WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.025 --> 00:00:04.025 Grace, mercy, and peace, be unto you from God, our Father and from our 2 00:00:04.025 --> 00:00:06.025 Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 3 00:00:06.425 --> 00:00:09.725 The text is the text that was read or the Gospel reading. 4 00:00:09.725 --> 00:00:14.425 So, you know, that's the third time that I've been assigned this text. 5 00:00:15.325 --> 00:00:19.325 I'm starting to, you know, think that maybe there's out to get me, but 6 00:00:20.725 --> 00:00:21.225 I don't know. 7 00:00:21.425 --> 00:00:24.025 Maybe I need to hear this and maybe you do too. 8 00:00:25.125 --> 00:00:30.225 Today's text is about Jesus teaching his disciples. Now, he's not 9 00:00:30.525 --> 00:00:31.925 teaching the crowds. 10 00:00:32.125 --> 00:00:37.125 In fact, he's a running a seminar with his disciples and he's passing 11 00:00:37.125 --> 00:00:37.925 through Galilee 12 00:00:37.925 --> 00:00:41.825 and the text says that he didn't want the people to know, because he 13 00:00:41.825 --> 00:00:43.025 needed some face time 14 00:00:43.025 --> 00:00:48.625 some face time with his disciples. And just like good students 15 00:00:49.425 --> 00:00:52.925 his disciples were too afraid to ask him, any questions. 16 00:00:54.525 --> 00:00:54.925 Yeah. 17 00:00:55.825 --> 00:00:58.025 Even if they didn't understand what he was saying, they weren't going 18 00:00:58.025 --> 00:01:02.125 to ask him not by the way, what profs want from students while at 19 00:01:02.125 --> 00:01:02.925 least most of us 20 00:01:02.925 --> 00:01:03.425 Profs. 21 00:01:03.925 --> 00:01:05.325 We want you to ask questions 22 00:01:05.325 --> 00:01:06.425 just not too many. 23 00:01:08.625 --> 00:01:12.225 Well anyway, so when they get to Capernaum, Jesus actually finds out 24 00:01:12.225 --> 00:01:16.225 what his students have been have been talking about, although nobody 25 00:01:16.225 --> 00:01:20.025 wanted to tell him, you notice that. And I suppose he could have gone 26 00:01:20.025 --> 00:01:24.925 to ratemyprofessor.com and he could have found out what his disciples 27 00:01:24.925 --> 00:01:25.525 thought 28 00:01:25.625 --> 00:01:29.025 about him, you know then again, of course, he didn't need to. 29 00:01:29.725 --> 00:01:31.725 He already knew what they were talking about. 30 00:01:31.725 --> 00:01:36.425 And you know, I actually don't find it all that hard to believe that 31 00:01:36.425 --> 00:01:39.425 they were having a discussion among themselves about who was the 32 00:01:39.425 --> 00:01:40.225 greatest. 33 00:01:41.625 --> 00:01:43.425 They were the hottest ticket in town. 34 00:01:43.825 --> 00:01:47.325 I mean, Jesus was coming into his own and they were along for the 35 00:01:47.325 --> 00:01:48.125 ride. 36 00:01:48.825 --> 00:01:51.425 I don't find it hard to believe that they were talking about fame. 37 00:01:51.425 --> 00:01:54.125 In fact, I could almost hear David Bowie's song in the background 38 00:01:54.125 --> 00:01:54.425 there. 39 00:01:55.125 --> 00:01:59.725 Although I do find it quite disappointing that this is what they were 40 00:01:59.725 --> 00:02:00.825 talking about. 41 00:02:01.725 --> 00:02:04.625 It makes you wonder what they were talking about on Good Friday 42 00:02:04.625 --> 00:02:06.625 morning after they had all run away 43 00:02:06.625 --> 00:02:08.225 when Jesus was arrested. 