Date: 4thDecember 2011
Texts : Mark 9: 30 – 37
Theme: Being a servant
30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. 33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me”
INTRODUCTION
a) World AIDS Day
b) 16 Days of activism for no violence against women and children
c) COP 17
d) Second Sunday of Advent
THEME EXPLANATION
Being a servant simply means getting off our high horses and serving the people of God. We cannot begin to claim to serve God if we look past our own responsibilities as human beings and as children of God. Christ set us a perfect example of what it means to be a servant. He forsook His kingdom and wealth so that he can share it with us – sinners and those people not deserving of His mercy.
So being a servant means availing oneself to be used for the betterment of other people and God’s Church. “God is calling us: participating and struggle and suffering.” This may sound as an easy thing to do but one needs to be humble in order to serve. As a servant you are exposed to all sorts of difficult situations and people yet we are challenged to remain focussed on our mission and purpose of rendering service. One of the criteria of being a good servant of God is knowing your Master. It is having a relationship with God. It is not good enough to know church without knowing the owner AND without having a relationship with God. You cannot call yourself Mrs Cynthia Sijemlana if you don’t have a relationship with Mr Sijemlane. In the same way I think, we cannot call ourselves Christians if we don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
TEXT
Umbhali
The text of the Gospel According to Mark does not specifically identify anyone as the author. Not even “Mark” is identified as the author — in theory, “Mark” could have simply related a series of events and stories to someone else who collected them, edited them, and set them down in the gospel form. It wasn't until the second century that the title “According to Mark” or “The Gospel According to Mark” was affixed to this document. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Mark
Marks’s gospel is the second book of the New Testament. Like the other gospels it gives the account of the life of Jesus. But unlike other gospels, Mark goes straight away to narrate the ministry of Jesus as opposed to giving his genealogy (Matthew) his history and oral tradition as investigated and studied (Luke) nor his divinity (John). This gospel concentrates his ministry and particularly on the last week of his life (chapters 11–16, the trip to Jerusalem). An important theme of Mark is the Messianic secrets concealed at exorcism, healing, teaching in parables,
Text
V34- 5 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
This is Christ talking. In other Bibles – everything that is said by Christ himself is highlighted. The disciples were worried about earthly position. They were so position-focussed. V34 tells us that they were quiet – perhaps scared and embarrassed that they were busy urging about position – something Christ never addressed with them. Jesus as I have already mentioned in my introduction about the uniqueness of the gospel according to Mark – He was very emphatic in Messianic secret – in other words he did not want to reveal his true identity of divinity especially after He had performed any divine act. We see Jesus in several instances when he heals people, he instructs them to keep quiet and not tell anyone. In v30, he says the same thing. He actually didn’t even want them to know where they were. He didn’t want publicity – “ngiboneni - mponeng!”
Some people function better when they are in positions. They want to be given top positions – when their term ends, they stop working. It is a sickness that is hurting the nation and especially the church. We are not worshipping God because of a position but because of your faith. Election time in the church is the most unsettling time for me. People go around canvassing for positions. Votes are rigged (at times) just to ensure that people get the position and recognition that they want. Some people get big-headed and manipulate others. They relegate God’s agenda to be their own. We sometimes think that will not happen in church if so and so has not spoken or approved a certain idea or recommendation.
So the disciples are seen falling into that mode – who is the greatest? If that question was directed at Christ perhaps he could have answered it by saying “I AM” but he refused to stoop down to their level. He knew what they sought. They were asking each other this question when He was away but the divinity in Christ brought Him to the knowledge of their discussion.
“Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Christ’s answer is clear and unambiguous. If you want to be the greatest – do so by being a servant. Christ wanted the disciples to serve. This verse teaches us to be humble – to always seek to be the last and to be servants not lords. It is even more sad when some people in positions even don’t function at all – yet they appreciate being in position.
God calls us to be humble – “humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up” Jam 4:10. Be the last - God wants you and me to be the last. How can we be the last when we are supposed to be head and not the tail? For me this is calling us to be humble and ‘down-to-earth.’ God will never reach us if we are too far up there. Perhaps we need to come down like Zaccheuws.
Restaurant example. (Waiter and restaurant patron). The patron puts his/her handkerchief covering their chest so that no food spillage should drop on their clothes –leaving stains. The waiter/waitress puts their handkerchief or napkin on their waist or arm to show that they can be ready to serve. We are called not to be on the receiving end but on the giving end. We are called to be waiters / waitresses to be able to serve.
We serve God by serving people around us – people that we live with and see everyday. Romans 8 à I was hungry you did not feed me – I was naked you did not clothe me, was roofless you did not care for me, I was HIV positive and you called me names and avoided me.
Two of the five (T’s) marks of mission of the UCCSA talk about
- Tend – give to others what they need to be able to value life. Bereaved, hurt, divorcing, rejected, separated, living with the virus and those who are affected with AIDS, cancer and other terminal diseases. If I can help somebody as I pass along then my living shall not be in vain. Be a servant and do it well.
- Transform – your mind so that Christ can transform you life. Once both things happen, you will be in a position to serve so that you can be Christ’s own servant by serving other people. The world needs transformation – only if we play our parts, minor as we may think they are, will transform our church and nation. There are people who refuse to transform and justify that by claiming to be born like that (being stubborn). Don’t resist change – when Christ touches you, you should never remain the same. IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN AS YOU ARE, IT MEANS YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF JESUS. You are rendering His power useless. His transforming power is stronger than the strongest dirt – You are not like OMO – se monyolane
Let each and every one of us strive for humility in His service.
We also gather to remember those who have passed on because of AIDS and those who are affected. I want to say to all of us today that HIV is not a killer – your attitude towards it is. If you keep telling yourself that you will die – you will die before your actual death. Living with a virus in your body is not being dead. Imagine the many people who are diabetic, hypertensive etc. Some people live for a very long time with the disease because they take care of their bodies. You need to eat properly, exercise – walk and do physical chores - and refrain from stressing yourself about the virus. Tell that virus that your God is bigger than it.
As a church we need to stop stigmatising people who are living with the virus. Never judge but accept. Christ accepts us as we are, and expects us to be part of the solution that brings healing – to create an environment where people are welcomed. “The Church needs to repent of the self-righteous attitude of Pharisee, in order to become a community of healing and acceptance” MP Dibeela’s article “Repentance” – AfricaPraying (Dube W. Musa ed. 112:2004).
If you know your status
- Don’t spread the virus if you are it
- If you are have the virus, it is not the end of life for you
- If you don’t have the virus - Keep it safe and protect yourself from getting it
If you don’t know your status
- Get tested
- Keep safe and protect yourself
We all need to support each other
- Let us be servant to those who are affected and infected by this disease
- Talk to counsellors when you need help or when we are feeling down
Count your blessings one by one. You may not be educated, you may not be rich, you nay not have the best relationship, you may not have good health right, you may not have all you want in life , but hey, look at what you have and thank God for it. Treasure your gift, nurture it and USE to God glory
To God, be the glory forever!
Amen
