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"'Jesus’ template for greatness"
Monday, 4 September 2017
Mark 10:41 When the other ten heard about this, they became outraged at Ya‘akov and Yochanan. 42 But Yeshua called them to him and said to them, “You know that among the Goyim, those who are supposed to rule them become tyrants, and their superiors become dictators. 43 But among you, it must not be like that! On the contrary, whoever among you wants to be a leader must be your servant; 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must become everyone’s slave! 45 For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve — and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
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Labor Day—a day meant to honor how workers (i.e. people without personal prestige or corner offices) have contributed to our country’s strength, prosperity, laws and well-being. This is a good day to recall how Jesus defined greatness. When James and John upset the other disciples by asking for the highest posts in Jesus’ kingdom (cf. Mark 10:35-40), Jesus said they had a human, status-seeking model in mind. But he came to serve, he said, and serving is the path to greatness in his kingdom.
• Jesus said: “The ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around.” That kind of power can be a “high.” But Jesus went on, “That’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant.” Where do you have power (parent, boss, teacher, pastor, public office, etc.)? Do you most often use your power for the good of others, or are you tempted to use it on your own behalf? How can you become a better “servant leader”?
• Ambition seems to be a natural part of almost all human hearts. But mixed motives and rewards can trigger our ambition, producing good or bad consequences. In what specific ways does choosing to follow Jesus change your approach to life? Is God growing you into a secure, content “servant” primarily motivated to glorify God and serve others?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for calling me into your kingdom. Let your love’s transforming power increasingly motivate me to live a servant life. Teach me how to treat others as you treat me. Amen.
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Darrell Holtz
Darrell Holtz serves as Program Director for Adult Curriculum and Writing at Church of the Resurrection. He has two adult children, and two smart, handsome grandsons.The world, the dominant culture, into which Jesus was born placed great emphasis on honor, dignity, status. John Ortberg, in his superb book Who Is This Man?, offered this summary:
"In the Greco-Roman world, what was admired was a hero....This concept and attitude led to a society where status—the pecking order—was absolutely fundamental. Cicero wrote, 'Rank must be preserved.' Identity is determined by ladder rung. Descent is tragedy. The Greeks knew what greatness is, and for them, greatness did not involve humility." *
Is it any wonder that even Jesus' disciples (people who loved him, who had given up a great deal to follow him) had difficulty understanding what Jesus tried to teach them about true greatness? Against Ortberg's summary, set these words from Jesus in today's Bible reading: “You know that the ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant."
Really, Jesus? How are you supposed to get people to respect you if you don't order them around? How will you accomplish your goals if you don't show off your authority?
Labor Day didn't start as a day for backyard picnics and concerts. It started as a day to honor the country's ordinary working people, the people who often get ordered around, and who don't have much authority to show off. Its intention was to honor people to whom we seldom show much honor--which seems to have made it always a puzzling kind of holiday to many people who still subscribe to the Greco-Roman ideals of greatness.
But it seems like a holiday Christians ought to understand and value. Oh, there's no question that labor union bosses have all too often been just as caught up in trying to boss people around as the corporate chieftains they profess to work against. But to stop and honor the people whose work lives make life better for others without any huge rewards for themselves--that seems like a pretty good idea.
Christian historian John Dickson wrote, “Humility is the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself.” ** That's what thousands, probably millions, of "ordinary" workers do. And wasn't that exactly the life, the greatest life ever lived, that Jesus lived? Wasn't that the life to which he called his followers--including us?
* Ortberg, John. Who Is This Man?: The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus (Kindle Location 1044, 1048-1051). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
** Dickson, John. Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love and Leadership. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011, p. 24.
Darrell HoltzDarrell Holtz serves as Program Director for Adult Curriculum and Writing at Church of the Resurrection. He has two adult children, and two smart, handsome grandsons.The world, the dominant culture, into which Jesus was born placed great emphasis on honor, dignity, status. John Ortberg, in his superb book Who Is This Man?, offered this summary:
"In the Greco-Roman world, what was admired was a hero....This concept and attitude led to a society where status—the pecking order—was absolutely fundamental. Cicero wrote, 'Rank must be preserved.' Identity is determined by ladder rung. Descent is tragedy. The Greeks knew what greatness is, and for them, greatness did not involve humility." *
Is it any wonder that even Jesus' disciples (people who loved him, who had given up a great deal to follow him) had difficulty understanding what Jesus tried to teach them about true greatness? Against Ortberg's summary, set these words from Jesus in today's Bible reading: “You know that the ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant."
Really, Jesus? How are you supposed to get people to respect you if you don't order them around? How will you accomplish your goals if you don't show off your authority?