44 00:02:09.625 --> 00:02:16.425 Who's the greatest, or who's the fastest. Today's text, from Mark 9, 45 00:02:16.425 --> 00:02:20.525 is a text for seminarians and for professors and for leaders in the 46 00:02:20.525 --> 00:02:26.425 church and frankly for anybody who thinks he's all that, you know. Who 47 00:02:27.225 --> 00:02:32.725 is the greatest? Kind of reminds me of Ron Burgundy, talking to his 48 00:02:32.725 --> 00:02:36.525 fellow reporter that he's hitting on when he rebuffs here, is when she 49 00:02:36.525 --> 00:02:37.925 rebuffed his advances. 50 00:02:38.425 --> 00:02:39.025 Remember, he has that whole 51 00:02:39.225 --> 00:02:43.725 speech saying, you know, do you know who I am? 52 00:02:44.225 --> 00:02:48.525 I don't know how to put this but I'm actually kind of a big deal. 53 00:02:49.625 --> 00:02:50.925 Yeah, I'm very important. 54 00:02:50.925 --> 00:02:56.025 I have very many leather-bound books, and my apartment smells of rich 55 00:02:56.025 --> 00:02:57.025 mahogany. 56 00:02:58.225 --> 00:03:00.525 I mean, what a doofus. 57 00:03:00.525 --> 00:03:03.225 You know, I guess that's why it's so funny. 58 00:03:04.925 --> 00:03:07.225 But these disciples weren't all that different. 59 00:03:07.225 --> 00:03:10.925 They were beginning to realize that being with Jesus was kind of a big 60 00:03:10.925 --> 00:03:11.525 deal. 61 00:03:12.125 --> 00:03:14.125 People were starting to pay attention. 62 00:03:15.025 --> 00:03:18.625 Maybe even had some groupies, who knows, they definitely had large 63 00:03:18.625 --> 00:03:22.625 crowds following them, I should correct that to say following 64 00:03:22.625 --> 00:03:26.425 Jesus, but they were his entourage. 65 00:03:26.425 --> 00:03:30.525 So like a good teacher, he pops that delusional bubble of, there's 66 00:03:30.525 --> 00:03:31.625 pretty fast. 67 00:03:33.025 --> 00:03:36.925 If anyone would be first, he must be last of all. 68 00:03:38.225 --> 00:03:39.525 And servant of all. 69 00:03:41.325 --> 00:03:43.025 Bummer Jesus. 70 00:03:44.325 --> 00:03:47.025 I mean, the disciples had entered into what I'd like to call the 71 00:03:47.025 --> 00:03:52.625 danger zone, not the Twilight Zone, but the danger zone, you know, the 72 00:03:52.625 --> 00:03:56.625 danger zone is where Top Guns like to hang out for those of you who 73 00:03:56.625 --> 00:04:00.625 remember that movie in the song that goes with it. But the danger zone 74 00:04:00.625 --> 00:04:04.125 is really a place that you don't want to go if you're in church work. 75 00:04:05.825 --> 00:04:10.125 But it's kind of like gravity. Gravity for seminarians and new pastors 76 00:04:10.125 --> 00:04:13.625 and leaders and important people in general in the church. 77 00:04:14.225 --> 00:04:17.125 You can end up there in the danger zone because that's where our 78 00:04:17.125 --> 00:04:21.225 natural proclivities are. On some level 79 00:04:21.225 --> 00:04:25.225 even if we're too embarrassed to say it, like the disciples were 80 00:04:26.625 --> 00:04:28.525 We do believe, we're kind of a big deal. 81 00:04:29.125 --> 00:04:32.525 I mean, that's the danger zone thinking, you're bigger than you really 82 00:04:32.525 --> 00:04:33.225 are. 83 00:04:34.525 --> 00:04:35.625 Pastors are bad at this 84 00:04:35.625 --> 00:04:41.425 but so, our moms and dad, bosses and CEOs, rage road, rage, 85 00:04:41.425 --> 00:04:44.325 participants and pretty much anybody 86 00:04:44.325 --> 00:04:46.625 who at some point is thought they were a big deal. 87 00:04:48.525 --> 00:04:52.025 Now, you know I teach church history, which is not a big deal. 88 00:04:52.125 --> 00:04:55.625 You know, I know but I do have to bring in the church fathers at some 89 00:04:55.625 --> 00:04:57.725 point and I'm not going to disappoint you on that. 90 00:04:57.725 --> 00:05:01.025 In fact, I want to talk about the 5th Century 91 00:05:01.025 --> 00:05:02.625 African Bishop Augustine. 