes real when we “just do it”.

The disciples did not get it until after Jesus’ death and resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit, who did exactly what Jesus promised He would do. When He took up residence inside them, He brought into sharp focus everything Jesus had taught them. All the seeds of His word which had lain dormant in their hearts sprang to life and began to grow and bear fruit.

As believers, we have to swim against the current of world systems where power lies in force. The power of God works within in us, changing us as we believe and respond to His truth and choose to follow and obey Jesus. Eternal life is a dynamic partnership between ourselves and God, drawing us into union with Jesus and teaching us how to be sons of God.

Greater Than John

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GREATER THAN JOHN

“‘Let me lay it out for you as plainly as I can: No one in history surpasses John the Baptiser, but in the kingdom he prepared for you, the lowliest person is ahead of him. The ordinary and disreputable people who heard John, by being baptised by him into the kingdom, are the clearest evidence; the Pharisees and religious officials have nothing to do with such baptism, wouldn’t think of giving up their place in line to their inferiors.” Luke 7:28-30 (The Message).

What on earth was Jesus talking about? John the Baptist the greatest and yet the least? It doesn’t make sense, does it?

According to Jesus, John was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, not because of the length of his ministry but because of its importance. All the other prophets, so said Peter, “…Who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.” 1 Peter 1:10b, 11 (NIV), spoke of events that were still far off in the future.

It was John who was privileged to announce and introduce the Messiah to his people, and yet he himself did not witness His ministry or hear His preaching. As soon as Jesus appeared on the scene, he was removed by Herod into a dungeon from which he was never released. He had stood on the brink of the era of the New Covenant but never experienced it for himself.

It must have been very frustrating for John to have been so near and yet so far. Perhaps he had longed to be a part of what Jesus was doing, to be more than his forerunner, even a prominent member of His band of disciples. But it was not to be. John’s work was done, short though it had been, and Jesus graciously acknowledged the value and importance of what he had done.

But, at the same time, He did not overplay John’s role. He was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets but the least in the kingdom Jesus had come to inaugurate. Why?  Because, through Jesus, people could enter and experience what he could only announce.

When the Holy Spirit came in His fullness to continue the work of Jesus, He would take up residence within every believer, making everyone who embraced Jesus as the Son of God and His teaching as His yoke, His dwelling place. It was no longer the privileged few who experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit with them; but all who believed would have Him in them, even the lowliest in man’s eyes.

The high-and-mighty religious ones who thought they were in, were actually out, while the ones they regarded as of no consequence, occupied a more privileged position than they. That’s how it is in God’s kingdom — the world’s value system is reversed. The places of highest honour are reserved for the ones who least expect it. If you think you are important, you are not!

John’s baptism was received by those who welcomed his message and identified with the one he was introducing. Of course, the religious leaders, who thought they knew better, refused to be a part of it. They would not participate in anything that attracted the riff-raff. How tragic that their proud, know-it-all attitude excluded them from the greatest moment in their history and their own personal lives!

What about us? How much have we missed of the grace of Jesus because we think we know better, or because we refuse to humble ourselves and change the way we think. Jesus’ way is open to all, but there are many who miss it because it demands our shedding all our preconceived notions about how it should be.

He said, ‘Follow me.’ That’s all! Are you following? If you are, you will be part of the many who are greater than John the Baptist.