Labor Day didn't start as a day for backyard picnics and concerts. It started as a day to honor the country's ordinary working people, the people who often get ordered around, and who don't have much authority to show off. Its intention was to honor people to whom we seldom show much honor--which seems to have made it always a puzzling kind of holiday to many people who still subscribe to the Greco-Roman ideals of greatness.
But it seems like a holiday Christians ought to understand and value. Oh, there's no question that labor union bosses have all too often been just as caught up in trying to boss people around as the corporate chieftains they profess to work against. But to stop and honor the people whose work lives make life better for others without any huge rewards for themselves--that seems like a pretty good idea.
Christian historian John Dickson wrote, “Humility is the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself.” ** That's what thousands, probably millions, of "ordinary" workers do. And wasn't that exactly the life, the greatest life ever lived, that Jesus lived? Wasn't that the life to which he called his followers--including us?
* Ortberg, John. Who Is This Man?: The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus (Kindle Location 1044, 1048-1051). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
** Dickson, John. Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love and Leadership. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011, p. 24.
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"Jesus saw himself as the 'Suffering Servant'”
Tuesday, 5 September 2017
Isaiah 53:4-7, Matthew 21:33-45, Luke 22:37
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Jesus applied words from Isaiah 53 to himself in Luke 22:37. The New Testament writers took his cue and quoted Isaiah 53 more than any other verses to explain Jesus’ redemptive suffering. Jesus, they said, took the world’s evil and hatred onto himself and, through what human eyes saw as a failure, changed it into a saving force. Jesus used the image of “God’s vineyard” (from Isaiah 5:1-7) for a grim story about tenants who killed the owner’s son. Matthew said the religious leaders plotting to kill Jesus “knew Jesus was talking about them.”
• “God’s power is at its greatest not in his destruction of the wicked but in his taking all the wickedness of the earth into himself and giving back love.” * What does Jesus’ way of defeating evil as the Suffering Servant tell you about how God’s power works? What kinds of evil have you faced? How can Jesus’ example guide you toward the path of genuine success at those times?
• Those who heard Jesus’ vineyard story pronounced sentence—on themselves. Today, it’s easy for us to look down on those religious leaders. They heard God in the flesh tell that vivid story, knew he was talking about them, but still refused to submit to his calling. But ask yourself: to what extent are you willing to trust and submit your life to Jesus? What people and experiences have shaped, either positively or negatively, your willingness to respond to Jesus?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me keep growing into a faithful, responsive servant in your vineyard. Let me bear a rich harvest, not for my glory but for yours. Amen.
* T. Desmond Alexander and Brian S. Rosner, ed. The New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000, p. 222.
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"Peter’s bold statement of faith"
Wednesday, 6 September 2017
Matthew 16:13-20
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People had many opinions about Jesus. The disciples’ answer to his question (“Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the other prophets”) was an effort to be “positive.” They knew that some hated Jesus and bitterly opposed his message. Though his faith might be costly, Peter boldly said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Remember: “Christ” was not Jesus’ last name, but the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “Messiah.”)
• To identify Jesus as “John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the other prophets” was no insult. Those were great, respected names. Yet they fell short of what Peter, speaking for the disciples, saw in Jesus. To what extent can you join Peter in declaring that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”? What factors shape what you believe about Jesus?
• Protestants and Roman Catholics have long debated whether the “rock” on which Jesus built his church was Peter the person, or Peter’s faith in Jesus as Messiah. Scholar A. F. Walls wrote, “Even if it could be shown that Roman bishops are in any meaningful sense the successors of Peter (which it cannot), the passage does not allow for the transfer of its provisions to any successors whatever. It refers to the foundation of the church, which cannot be repeated.” * In what ways are you (and all Christians) Peter’s successors? In what ways was his role unique and foundational?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, today you ask me, “Who do you say that I am?” Give me Peter’s conviction and courage to say, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Amen.
* A. F. Walls, “Peter” in The New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, J. D. Douglas and D. R. W. Wood, ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996, p. 907.
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"Peter the Rock became a stumbling rock"
Thursday, 7 September 2017
Matthew 16:21-23
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When Jesus told his closest followers that he faced suffering and death, Peter (outspoken as usual) tried to talk Jesus out of the idea. Perhaps he thought Jesus was just a little down, being too negative. Or maybe he was fending off the fear in his own heart as he saw the religious leaders’ strong negative response to Jesus. Regardless, Jesus pushed back forcefully, telling “the Rock,” “You are a stone that could make me stumble.”
• Peter, like almost all first-century Jews, expected a conquering Messiah, a figure of intimidating power. That made it hard for him to grasp Jesus’ understanding of his self-sacrificing mission. What assumptions about life, success and greatness do you have that make it harder for you to accept Jesus’ teaching about a truly great human life? What has helped you move beyond those inherited cultural assumptions?
