Tawa Baptist

Blind Ambition

Scripture: Mark 10:35-45

Video Link: https://youtu.be/zEJ2DkZTFQQ

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Jesus’ humility (v. the disciples’ ambition)
  • Jesus’ vision (v. the disciples’ blindness)
  • Jesus’ redemption (v. the disciples’ anger)
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

It’s October, which means some students will be sitting exams soon.

One method for exam revision is the 1-2-3-7 technique. That is, after your first read through, revise what you want to remember the very next day and then the day after that and then again on the seventh day.

Some people say you should re-read again 21 days after the first read, but if you are sitting exams two weeks from now you, you won’t have time. The point is you cannot expect to remember something you’ve only read once. Repetition is key to learning.    

Today we continue our series in the gospel of Mark based on the lectionary readings. This Sunday’s Scripture is Mark chapter 10, verses 35-45. If you have been following this series, then some of what you are about to hear will sound familiar. This is because it’s the third time that Jesus has said it.

Jesus’ disciples didn’t understand what he was saying the first time, so he kept repeating himself. But, with each repetition, Jesus adds a little more information and so this sermon is not a repeat. From Mark 10, verse 35, we read…

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In this passage we see the contrast between Jesus and his disciples.

Jesus’ humility stands apart from the disciples’ ambition.

Jesus’ vision sees beyond the disciples’ blindness.

And Jesus’ redemption shines like a star against the darkness of the disciples’ anger. First, let’s consider the contrast between Jesus’ humility and the disciples’ ambition.

Jesus’ humility (v. the disciples’ ambition)

Thomas Merton, the 20th Century Trappist monk, once wrote…

When ambition ends, happiness begins.

Merton is saying that when we let go of our relentless drive for success and achievement, we can find true contentment and fulfilment.

Ambition is the desire and determination to achieve something. Wanting to achieve something is not necessarily bad in itself, unless it comes at the expense of our well-being and relationships. If ambition is left unchecked, it tends to lead to things like envy and arrogance, anger and greed. Ambition is a hunger that is never satisfied.    

The brothers James and John had ambitions. James and John were the sons of Zebedee, a local fisherman. From what we can piece together it appears James and John came from a moderately wealthy family who were well-connected.

Their father Zebedee owned several fishing boats and employed servants.

Also, James and John may have had a family connection with the household of the high priest.

For James and John to walk away from a successful family business to follow a travelling rabbi, who often criticized the religious establishment, was no small thing. James and John had given up a lot to become disciples of Jesus.

Maybe this was in the back of their mind when they said to Jesus, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask’.

This request is the opposite of winsome. This request is a bit insensitive in fact, given how it follows hard on the heels of Jesus’ third passion prediction. Jesus had just been telling his disciples (in verses 32-34) how he will be mocked, spat on, flogged and killed before rising three days later.

Somehow this doesn’t register with James and John. Jesus is their teacher.

He is their boss, and he is soon to suffer terribly, yet they want to tell Jesus what to do. That is ambition speaking. 

But listen to the way Jesus handles their request. There is a grace and humility in Jesus’ response that is truly beautiful. Jesus does not get angry with James and John. He doesn’t yell at them or cast them into outer darkness. Jesus takes the posture of a servant. He listens.

‘What do you want me to do for you’, Jesus asks. That’s a listening question. That’s something a servant says. 

And James and John reply…

“Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

There it is. Naked ambition. James and John know that Jesus is a king. To sit at the right and left of a king is to occupy positions of power and prestige. It’s like saying, we want to be second and third in charge of your kingdom.

Although James and John’s ambition (to be in charge) looks quite ugly in many respects, we should not judge them too harshly. Each of us has a bit of James and John in us. None of us are immune from selfish ambition.

Looking at James and John in a more positive light, we note the strength of their faith and hope in Jesus. As I said before, James and John gave up a lot to follow Jesus. Their ambition may have been misguided but they have a confidence in Jesus which is quite inspiring.  

Jesus had just been describing how he would be rejected, mocked and killed. To the disciples this might have sounded like Jesus was a bit discouraged or plagued with self-doubt. Perhaps James and John’s request was their way of saying to Jesus, ‘we believe in you, even if you don’t quite believe in yourself’.  

But Jesus is not plagued with self-doubt. Jesus sees what the disciples can’t see. Jesus sees the cross before him.

Jesus came as a humble servant, but he is primarily a servant of the living God, the Lord Almighty, God of heaven and earth. Jesus does not take his orders from James and John or any other human being. Jesus takes his orders from God the Father. Jesus’ sole ambition is to love and obey God.

Humility does not mean saying ‘yes’ to every request. Humility is about having your feet on the ground. To be humble is to maintain an accurate estimation of yourself, remembering who you are and who you serve. Not being carried away by ambition but holding on to yourself. 

Jesus’ vision (vs. the disciples’ blindness)

Jesus has the humility to know that it’s not his call who gets to sit on his left or right, much less James and John’s call. Jesus will not usurp God’s authority. And so, Jesus declines their request saying…

38 “You don’t know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

James and John answer with confidence saying, “We can”.

Their ambition has blinded them. Jesus has just said, “You don’t know what you are asking…”, but James and John are not listening, they act as if they know better than Jesus.

You have probably seen the drawing of the old woman which, depending on how you look at it, is also a drawing of a young woman. Some people can only see the old woman and some can only see the young woman. Then there are those who can see both.

When Jesus asks James and John if they can drink the cup he is about to drink and be baptized with the baptism he is about to be baptized with, James and John misunderstand Jesus’ meaning. They can only see the young woman.

In the Old Testament, the cup had two meanings. Sometimes the cup referred to joy and abundance of good things, like in the 23rd Psalm where we read…

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life…

Other times though, the cup is a symbol of God’s judgement and wrath, like in the book of Jeremiah where the Lord says…

Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink…

When James and John hear Jesus talking about drinking from his cup, they probably think Psalm 23, joy and abundance, dining at the king’s table.

But this is not what Jesus has in mind. Jesus is thinking about the cup of God’s wrath that he will drink in going to the cross.

Likewise, the image of baptism had two meanings in the first century.

When Jesus talks about baptism in Mark 10, he is not referring to the ritual of baptism that we are familiar with.

Baptism in this context is a metaphor for being overwhelmed or submerged under water, like with Noah’s flood or when the Egyptian army were drowned in the Red Sea or when the Psalmist in distress says, Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me…

For first century Jews though, baptism was also an image of cleansing and renewal. So, when James and John hear Jesus talking about his baptism, they probably think Jesus is referring to God’s destruction of their enemies and the renewal of Israel. They want some of that.

But Jesus has a different understanding of baptism in mind here. Jesus is contemplating the overwhelming suffering he will soon experience in going to the cross.     

Jesus can see the blindness of James and John, but he doesn’t humiliate them. Jesus’ vision sees beyond the disciples’ blindness. The Lord goes on to tell James and John…   

“You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with…”

In fact, James and John were witnesses to Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection. More than that, James was among the first of the apostles to be killed for his testimony about Jesus. In Acts 12, we read how Herod had James put to death by the sword.

John was not murdered, as far as we know, but he did suffer in his witness for Jesus. John survived a series of state-sponsored persecutions of the early church and was eventually sent into exile on the island of Patmos.

The disciples’ experience speaks to our experience. When we first become believers, we don’t know what lies ahead for us in our journey of faith. We are blind, feeling our way like newborn puppies.

There is often an initial joy when we first accept Jesus. But there are also times of desolation along the way, when we feel alone and abandoned by God.

To follow Jesus is to drink from his cup and share in his baptism.

Sometimes, like the first disciples, we will get it wrong. We will misunderstand, we will fail and wonder how we might move forward. But Jesus understands. Jesus forgives and Jesus provides a way for us. Despite the disciples’ misplaced ambition and initial blindness, Jesus was still able to use them, and he is still able to use us.

Although James and John did indeed share in Christ’s sufferings, that did not automatically entitle them to call dibs on the best seats in God’s kingdom.

As Jesus said: ‘To sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.’  

If Jesus had in mind the cross, then the ‘places’ in view here were allotted to two criminals. One was crucified on Jesus’ left and the other on his right. Ambition had blinded James and John, so they did not know what they were asking.

We have heard about Jesus’ humility in contrast to the disciples’ ambition.

And we’ve heard how Jesus’ vision sees beyond the disciples’ blindness.

Now let’s consider Jesus’ redemption in the face of the disciples’ anger.  

Jesus’ redemption (v. the disciples’ anger)

There are basically two main ways to define greatness. Top down or bottom up. The top-down definition of greatness asks, how many people can I get to serve me? While the bottom-up definition asks, how many people can I serve?

William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, once said, “The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender”.

I believe it is true for women as well. Perhaps what Booth meant here was the more a person surrenders their life to God’s purpose, the more people they will help. William Booth thought of greatness in terms of obedience to God and service to others.

James and John’s ambition, their drive for success and achievement, threatened their relationships with the other disciples. In verse 41, we read how the 10 became indignant with James and John.

The word indignant means angry, but it’s a particular kind of angry. The other 10 disciples were angry with James and John because they felt James and John had behaved in a way that was unworthy or unfair.

By asking for top positions in Jesus’ administration, James and John were implicitly saying to the other 10 disciples, ‘we are better than you’. The other 10 disciples didn’t share James and John’s opinion. The other disciples’ indignation reveals they thought James and John were not worthy of sitting at Jesus’ left and right.

No one, it seems, was too bothered about how Jesus might be feeling, even though Jesus had just described in detail how he was going to suffer.       

Jesus is not indignant. Jesus does not take umbrage. Jesus sees a teachable moment, an opportunity for redeeming the disciples’ relationships. Jesus sets the disciples’ free from their ambition and their anger, saying…

“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

This is the part that sounds familiar. Most people in the first century defined greatness in terms of how many people I can get to serve me. Jesus flips this on its head. Jesus redefines greatness as how many people I can serve.

Jesus goes on to use himself as an example saying, in verse 45…

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

In the Jewish imagination, the Son of Man was a great figure, one of the greatest. But the thing that makes the Son of Man great is his service to others.

Jesus is the Son of Man. Jesus is trying to tell his disciples that he came to die in order that others might live. That is one of the main ways Jesus continues to serve humanity.

Much ink has been spilt over what Jesus meant by giving his life as a ransom.

In the first century, if you wanted to set someone free from slavery or prison, you did so by paying a large amount of money. The ransom payment redeemed the person’s life, allowing them to go free and start afresh.

Some people over the centuries have asked the question, “If Jesus’ life was the cost of the ransom, then who was paid?” Well, that sort of question misses the point. No one was paid. Jesus is speaking metaphorically here.

Like when someone says, ‘grief is the price we pay for love’. No one receives a payment. Grief isn’t like money. The expression simply means, love costs you. Our redemption cost Jesus his life. Our freedom cost God his Son.

Conclusion:

Let me finish with a story. This is a true story. On Sunday, 16 August 1987, Northwest Airlines flight 225 crashed shortly after taking off from Detroit Airport, killing 154 people on board and two people on the ground. Only one passenger survived, a four-year old girl named Cecelia.

Cecelia survived because, as the plane was falling, Cecelia’s mother, Paula, unbuckled her own seatbelt, got down on her knees in front of her daughter and shielded Cecelia with her body. Paula gave her life as a ransom for her daughter. She saved Cecelia.

Nothing could separate Cecelia from her mother’s love – not tragedy or disaster, not the fall or the flames, not height nor depth, nor life nor death. Such is Jesus’ love for us. He left heaven, became a servant for us and covered us with the sacrifice of his own body that we might live. [1]

Jesus’ sacrifice calls for a response from us. What will you do with the freedom Jesus bought you?

