"Server" Nov 11, 2018
Overview
The Server: Greatness Found in Stooping Low
The closing word in our series on The Mission—after the cross, light, and the heartbeat of love for God—is server. Mark 10 sets the scene with striking irony. Jesus has just delivered a clear passion prediction: "the Son of Man will be handed over… they will mock him, spit upon him, flog him, kill him, and after three days he will rise again" Mark 10:33-34. In response, James and John approach Him—not with awe or sorrow—but with a request: "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory" Mark 10:37. They treat Jesus as a genie who exists to grant their wishes, betraying a profound misunderstanding of His Lordship. The other ten are no better; they grow angry not because the request was inappropriate, but because they hadn't thought to ask first.
Jesus uses the moment to redefine greatness. He asks if they can drink His cup (suffering) and share His baptism (death). They claim they can—and remarkably, they do. James was later killed by the sword Acts 12:1-2, and John shared in persecution Revelation 1:9. Then Jesus delivers the heart of the matter: "Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant… For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many" Mark 10:43-45. Greatness is not measured by position, title, salary, or seat in the boardroom. It is measured by stooping low. And nowhere is that greatness displayed more fully than at the cross, where Jesus bore our sin, paid the ransom with His own blood, and was raised as God's validation that the sacrifice was accepted.
Scripture consistently calls God's people into this same posture of service—turning from idols "to serve a living and true God" 1 Thessalonians 1:9, worshiping and serving the Lord alone Matthew 4:10, and being "ardent in spirit, serve the Lord" Romans 12:11. Yet here is the wonder: when we gather for the worship service, we are not primarily the ones serving. Our Lutheran brothers and sisters call it the divine service—a fitting name. God calls His church together because He has something to give us. In the absolution, the reading and proclamation of the Word, the music that delivers the truth, and the body and blood of Christ in Holy Communion, God Himself is the one serving His people. Even in Acts 6, when the apostles devoted themselves to "prayer and to serving the word" Acts 6:2-4, the ultimate Servant behind that ministry was God Himself.
This is amazing grace. The Server comes to serve us with His Word and Sacrament, and from that overflowing well, He brings forth servants. The mission remains the same—across the street and around the world: to love the Lord our God, to proclaim and live the truth in Jesus' name. Greatness is not found in standing tall, but in stooping low, because the One who washed feet and bore the cross dwells among His people still—and through them continues to serve the world.
Transcript
Would you open your Bible, please, with me to the 10th chapter of the Gospel of Mark for our study today? 0s
These past several weeks, we have been studying in the sermon series entitled The Mission. 7s
This series has focused on what it is that we are to be about as a people of God. 15s
What it is that the Scripture calls us to be as the church. 21s
And just to briefly refresh your memory. 28s
The first Sunday, we took a look at the subject of the Crocs. 31s
At the end of the day, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, 36s
what is that which we are to be about? 42s
But it is proclaiming Christ crucified and risen. 47s
The Crocs, the Crocs from which we get that word, the Crocs is the Crocs. 54s
Second week, we took a look at light. 63s
As the people of God, we are to be light amidst a sea of darkness in the world. 67s
It does not take long to make a case for the existence of the darkness of sin in the world. 75s
We see daily examples of that in the world and in our own lives. 83s
The choice then, as we study that comes to the church, is will we curse the darkness? 93s
Or will we be who we are? 100s
A light amidst the darkness, bearing the light of Christ. 103s
Last week was the examination of the heartbeat of our mission. 112s
We studied that great refrain that we have been singing to. 120s
Love the Lord, our God, is the heartbeat of our mission. 124s
And as part of that song that we have been singing week after week, 128s
we see that our mission is not only across the street, but it is around the world. 134s
It is the concentric circles that we have studied of the book of Acts, Jerusalem, 140s
then the next circle Judea and Samaria, and then the next circle to the ends of the earth. 145s
Jesus says, you are going to be my witnesses in all three of these circles. 150s