92 00:05:03.425 --> 00:05:07.525 He actually was a rock star even in his own day at least as far as the 93 00:05:07.525 --> 00:05:08.825 church was concerned. 94 00:05:10.225 --> 00:05:13.325 But he was very aware of the danger zone that theme can bring. 95 00:05:13.325 --> 00:05:17.025 I mean, he would agree with Severus Snape Scotland to Harry clearly 96 00:05:17.025 --> 00:05:17.525 fame 97 00:05:17.525 --> 00:05:18.725 isn't everything. 98 00:05:19.825 --> 00:05:22.625 But not all the pastors he would supervise got this. 99 00:05:22.925 --> 00:05:27.225 He tells of the, especially troubling case of the young lector in his 100 00:05:27.225 --> 00:05:29.725 diocese, who was only 20 years old. 101 00:05:30.825 --> 00:05:34.625 But he was ordained Bishop of the village of Fasulo as Augustine says, 102 00:05:34.625 --> 00:05:39.425 without first having any experience in clerical orders. The soul of 103 00:05:39.425 --> 00:05:40.025 the young, man 104 00:05:40.025 --> 00:05:43.325 he says, who had suddenly ascended to the office of Bishop without any 105 00:05:43.325 --> 00:05:48.125 merit for previous efforts became frightened. But after seeing that, 106 00:05:48.125 --> 00:05:52.425 both the faithful and the clerics were subject to him and recognizing 107 00:05:52.425 --> 00:05:54.225 the situation for what it was. 108 00:05:55.325 --> 00:05:58.325 He became swelled up with the arrogance of despotism. 109 00:05:59.025 --> 00:06:03.725 And instead of teaching through the power of the word, he resorted to 110 00:06:03.725 --> 00:06:06.025 compelling everything by commands. 111 00:06:06.725 --> 00:06:10.525 He was pleased to be feared when he saw that he could not make himself 112 00:06:10.725 --> 00:06:11.725 loved. 113 00:06:13.725 --> 00:06:16.625 This is a very painful experience for Augustine. 114 00:06:18.025 --> 00:06:20.025 And I think it had to be pretty painful for Jesus 115 00:06:20.025 --> 00:06:23.225 too when he saw his disciples arguing over, who was the greatest and 116 00:06:23.225 --> 00:06:25.625 who would sit on his right or his left. 117 00:06:26.425 --> 00:06:29.025 This is not what the church is supposed to be about. 118 00:06:29.025 --> 00:06:31.625 This is not who he came to save. 119 00:06:33.225 --> 00:06:34.625 He came to save, sinners. 120 00:06:36.025 --> 00:06:39.625 Or at least people who acknowledge that where they are and what they 121 00:06:39.625 --> 00:06:44.025 are. Pride is one of the oldest temptations in the book 122 00:06:44.025 --> 00:06:46.025 frankly Satan himself had a bout with it 123 00:06:46.025 --> 00:06:47.725 apparently, even before he tempted 124 00:06:47.725 --> 00:06:52.425 Eve and Adam. Pride has always been a danger zone for God's people 125 00:06:52.425 --> 00:06:53.125 and even more 126 00:06:53.125 --> 00:06:56.325 so for his church and its leaders, 127 00:06:57.225 --> 00:07:00.325 This is why Peter in his first letter to the churches, has this to 128 00:07:00.325 --> 00:07:02.725 say to the presbyters to the leaders of the church. 129 00:07:02.725 --> 00:07:03.425 He says, 130 00:07:04.625 --> 00:07:04.825 I 131 00:07:04.825 --> 00:07:05.825 exhort the presbyters 132 00:07:05.825 --> 00:07:08.525 amoung you to tend the flock of God. 133 00:07:09.325 --> 00:07:13.025 Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. 