Let us pray…

Loving God, we thank you for Jesus who redeems our life and shows us the way. Set us free from misplaced ambition, blindness and anger. Help us to walk humbly with you. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Why does Jesus keep repeating the same message to his disciples? (That is, about his suffering, death and resurrection and about service.) What faith lessons keep being repeated in your life?
  3. Discuss / reflect on Thomas Merton’s words, “When ambition ends, happiness begins”. What does Merton mean by this? Do you agree? When is ambition good? When does ambition become harmful? What was Jesus’ ambition? What is your ambition?
  4. What did Jesus mean when he talked about the cup and baptism, in verse 38? How did James and John (mis)understand Jesus’ words? What realities has God opened your eyes to, since becoming a Christian?   
  5. How does Jesus define greatness? How do you define greatness? Who serves you? Who do you serve? 
  6. Why did the other 10 disciples become indignant (angry) with James and John? What does their anger reveal about them? What makes you feel indignant?
  7. What did Jesus mean when he said, the Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many? What freedoms do you enjoy because of Jesus? What will you do with the freedom Jesus bought you?

[1] Refer J. John and Mark Stibbe’s book, ‘A Box of Delights’, page 173.

Tawa Baptist

Salt & Pepper

Scripture: Mark 9:38-50

Video Link: https://youtu.be/UozKwTQBBWY

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • The exorcist
  • Crime and punishment
  • Salty sayings
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Most dining tables have salt and pepper shakers on them. Salt and pepper add flavour and spice to the meal. The purpose of salt and pepper is to make the food taste better, but if you try eating salt and pepper on their own, you are in for a nasty surprise. 

Today we continue our series in the gospel of Mark, based on the lectionary readings. Last week we heard how Jesus defines greatness. The way up is down.

This week’s lectionary reading is a salt and pepper passage. By itself it tastes bitter and unpleasant. But mix a little salt and pepper in with Jesus’ goodness and grace, and it improves the quality of your relationships. From Mark 9, verse 38 we read…

38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” 39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. 42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where “‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves and be at peace with each other.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

There’s an advert on TV which shows two toasters making toast. Each of the toasters is powered by electricity from different power companies. One of the power companies charges more for their electricity than the other company but, despite the difference in price, the toast comes out exactly the same.

There are any number of power companies, but electricity is electricity. It cooks toast the same, regardless of what power company you use. No power company has a monopoly on electricity.

In verse 38 of Mark 9, the disciple John reports how they saw someone driving out demons in the name of Jesus and told him to stop.

This is interesting. Earlier, in Mark chapter 9, the disciples had been unable to cast out a demon. Now we find someone who is not one of the twelve, but who believes in Jesus and is successful at performing exorcisms.

Why do the disciples think they have the right to instruct someone more competent than them? That’s like any one of us trying to tell Lydia Ko how to play golf.

Well, John told the unknown exorcist to stop because he was not one of them, he wasn’t in their club. The disciples think they are better than this unknown exorcist, even though the exorcist is more effective than they are.

Jesus had just been teaching his disciples about humility and service.

The unknown exorcist is serving the least and he is serving Jesus, but the disciples can’t see it. Jesus’ words haven’t sunk in yet. They don’t understand.  

You get the feeling John thinks he has done something good. Maybe he hopes to be commended by Jesus? Maybe he is wanting to climb the honour ladder and advance himself? But Jesus is not impressed.

In verse 39 Jesus corrects his disciples saying, ‘Do not stop him. For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.’  

To do something in Jesus’ name means to be a bona-fide representative of Jesus. And to be a bona-fide representative, you need to stand in right relationship with Jesus, you need to trust him. It’s more than simply adding Jesus’ name to the end of your prayer, as important as that is.

The unknown exorcist wasn’t using Jesus’ name like a magic spell.

The unknown exorcist stood in right relationship with Jesus. He trusted in Jesus and was able to cast out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

There are any number of power companies, but electricity is electricity.

It cooks toast the same, regardless of what power company you use.

No power company has a monopoly on electricity.

There are any number of Christians, but the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit is free to work through any believer who stands in right relationship with Jesus. No disciple, no church, no denomination has a monopoly on overcoming evil by the power of the Spirit.  

If another Christian is doing good at school or at work, or if another church is doing good in the hood, then don’t knock them. Encourage them. We are on the same side.

In verse 41 Jesus goes on to say: Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

Don’t you love how Jesus keeps it real. Not many of us are going to perform miracles in this life. But any Christian believer can give a cup of water in Jesus’ name.

Any representative of Christ can show kindness. It’s like Mother Teresa said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”     

The greatest power is love.

Crime and punishment:

I started this sermon talking about salt and pepper. Verses 42-50 contain the salt and pepper of the gospel in concentrated form. Taken by themselves these verses taste bitter and unpleasant. They were never meant to be read in isolation from the rest of the Bible. So, as you hear them, remember God’s love for you. Remember too, the grace of Jesus. From verse 42 we read…

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea…”

Jesus is talking about crime and punishment here.

Who are these little ones, that Jesus mentions?

In verse 37 Jesus took a small child in his arms and said, ‘whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me…’ So, these little ones might be young children generally. Don’t do anything to harm children or lead them into sin because God is just. He will hold you to account.  

However, these little ones might also be adults, like the unknown exorcist in verse 38, who believe in Jesus. Don’t do anything to cause a fellow believer to fall or lose faith because God is just. He will hold you to account.

The point here is that we have a responsibility to set a good example for others in the faith, especially those who are looking up to us. To trip up one who enjoys a close relationship with Jesus is a terrible crime and merits a terrible punishment.

I don’t often tell jokes in my sermons, partly because I’m not a funny person but also because many of you don’t share my sense of humour. That said, I’m going to take a risk and tell you a joke now…

A little girl was talking to a man on the train about whales. The man said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human being because even though whales are very large, their throats are very small.

The little girl said that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. The man became visibly irritated saying again, in a stern voice, ‘It is physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human person’.

The little girl said, ‘When I get to heaven, I will ask Jonah’. 

The man retorted, ‘What if Jonah goes to hell?’ 

To which the girl replied, ‘Then you ask him’.

In verses 43-48, Jesus talks about hell and how to avoid going there.

43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.

Ditto that for your feet and your eyes.

In the first century, people were punished by having limbs lopped off.

The punishment for stealing was having your left hand cut off.

The punishment for a runaway slave was having one foot chopped off.

And sometimes people had an eye put out for various other crimes.

These sorts of punishments marked the offender for life, so everyone knew what they had done. And it made practical tasks a lot more difficult for the culprit themselves. 

That said, Jesus is not talking literally here. Jesus is not advocating self-harm. Jesus is speaking metaphorically. He is taking an image his listeners would be familiar with and using it to warn people not to go down the wrong path.

The hand is a metaphor for the sorts of things one might do that could lead them into sin. The foot is a metaphor for the sorts of places one might go that could lead them into sin. And the eye is a metaphor for the sorts of things one might look at that could lead them into sin.   

For example. If alcohol is a problem for you, then you need to be ruthless in cutting yourself off from alcohol. That doesn’t mean cutting off your hand so you can’t pick up a bottle.

That means not having any alcohol in the house. It means not going to the pub and not hanging out with friends who like to drink. And if there are lots of bottle stores between where you work and where you live, then it might mean taking an alternative route home to avoid temptation.

Now, I’m not picking on alcoholics here. You could substitute alcohol abuse for any other harmful behaviour, like gossip or sexual immorality or greed or pride or power or gambling or self-centredness or whatever. The point is to cut ourselves off from sin. Nip it in the bud.

That means we need to be thinking a few steps ahead. Where is this decision taking me? Where is this night out or this drink or this text message or this website or this friendship or this swipe right going to lead?  

Of course, we don’t always know where our first steps might take us. The thing about your hands and your feet and your eyes is that they are not inherently bad, they are useful and good in fact. Sometimes what seems innocent enough at first can be misleading. We need to be totally honest with ourselves.

Three times in three verses we come across the word hell. No one in the Bible talks about hell more than Jesus. The actual word translated as ‘hell’ is Gehenna, also known (in the Old Testament) as the Valley of Hinnom, that is, the Valley of Wailing. Gehenna is located on the south side of old Jerusalem.

Centuries before Mark wrote his gospel, the Israelites had sacrificed their children to pagan gods in the Valley of Hinnom. God hated this evil practice. After that, Gehenna became a rubbish dump, where maggots fed off animal carcasses and rubbish was always smouldering.

Given the stench and the filth and the continual burning, Gehenna became a metaphor for hell. Jesus was using an image his listeners were familiar with to describe what happens to the enemies of God in the afterlife. Jesus uses the term hell to describe the way God’s justice will deal with evil.

Those who are committed to doing evil are destroyed and thrown out like rubbish, 48 where “‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ Hell, therefore, is God’s righteous judgement on evil.

Verse 48 is a reference to the last verse in the book of Isaiah. It contains a message of judgment and hope. In Isaiah 66 we read…

23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all humankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. 

24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all humankind.”  

All this talk about hell is scary. It’s horrifying. Questions rise in our minds about what hell is like. What’s the temperature? Who will be there? Is it a place of conscious suffering? Or is it a place of annihilation? We simply don’t know the answers to those sorts of questions and we shouldn’t speculate.

What we can say is that God is good. He is just and merciful, gracious and true. God is love. The Lord of love is our judge and he will do what is right by each one.

The present reality is that this world is a war zone, spiritually speaking.

For the kingdom of God to be realised on earth, the kingdom of evil must be destroyed. Hell is the destruction of the kingdom of evil and that, ultimately, is good news for humanity.

In the same breath that Jesus talks about hell, he also talks about entering life and the kingdom of God. The point seems to be, participation in the kingdom of God is worth any sacrifice. It is better to be limited in what you do in this world, if that means enjoying eternal life.

Salty sayings:

Some of you may have played the word association game. With this game, you start with a word and then someone else says another word that is related in some way and you keep going like that until a word gets repeated or you can’t make an association.

For example, you might start with the word cow, then milk, cereal, breakfast, dinner, steak, salt, fire and so on. Now some of you may be thinking, I can see the connection between most of those words, but what’s the connection between salt and fire? Well, the thing that salt and fire have in common is they both purify things.  

In verses 49-50 of Mark 9, Jesus gives us three salty sayings. We don’t know whether Jesus said these sayings all on the same occasion or whether the gospel writer, Mark, simply collected the salty sayings of Jesus in one place to make them easier to recall.

What we do see here is a certain word association. Verse 48 talks about the fire that is not quenched and in verse 49 we get the saying, ‘everyone will be salted with fire’.

In the ancient world, salt was associated with purity because it came from the two most pure things known at the time. The sea and the sun. Likewise, fire was associated with purification because precious metals (like silver) were refined by fire.

Therefore, the phrase, everyone will be salted with fire, probably means everyone will be purified. This is not saying everyone will go through hell or purgatory. Being salted with fire is a metaphor for the process of purification we go through in this life.

Jesus’ second salty saying reads: Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?

Salt is a preservative. Salt fights corruption. Unless the Christian resists corruption and evil, bad things will flourish unchecked in the world.

Followers of Jesus are to live a pure life, a life of moral integrity.  

But wait, there’s more. In the Law of Moses, grain offerings needed to be seasoned with salt before being burned. In Leviticus chapter 2, we read…

13 Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

As well as being a preservative and a purifying agent, salt is also a symbol of a covenant commitment with God. To lose one’s saltiness is to lose one’s commitment to God. Mark 9, verse 50, is a warning against apostacy. Jesus is saying, don’t turn back on your commitment to God. Keep the faith.

