What does it mean to follow Jesus, for those who were Jesus’
friends in this story, and for us today?
We are in the heart of Mark’s gospel; Jesus and the
disciples are on a journey that will end in Jerusalem, the place where Jesus is
killed. Jesus has told the disciples once already, this is the second time
Jesus says to them that he will be killed, and the third time Jesus tells them
is further along the path. Every time Jesus and those who were following him
pass through Galilee, we are alerted that Jesus is trying to teach them
something, and us as well. They are on a journey of discovery, and as they
journey Jesus tries very hard to keep them away from the crowds who are
beginning to amass, so that Jesus can care for them.
So lets take a look at a couple of important details in
these few verses. First, Jesus is to be betrayed. The gospel writer Mark is
rather harsh; we know that because we’ve been reading this story for some time
now. Mark writes that Jesus will be betrayed into human hands, and that Jesus
suffers at the hands of the Jewish elders, those who were powerful, and maybe
even considered great. And secondly, further down the road, Jesus hears his
friends bickering, and finds out they are arguing about who of them is the
greatest. As way of illustration, Jesus picks up the child and teaches them
about greatness, about welcoming, about what it means to be a follower. Now you
all know that this sounds crazy. Children had no power, no greatness. Children
were of no account. Oh, of course, their parents loved them, but they had no
rights, no influence, no standing. They were utterly dependent, utterly
vulnerable, utterly powerless. So how could caring for a child count as
greatness? It’s crazy.
The trouble is that it seems we haven’t changed much in all
these years. We’re still wondering about what constitutes greatness. Is
greatness measured by power and wealth? Is greatness measured by the ability to
control people? Is greatness about being first so that others may be last? We
hear this definition of greatness pretty consistently by some leadership in
government and business. Is greatness measured by where one sits at the table?
Is greatness measured by winning and losing? Is greatness measured by fame? Is
greatness a competition? Is the person who wins the game, the football game,
the tennis game, the basketball game, great? Is the person who wins the
bachelor’s heart, or the amazing race, or America’s got talent, great?
What if we stop defining greatness like all of that, and
start measuring greatness like Jesus shows us? What if we imagined that
greatness wasn’t about power and wealth and fame and all the rest, but instead
we measured greatness by how much we share with others, how much we take care
of others, how much we love others, how much we serve others. What kind of
world would we live in? Can you imagine if people were regularly trying to
out-do each other in their deeds of kindness and service? If there were
nationally broadcast competitions to see who was willing to be last so that
others could go first? If there were reality TV shows that followed people
around as they tried to help as many people as possible? What kind of world
would we live in? I don’t know about you, but I think it would be a
pretty great world.
The definition of greatness Jesus offers seems crazy
initially because it is so completely, utterly counter-cultural. Jesus calls us
to imagine that true greatness lies in service by taking care of those who are most vulnerable –
those with little influence or power, those the culture is most likely to
ignore. And what if this is what it means to follow Jesus? True greatness, is
vulnerability. True greatness, is foolishness. True greatness, looks to the
world like loss. Jesus looks to the world like loss. Jesus says he will be
betrayed, and killed, and rise again. And in doing that, Jesus transforms the
world; Jesus transforms us. Jesus shows us that in God’s kingdom, letting go is
freedom, and greatness is in service to the ones God loves. Jesus shows us that
those whom society throws away, are brought to the center of God’s love and
life.
Those who welcome a child, welcome me. Jesus does not say,
those who welcome those in power, welcome me. Jesus does not say, those who
welcome the wealthy, welcome me. Jesus does not say, those who welcome only
those who look like me, welcome me. Jesus says, greatness is measured by
welcoming the one who has no power, serving the one who is on the fringes,
healing the one who is hurt.
What if this became the measure of greatness in not only our
church lives, but also our social lives and our community lives? What if this
became the measure of greatness in our government? What if we share the love
that wins to change the rules, so that those on the margins are brought into
the fullness of the community. What if we share the love that wins in service
to the broken hearted. What if we share the love that wins in service to those
who have been kicked out, not listened to, or shamed for their truth.
What if we took Jesus seriously? “Whoever wants to be first
must be last of all and servant of all.” What if we approached our neighbors
with kindness and generosity, trusting that each and every life, each and every
story is precious in God’s sight? I believe greatness is in vulnerability,
greatness is in giving, greatness is in gratitude.
We’ve been talking about intentionality in practice. That
following Jesus is about what we do each day, each hour, each moment. Three
things I leave with you today a practice that comes from the wisdom of Ann
LaMott. Three prayers, Help, Thanks, Wow.
Lord, help. In our time of desperation, in our time of need,
help us to follow you, to see you, to hear you.
Lord, thank you, all that I am, all that I have is not mine,
but yours.
Wow, this creation is amazing.
Help, thanks, wow. Amen.
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