So we studied last week about the wonderful and special ministry that the Lord is equipping and 157s
powering this congregation to be about in greater ways in 2019 as we equip one another and send forth one another to various mission points in our Jerusalem in our Judea and Samaria into the ends of the earth. 164s
The Crocs, light, heart beat, and the concluding message in the series today, server. 188s
We studied today in the 10th chapter of the Gospel of Mark and to help set the context of Jesus' words. 207s
I'd like to back up a little bit with you to the 10th chapter verse 37, please. 214s
There you have James and John coming up to Jesus. 222s
And in verse 37 is recorded and they said to him, grant us to sit, 227s
one at your right hand, and one at your left in your glory. 232s
Those are the positions of honor. 240s
Right on the left seat and one at the right seat of Jesus Christ. 244s
To catch the audacity of this statement, back up even further. 252s
Look at verse 33. 260s
Jesus gives a passion prediction. 262s
He says, see we are going up to Jerusalem. 264s
The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. 267s
They will condemn him to death. 273s
Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles. 276s
They will mock him, spit upon him, flog him, kill him, and after three days he will rise again. 280s
This is a clear statement of Jesus. 290s
What is now increasingly becoming sooner and sooner for him? 294s
This is the passion prediction of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 299s
Then in verse 35, James and John the sons of Zebidies came forward to him and said, 309s
the teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. 315s
And remember the context of this. 321s
Jesus has just given the passion prediction that he's going to suffer, be killed, and rise, 324s
and James and John's response is we want you to do for us whatever we ask of the Lord. 334s
You talk about an absence of the understanding of the Lordship of Jesus. 345s
Talk about casting Jesus as some type of Jeannie in the bottle or butler that simply responds to whatever 354s
whim you have, the audacity of this statement and the profound misunderstanding. 363s
Of James and John. 374s
And then to say, this is what we want you to do for us. 379s
We want to sit in the places of honor at your right and your left. 385s
Jesus turns verse 38, says to them, 400s
you do not know what you are asking. 408s
Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 412s
Now the cup there when you let other portions of Scripture help you understand it. 425s
The cup there is the cup of suffering. 430s
And when you let other portions of Scripture help you understand how baptism is used there. 434s
Baptism is used to mean death. 440s
So Jesus then is turning to James and John and says, 444s
are you able to suffer with me? 449s
And in fact are you able to die for the faith? 454s
Remember the context Jesus said, this is what's going to happen to me. 462s
They say, we want you to do whatever we it is that we ask of you. 466s
And in fact, we want to sit one in your right and one in your left and Jesus says, 469s
you understand this? Are you able to be able to drink of this cup? 473s
Are you able to be baptized with the baptism? 482s
I'm going to be baptized when you understand what we're talking about here. 486s
Notice the response. 39. 492s
We're able. 496s
Then Jesus said to them, the cup that I drink, you will drink and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized. 499s
Acts 12 chapter. Scripture says, 509s
about that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belong to the church. 512s
He had James the brother of John killed with the sword. 518s
Revelation 1. 525s
John, I John your brother who share with you in Jesus the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance. 526s
Are you able? We're able. 538s
And it's exactly what happened. 540s
Exactly what Jesus said, what happened to them? What did they experience? 542s
The experience, the cup of suffering, the experience of the baptism. 547s
Up to. 556s
Verse 40. 559s
Jesus says, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared. 562s
When the 10 heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 572s
What's the cause of their anger here? 581s
Are they angry because it's a anger where they would think to themselves, 584s
how dare you? How dare you ask Jesus of this? 589s
Who has just said he's going to go to the cross? 594s
It's going to be scourge. He's going to be mocked. He's going to be crucified. 597s
And James and John, your concern, your concern is where you're going to be. 601s
Your concern is the position on the right and on the left is that the anger here of the rest of the disciples? 607s