Jesus’ third salty saying goes like this: Have salt among yourselves and be at peace with each other.

Salt brings out the best in food. Salt makes things taste more like themselves.

For example, if you put salt on an egg, it makes the egg taste more like an egg. Without salt, the egg tastes a bit like rubber.

To have salt among yourselves, therefore, is to bring out the best in each other. To help those around us to be the best version of themselves. Having salt among yourselves is the opposite of tripping others up or causing them to fall.

William Barclay explains Jesus’ meaning well. Have within yourselves the purifying influence of the Spirit of Christ. Be purified from selfishness and self-seeking, from bitterness and anger and grudge-bearing. Then you will be able to live in peace with those around you.[1]

Last week, we heard how the disciples had been arguing about who was the greatest. This kind of thinking does not bring out the best in people. It brings out the worst. Jesus wants his disciples to preserve their relationships together and to bring out the best in each other. This requires a covenant of salt, a commitment to serving one another’s wellbeing. 

Conclusion:

Each of us (if we are honest with ourselves) is a mixture of good and evil.

We are not pure and we cannot purify ourselves. So where does that leave us?

Well, God does not want to send you to hell. The Lord does not want anyone to perish, he wants everyone to come to repentance and be saved. Your soul is precious to God. So precious in fact, that God sent his own dear Son, Jesus, to redeem your life.

We are made right with God through faith in Jesus. Learning to trust and obey Jesus is our purification process. Sometimes it hurts. We are made salty again as we submit to the work of God’s Spirit in our lives.

May the Lord guide us in the way of purity and peace. Amen.    

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. How do Jesus’ words in Mark 9:38-50 make you feel? Why do you feel this way?
  3. Why does John tell the unknown exorcist to stop driving out demons? Why does Jesus correct John?
  4. What does it mean to do something in the name of Jesus?
  5. Discuss / reflect on Mark 9:42-48. How are we to interpret these verses? Who are “these little ones”? What is hell? What notes of hope do you see?
  6. Is there anything in your life that you need to cut off? (E.g. a habit, a pattern of thought, a relationship, etc.) How might you do this? 
  7. Discuss / reflect on the three salty sayings of Jesus in Mark 9:49-50. What is the connection between salt and fire? What does it mean to lose one’s saltiness? How might we bring out the best in one another and be at peace?      

[1] William Barclay, Commentary on Mark’s gospel, page 244. (My paraphrase of WB’s words.)

Tawa Baptist

The Way Up Is Down

Scripture: Mark 9:30-37

Video Link: https://youtu.be/nnSSPJcgP10

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • The way up is down
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

If you watch Country Calendar then you will know how important soil is for farming. Soil filters the water we drink, it grows the food we eat and it captures carbon dioxide which would otherwise impact climate change.

We might not think dirt is worth much but taking care of the soil under our feet is an essential part of taking care of ourselves and the environment. When it comes to growing great crops, the way up is down, down in the dirt.

Today we continue our series in the gospel of Mark, based on the lectionary readings. Last week, in Mark 8, we heard how Jesus predicted his death and resurrection.

This week, we skip forward to the end of chapter 9, where Jesus talks about greatness. When it comes to greatness, the way up is down. From Mark chapter 9, verse 30, we read…   

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”  32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. 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.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

The way up is down:

Tomato plants grow a lot of branches and leaves. At least once a week you need to go through your tomato plants and break off all the laterals. This thins the foliage out, so more energy goes into producing the fruit. If you let the tomato plant grow wild, without pruning, you’ll get smaller fruit.

When it comes to growing tomatoes, the way up is down. You get bigger fruit and more of it, when you thin the foliage.

In verse 30, we read how Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was passing through Galilee because he was teaching his disciples. Jesus was popular with the crowds, but that popularity was like excess lateral growth. It took away from the fruit.

When it comes to growing the kingdom of God, the way up is down. To grow a kingdom that would last, Jesus needed to bypass the crowds and give priority to teaching his disciples. He needed to go deep with a few committed souls.

R.A. Cole observes that Jesus had a ‘quiet purposeful selectiveness’ in the way he went about his work.[1] Jesus didn’t try to do everything. Jesus embraced the limitations of his humanity, carefully focusing on what God would have him do.

Sometimes our lives are characterized by a fevered rush to pack as much as possible into the day. While a certain amount of busy-ness and stress is unavoidable, we need to ask ourselves, what are God’s priorities for my time and energy? As Jesus said to Martha, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed’.

Verse 31 tells us Jesus wanted to talk with his disciples about his betrayal, death and resurrection. This is the second or third time Jesus has mentioned his passion. The way up is down. For Jesus, the way to resurrection and eternal life is by being betrayed and crucified.

Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man. Jesus is probably drawing a connection with the Son of Man figure in Daniel 7 who endures great trial and suffering, but who emerges victorious in the end. This concept of suffering first, then glory later, is the picture Jesus wants his disciples to see.

But the disciples did not understand what Jesus meant and were afraid to ask him about it. The disciples are in denial; too afraid to face the truth.

They have hopes and plans for Jesus and for themselves too. They imagine Jesus to be a warrior king like David. The thought of Jesus being killed makes no sense to the disciples. How can you win by losing? How can you save us from our enemies and give us a place of power and prestige if you are dead?

And what’s this about Jesus being betrayed? If the disciples had found the courage to think it through, they would have realised Jesus was talking about them being disloyal to him. No one wants to believe they are capable of betrayal, even though we all are.

If you cut your hand while working in the garden or on a building site, you don’t just carry on as if nothing happened. You seek medical attention. You find someone who knows what they are doing to clean the wound, stitch it up and dress it so the cut doesn’t become infected.

It’s similar with our relationships. If you have a bad argument with someone and end up saying things that cut each other, then you need to clean and dress the wound, so your relationship doesn’t turn septic.

When they reach Capernaum and are in the house, away from the public, Jesus asks the disciples what they were arguing about on the road.

We see the grace and wisdom of Jesus here. It’s not that Jesus doesn’t know what they were arguing about. He knows alright. Jesus is asking because he wants to bring healing and reconciliation. If Jesus doesn’t clean and dress the wound properly, the argument will turn their relationships septic.

Notice the way Jesus does not confront the disciples while they are on the road having the argument. The way up is down. If you want to raise understanding in a relationship, then best to wait until tempers go down. Jesus waits until the heat has gone out of the argument and the disciples are calmer.

There is wisdom and grace too in the setting Jesus chooses for this restorative process. Jesus has the conversation in private, away from the crowds. Jesus only includes those who were involved in the argument. He doesn’t complain about the disciples’ behaviour to some third party.

Only after the disciples have calmed down and are all together in a relatively private setting, does Jesus seek to cleanse and dress the wound. Jesus does this by giving the disciples an opportunity to talk about what was troubling them.

But the disciples are silent, too embarrassed to admit they were arguing about who was the greatest. The disciples think the way up is up. They don’t yet understand the way up is down. In order to improve the quality of their relationships they need to humble themselves and confess the truth.

We shouldn’t look down on the disciples here. Better for us to stand alongside them, in solidarity.

At the beginning of Mark chapter 9, Jesus took three disciples up a mountain with him, where he was transfigured. Peter, James and John saw Jesus in his glory, talking with Moses and Elijah and they heard a voice from heaven saying of Jesus, ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him’.

The other nine missed out on this experience. Given how insecure and self-centred we human beings are, this was bound to make the disciples wonder what the pecking order was.

Probably also the disciples were thinking about how Jesus could benefit them. They believed Jesus was a great king and as king he might want them in his cabinet. The disciples’ argument probably came about from their illusions of grandeur.

They were right about Jesus being a great king. They just didn’t understand the path to greatness went through the valley of humble service. The way up is down.     

In verse 35 we read that Jesus sat down. In our culture, teachers normally stand up the front when they are teaching. But in first century Palestine, Rabbis sat down when they had something important to say. 

It soon becomes apparent that Jesus knew all along what the disciples had been arguing about. No one had the courage or humility to admit it, so Jesus shines his light on the situation saying: ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’ The way up is down.

The society in which Jesus’ disciples lived was an honour shame culture.

There was an honour ladder and most people tried their best to climb it.

The disciples wanted to climb the ladder. They wanted to piggy-back off Jesus’ power to gain prestige for themselves.

Jesus knew this and sought to correct their thinking. Greatness is not found by climbing the honour ladder or the social ladder or the career ladder or any other ladder. The path to greatness is humble service. The one who holds the ladder for others is greater than the one who climbs the ladder.

New Zealand society (generally speaking) is not an honour shame culture. We suffer from tall poppy syndrome. If someone rises above the rest or does well, we don’t normally honour them, at least not for long. More often, they become a target for criticism and getting mowed down.

Tall poppy syndrome is not a good thing. It comes from a spirit of insecurity and individualism. Tall poppy syndrome is the product of a false humility.

True greatness does not tear others down. A great person is not threatened by someone else’s success. A great person is a secure person. Great people are happy when others do well. True greatness lifts others up. And to lift others up you must have your feet on the ground, you must be humble.

By the same token, true greatness does not mean putting yourself down.

When we say the way up is down, we are not talking about being falsely self-deprecating or hiding your light under a bushel.

Do you remember the fable of the hare and the tortoise? The tortoise knew she wasn’t as fast as the hare, but she also knew she had stamina to go the distance. The tortoise did not diminish her own strengths. The tortoise was honest with herself in relation to others.

True greatness means being honest with yourself. Not entertaining illusions of grandeur. Not thinking it’s all about me or that it all depends on me. At the same time, a great person does not deny their strengths. Truly great people believe God, in his grace, has given them something to offer.

True greatness asks, how can I best serve this person? Not how can I use this person to advance myself?

For example, when your spouse or flatmate gets home after a long hard day, you think about what they need? Maybe a listening ear. Maybe for you to cook the dinner while they have a hot bath.  

Or when someone criticises you or your faith, you think about how best to embody the grace and truth of Jesus for them. That usually involves seeking to understand where they are coming from, without letting go of what you believe. It’s not easy.       

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus teaches us to do our good deeds on the quiet and not for show. That’s my paraphrase. If you help someone to make yourself look good, then you will probably end up humiliating them. That’s ugly in the sight of God.

Our church offering system is confidential. I don’t know what people give.

I don’t know who is generous and who is stingy. And I don’t want to know.

A confidential offering system sets us free from honour and shame. It allows us to worship God with a pure heart.

Now, in talking about motive, we need to acknowledge that sometimes serving others makes us feel good and sometimes it doesn’t. On those occasions when serving others does fill you with a warm glow, that’s okay, so long as you don’t make feeling good your primary reason for serving people. Our service needs to be motivated by what is best for the other person’s wellbeing.

Jesus aligns greatness with humility and unselfish service to others.

A few words of common sense here. Before you rush in to serve, stop and listen. Listen to what the Spirit might be saying in this situation. Listen to what the other person needs. And listen to what your own body and soul are telling you. Greatness does not mean making yourself a doormat for others. It is okay to say ‘no’ sometimes.

It’s okay to say ‘no’ if you are being asked to do something that you sense God does not want you to do. As I mentioned earlier, there were times in Jesus’ ministry when he intentionally avoided the crowds in order to spend time teaching his disciples or to be alone with God in prayer.

It’s okay to say ‘no’ if the person doesn’t really need your help. If someone is able to do something for themselves, let them. Allowing someone to discover they can do this or that for themselves might be the greatest service you can offer. A wise person empowers others.   

It’s also okay to say ‘no’ if it is not in our power to help someone in need.

I’m not a doctor so I can’t offer medical advice. It’s not in my power to do that. If someone looks like they need a doctor urgently, then I call an ambulance.