134 00:07:13.925 --> 00:07:18.225 Clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with other for God 135 00:07:18.225 --> 00:07:20.825 opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 136 00:07:21.725 --> 00:07:25.825 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's Almighty hand and in due 137 00:07:25.825 --> 00:07:28.525 time, he will lift you up. 138 00:07:30.225 --> 00:07:32.425 I mean, sometimes God does the humbling for you. 139 00:07:33.225 --> 00:07:36.825 I know he did that for me more times than I can count in my Ministry. 140 00:07:38.225 --> 00:07:38.925 Humility 141 00:07:38.925 --> 00:07:42.125 having a servant attitude is especially important for those of you who 142 00:07:42.125 --> 00:07:43.625 in less than a year 143 00:07:43.925 --> 00:07:45.725 will be entering the danger zone. 144 00:07:47.125 --> 00:07:50.225 As well as those of you already in it, like me. 145 00:07:51.325 --> 00:07:55.425 It's necessary because pastors do still carry some authority in 146 00:07:55.425 --> 00:07:59.625 people's lives, even if our society and culture continues to whittle 147 00:07:59.625 --> 00:08:00.525 away at it. 148 00:08:01.725 --> 00:08:06.625 You will be a public figure, a person that actually people look up to 149 00:08:07.025 --> 00:08:11.125 for leadership, with great power comes great responsibility. 150 00:08:11.125 --> 00:08:14.625 Spider-Man's, Uncle tells him, but it's true. 151 00:08:15.625 --> 00:08:18.525 You know, when you start out, it doesn't always feel that way. 152 00:08:18.525 --> 00:08:22.325 Oh, I mean, when I received my first call, I looked even younger than 153 00:08:22.325 --> 00:08:23.225 Luke does. 154 00:08:23.225 --> 00:08:23.625 Yeah. 155 00:08:23.825 --> 00:08:25.325 If you can believe that. 156 00:08:25.325 --> 00:08:26.925 Yeah, I did. 157 00:08:26.925 --> 00:08:30.525 I was the last person people thought was the pastor at the church when 158 00:08:30.525 --> 00:08:33.725 they visited the church, but even when I felt like I was Rodney 159 00:08:33.725 --> 00:08:36.925 Dangerfield in the ministry, you know, Rodney Dangerfield was the 160 00:08:36.925 --> 00:08:40.625 comedian who said I get no respect, you know. Even then I would have 161 00:08:40.625 --> 00:08:44.125 to admit that the temptation to Lord it over others 162 00:08:45.125 --> 00:08:48.725 was there. There's a little bit of Augustin's lecture 163 00:08:48.725 --> 00:08:52.425 in other words in each one of us Church leader or not 164 00:08:53.025 --> 00:08:56.925 and Jesus knew that. He also knew his disciples were full of 165 00:08:56.925 --> 00:08:57.625 themselves 166 00:08:57.625 --> 00:09:01.725 and so he takes a child in his arms and says, you know, this this 167 00:09:01.725 --> 00:09:04.725 child is demonstrating the proper posture of a leader. 168 00:09:06.325 --> 00:09:09.725 Total dependence on one who brought him into this world. 169 00:09:10.025 --> 00:09:12.325 Total dependence on the one who's carrying him. 170 00:09:13.725 --> 00:09:16.825 Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians how far Jesus was 171 00:09:16.825 --> 00:09:20.325 willing to go, even though he was in very nature, God yet 172 00:09:20.325 --> 00:09:23.125 he humbled himself becoming obedient unto death. 173 00:09:24.125 --> 00:09:26.025 And he says, even death on a cross. 