You know why they're angry? 620s
Because they didn't think of this themselves. 625s
Because they didn't ask Jesus themselves. 628s
Because they didn't put themselves in the position to get the seats of honor. 638s
That's why they're angry. 653s
So there's the backdrop. 658s
And this occasion is a teaching moment for Jesus. 662s
It's a teaching moment in Jesus' seasons upon it. 667s
Look at your bulletin, please. 673s
What's on the very front cover? The picture there. 674s
That picture on your bulletin is the visual presentation of the sermon this morning. 681s
That's the sermon. 689s
There's the cross with the big letters server on it. 692s
That's the sermon. 700s
Notice Jesus' response, verse 42 now of our text. 702s
So Jesus called them and said to them, 707s
You know that among the Gentiles, those whom they recognize as their rulers, 712s
Lord it over them and their great ones are tyrants over them. 717s
It is not so among you. 724s
But whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant. 728s
And whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 734s
For the Son of Man, the most popular designation of Messiah, 742s
the title of Jesus, by the way, in Scripture. 746s
The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. 749s
Jesus says, your greatness isn't found in the seat that you have in heaven, 758s
your greatness is in serving. 766s
He says, what did the Son of Man come to do? 772s
The Son of Man came to serve. 776s
He gave his life as a ransom for many. 782s
When Jesus Christ went to the cross, our sin and our rebellion was laid upon him. 790s
He paid the debt price for us. 798s
The ransom was his life. 801s
He paid it with his own shed blood and his life. 804s
It's that as we've talked about the substitutionary atonement of Christ. 809s
Jesus Christ took our place to affect atonement at one mint with God Almighty. 813s
That comes through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 820s
Jesus says, this is greatness. 825s
Greatness is found in servanthood. 827s
And there is no greater example of servanthood than the Messiah who gives his life 830s
for the world on the cross, 837s
effecting reconciliation and forgiveness. 842s
Jesus being raised out of the tomb, the validation that the sacrifice for sin had been accepted. 848s
Jesus turns to James and John. 855s
He instructs them and the disciples and he says, this is what you are to be about. 857s
This is greatness. 865s
It is found in serving. 870s
It doesn't come with position. 875s
It doesn't come with title. 877s
It doesn't come with where you sit in the boardroom. 879s
It doesn't come in your position in workplace. 883s
It doesn't come with how much money you make. 887s
It doesn't come with how much stuff you accumulate. 890s
This is greatness. 893s
One one stoopes. 898s
This is hard. 902s
It's interesting, isn't it? 906s
That as we gather is the people of God for our time of worship. 909s
What do we call this? 916s
We call it a service, right? 919s
You're at a town and you're looking for a place to worship. 924s
You go on some websites and typically what a church will say is our service or our service times. 928s
Our worship service, 845 and 11. 939s
The word serve comes from it. 945s
It's the call throughout Scripture. 949s
First, theologians, the first chapter, for the people of those regions report about us, what kind of welcome we had among you. 951s
And how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God. 960s
Matthew 4th chapter. 969s
Jesus said to him away with you, Satan, for it is written worship the Lord your God and serve only him. 970s
Romans 12, do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit. 979s
Serve the Lord. 984s
It is the consistent call in Scripture for us to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. 986s
So as we gather then on the Lord's day, as we gather for the service, we call it a worship service because it is a reminder that we are to be a people in service, right? 994s
Right? 1016s
We call it a worship service because the focus is on us serving the Lord on the Lord's day. 1019s
So we call it a worship service, right? 1039s
Right? 1057s
I think of Acts 6 chapter that we studied a few weeks ago. 1063s
Remember the situation in the early church? 1069s
You had the Hellenistic Jews, the Jews that had the Greek background, you had the Hebrew Jews. 1072s
There was a problem. 1078s
There was the accusation that the widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 1080s
Hellenistic Jews were making a complaint, and so there was a problem in the early church. 1087s
So remember how they solved that problem? 1094s
The apostles said, the 12 called together the whole community of the disciples and said, it is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 1098s