In a similar vein, it’s okay to say ‘no’ if saying ‘yes’ would put yourself or others in harm’s way. For example, if you are not a strong swimmer, then it’s not in your power to dive into the ocean to save someone who is drowning.

If you are not the right person to help, then try to find the right person.

We should remember too that not everyone wants our help. We need to listen to what the other person is telling us and not just assume. If someone refuses our service, then we need to respect that. Much of Jesus’ service was rejected. Offering yourself is a vulnerable thing to do.

To make his point about service and greatness Jesus took a little child in his arms, and said to the disciples, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me…”

In the culture of first century Palestine, children were somewhere near the bottom of the social ladder. It is significant then that Jesus stands in solidarity with those at the bottom. The way up is down. But there’s more going on here.

There are several places in the gospel where Jesus uses children to illustrate his point. Sometimes Jesus says, you need to be like little children. But this is not one of those times. Jesus is not saying here that children are great. Rather, those who serve people unselfishly are great.  

You see, a child cannot do much to help you to get ahead in this life.

If anything, it’s the other way around. Children need our help.

Children are a labour of love. Children cost money, they rob you of sleep, they cause you worry, they need to be clothed and washed and fed and transported everywhere. Taking care of children is hard work, physically and emotionally.

Sometimes children make you feel good about yourself, but they can also make you feel stink. Children have a way of showing you your character flaws.

Kids are like sandpaper to your vanity.

Small children are, for the most part, ego centric. They think the world revolves around them. If they don’t get what they want, there’s a good chance they will throw a tantrum. That doesn’t make you a bad parent. They are simply being a child. They can’t help it. It’s hard wired into them. Hopefully, by God’s grace and your example, they will grow out of it one day, but it takes time.

If you become a parent, you are committed to a lifetime of humble service.

If you become a parent, you will often have to put what you want on hold, while you support your children in what they need. They will come first, and you will go last. On the bright side, you will grow closer to Christ. 

Jesus is saying, when you welcome people who (like little children) cannot do anything to advance you in this life, you are welcoming me.

When you serve people who (like little children) cannot repay you, you are serving me.

When you love people who (like little children) do not always make you feel good about yourself, you are loving me.

As Jesus says elsewhere in the gospels …whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for me.’

And whatever you do for me, you do for the one who sent me, that is God the Father.

Conclusion:

The way up is down. The path to greatness is humble service.     

In some ways I’m preaching to the choir. I believe many of you are living a life of humble service. May you feel affirmed and encouraged to continue serving till that day when you hear the words, well done good and faithful servant.   

But perhaps there are some here who feel guilty. Deep down you know your attitude has been wrong. Perhaps you are mainly interested in how others can serve your interests. Is the sting in your conscience a prompt to be less self-serving and more outward looking, more thoughtful of others?

Whatever you are feeling, remember this. It is only by God’s grace that we can serve. Grace must come first. Humble service is the product of grace.

Before we can give to others, we must receive from God. The way up is down.

May God bless you with a deeper awareness of his love. Amen. 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Why did Jesus not want anyone to know he was passing through Galilee? How busy and stressed are you? Is your life over full? What are God’s priorities for you at this time?
  3. Why do the disciples avoid Jesus’ comments about his betrayal, death and resurrection? What parts of the gospel message do you tend to avoid and why?
  4. How does Jesus handle the disciples’ argument about who was the greatest? What can we learn from Jesus’ restorative approach?
  5. Discuss / reflect on what makes a person truly great.
  6. Why is it important to stop and listen before rushing in to serve? When is it okay to say ‘no’? When is it right to say ‘yes’?
  7. What does Jesus mean when he takes a little child in his arms and says, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me…”?  How does this make you feel?      

[1] R.A. Cole, Tyndale Commentary on Mark, page 149.

Tawa Baptist

Open

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Video Link: https://youtu.be/Sm-a5vJA_Gg

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Open mouths
  • Open book
  • Open home
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

What do these four things share in common: a thumb print, a cork screw, a pin number and a key? [Pause]

That’s right, they open things. A thumb print opens your phone. A cork screw opens a bottle. A pin number opens your bank account and a key opens a door.

This morning, because we are in the season of Easter and because we are celebrating communion, our message focuses on Luke chapter 24, verses 13-35. In this passage Jesus opens the mind of two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus, the afternoon of the first Easter Sunday. From Luke 24, verse 13 we read…

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven milesfrom Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.  

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In this passage Jesus opens his disciples’ minds to the reality of his resurrection. This involves opening their mouths, opening the book (of Scripture) and opening their home. First let’s consider how Jesus opens the disciples’ mouths.  

Open mouths:

Do any of you have a cupboard at home that you use to hide your mess. Perhaps the things in this cupboard were stuffed away in a hurry, because you had guests coming over and you needed to make the place look tidy. 

Sorting out the cupboard is one of those jobs you know you need to do but somehow just can’t seem to find the time or the motivation for. Avoiding the cupboard will eventually create more stress for you though, when you can’t find what you are looking for.

To tidy up the messy cupboard you have to start by taking everything out and sorting it into piles. Decide what you are going to keep and what you are going to throw out. Then put the keepers back in the right place.

Sometimes our hearts and minds can become like the messy cupboard. We stuff thoughts and feelings, doubts and anxieties, hopes and longings into a metaphorical cupboard inside us, which no one else sees and which we ignore, because it is easier than unpacking everything and sorting through it.

That strategy may work for a little while but it’s only a matter of time before the contents of the cupboard cannot be contained any longer. Talking about the things that are troubling us (the messy things we stuff away, out of sight) is one way to empty the cupboard in our mind and get our head straight.

We need to exercise wisdom though in choosing who we talk with about our mess. You are probably best to avoid sharing deep personal stuff with someone who is not equipped for that kind of conversation or who can’t be trusted with the information.

God is equipped though and he can be trusted. A big part of prayer is emptying the cupboard in your mind by talking with him and asking his help to sort the mess.  

In Luke 24, Jesus found two of his disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus talking about him and all that had happened, in particular, his suffering and death.

They didn’t recognise Jesus at first. Perhaps the thing that prevented them from seeing Jesus was the messy cupboard in their mind.

Jesus seemed to understand this and so he got them talking (he opened their mouths as it were) simply by asking them what was on their mind. Jesus knew it was important that they be allowed to express their thoughts and feelings.

It’s interesting that Luke gives quite a bit of space to what the disciples have to say here (at least seven verses). The implication is that listening to others empty the messy cupboard in their head is really important. It is a sacred duty in fact. 

Sometimes when we are listening to someone else we can feel tempted to jump ahead of them. Perhaps anticipate what they are going to say or short circuit the listening part and give them the benefit of our advice. But that never works.

The first and most essential part of cleaning out the cupboard is emptying the contents. Letting others talk is how we empty the contents. If you give your advice before someone has finished talking, that’s like putting more stuff in, you only make the mess worse.

Jesus gets his bewildered disciples talking and he listens.

In verse 21 the disciples express their disappointment when they say…

21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.

They had high hopes that Jesus was going to deliver them from their enemies the Romans. But their hopes of military and political supremacy were dashed when Jesus was killed.

Jesus does not minimise or deny his disciples’ feelings. Jesus accepts that they feel disappointed but he does not leave them in the pit. After they have finished saying what they need to say, Jesus opens the book of Scripture for them.

Open book:

When we were kids we used to love doing those join the dot pictures. You know the ones, where each dot on a page is numbered so that when you draw a line, following the numbers in the right order, you end up with a picture.

Before joining the dots, you can’t really see the pattern. It’s only afterwards that you see the image. It was a bit like that for the disciples. They needed Jesus to help them join the dots.

In verse 27 we read: And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.     

The Scriptures that Jesus used to join the dots were the Hebrew Scriptures, what we know as the Old Testament. The Scriptures are sort of like a map. They provide some perspective and direction. They help us find our way in life.

Of course, we need to know how to read the map. Maps are two dimensional. They don’t always show you how rugged or steep the terrain is. One inch on a map might not seem far but if that inch includes a mountain or a deep gorge, then it may take more than a day or two to navigate on foot.

When the disciples read the map of the Hebrew Scriptures they saw the parts about the victory and the glory of the Messiah and they overlooked the hard terrain, about the Messiah having to suffer first.

So their hope was built on the false assumption that the Messiah was going to deliver Israel from suffering. Whereas the Prophets were actually saying that God was going to bring deliverance through the Messiah’s suffering.

And that deliverance wasn’t just for Israel but for all the other nations as well, including Israel’s enemies 

So, how might we know we are on the right track with our reading of the map of Scripture?

In verse 32, after the disciples had recognised Jesus, they said to each other: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Three things we note here. Firstly, the disciples’ hearts were burning within them as Jesus spoke. Fire is a symbol of God’s Spirit. I understand this to be a poetic way of saying they felt the presence of God’s Spirit within them.

This is not to imply that God’s Spirit always feels like a burning sensation within. The Spirit may manifest himself in any number of ways.

One point of application for us is, when we read Scripture we may find a particular verse stands out for us or we get a strong impression that God is wanting to speak to us through a specific passage. We need to pay attention to that sensation in our spirit and ask God to confirm it and clarify it. 

Secondly, the disciples felt the burning sensation together at the same time.  When it comes to reading the map of Scripture we need to do so in dialogue with other believers. If our individual understanding is not in harmony with the Christian community, then we should not put too much weight on it.  

The third thing we note in verse 32 is that the disciples saw the meaning in the rear vision mirror (as they reflected on their experience). Often the meaning God wants us to get from the Scriptures is not obvious to us until after the fact, when we are looking back on it with the benefit of hindsight.

Some of you here may do the daily Wordle on your phones. Robyn does it and recently (while on holiday) I joined her. With Wordle you have six chances to work out a five letter word.

You start by guessing any five letter word. If you guess the right letter in the right place it shows up as green. If you guess the right letter in the wrong place it shows up as yellow. And if the letter is not in the word at all, it shows up as purple. It’s a process of elimination.

This particular day our first guess was GRACE. We got the E in the right place so our next guess was SPIKE. The I was correct too but we still needed to find the other three letters.

After a bit of thought we went with the word OLIVE. The O was spot on. We were getting closer but still no cigar. The harder I looked at the word OLIVE the more the answer evaded me. I could not for the life of me think of a five letter word that started with O, had an I in the middle and ended in E.       

After doing something else for a while, Robyn figured it out…

The word was OXIDE. In hindsight it seemed so obvious. But beforehand I just could not see it. This is often how it is with discerning what God is saying. We get a few clues along the way but the harder we strain to figure it out the more it alludes us. Eventually though the answer comes (with patience).

So, to recap, three keys that open the book of Scripture (from verse 32) are the Holy Spirit, other believers and hindsight.

That means we need to read the Bible with a prayerful sensitivity to God’s Spirit. We need to dialogue with other believers to discern a shared understanding of the Scriptures. And we need to reflect on specific Bible verses in light of our own experience (in hindsight). 

Interestingly, it was not an exposition of Scripture by itself that opened the eyes of the disciples. Rather, the revelation came when the disciples opened their home to Jesus.  

Open home:

In verses 28-29 of Luke 24 we read…

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

It would have been more difficult and dangerous to travel alone in the dark and so the two disciples open their home to Jesus for the night, even though they still have no idea that it was Jesus who had been walking & talking with them.

By inviting him in to their home, the disciples were opening their lives to Jesus personally. What we notice here is a process of drawing closer to Jesus. A journey towards intimacy.

It’s sort of like pass the parcel. You know, that party game where you pass a parcel around a circle of people and when the music stops, the person holding the parcel takes a layer of wrapping off, and so on, until you get to the final layer and the present is revealed. Verse 30 tells us what happens when the last layer of wrapping is removed.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.