174 00:09:26.025 --> 00:09:29.625 And as we heard yesterday, the cross is one of the most humiliating 175 00:09:29.625 --> 00:09:31.725 forms of torture and death that's out there. 176 00:09:33.125 --> 00:09:36.525 And yet this is what the king of the universe put himself through for 177 00:09:36.525 --> 00:09:39.225 you, for me, for us 178 00:09:39.225 --> 00:09:40.725 and for our Salvation. 179 00:09:41.625 --> 00:09:42.625 He humbled himself 180 00:09:42.625 --> 00:09:45.725 so we could be exalted. He emptied himself 181 00:09:45.725 --> 00:09:46.725 so we could be filled. 182 00:09:46.725 --> 00:09:47.625 This is the attitude 183 00:09:47.625 --> 00:09:49.725 Paul says, you should have. 184 00:09:50.325 --> 00:09:52.525 Think of others better than yourselves, 185 00:09:52.525 --> 00:09:53.125 he says. 186 00:09:54.525 --> 00:09:56.525 And the disciples had forgotten this. 187 00:09:56.525 --> 00:09:59.325 And there's a danger we Servants of God might to such 188 00:09:59.325 --> 00:10:03.225 is life in the danger zone. Augustine knew 189 00:10:04.125 --> 00:10:08.625 and we know, and so did another African Bishop named Cyprian that I 190 00:10:08.625 --> 00:10:11.325 want to leave you with this morning. Before 191 00:10:11.325 --> 00:10:12.325 he became a bishop 192 00:10:12.325 --> 00:10:13.525 he was a government official. 193 00:10:13.525 --> 00:10:17.925 He was all that, but he ended up giving up everything for his Lord, 194 00:10:17.925 --> 00:10:22.025 including paying the ultimate sacrifice for his faith, when he was 195 00:10:22.025 --> 00:10:24.225 martyred in 258 during the Valerian 196 00:10:24.625 --> 00:10:25.125 persecution. 197 00:10:26.425 --> 00:10:31.025 So I'd like to leave you with this prayer that he prayed, and I would 198 00:10:31.025 --> 00:10:32.625 like to close the sermon with this. 199 00:10:34.125 --> 00:10:34.825 Almighty God who 200 00:10:34.825 --> 00:10:38.625 resists the proud and gives grace to the humble, send your Holy 201 00:10:38.625 --> 00:10:42.125 Spirit and let that mind being us, which was also in Christ Jesus, 202 00:10:42.825 --> 00:10:44.925 that we may be meek and lowly of heart. 203 00:10:44.925 --> 00:10:50.025 And never by a foolish pride, provoke your indignation, but receiving 204 00:10:50.025 --> 00:10:52.925 into humble and thankful hearts, the gifts of your providence, and of 205 00:10:52.925 --> 00:10:54.325 your grace, may 206 00:10:54.325 --> 00:10:56.825 thereby be continually refreshed. 207 00:10:57.125 --> 00:11:01.025 Teach us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. 208 00:11:01.025 --> 00:11:06.225 To be modest in speech. Just and merciful in action and benevolent 209 00:11:06.225 --> 00:11:10.625 to all. Let us prefer nothing to him who preferred nothing to our 210 00:11:10.625 --> 00:11:15.925 Salvation, but grant us that adhering inseparably to his kingdom and 211 00:11:15.925 --> 00:11:18.025 standing bravely by his cross. 212 00:11:18.025 --> 00:11:20.425 We may be found faithful unto death 213 00:11:20.425 --> 00:11:25.425 and at the end made be admitted into the joy of his Most Blessed 214 00:11:25.425 --> 00:11:26.925 presence. Through 215 00:11:27.225 --> 00:11:28.425 Jesus Christ Our Lord. 216 00:11:29.025 --> 00:11:29.525 Amen. 217 00:11:31.825 --> 00:11:34.725 And the peace of God, which passes all human understanding, shall keep 218 00:11:34.725 --> 00:11:37.525 your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus and into life 219 00:11:37.525 --> 00:11:38.325 everlasting. 220 00:11:39.125 --> 00:11:39.525 Amen.