Trust in God to Serve

Dear Reader,

"Be all that you can be." was the slogan for the Army. Now I think that it's, "An Army of one." You've heard phrases like, "Climb the corporate ladder" and "You are the master of your own destiny." Society values achievement and status. We were told from almost the womb that we can be anything and anyone that we set for ourselves. We live in a very individualistic society. Now I'm not advocating that success and achievement are bad things. But as Jesus, "Not so with you."

Our lesson is from Mark 10:35-45.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Jesus and said, "Teacher, we want You to do something for us if we ask you." "What do you want me to do for you?" He asked them. They answered him, "Allow us to sit at your right and at your left in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptize with the baptism I am baptized with?" "We are able." they told him. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with. But to sit at my right or left is not mine to give; instead it is for those it have been prepared for." Then the other 10 disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John. Jesus called them over and said to them, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and their men of high positions exercise power over them. But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life - a ransom for many. (Christian Standard Bible Translation)

The world's philosophy is simple. Be as good as you can, nobody can stop you from reaching your goals except you. You are the most important person. The implication is you will do things only if those things elevate you or your status among other people. The philosophy of the day of James and John was the same. But Jesus was about to turn the way that they think and the way the world thinks upside down. Jesus says to us, greatness is dependent upon service. If you want to be a great person among people, serve them. If you want to be "the top dog," be a slave to people. This is so foreign to people. Yet it is Jesus' basic understanding for his people. Self glorification or doing things in order to receive honor and glory from other people is not the way to be great in his eyes. Serve people, care for them, tend to their needs, and put others ahead of you is the way Jesus wants his people to act.

Now the next question is, "Why?" Jesus tells us. Jesus didn't come into the world to be glorified by the world. Jesus didn't come into the world to "toot his own horn." Jesus came into the world to serve us by means of giving up of his life. Jesus is the sacrifice for all our sins, especially in this case, the sin of ego and pride in our own achievements. Jesus came and took away our sins and sinfulness and replace them with his grace; his wonderful grace and love and self-sacrificing service for the sake of all the people of the world. Because Jesus did this, we serve. We serve people and their needs. Jesus gave to us what we needed most; forgiveness of sins and a new resurrected life. Because of Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and ascension, we put the needs of others ahead of ourselves.

Does this mean we are at the beck and call of every person's wants and desires? No. Jesus wasn't. He didn't give James and John what they wanted. Jesus gave them what they truly needed. Our service is the same. We serve people by giving to them the free grace of God so that their sins are forgiven and their lives are restored. We also give them what they need in this world in order to live. Things such as health awareness, food gifts, financial advice even. As we meet their needs, we also are in a position to give them what they truly need as well. We take our service as we trust in God to serve us with forgiveness and life.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Hemsath