It is at this point that the disciples’ eyes and minds are opened and they realise that Jesus has risen from the dead. This is the greatest revelation of all time, indeed the greatest present ever.

Note the oddness of this scene though. When you go to someone else’s house for dinner you expect the host to serve the meal. But Jesus, who is supposed to be the guest in this situation, takes the role of the host and begins to serve the disciples.

Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks and breaks it, just as he did at the last supper and just as he did when feeding the multitudes. Just as he will do again one day when we feast in heaven with him.

The point is that Jesus is the host of our salvation and we are his guests, if we accept the invitation.

After this we read that the two disciples wasted no time in returning to Jerusalem to tell the others. Their joy could not be contained. And when they arrived their experience of Jesus’ resurrection was confirmed. Peter had also witnessed the risen Jesus.

Conclusion:

Jesus opened his disciples’ minds to the reality of his resurrection first by opening their mouths and listening to them and then by opening the book of Scripture so they could join the dots. 

The disciples responded by opening their home to Jesus and sharing the good news of his resurrection.

Where are you at in this process of realising that Jesus is risen from the dead?

Are you cleaning out the cupboard in your mind?

Are you joining the dots of Scripture?

Have you invited Jesus into your life and your home?

Or perhaps you are ready to tell others the good news that Jesus is alive?

Let us pray…   

Lord Jesus Christ, you have conquered death. Thank you for listening to us and joining the dots of understanding. May we make room for you in our hearts, our homes and our daily lives. Open our minds to the reality of your resurrection. Move us to faithfulness by the impulse of your love. Amen.   

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Why does Jesus ask the disciples what they are talking about? (in Luke 24:17 & 19)
  • How do you manage the messy thoughts and feelings in your life? Do you have a trusted friend you can unpack the messy things with?  How do we listen effectively to others? 
  • Take some time to do a join the dots picture. Make it a hard one that isn’t obvious before the dots are joined. Why do you think it was difficult for Jesus’ disciples to join the dots of Scripture?
  • Discuss / reflect on the three keys for opening the book of Scripture? (Refer Luke 24:32) E.g. How might we recognise (or be sensitive to) God’s presence / Spirit when reading the Bible? What practical things can we do to reflect on Scripture in light of our own experience?
  • What is significant about Jesus acting as host while a guest in his disciples’ home? Why do you think the disciples recognised Jesus in the breaking of bread? How does Jesus’ resurrection inform the way we understand communion?   
  • Using the four stages in the Emmaus story as a framework, where are you at in the process or realising Jesus is alive? Are you cleaning out the cupboard in your mind? Are you joining the dots of Scripture? Are you ready to invite Jesus into your life and your home? Or are you ready to tell others the good news about Jesus? What do you need in order to progress in this process?
Tawa Baptist

Both / And

Scripture: Mark 6:6b-13

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Rejection and expansion
  • Powerful and vulnerable
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Some things in life are both/and, while other things are either/or. Some things go together and other things don’t.

For example: bread and butter, love and marriage, worship and sacrifice, breathing and singing, creativity and mess. These sorts of things are both/and, they go together.   

Then there are those things which are either/or, things that should never really be put together. Like ice-cream and vegemite…

Now, at this point, some of you may be thinking, ‘Wait a second. This sounds familiar. I’m pretty sure we heard this last Sunday.’

Well, fear not. This is not ground hog day. You are not going to get the same message two weeks in a row.

Last week we heard about the either/or of Jesus’ earthly mission. How Jesus’ new way of doing things cannot be patched on to the old Jewish ceremonial law. This morning we hear about the both/and of Jesus’ mission. 

Today marks the third week of the annual Tranzsend prayer and self-denial campaign. Tranzsend is the sending and resourcing arm of the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society. For the three Sundays of the self-denial campaign we have looked at different aspects of Jesus’ mission from the gospel of Mark.

Please turn with me to Mark chapter 6, page 53, near the back of your pew Bibles. In this reading Jesus sends out 12 of his disciples to help him in his mission work of preaching and healing. From Mark 6, verse 6b we read…

Then Jesus went to the villages around there, teaching the people. 7 He called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over the evil spirits 8 and ordered them, “Don’t take anything with you on the trip except a walking stick—no bread, no beggar’s bag, no money in your pockets. 9 Wear sandals, but don’t carry an extra shirt.” 10 He also said, “Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that place. 11 If you come to a town where people do not welcome you or will not listen to you, leave it and shake the dust off your feet. That will be a warning to them!”

12 So they went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins. 13 They drove out many demons, and rubbed olive oil on many sick people and healed them.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In this Scripture passage we note two both/ands. Jesus’ mission involves both rejection & expansion and Jesus’ missionaries are both powerful & vulnerable.

Rejection & expansion:

Has anyone here not heard of the name Google? [Wait] That’s what I thought.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin were still studying at Stanford University when they tried to sell their idea for $1,000,000 to George Bell, the CEO of Excite.

George Bell rejected their offer. Five months later two other companies agreed to inject $25,000,000 into Google, not as a buy-out but simply as an investment. The rest is history. Now Google has a market value of over one trillion dollars.   

Van Gogh, a now famous and celebrated painter, faced a lot of rejection in his lifetime. He didn’t start painting until he was 27 years old and, while he was alive, he only sold one piece for very little money.

Van Gogh’s work was often criticised for being too dark but despite the lack of encouragement he kept painting, eventually producing over 900 pieces. His work wasn’t really appreciated until decades after his death. In 2017 a Van Gogh painting sold for $111 million.

In 1919 Walt Disney was fired from one of his first animation jobs. The editor said he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. Walt responded to that rejection by starting his own animation studio. It went bankrupt in 1923. But that did not deter him. Walt and his brother moved to Hollywood and started Disney Brothers Studios which is pretty big now.

Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC, was fired from a number of jobs before he started cooking chicken at the age of 40. It took him over 10 years to perfect his secret recipe. He was rejected many times before finding a business partner. Now KFC is one of the world’s largest restaurant chains.

Stephen King, the famous author, struggled to write his first novel (Carrie) while living in a caravan and teaching English. That first book was rejected by 30 publishers before it finally went to print. Since then he has published more than 50 novels.

I could go on but the point is, each of these people persevered. They were not deterred by rejection and their work and enterprise eventually flourished. Their stories show us that rejection and expansion are not necessarily either/or, they can be both/and.

Our Bible reading today describes the expansion of Jesus’ mission, as the Lord sends out 12 of his disciples to preach and heal in the surrounding villages of Galilee. But immediately before today’s passage, Jesus was rejected by the people of his home town of Nazareth. From verse 1 of Mark 6 we read…

Jesus left that place and went back to his hometown, followed by his disciples. 2 On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue. Many people were there; and when they heard him, they were all amazed. “Where did he get all this?” they asked. “What wisdom is this that has been given him? How does he perform miracles? 3 Isn’t he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters living here?” And so they rejected him.

4 Jesus said to them, “Prophets are respected everywhere except in their own hometown and by their relatives and their family.”

5 He was not able to perform any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 He was greatly surprised, because the people did not have faith.

Despite the rejection he faced, Jesus’ belief in himself and his mission was stronger than the opinion of others and he did not dwell on it or take it too personally. He figured the problem was with their perception, not with him. People are sometimes blind to what is staring them in the face.

In any case, Jesus responded to that rejection by empowering his disciples and expanding his mission.

Verse 12 tells us the disciples went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins. Their message was quite challenging. No one likes to be criticised. It was inevitable that some would reject their word.

With this in mind Jesus tells his disciples, in verse 11, how they should deal with rejection saying,

“If you come to a town where people do not welcome you or will not listen to you, leave it and shake the dust off your feet…”

In other words, don’t let it get to you. Don’t waste your time banging your head against a brick wall. Shake it off and move on without making too much of a fuss. There will be other people and places who do accept the message.

Rosalie Macgeorge, New Zealand’s first Baptist missionary faced some rejection in her work in India. It was tough going. While some did not mind her Bible teaching there were others who asked her, ‘Do you intend to teach that Jesus is the Son of God?’ When she said ‘Yes,’ they said point blank, ‘We don’t want you.’

The men grew noisy and vehement.  But Rosalie quietly and bravely held her ground. She said a Bengali hymn and gave out tracts, offered to come into the homes and talk to the women if they invited her.  During this tense moment, Rosalie asked to be allowed through the crowd and walked away quietly, followed by the children.

Soon she had permission to enter 30 homes weekly where there were about three women in each. God’s Spirit is able to turn rejection into expansion.

All of this is easier said than done. Rejection still hurts. Some personality types can more easily shake it off and move on. Others are more prone to brooding and feeling defeated. This may be one reason why Jesus sent the disciples out in twos, rather than on their own. Having someone beside you helps to remove the sting of rejection and keeps you both on track.

So that’s our first both/and. Jesus’ mission involves both rejection and expansion. Our next both/and seems just as unlikely. The disciples were both powerful and vulnerable at the same time.   

Powerful & vulnerable:

Some of you may be in to superhero movies. The thing with superheroes is they each have a special power, whether that’s x-ray vision or flying or running really fast or invisibility or super strength or whatever.

There’s a scene in the movie Justice League when the Flash asks Bruce Wayne (aka: Batman) what his superpower is and Bruce says, “I’m rich.” Power comes in a variety forms.

Whether you are a DC fan or a Marvel fan, probably at some point you have dreamt of having a superpower.

In verse 7 we read that Jesus gave the twelve authority (or power) over the evil spirits. It was like Jesus shared some of his superpowers with his disciples. Or to use another metaphor, it was like Jesus was the sheriff and he deputised his disciples by giving them a spiritual badge and gun.

Then in verse 13 we are told the disciples drove out many demons and healed many people who were sick. Clearly the disciples were powerful. But it was a power borrowed from Jesus.

Acts of power in mission can come in a variety of forms, not always miraculous. Quite often mission power comes in the form of some special knowledge. Missionaries often serve as teachers or doctors or nurses or builders because these professions carry the power of knowledge to help people.

Rosalie Macgeorge’s main superpower was teaching English. She was also gifted in working with children. But on one occasion she saved a child from a snake bite through her quick thinking and practical first aid.    

Sometimes when I’m at the supermarket buying groceries, I get an electric shock picking canned goods off the shelf. Not sure why that is. I guess there’s some power that needs to be earthed and I’m effectively the earth wire. Happens on trampolines too.

If power is not earthed with a low resistance wire, the one touching the power source is vulnerable to getting a shock. In order for power to be safe it needs to be earthed.     

Jesus’ approach was very down to earth. Jesus’ instructions to his disciples, in verses 8-10, provide an earth. They keep the disciples’ feet on the ground…  

“Don’t take anything with you on the trip except a walking stick—no bread, no beggar’s bag, no money in your pockets. 9 Wear sandals, but don’t carry an extra shirt.” 10 He also said, “Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that place.

Jesus is basically telling his disciples to travel light. Take only what you need and rely on the hospitality of strangers. This is not a rule to be followed for all time irrespective of the circumstances. No. These are specific instructions for a specific situation. This is a short term mission trip in a cultural context quite different from our own. Later, in the gospels Jesus tells his disciples to kit up and be self-reliant because people are not going to be friendly to them. [1] 

Thinking of the context of Mark 6, in that culture it was not the responsibility of the travelers to find their own accommodation, like it is today. Rather, it was the responsibility of the village to find accommodation for the visitor. If the village failed to provide hospitality to those in need, then it brought shame on the people in that village.

Nevertheless, there is a certain powerlessness or vulnerability to Jesus’ approach here. The disciples are being sent out into the world without any money or food or motel bookings.

