The Inverted Pyramid, Mark 10:32-45

We will look at an interaction that Jesus had with His disciples where Jesus gives them a clear call to put others ahead of themselves. He turned the pyramid upside down and challenges us to do the same by using our influence to serve rather than be served.

Mark 10: 35-37: James and John want to be at the top of the pyramid. This is our natural tendency.

Vs. 38-39: Jesus responds: You really don’t know what you are asking. In Mark 10:32-34 Jesus had predicted His forthcoming betrayal, suffering and death.

V. 40: Jesus says: Leave to God the determination of your position.

V. 42: Jesus uses government officials of the day as an illustration. He says they leverage their position to be OVER people.

V. 43- 44: Jesus inverts the pyramid. He says that greatness is found not in what we get out of people but what we give, not out of what they can do for us, but what we can do for them.

V. 45: Jesus – the Greatest One – is on His way to the cross to give His life away.

Servanthood is foremost a heart issue

The first step is to recognise our selfishness

All of us have spheres of influences wherein we are called to exercise servanthood: with family, friends, co-workers, and within the community and the church.

A culture of servanthood is world-changing.

Mark 10: 13-31

Marriage and Divorce – Mk 10:1-12

The Lord Jesus continued his ministry of preaching and teaching in various cities in the tradition of Jewish Rabbis. From his words and life, we can observe that the Lord’s preaching and teaching was a predominant component of his mission (Mk1: 38). His adopted ministry pattern is best understood against the backdrop of the OT prophets and Jewish rabbis rather than that of Greek oratory (which has influenced much of the church’s ministry styles over the centuries). As he spoke however, he steadily gathered against him people who wanted to test, corner and put him in a spot. Despite his constant efforts to steer clear of the limelight, he found himself pursued by the needy and accosted by his enemies.

The question of the Pharisees “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife (for any and every reason)?”(Mt 19:3) is an indication of the unfettered freedom which men in that culture enjoyed. They could claim to be lawful and yet divorce their wives for frivolous reasons. The Pharisees, who provided textual support for such unfair practices, constantly used what was lawful (permitted) as an excuse to escape from their commitments (as noted by Jesus in Mk 7:13). In this situation, they wanted to justify their use of a legal concession to divorce as a license to divorce as per their whim and fancy. This question was further dubious since their hidden intention was possibly to pit Jesus against their cultural authority –Moses, the Lawgiver who permitted divorce. They conveniently overlooked the passages in Scripture which revealed God as being clearly against divorce and in favor of reconciliation (Jer 3:6-14; Mal 2; Hosea 3:1), even when the spouse was guilty of adultery.

Jesus clarifies that the Law of Moses was given in the context of human sin and incorporated its reality (“the hardness of human heart”) and consequences. While it was morally superior, more organized and more comprehensive than the moral codes in surrounding cultures, it incorporated the imperfect context in which it was given – which included wars, poverty, idolatry and territorial skirmishes. In the case of marriage, it incorporated the reality that marriage meant imperfect people in an imperfect relationship and provided for an option to divorce, if “the hardness of heart” made it impossible for one partner to stay with the other. Like a Fence, it bore the dirt-marks of the very land it fenced from¹.

Questioned by the Pharisees who sought to lay a trap for him, Jesus skillfully moved discussion from a fence in the field to the Owner of the field who possesses the original blueprint who seeks the restoration & fertility of all his property. He led them beyond the Law of Moses to the creative Love of God as revealed in the Creation design and now revealed again by Christ.² While some of the Pharisees tried to exploit a sub-plot in the story to their selfish advantage, Jesus takes them to the Author and his original script – which the author had not abandoned, despite numerous interruptions! To ensure the completion of his story, the Author had entered the text! Those who follow the Author’s script understand his original design and see the relevance as well as the limitation of the sub-plot.³

