The example of the cross - 10 April 2009 |
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The famous Antarctic explorer, Ernest Shackleton, reportedly placed the following advertisement in a newspaper:
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.
Not a very attractive proposition, is it? I imagine that many enthusiastic explorers were dissuaded from applying! But this was no doubt Shackleton’s intention. He knew that his own path would be marked by hardship and struggle, and he knew that those who followed him must be prepared for the same.
The Lord Jesus was equally clear about the hardships that awaited him, and just as honest about the likely cost to his followers. In Mark 8, when Peter finally recognised Jesus as the Christ, Jesus immediately began to explain that he himself ‘must suffer many things and that he must be killed’ (Mark 8:31). Anyone wanting to be Jesus’ disciple ‘must deny himself and take up his cross’ (v. 34) and follow him.
We’re already seen that Jesus turned aside God’s wrath from his people and defeated the devil at the cross. Let’s now think about the third great achievement of the cross: it provides the ultimate example of sacrificial service of others.
This seems to be a lesson that James and John had trouble grasping. They were going up to Jerusalem (Mark 10:32), where Jesus knew that death awaited him. Let’s pick up the story from v. 35:
And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’
Always a smart move: try to get someone to agree before you make an outrageous request. The conversation continues with Jesus’ reply (v. 36):
And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’
They’re asking for the places of ultimate privilege among God’s people. They want to sit at the top table in his everlasting kingdom. They want the places of honour in the New Creation; they want the highest reward.
The interesting thing is that Jesus doesn’t actually rebuke them for desiring places of honour. It would have been easy for Jesus to say, ‘No, you can’t have the high places. In fact, you shouldn’t even be seeking them. You should want to have nothing at all – ever – in the kingdom of God.’
But he doesn’t say this. He tells them that they don’t know what they’re talking about, and he tells them that it is his Father’s prerogative to grant blessings in the New Creation. But he doesn’t criticise the desire for blessing. On the contrary, the Bible explicitly encourages us to seek blessings from God. Take Psalm 37:4, for example:
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
So what was the disciples’ problem? The answer comes later, when the rest of the disciples hear about this conversation, and start arguing among themselves.
And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, ‘You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. (vv. 41-44)
Here’s the problem. Jesus’ disciples are competing with each other, striving for positions of authority. They all want to be the boss, and they want it now. They want to be in charge, they want to be respected, and admired, and privileged, and they don’t want to wait. And they certainly don’t want any hardship along the way. They’re acting just like the rest of the world – just like ‘the rulers of the Gentiles’ (v. 42). They don’t want life to cost them anything. They want God’s blessings at the expense of everyone else.
Again, notice that Jesus doesn’t criticise the desire to be ‘great’. On the contrary, in vv. 43-44 he assumes that it is a good thing! But he gives a simple recipe for achieving true greatness: ‘whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.’
This is the route to true greatness: slavery. If you want to be first (and you should, according to Jesus), you need to place yourself at the bottom of the pile. You need to place everyone else’s concerns above yours. Because the first will be last, and the last first.
And who’s the ultimate example of true greatness? Where do you have to look if you want to see how to be ‘first’? Look at v. 45:
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Jesus’ death on the cross is the ultimate example of true service. He did the costliest thing possible, to bring the greatest benefit possible, to as many people as possible, all at his own expense. Jesus was a slave, and Jesus is our example.
So whenever you find yourself in any situation, at any time where you’re not sure what to do, just ask yourself this simple question: ‘What would a slave do’? Because that’s what Jesus would do. So it’s what we should do.
This is the example of the cross.
Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Bible, Easter meditations, Minister's Blog