Jesus wants his disciples to trust themselves to God and to the goodness of those they visit. In this way they are showing faith in humanity. Or said another way, they are modelling the example they want others to follow. Jesus wants people to respond to him and his message with openness and trust.

The disciples are to stay in the same house until they leave. This is about showing respect to the host and not dishonouring them by leaving if you get a better offer.

Living with the locals also helped the missionary disciples to get to know the people of that place and their ways. There is nothing like living with real people (as opposed to staying in a hotel) to keep one earthed and grounded.

Rosalie Macgeorge took a similar approach during her time as a missionary in India. She chose to live with a Hindu family and earned her keep by teaching some of them English and other subjects. This enabled her to understand the culture more.

The word vulnerability is interesting. It derives from the Latin word vulnus which means wound. To be vulnerable is to leave oneself open to injury. It may also mean letting people see our wounds. When you let people see your wounds (your vulnerability) this helps to create trust.

Of course, being vulnerable requires some wisdom. You don’t make yourself vulnerable to everyone and showing people your wounds is not normally the first thing you do in building a relationship. Share, don’t scare.  

Again, Rosalie Macgeorge’s story is instructive. Rosalie’s witness was most powerful when she was vulnerable with an illness and living with a Hindu family. One evening a small boy peered into Rosalie’s room and saw her praying to her God. When Rosalie asked her house owner for some goat’s milk she carefully checked that the woman’s child would not receive less milk because of her. The boy saw this and later, as a grown man, became a Christian.   

Henri Nouwen used to talk about the followers of Jesus being wounded healers.

Nouwen writes: “The great illusion of leadership is to think that humanity can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there.” When people have seen the scars you got from being in the desert, but also that you survived and found a way out, that speaks volumes.

If we try to separate vulnerability from power, it doesn’t usually end well. Straight after this account of Jesus empowering his disciples and sending them out in vulnerability we read the account of king Herod killing John the Baptist.

Herod had power but he wasn’t prepared to be vulnerable, at least not in the right way. Sadly, as a consequence, John lost his head.    

Conclusion:

What is your superpower? What special gift has Jesus shared with you to help others? And what is your vulnerability? What is the wound that keeps you earthed (grounded) so that others don’t get a shock when they touch your power?

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Have you had an experience of being rejected (perhaps because of your faith)? What happened? How did you feel? How did you respond? Would you do anything differently? How did God expand (or bring good out of) that experience?
  • Why did Jesus instruct his disciples not to take money or food or an extra coat?
  • If you could choose a superpower, what would it be? Why? What power (or special ability/gift) has God given you? How can (or do) you use this power?
  • What is your point of vulnerability? What is the wound that keeps you earthed so that others don’t get a shock when they touch your power?
  • When is it appropriate to make oneself vulnerable? When is it not appropriate?
  • Today’s message touches on two both/ands of Jesus’ mission. What other both/ands can you see in these verses?  

[1] Refer Luke 22:36

Tawa Baptist

Inter-dependence – Part 2

Scripture: Exodus 18:13-26; Mark 6:6b-13; Luke 19:1-10

Title: Inter-dependence – Part 2

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Moses transitioned from independence to inter-dependence
  • Jesus works inter-dependently
  • Jesus opens the door of inter-dependence for Zacchaeus
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Robyn teaches five year olds and is always on the lookout for good picture books to read to her class

–         Recently she bought a book which gives the plural nouns for various groups of animals – for example, a school of fish and a gaggle of geese

–         Many of the plurals I hadn’t heard of before – like a loveliness of ladybirds, that was new to me

–         Thought we might see if people here knew their plural nouns

–         We’ll start with something easy…

What is a group of cows called? (A herd, a drove or a team)

–         What about a group of wolves? (A pack)

–         What about a group of zebras? (A dazzle or a zeal)

–         What about a group of butterflies? (A kaleidoscope, flutter, or swarm)

–         What about a group of bacteria? (A colony)

–         What about a group of giraffes? (A tower)

–         What about a group of elephants? (A parade)

Perhaps you knew the answers to most of these but many I didn’t know, which might reflect the way NZ culture has shaped my thinking – that is, to focus on the individual rather than the group

–         None of the creatures we just looked at exist in isolation – they all function as part of a group within a wider eco system.

 

Today we continue our series on well-being and care of the soul, using the acronym: HEALING.

–         Each letter represents a word which, when properly applied, is life giving to the human soul…

–         Hope Energy Appreciation Lament Inter-dependence Nurture & Giving

–         Last week we looked at inter-dependence with particular reference to Paul’s image of the body of Christ as an inter-dependent unity

Inter-dependence is about depending on one another – it is mutual reliance

–         To be inter-dependent is to function as part of a group and not in isolation

Today we explore some other Biblical examples of inter-dependence in practice, beginning with Moses – please turn with me to Exodus 18, page 79 towards the front of your pew Bibles

 

Moses transitioned from independence to inter-dependence:

Moses was famous for leading the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and for giving the Law, including the 10 commandments

–         In Exodus 18 the Israelites are living in the wilderness when Moses receives a visit from his father-in-law Jethro. From verse 13, we read…

13 The next day Moses was settling disputes among the people, and he was kept busy from morning till night. 14 When Jethro saw everything that Moses had to do, he asked, “What is all this that you are doing for the people? Why are you doing this all alone, with people standing here from morning till night to consult you?”

15 Moses answered, “I must do this because the people come to me to learn God’s will. 16 When two people have a dispute, they come to me, and I decide which one of them is right, and I tell them God’s commands and laws.”

17 Then Jethro said, “You are not doing this right. 18 You will wear yourself out and these people as well. This is too much for you to do alone. 19 Now let me give you some good advice, and God will be with you. It is right for you to represent the people before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 You should teach them God’s commands and explain to them how they should live and what they should do. 21 But in addition, you should choose some capable men and appoint them as leaders of the people: leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They must be God-fearing men who can be trusted and who cannot be bribed. 22 Let them serve as judges for the people on a permanent basis. They can bring all the difficult cases to you, but they themselves can decide all the smaller disputes. That will make it easier for you, as they share your burden. 23 If you do this, as God commands, you will not wear yourself out, and all these people can go home with their disputes settled.”

24 Moses took Jethro’s advice 25 and chose capable men from among all the Israelites. He appointed them as leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 26 They served as judges for the people on a permanent basis, bringing the difficult cases to Moses but deciding the smaller disputes themselves.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this Scripture for us

 

On the wall here we have some examples of bottle necks

–         A bottle neck is a narrow point which slows the flow of something – whether that’s liquid out of a bottle or people through a wall or traffic on the road

–         Sometimes bottle necks are good – they give us more control over things

–         Other times though bottle necks are just frustrating – like when you are driving south into Otaki or north into Pukerua Bay

 

Inter-dependence is different from independence

–         To be inter-dependent is to function in harmony with a group

–         To be independent is to rely on yourself and therefore to operate separately from the group

Independence is narrow, restrictive, unyielding and inflexible – like a bottleneck

–         By contrast inter-dependence is more open and flexible – like a net

 

Although Moses was the leader of the Israelites – he wasn’t really functioning as part of the group, at least not at first

–         Moses’ leadership style was independent and this created a bottle neck to justice

It is not surprising that Moses should operate in an independent way

–         He was raised in an Egyptian palace apart from his people

–         When he did try to help his people they rejected him and he spent the next 40 years working on his own as a shepherd in the desert

–         Moses was used to doing things in an independent way

–         Now it’s not that Moses did everything independently

–         He certainly didn’t operate independently of Yahweh – Moses worked in partnership with the Lord and with his brother Aaron

–         But somehow that didn’t translate to his leadership of the nation of Israel

When it came to settling disputes (large & small) Moses did it all himself

–         To borrow from Paul’s metaphor of the body, Moses tried to be the head, hands and feet

–         Moses’ independent approach made everyone dependent on him and dependencies are generally not healthy

–         As a consequence Moses was over worked and the people became exhausted and frustrated as they waited for days to have their case heard – justice delayed is not justice

 

Often when we are in the thick of it – head down and tail up – we lose sight of the bigger picture

–         As an outsider looking in, Jethro could see that Moses needed to delegate more and so he suggested an inter-dependent network of judges

–         This network of judges would catch any of the bigger issues for Moses to handle (with God) and all the smaller more routine things could be managed by the judges – competent people of good moral character

This was a far better system because it released both Moses and the people from an unhealthy dependency

–         It meant that justice was no longer the sole responsibility of Moses – justice was now everyone’s responsibility

–         Previously it was only Moses who had to think about God’s will

–         Now thousands of people in the community were thinking about it

–         In this way inter-dependence creates a kind of safety net

–         If you fall independently, without a safety net, the landing is painful

–         But if you fall inter-dependently, with a community of mutual reliance underneath you, the landing is not fatal

 

Of course this shift from independence to inter-dependence required Moses to listen with humility to Jethro and to trust and empower other people

–         And that’s the difficult part isn’t it – inter-dependence should make us feel safer but ironically it sometimes makes us feel more vulnerable, because we aren’t in control of other people. What if they let us down?

–         Well, inter-dependence is like a net – sometimes a fishing net rips or develops a tear. When that happens we don’t throw the net away, we mend the net – we face the truth, we forgive each other and we move on

 

Okay, Moses offers us one example of someone who transitioned from independence to inter-dependence. What about Jesus – how did he operate?

 

Jesus works inter-dependently:

Please turn with me to Mark chapter 6, verse 7 – page 53 toward the back of your pew Bibles

–         Unlike Moses, Jesus didn’t try to do everything himself

–         Jesus gathered a team of disciples (or apprentices) around him and trained them to carry on his work

–         These disciples, men & women, came from a variety of backgrounds – they were a diverse group with one thing in common: they trusted Jesus

–         From Mark chapter 6, verse 7 we read…

Then Jesus went to the villages around there, teaching the people. 7 He called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over the evil spirits 8 and ordered them, “Don’t take anything with you on the trip except a walking stick—no bread, no beggar’s bag, no money in your pockets. 9 Wear sandals, but don’t carry an extra shirt.” 10 He also told them, “Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that place. 11 If you come to a town where people do not welcome you or will not listen to you, leave it and shake the dust off your feet. That will be a warning to them!”

12 So they went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins. 13 They drove out many demons, and rubbed olive oil on many sick people and healed them.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this Scripture for us

 

On the wall here is a graph which illustrates the law of diminishing returns

–         The vertical axis measures output or return, while the horizontal axis measures input or effort

–         Up to a certain point (point number 1) you get a good return for your effort, but after that point the rate of return starts to decrease and so you get less return for your effort

For example, imagine you are contracted to pick apples, but you don’t get paid by the hour you get paid by the number of apples you pick

–         You might find that in the first half of the day you are able to pick 1000 kilos of apples

–         But as the day goes on, you get more weary and the apples get thinner on the trees and you find you can only pick 500 kilos in the second half of the day

–         Although you are putting in the same amount of time & effort your return in the second half of the day diminishes significantly

–         That’s one example of the law of diminishing returns

Eventually there comes a point when it doesn’t make sense to carry on by yourself – you need to stop and rest or change one of the other variables like getting someone to help

–         You could carry on working after 10pm but it would become counter-productive because you would be tired and grumpy the next day

–         You could go 18 months without a holiday but it would become counter-productive because you would lose perspective and joy

 

In Mark 6 Jesus doesn’t try to do everything himself – he empowers his disciples to help him in an inter-dependent way

–         First Jesus gives them authority to do the job and then he sends them out to heal people and preach repentance

–         Six teams of disciples working in multiple orchards can pick more apples than one Messiah – Jesus overcomes the law of diminishing returns

Two things Jesus recommends here to encourage inter-dependence…

–         Firstly, the disciples are to minister together in pairs

–         There were a number of reasons Jesus sent his disciples out two by two

–         For instance, 2 witnesses gives more credibility to the message than 1

–         More importantly though, having a companion guards against loneliness

–         At the end of the day we need someone to talk to and understand us

Like the philosopher says in Ecclesiastes chapter 4…

–         Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it’s just too bad, because there is no one to help him. If it is cold, two can sleep together and stay warm, but how can you keep warm by yourself. Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break.