• In the fourth century, when the Roman emperor Constantine became a Christian, he transformed the faith into a source he credited with his worldly success or power. We see the same urge surface in some Christian ministries today. In what ways in a prosperous, tolerant first world setting does Jesus still call us to accept his teaching about his suffering and death, rather than pushing it away as “too negative”? How can we honor the divine principle Jesus held to that led him to rebuke Peter?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, transform my mind and heart so that I see life as you do. Give me the inner strength to follow and trust you, so that I can pray, with Julian of Norwich, “All shall be well… and all manner of thing shall be well.” Amen.
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"Jesus’ words when no one wore a cross necklace"
Friday, 8 September 2017
Matthew 16:24-28
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Peter’s rebuke didn’t lead Jesus to back away from his seemingly downbeat talk about suffering and death in Jerusalem. Far from it. Jesus “doubled down,” saying that he calls ALL his followers to “take their cross.” Don’t forget: when Jesus said this, no one sold “cross” jewelry. A cross was a horrific implement of torture and death, a thing “respectable” people avoided at all costs. Pastor John Ortberg quoted columnist Garret Fiddler as writing, “Really, the cross does not belong on the Christian; the Christian belongs on the cross.” Ortberg added, “The cross is a reminder that there is something in me that needs to die.” *
• Jesus asked what the point would be of gaining earthly wealth or prestige in a way that cost eternity. “Why would people gain the whole world but lose their lives?” Today, virtually no one anywhere dies on a cross. So what do you believe it means for you to “take up your cross” and follow Jesus? What is there in you that “needs to die”? In your journey with Christ so far, have you had to decide whether to “take up your cross” in any life-shaping way? In what ways are you asking God to help you more clearly understand and commit to finding your true life by losing it? In what ways has Jesus already showed you your true self as you follow him?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, so many voices tell me that avoiding pain and sacrifice is the way to a good life. Give me a clear vision of your counter-cultural call. Let my lesser self die, so that a greater self shaped by you may be born. Amen.
* Garret Fiddler, Yale Daily News, April 21, 2011 quoted in John Ortberg, Who Is This Man? Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012, p. 192
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"Peter ('Rock')—a genuine servant-leader"
Saturday, 9 September 2017
Acts 2:12-16, 15:7-8, 13-14, Galatians 2:7-12
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We’ll return to Peter’s later life in more detail in this series’ last sermon. But this peek ahead shows us the kind of leader Peter became. He let Jesus shape his bold, outspoken nature into a compelling preacher, bravely declaring the power of the crucified and risen Jesus. He forcefully spoke out on behalf of the legitimacy of Gentile believers, whom he had seen receive God’s Holy Spirit without conforming to all Jewish regulations. But he also accepted James (Jesus’ brother) presiding over the Jerusalem conference. He welcomed Paul to the ranks of apostles, and agreed to focus his mission in a way that didn’t conflict with Paul’s. We hear and read a lot about “servant leaders.” We see Peter living out that kind of leadership.
• Would Peter have been a stronger, more worthy leader if he had required James to step aside and allow him to preside over the Jerusalem conference? If he had told Paul, “You weren’t there when Jesus said I was the rock on which he’d build his church. I will preach wherever and to whomever I please. You will just have to adjust your work to that”? In whatever leadership areas you have, from the largest business or church settings to the smallest, homeiest ones, how can you emulate Peter’s confident and humble model of leadership? Which aspects of Peter’s example are hardest for you to live out?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, when I need rebuke, make me as willing as Peter was to accept it. But when I need to stand firmly for you, give me his courage and boldness. Amen.
Family Activity: Invite each family member to share the name and special qualities of their favorite teacher. Remind everyone that Jesus was a teacher who spent much of his time helping others learn about God and God’s kingdom. As a family, talk about ways you are teachers of God and God’s ways. How do you teach with words, telling others about God and his love? How do you teach with your actions as you serve other people? Maybe you teach others about God by being kind, patient, generous, or a good listener. Commit to intentionally teaching someone about God’s love this week. Share your stories and experiences with your family. Write a note to your favorite teacher thanking her/him for being so important to you. Pray for one another and for all teachers to share patience, kindness and love with everyone.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
•Dick Walker and family on the death of his daughter-in-law Stacy Walker, 8/30
•Tom McCabe and family on the death of his mother Margaret McCabe, 8/29
•Colleen Aegerter and family on the death of her sister Cindi Hutchinson, 8/26
• Linda Reppell and family on the death of her brother-in-law Loren Martin, 8/19
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©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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