The gospel of Mark has one resounding theme:  Being A Servant

 

From beginning to end, the book walks through the life of Jesus and emphasizes servanthood and Jesus’ compelling case for Kingdom Competition.

 

God understands competition.  1 Corinthians 9:24, He tells us to run the race to get the prize.  In 2 Timothy 2:3-7 Paul tells us to act as a Soldier, an athlete, and a farmer.  Both of these verses say God CARES about competition. He cares about us doing our very best and being our very best.

 

Today, I would like to talk about Kingdom Competition.

 

Mark 9  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, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

 

Jesus understood the world, but the world could not even fathom Jesus.

 

And after all, none of His plan made sense:

Born in shame, fleeing for His life, tempted in the wilderness to have ALL HE COULD WANT, and on and on and on………

 

He wanted to show us that this side of the Kingdom was not meant for our gain.  And while God understands and encourages being our very best—He also strongly suggests giving up all worldly gain to walk forward in the Kingdom.

 

This culminates in Mark 10:35-45 in what I would refer to as “the servant verse”, as He challenges all of us to be FIRST.  And when He says FIRST, He means: LAST

 

God wants us to SURRENDER and no one “in a worldly mindset” could ever understand this.  But when we SURRENDER to God we are giving up something that is not sustainable in exchange for something INFINITE and PERFECT and BEYOND OUR GREATEST DREAMS.

 

God challenges us to test Him in this.  Now….I know that I am walking on thin ice here.  Because even Jesus says: “We shall not put God to the test” —

And I agree with that.

But this is the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Full of Grace and Truth. Without Fail the Hope of the World.

So—

If you have never committed to Jesus I want to challenge you this very day to TEST HIM.

Ask Him:  “LORD, come and show me that you are real.  SHOW me hope in my soul that I can HAVE ETERNAL LIFE and even HOPE FOR TODAY.  Come and REVEAL YOURSELF TO ME.”

 

And if you have committed to Jesus I want to challenge you to WORSHIP.  To truly ENTER INTO WORSHIP.  To FALL ON YOUR KNEES AND SURRENDER to the One who holds the keys to the kingdom.

 

Victory is in the scarred hands of the Savior.  It is in the hands of the One who defeated death.

 

And you can challenge Him with all the world has—broken financial markets, broken families, Coronavirus, even death…….

But none of those or any other thing that you might bring before Him will even make Him blink an eye.

Because He, and He ALONE, is the King.  The

HOLY

PERFECT

UNDEFEATED

LOVING

FORGIVING

ALL POWERFUL

ALL RECEIVING

KING

And NOTHING in all creation can ever change that.

Forever Reign…One Sonic Society

You are good, You are good, when there’s nothing good in me

You are love, You are love, on display for all to see

You are light, You are light, when the darkness closes in

You are hope, You are hope, You have covered all our sin

You are peace, You are peace, when my fear is crippling

You are truth, You are truth, even in my wandering

You are joy, You are joy, You are the reason that I sing

You are life, You are life, even death has lost its sting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D19z7wzXAMg

 

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

 

 

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Coach J