That was an arrogance on the part of the apostles. 1112s
That wasn't the apostles saying, look, that service is beneath us. 1115s
Those were the apostles who said, if we do that, it takes us away from what it is we are called to be about, which is studying and preparing and preaching and teaching. 1120s
And so what was the solution? They came up with. 1135s
They pulled together then seven people of good repute and full of the Holy Spirit that would demonstrate this program. 1138s
And the word that was given, they then said, for while we for our part will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word. 1147s
It delighted the church, it pleased the church, they moved people into their gift areas. The apostles then continue to do what it was that they were to be about serving the word. 1158s
Well, here's the question, who's word? 1169s
Is it that they were serving? 1174s
Well, the answer is given in verse two. 1178s
It's not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 1181s
The word of God, whose word is it? It is ultimately God. 1187s
So who then is serving when the word goes for? Who's serving? 1195s
It's God, right? It's God. 1203s
When we confess our sins and the absolute sin is given, who's the one who's serving here? 1209s
But it is God who comes with his word of absolute. 1220s
When the anthem is sung and the lyrics are wrapped in the music, where the music is the delivery vehicle for the proclamation of the word, 1224s
who is serving here ultimately? 1237s
It's God, right? 1243s
When the word is read, when the word is proclaimed, who's serving here? 1248s
It's God. 1256s
Remember, as I've shared in the past, the pastor is just the mailman. 1259s
So what we do, we just deliver the mail. 1266s
We deliver the word, we deliver the mail. 1269s
Who is ultimately serving? But it is God. 1273s
When we come forward and we receive the sacrament of holy communion. 1276s
When we receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1280s
given with bread and wine for the forgiveness of sin, who is it then? That is serving. 1284s
It is God. 1292s
Some of our Lutheran brothers and sisters, they call the worship service the divine service. 1297s
The divine service. 1305s
It's a really good designation. 1308s
And you know why it is that they call the worship service the divine service to remind us that the worship service is not us gathered on the Lord's day to serve God. 1311s
The worship service is God calling forth His church because God is going to serve us. 1323s
We call it the worship service because the server, the Lord Jesus Christ, is present in order to serve us once again. 1335s
Isn't that? 1368s
That's why God says, I command you to be here. 1371s
Because God says, I have something to give you. 1380s
Word and sacrament. 1387s
Worship service because God is the one who serves me. 1393s
Today I'm a response Sunday. 1408s
I love this Sunday. 1411s
I love the visual nature of when we come to the time of offering. 1413s
I love the visual nature of it. 1421s
And again, if you're visiting or if you're a member of the congregation and you've heard God's your pledge or you've got your offering for this morning, come anyway. 1426s
Because as the Scripture says, they gave themselves first to the Lord. 1437s
That's what we do when we come forward. 1440s
It is that visual, liturgical action reminding ourselves that indeed we give ourselves to the Lord and we give glory to God in that very physical action. 1443s
As we do that, in the music as we do that, it's going to be very familiar. 1462s
It's going to be the Him that we have sung these last three weeks. 1470s
And that Him is going to move right into the offering toory. 1476s
And the refrain is going to come once again. 1481s
And this is what we're going to say. 1485s
To love the Lord our God is the heartbeat of our mission. 1487s
The spring from which our service overflows. 1494s
Across the street around the world, the mission still the same. 1501s
Proclaim and live the truth in Jesus name. 1506s
You see, that's what the server is up to. 1510s
He serves us and then brings forth from us the very thing that He desires and what is it that He desires about service. 1514s
He brings forth from us service and God then looks at us and says, 1525s
That's greatness. 1531s
That's greatness. 1535s
Greatness isn't found in standing tall. 1538s
Greatness is found in stooping low in service. 1541s
And the server brings forth the response of service of a people in mission across the street. 1547s
And around the world. 1561s
Because the mission is still the same. 1567s
To love the Lord our God, it's the heartbeat. 1573s
And the server brings forth servants. 1581s
How beautiful is that? 1592s