The Lord Jesus clarifies that in the original script, the Creator made the first humans “male and female”. Not “male and male” or “female and female”. When we look at the Genesis text that Jesus was referring we find that it was not only male and female, but also female from male. While the man was created from the “dust” of the earth, his counterpart was created distinctly but not separately. The woman was a distinct being but created from man.⁴ The fruit of their union (men and women) comes out of the woman as a result of union between the man and the woman. Men and women were created from the same handful of dust in and by the same Divine hands. This speaks of the unity and the interdependence of the human race. There is no trace of independent origin or existence in the order, flow and the structure of human creation. “For this reason” ie the unity of the original unity man of the man (Gen 2:24), the man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and they shall become one flesh. This is an ontological truth that runs against the assumption of radical feminists that the masculine is unnecessary as well as the male chauvinists who believe that the feminine is a burden to be eventually excluded and destroyed.⁵

Another clue as to why the Lord considers marriage relationships sacrosanct may be found in the common Hebrew word “one” in Gen 2:24 (referring to the oneness of marriage) and in Deut 6:4 (referring to the oneness of God). The common word used is “Echad” which means composite unity – a reminder that the marriage (and sexual unity) of human beings is a unique and perhaps closest space- time image of the unity and diversity of the eternal Triune God of Biblical revelation⁶.

While the Lord makes allowance for divorce for marital unfaithfulness (Mt 19: 9) (which perhaps was the reason that Moses had in mind too), it makes it clear that he is against the separation of “what God has put together”. This is a reiteration of the Old Testament revelation that God hates divorce. Jesus goes on to add that if a man or woman leaves his spouse and marries another, it is adultery – a breaking of God’s law (Mk 10: 11-12). For if one is not averse to breaking a life-long covenant with a partner where God is witness, how can the man or woman be qualified for entering into another life-long covenant? I presume this is applicable to all marriages –whether Christian or otherwise – since all marriages are images of the Triune God and forerunners of the ultimate marriage –between Christ and the Church.

For those who have not initiated the divorce, but are victims of a spouse’s decision to divorce and remarry, it may be appropriate to treat the initiator’s decision to divorce and marry another as marital unfaithfulness. Hence the other spouse has the Lord’s permission to marry another if she or he chooses to. What is not clear from the text is whether the same permission is available to a husband or wife if the spouse initiates the divorce but does not remarry.⁷

Mark 8:22-9:1 Aminjikarai

Upside Down: Life Jesus Style

Jesus starts the conversation: What’s the word on the street?

• He knows the answer, but asks the question for their sake.
• Why John the Baptist, Elijah or a prophet?
• Theories about Jesus today

Jesus makes it personal: What do YOU think of me?

This is the crux: of this book, of the Bible, of all existential questions, of eternal destinies, of evangelism. It is THE MOST IMPORTANT question!

Jesus makes a startling revelation: He defines His life’s mission, and on the surface, it looks like utter defeat.

• He would suffer – not prosper and live a life of ease as a ruler.
• He would be rejected – not increase in popularity and become part of the inner circle.
• He would be killed – not set up and rule over an earthly kingdom.

Jesus makes it REALLY personal: He defines what it means to be His disciple and it, too, looks, on the surface, to be utter defeat.

Good, you know who I am. But it’s not just believing, or saying that you believe; it looks like this:

• Deny yourself – not “Look out for yourself”
• Take up your cross– not “Go with the flow. Get all you can out of life… “
• Follow Me – not “Do your own thing.”

Jesus’ upside down way is not about moping around with a martyr complex. It’s about giving your life away and receiving life in return.

Jesus promises: You’re going to be amazed!

Some of those present would see the unfolding of the epic plan that had been set in motion before the foundation of the world. They would see Jesus’ transfiguration (chapter 9).Then they would witness His death, resurrection and ascension, along with the sending of Holy Spirit and the spreading of the gospel.

The kingdom in its fullness is coming! And He is the King…

Mark 8:22-9:1 Chetput

“The Discipline of Discipleship”

This passage is the crux of the gospel of Mark. It sits squarely in the center of the book. While this might not have been intentional on the part of the gospel writer, there seems to be a hint of God’s sovereignty and hand in placing this passage where it is. This is what Mark’s gospel is leading the readers to – making a response to who Jesus is. Jesus uniquely stands in history as the only one who challenges religious assumptions, ideologies and beliefs, demanding a response to his person and work. Here, Christology is not merely a theological doctrine that we affirm, but it becomes a truth that pushes us into a corner insisting that we make a conscious decision, either for or against Christ. There are three aspects that we will focus our attention on.