  

The other thing Jesus tells his disciples is: don’t take food or money to provide for yourself, rely on the locals to provide for you

–         Remember that inter-dependence is mutual reliance – it’s a two way street where both parties give and take

–         The disciples would give healing and deliverance and a message for salvation, while those they ministered to would give food and shelter and friendship in return

–         Now this wasn’t a hard and fast rule for all time – later on Jesus told his disciples they should be prepared and provide for themselves – but on this occasion the disciples went in vulnerability and trust

 

Jesus opens the door to inter-dependence for Zacchaeus;

We see Jesus relying on the hospitality of locals in Luke 19 – please turn with me to page 105 toward the back of your pew Bibles

–         In this passage Jesus opens the door to inter-dependence for Zacchaeus

–         From Luke 19, verses 1-10, we read…

Jesus went on into Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a chief tax collector there named Zacchaeus, who was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was a little man and could not see Jesus because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, who was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to Zacchaeus, “Hurry down, Zacchaeus, because I must stay in your house today.”

6 Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed him with great joy. 7 All the people who saw it started grumbling, “This man has gone as a guest to the home of a sinner!”

8 Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Listen, sir! I will give half my belongings to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay back four times as much.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Salvation has come to this house today, for this man, also, is a descendant of Abraham. 10 The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this Scripture for us

 

There was a 12 year boy who was being bullied at school

–         His parents went to his teacher to talk with him about it

–         The teacher listened and then went home to sleep on it

–         The next day he asked the boy (who was being bullied) if he would like to try out for the school cricket team – the teacher happened to be the coach. The boy was keen and joined the team

–         He wasn’t the best player on the side but he turned up to practice regularly and showed commitment to his team mates

–         Things changed for him after that – he made some friends and didn’t have to sit alone at lunchtime

–         He became less afraid and less of a target – the kids that had been giving him a hard time lost interest in him and the bullying stopped

 

Zacchaeus was alone in a crowd

–         I’m not sure if he was the bully or the one being bullied – I expect it was a bit of both

–         Zacchaeus couldn’t see Jesus because of the crowd – if people liked him or respected him they would have let him through, but Zacchaeus isn’t allowed through – he has to climb a tree to see Jesus, extremely undignified and humiliating for a man in that culture

–         People excluded Zacchaeus because they saw him as colluding with the enemy (those Roman bullies) who oppressed them with taxes

–         He was perceived as a parasite – someone who depended on the community without giving anything back

–         Zacchaeus wasn’t connected in an inter-dependent way

 

But Jesus changes that by inviting himself to stay at Zacchaeus’ house

–         Now what we need to understand is that in Middle Eastern culture hospitality is an extremely important social obligation

–         To host someone important is an honour and a privilege, like getting to meet Harry & Megan or Jacinda & Clark

–         Not only that but the host carries the reputation of the whole community on their shoulders

–         If the host doesn’t do a good job then this reflects badly on everyone else

–         The people of Jericho don’t like that Jesus has gone to Zacchaeus’ house for two reasons:

o   They don’t think Zacchaeus is worthy of the honour

o   And they are anxious that Zacchaeus will make them look bad

–         But Jesus is more concerned for well-being than reputation, both Zacchaeus’ well-being and the well-being of the whole community

 

Interestingly Jesus doesn’t need to tell Zacchaeus to repent – the grace Jesus shows in honouring Zacchaeus opens Zacchaeus’ heart in generosity

–         Zacchaeus is really responding to Jesus’ generosity

–         “I will give half my belongings to the poor and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much”  

–         And Jesus replies, “Salvation has come to this house today, for this man also is a descendant of Abraham”

–         In other words, Zacchaeus belongs – he is not a parasite – he is needed, with something good to offer the community of God’s people

 

As I said last week, healing, wholeness, growth – these things don’t happen in isolation, they happen in community

–         If you injure your finger the doctors don’t seek to heal the finger by separating it from the hand – no, they keep the finger attached because the finger is an inter-dependent part of the body

 

We don’t know how the community responded to Zacchaeus after Jesus’ visit but if they were smart they would have included Zacchaeus

–         Someone had to collect the taxes – better to have that person on your side than against you

 

Conclusion:

Moses and Zacchaeus were similar but different

–         They were similar in that they both operated alone – they weren’t connected to their communities in an inter-dependent way

–         But they were different in that Moses was alone because of his independence – he tried to do everything himself without help

–         Whereas Zacchaeus was alone because of his dependency on the community – he took from people without giving anything back

–         Independence and dependence are roadblocks to inter-dependence

In both cases it took a third person with an outside perspective to shine light on the problem so that the solution became obvious

–         In Moses’ case that third person was Jethro and in Zacchaeus’ case it was Jesus

 

We also notice that in both cases the solution was found in sharing power

–         Moses delegated judicial power so that others had authority to help resolve certain disputes

–         And Zacchaeus dispersed power in the form of money to the poor and to those he had cheated

–         Inter-dependence is achieved through generosity – by letting go of power & control and sharing what we have with others

 

What I like about Jethro & Jesus is the grace with which they handled the situation – they did it in such a gentle, respectful and kind way

–         Jethro didn’t force Moses’ hand

–         And Jesus didn’t force Zacchaeus’ hand either

–         At the end of day inter-dependence needs to be a free choice

–         What will we choose?

 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    What is inter-dependence?

–         In what sense is inter-dependence like a net? (as opposed to a bottleneck)

3.)    What problems did Moses’ independent approach create? (both for himself and others)

4.)    How did Moses transition from independence to inter-dependence?

–         What might we need to do to become more inter-dependent?

5.)    How did Jesus overcome the law of diminishing returns in his ministry?

–         What made Jesus’ approach to mission (in Mark 6:7-13) inter-dependent?

6.)    How did Jesus open the door to inter-dependence for Zacchaeus?

–         What did Zacchaeus do to walk through that door?

7.)    How were Moses & Zacchaeus similar?

–         How were they different?

8.)    How did Jethro and Jesus approach Moses and Zacchaeus respectively?

9.)    Who do you identify with most – Moses, Zacchaeus, Jethro or Jesus? Why?

 

 

 

 

 

Tawa Baptist

A New Generation

Scripture: Luke 9:1-10

Title: A New Generation

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Jesus creates a new generation
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Over the past couple of weeks we have been working through a sermon series for the Tranzsend Self Denial campaign called Made New

–         Jesus came to make all things new and that newness begins with the initiative of the Holy Spirit

–         Last week we heard how Jesus gives us a new perspective

–         Today we conclude the Self Denial series by looking at how Jesus creates a new generation  

Please turn with me to Luke chapter 9, verse 1 – page 89 toward the back of your pew Bibles

–         In today’s reading we hear how Jesus empowers the new generation of his disciples to heal the sick and preach the gospel

–         From Luke 9, verses 1-10 we read…

Jesus called the twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases. 2 Then he sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick, 3 after saying to them, “Take nothing with you for the trip: no walking stick, no beggar’s bag, no food, no money, not even an extra shirt. 4 Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that town; 5 wherever people don’t welcome you, leave that town and shake the dust off your feet as a warning to them.” 6 The disciples left and traveled through all the villages, preaching the Good News and healing people everywhere.

7 When Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard about all the things that were happening, he was very confused, because some people were saying that John the Baptist had come back to life. 8 Others were saying that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. 9 Herod said, “I had John’s head cut off; but who is this man I hear these things about?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.

10 The apostles came back and told Jesus everything they had done. He took them with him, and they went off by themselves to a town named Bethsaida.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

Jesus creates a new generation:

We are talking this morning about how Jesus creates a new generation, but what do we mean by the word generation

–         Well, as a verb (a doing word) generation means producing something or bringing something into being

–         As in generating power or producing a crop or getting a project underway

 

But as a noun (a naming word) generation refers to a group or cohort of people born about the same time

–         As in generation X or baby boomers or millennials

 

We see both senses of this word generation in our reading from Luke 9 this morning

–         By empowering the disciples and sending them out to heal & preach Jesus is generating something new, he is creating a new movement

–         Also the disciples represent a new generation of God’s people

–         Just as there were twelve tribes of Israel, so too there are twelve disciples representing a new generation of leadership

 

Jesus does a number of things to create this new generation

–         Firstly he calls the disciples – inviting them to leave their old lives and follow him, learn from him, become his apprentices

–         We read how Jesus called his first disciples in Luke 5

 

Then, once Jesus has called the new generation, he shows them what to do by his own example – Jesus gives the disciples a model of how to do ministry

–         When we think of education we might think of sitting in a class room but the disciples learned by being with Jesus 24-7

–         Prior to Luke 9 the disciples have been following Jesus around everywhere, looking & listening, soaking up his way of doing things

–         I call this the tea bag approach to learning – Jesus’ example is like a tea bag and the disciples are like the water

–         As the disciples spend time with Jesus his way of doing things is infused into them, like tea is infused into water

–         This kind of learning happens without us necessarily being aware of it

–         The next generation (the children in our midst) are having our example infused into them, so we need to be careful of the model we provide

 

In Luke 9 Jesus takes the next step in creating this new generation of leadership

–         At this point the disciples have a clear picture in their mind of what preaching & healing the Jesus’ way looks like but they haven’t actually done it themselves

–         They know it in their head but they don’t yet know it in their hands

 

Last Tuesday night 14 of us gathered in the church lounge to learn how to operate the defibrillator

–         Amy from the Wellington Free Ambulance explained some procedures to us and then demonstrated on a manikin what to do if someone has a cardiac arrest (if their heart stops)

–         After showing us by her example, Amy then got each of us to practice on a manikin as well

–         It’s one thing to watch someone demonstrate a certain technique

–         It’s quite another to actually do 100 chest compressions a minute for over 2 minutes – watching and doing are quite different

 

Having shown his disciples what to do Jesus then gives them the opportunity to have a go themselves

–         But before sending them out Jesus first sets them up to succeed by giving them power & authority over demons & disease

–         No point in taking a knife to a gun fight – I imagine Jesus wants his disciples to have some wins, to get some runs on the board, because that will help generate confidence

 

Power & authority aren’t exactly the same thing although they often go together

–         Power is the ability to do something while authority is the permission or license to do it

–         I might have the power to drive a bus because I have the key but I don’t have authority to drive unless I have a license

–         I might have the power to cut down a tree because I have a chainsaw but I don’t have authority to cut it down unless it’s on my property

–         Jesus deputises his disciples with both the ability to drive out demons & heal disease as well as the license to do it

 

Demons are a manifestation of spiritual evil (the minions of Satan if you like) and disease is a manifestation of physical evil

–         What we observe here is that Jesus has jurisdiction over both the spiritual realm and the physical realm – there is nothing beyond Jesus’ reach

 

We also observe that Jesus shares his power & authority with those he trusts

–         Jesus doesn’t do it all himself, he uses a team approach

–         At the defibrillator training the other night Amy underlined the importance of using a team approach

–         You don’t try to do everything yourself – you get someone to ring 111 while you do chest compressions and you line up one or two others to help you do the chest compressions like a tag team

–         Later in Luke’s gospel we read how Jesus sends out the 72 in pairs

–         By using a team approach Jesus creates a new culture of cooperation & partnership, in contrast to the old culture of competition & one-up-man-ship – the new generation has a new culture

 

Another thing we notice is that Jesus gives the new generation a new focus and a new purpose

–         The old generation had been focused on things like politics and money and military might, because those things enable one to control people

–         But Jesus doesn’t give his disciples power & authority to control people

–         Rather he gives them power & authority to drive out demons & disease

–         Therefore Jesus’ focus, and the focus of the new generation, is to set people free from the forces of evil – both physical & spiritual

 

Most people have no difficulty understanding what is meant by physical disease – science has provided helpful insights into physical illness

–         Unfortunately we don’t understand as much about spiritual dis-ease

–         Demons are beyond the reach of science – in fact a lot people today would want to deny the existence of spiritual forces

–         However, just because we can’t look at it under a microscope doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist

 

When I was about 15 I was asked to sit in on an exorcism and provide prayer support (because you don’t do an exorcism on your own).

