The Path to Greatness

The Path to Greatness is our worship theme for the twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, October 21, 2012. Our focus scripture is Mark 10:35-45.

In this passage the disciples respond badly yet a third time to Jesus talking with them about his impending death. After the first passion prediction in 8:31-32, Peter takes Jesus aside and tries to scold him for thinking something so outrageous. After the second prediction in 9:30-32 the disciples argue with each other about which one is the greatest. And now, following Jesus’ third prediction in 10:32-34, James and John come to Jesus to ask for the chief places of honor when he comes into his glory.

Each time Jesus starts talking about his death, the disciples respond like they’ve never heard a sermon he preached or witnessed a healing. They are clueless. Jesus talks to them about taking up their cross, or how a child is the greatest in the kingdom, but it doesn’t sink in. Rolf Jacobson points out that Mark bookends the three passion predictions with stories of Jesus healing blind men! And we know the ones Mark thinks are blind.

This passage is as relevant to our times as it was when Mark wrote it. We live in a day when multi-millionaires argue that it is just and fair for them to pay a much smaller percentage of their income in taxes than the secretaries who work for them. And on top of that they claim to be Christians! Evidently, they missed reading chapters 8-10 of Mark. 

Jesus' path to greatness is not measured in bank accounts or places of honor or possessions. Jesus' path to greatness is measured by our ability to give ourselves over to God's leading as God's Spirit works to create love, justice, and peace.

None of the other lectionary passages for this Sunday lend themselves to a Call to Worship that fits the passage from Mark. So here is one first printed on September 16th from Mark 8:34-37. If anything in this post is helpful to you, please feel free to use or adapt it.

Call to Worship    from Mark 8:34-37

L: Sisters and brothers, as we worship let us remember Christ’s challenge:

P: If you want to follow me you must give up selfishness and embrace the cross.

L: If you try to save your life yourself, you will lose it.

P: But lose your life for me and the good news of the kingdom, and you will save it.

L: For what good is it to gain the whole world, but lose your soul in the bargain?

P: Do you think that anything is worth more to you than your soul?

All: Let us follow Christ along his narrow way –

       the way of the cross -- the way to eternal life!