Success?
by Mark Schubert
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Whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:27,28).
Have you heard the story of the preacher who said, ‘Just believe; then your wife will be beautiful, your children obedient, your business will flourish, and you will be rich and powerful’?
That is not what Jesus promised. He was not the Messiah who brought power, triumph, success and riches to Israel – or to us.
Speaking for the disciples, Peter recognised Jesus, ‘You are the Messiah’ (Mark 8:29). Peter thought Jesus would be a powerful conquering king, like David.
‘He (Jesus) then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected … and that he must be killed and after three days rise again’ (Mark 8:29,31).
Predictably, this did not go over well with Peter.
Then Jesus said, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me’ (Mark 8:34). This also was not popular.
We like the good things that Jesus gives us through his suffering and death, the forgiveness, adoption, righteousness, freedom … but we are not so keen on following his example of suffering and service.
At his last meal with his disciples, Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God. So he took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:3–5).
We come from our Father in baptism as his children. We are going to God to reign with Jesus – so we, too, can become servants to others, humbly serving whomever and whenever we can. With joy, we follow our Servant King.
You discarded your power to humbly serve us in love. Help us joyfully and humbly love and serve you and others. Amen.
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