–         I was a relatively new Christian at that stage

–         The woman was having the exorcism because she had been a witch, part of a coven and all that goes with that

–         Witchcraft is the opposite of setting people free – witchcraft is about controlling or manipulating people

–         The sad reality is that when we seek to control or manipulate others we open the door to forces of evil that end up controlling us

–         At first this woman appeared quite normal – you wouldn’t know she was any different from anyone else

–         But as we started praying her behaviour changed – strange stuff happened to her, stuff she wasn’t in control of, stuff I can’t explain

 

I went away from that experience realising that demons are real – there are forces at work which we don’t understand and often aren’t even aware of

–         But we do not need to be afraid – Jesus has defeated Satan

–         If we have trusted our lives to Christ, if we have placed ourselves under his Lordship, then we are under his protection

 

We talked a couple of weeks ago about the human spirit being like a cup and the Spirit of God being like communion wine or fresh clean water

–         If the cup of our human spirit was designed to hold the water or wine of God’s Holy Spirit then we could say that demons (or evil spirits) are like dirty water or poison in the cup of our human spirit

–         To caste out a demon then is to clean out the cup of our spirit – to remove the dirty water, extract the poison, sort of like vomiting removes a stomach bug

–         Science can find cures for many physical diseases but only Jesus has the cure for what ails us spiritually

 

Now in talking about the spiritual realm and the physical realm, demons & disease, I don’t mean to imply a false dichotomy

–         While the spiritual & the physical are different by definition, they are not separate or mutually exclusive

–         There is some kind of inter-relationship between the spirit and the body

–         I’m not going to say much more about that relationship because I’m not sure I really understand it – for me it is in the realm of mystery

 

The other thing I want to say is that medical science doesn’t stand in opposition to Jesus, nor in isolation from him

–         Historically speaking science owes its existence to Jesus and the church

–         As I see it medical research to cure disease can be as much a part of God’s work of healing as the laying on of hands in prayer

–         Jesus takes a team approach – he often uses both doctors and our prayers to heal people

 

Take cataract operations for example

–         If left untreated cataracts can make a person go blind

–         They didn’t have cataract operations in Jesus’ day (that we know of) so Jesus simply healed by saying a word

–         Later in history God gave us the knowledge we needed to safely remove cataracts and restore people’s sight – that’s the sort of thing we would expect to happen under the reign of God.

–         These days thousands of cataract operations are performed every year, so it doesn’t seem miraculous to us anymore – it seems routine & mundane

–         We still pray for someone when they have a cataract operation though because we are depending on God, not just the surgeon

–         We acknowledge that healing comes from God and God is free to heal however he wants, whether that’s through science & doctors or in some other way – nothing is beyond Jesus’ reach

 

We also acknowledge that God is free not to heal

–         So if we pray with sincerity and in good faith for God to heal and nothing happens, it is no reflection on us or our prayers

–         It just means God has said ‘no’ on this occasion

–         God said ‘no’ to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed to avoid suffering

–         God had a far bigger purpose in mind – the redemption of creation

 

In Luke 9, Jesus empowers his disciples to heal disease and exorcise demons because it served the immediate purpose of setting people free, as well as the bigger purpose of showing people that the Kingdom of God was near and had in fact arrived in the person of Jesus

 

I think it was C.S. Lewis who said, ‘Miracles are for beginners’

–         When we are just starting out, when we don’t yet know Jesus, miracles can serve the purpose of making us aware that Jesus is the real deal, he’s not fake or an imposter – miracles can ignite faith, get it started

–         But once we accept Jesus by faith the miracles are no longer necessary – just as sign posts are no longer necessary once you have reached your destination, or matches are no longer necessary once you have lit the fire

–         Yes, miracles are nice to have and God still does miracles today, even if we might take them for granted, but they are not the main thing

–         Jesus is the main thing, the Kingdom of God is the main thing

–         God doesn’t want us to rely on miracles, he wants us to rely on Christ

 

So if Jesus and the Kingdom of God are the main thing what does it mean then to preach the Kingdom of God, as the disciples are instructed in verse 2?

 

Well, the Kingdom of God refers to the reign of God, as in the government of God. The kingdom of God is what life is like when God is in charge

–      When God is in charge we have justice & mercy, we have truth & grace, we have healing & deliverance, we have peace & joy, we have freedom – not freedom to do what we want, but freedom to do God’s will, freedom with righteousness and we have abundant life

 

In verses 7-9 of Luke 9 we read about Herod, the ruler of Galilee

–         The reign of Herod stands in stark contrast to the reign of God

–         Under Herod, righteous men like John the Baptist were beheaded

–         Herod would later involve himself in the plot to kill Jesus

–         But under God’s reign there is justice so that Jesus (& those who belong to him) are resurrected to eternal life while Herod reaps what he has sown

–         In Acts 12, verse 3 we read how an angel of the Lord struck Herod down and he was eaten by worms

 

The disciples were sent to preach the Kingdom of God – to tell people that God’s reign was beginning – and that was good news for those who were oppressed by evil

 

One of the things we notice here is that Jesus sent his disciples throughout the villages of Galilee

–         Villages indicates smaller settlements, as opposed to the more populated cities – we might imagine villages to be the sorts of places most people pass through on their way to somewhere else

–         And the region of Galilee was considered a bit inferior, at least by those in Judea & Jerusalem

–         The poor in the villages of Galilee are visited by Jesus and his disciples, while Herod the ruler misses out

–         So this is a case of the last being first and the first being last

–         On this occasion Jesus sent his disciples to the least on the margins, before sending them to the greatest at the centre

 

Last Thursday Sarah Harris, a lecturer from Carey College, came to Wellington to speak to a group of Baptist pastors, and over lunch she told us a true story

–         A couple of years ago Sarah arranged a trip to Israel and on this trip there was a woman who was hearing impaired, practically deaf

–         The woman wasn’t sure about going, she was anxious about whether she would fit in – being deaf you tend to miss out on a lot of the conversation

–         Anyway one day on the trip they paused at a certain holy place for a while before moving on

–         Later that evening the woman said to Sarah, wasn’t that beautiful music we heard earlier today (presumably the woman had some hearing)

–         And Sarah replied, what do you mean? There was no music.

–         Yes there was – it was like nothing I had ever heard before

–         Sarah said again, we didn’t hear any music

–         Then the woman said, so you’re saying that I was the only one in the group who heard music and yet I’m deaf?

–         At that moment they both realised God had done something quite special just for her. She was deeply touched and her anxiety was relieved

 

God didn’t permanently heal the woman’s deafness, she was still hearing impaired, but he did let her hear a small sample of his Kingdom

–         It was like God was saying to her, my Kingdom is coming and this is what it sounds like

–         I expect no one appreciates the sound of heaven more than someone who is deaf

–         The disciples’ short term mission trip was giving people a taste, a glimpse, of the reign of God (this is what’s like when God is in charge)

 

One of the striking things in Luke 9 is the paradox of power & vulnerability

–         On the one hand the disciples are given incredible power, to cast out demons and cure disease, but at the same time Jesus says to them,

–         “Take nothing with you for the journey: no stick, no beggar’s bag, no food, no money, not even an extra shirt. Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that town; wherever people don’t welcome you, leave that town and shake the dust off your feet as a warning to them.”

 

Jesus has called his disciples

–         He has given them an example to follow,

–         And he’s given them power & authority to do the job – to set people free

–         Now he gives the new generation wise advice specific to this situation

 

By telling the disciples to travel light Jesus is saying, go in weakness, make yourselves vulnerable

–         To be vulnerable is to be exposed to the possibility of harm – to be in need of protection, care or support. The disciples went without a staff to protect themselves and with no money to pay for lodgings or food. They were are the mercy of strangers. They were vulnerable.

Vulnerability protects against the corrupting influence of power

–         They say, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”

–         But when we find ourselves in a position of needing others’ help we are less inclined to abuse our power or misuse it for selfish ends

–         Yes, the disciples have power to deliver and heal but the people to whom they come also have power – power to welcome & provide, or not

–         The disciples go to help people in need, having needs of their own

–         This sort of power with vulnerability fosters interdependence (or reliance on each other) and interdependence has a way of distributing power

 

It’s like Jesus is saying:

–         Don’t abuse the power I’m giving you by shopping around for the best accommodation in town, honour your host by staying in the first home that welcomes you

–         Don’t abuse your power by retaliating against those who reject you – don’t make a big fuss, just quietly dust your feet off as a warning against them and leave judgement in God’s hands

 

Jesus is the very picture of vulnerability both at Christmas and at Easter

–         Born in a stable to poor parents during a time of violence

–         Becoming a refugee to escape the sword of Herod

–         Growing up under Roman occupation

–         Coming from Nazareth where it was presumed nothing good was found

–         Being misunderstood by those he came to save

–         Then being nailed to a cross, naked & bleeding, for all the world to see

–         The vulnerability of Christ has the power to open the human heart

 

It should be noted that Jesus’ advice to travel light was for a particular short term mission situation and doesn’t necessarily apply for all time

–         Later in Luke chapter 22, Jesus says to his disciples…

–         When I sent you without purse bag or sandals, did you lack anything?

–         “Nothing” they answered

–         He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one…”

–         Travelling light is not always the right approach – different situations call for different strategies

 

In verse 10 we read how Jesus cares for his disciples by taking them away by themselves to debrief and refresh – a sort of spiritual retreat I suppose

–         Jesus is teaching the disciples to care for themselves

–         Alongside self-denial we also need self-care

–         We can’t be on the job all the time, we need to have a break every now & then so we don’t burn out

–         The new generation is not a disposable object to be thrashed & thrown away – Jesus wants his disciples to go the distance

 

Conclusion:

This morning we have heard how Jesus went about creating a new generation to lead God’s people

–         This new generation of disciples wasn’t just a carbon copy of the old one

–         The new generation has a new culture, a new approach and a new purpose

–         The culture is one of team work and cooperation

–         The approach involves power with vulnerability

–         And the purpose is setting people free to enter God’s kingdom

 

Questions for discussion or reflection

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    What do we mean by the word generation?

3.)    How does Jesus go about creating a new generation to lead God’s people?

4.)    What example are we setting for the next generation?

5.)    Jesus gave his disciples power & authority to drive out all demons and to cure disease

–         What do we observe from this? (What does this tell us?)

6.)    Why do you think Jesus told his disciples to take nothing with them (to travel light) on their journey?

7.)    Has God ever showed you a glimpse of his Kingdom? What happened?

8.)    In what ways is Jesus’ new generation different?

–         (Think culture, approach & purpose)

9.)    How is the balance in your life between self-denial & self-care?

–         What strategies do you have for looking after yourself?

10.)       Take some time this week to reflect on the vulnerability of Christ

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/18-march-2018-a-new-generation