1. The Foundation of Discipleship (vv. 27-30) – is our confession of who Jesus is. This is what everything hinges on.
2. The Hindrance to Discipleship (vv. 31-33) – is the inability to perceive and/or accept all that the confession implies
3. The Practice of Discipleship (vv. 34-9:1) – is witnessed in a total denial of self and willingness to allow God to call the shots in our lives

Notes from 7th September

Sorry for the delay - the notes from September 7th will be up soon ....

Mark 6:30-44 (SS)

Mark 6:30-44

This portion begins with the disciples reporting to Jesus all that happened – all that they had accomplished when they were sent out by Jesus. All this while they were with Jesus just watching him do stuff. Now it’s time for them to launch out. A training workshop had commenced, and they come back to Jesus with their success stories.

3 reasons for Jesus stressing on their need for rest
1. They need physical rest.
2. They need to unwind from feelings of being superheroes
3. They could not talk without being interrupted by people dropping by to see them.

FOCUS: JESUS WANTS TO SPEND TIME WTH HIS DISCIPLES ("Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." ).

One way to look at these passages is to let the disciples take centre stage.

Scene 1: Selfless Servants or Superheroes
What sort of Disciples is Jesus trying to raise?
Their plan of spending time with themselves does not work out. ‘But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.’ Their faith & desperation releases Jesus’ compassion and he begins to teach them. In spite of the interruption of his plans he still reaches out.

When it gets late, the disciples suggest that He dismiss the crowd so they can go and get something to eat. But, Jesus’ statement shocks them – ‘you give them something to eat’. Jesus is trying to get the disciples’ feet back on the ground after a successful mission of casting demons and healing sicknesses. What matters most in their mission is ‘people’ and not the stuff they can do. We are empowered supernaturally not to be superheroes but to be servants.

The passage also gives us insight into how the disciples failed to continue to look up to God to be their resource – the one who is bigger than them and who does the impossible!

Scene 2: The Storm that Stretched the Disciples

a. They are tired and its late – the wind is against them. Jesus is just watching! About the fourth hour he goes to them walking on water. Interestingly “he intends to pass by them”.
It seems as if Jesus led them into the storm. The disciples had failed their test because they lacked spiritual insight and receptive hearts. The miracle of the loaves and fishes had made no lasting impression on them. After all, if Jesus could multiply food and feed thousands of people, then surely He could protect them in the storm.

What do you do, when you’re in a storm and you know that Jesus is there and he is just watching you? What do you do when you are alone in the midst of the storm and you know that Jesus is aware of what you are going through?

When you’re in a crisis? In stead of asking the question ‘why’?, we need to learn to ask‘what?’. We all know that “why?’ does not always have an answer. The question ‘why?’ often hardens your heart . Lets learn to ask God “what can I learn from the situation’ or What should I do in this situation?”. The answer may be ‘just stay still and trust me’ or ‘rise up to the occasion and calm the storm’

b. Jesus walks on water to prove to the disciples that He can. He can always do the impossible. What He does is to show that He is bigger than the storm. That is the important this to remember. God is bigger than any of your storms.

Why do they need to know this? Because He is going to send them out to do the impossible, too. He is going to commission these very ordinary men to go out and make disciples of all men in every land. Impossible! But they will accomplish the impossible.

c. Many times when we have exhausted our human strength we see God come in power. We solely rely on his enablement at those times probably more than @ other times when we are physically and emotionally strong. We have often seen that god shows up when we have exhausted all options in the natural.

d. The consolation at the end of the story is that Jesus does show up eventually when we need him and knows we can’t make it on our own. He will not pass us by. …. in fact there is no indication in the verses that the disciples were looking for Jesus, they were just striving on their own. Jesus still shows up. He goes to them –If it feels like he is not in the boat , remember that he is out there looking out for us. He will come to us even if we are not looking out for Him.