Sermon written/preached by Glenn Morison, United Church Minister – Winnipeg, MB
Mark 9:30-37
They went on from there and passed through Galilee.
He did not want anyone to know it;
for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them,
“The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands,
and they will kill him, and three days after being killed,
he will rise again.”
But they did not understand what he was saying
and were afraid to ask him.
Then they came to Capernaum;
and when he was in the house he asked them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they were silent, for on the way
they had argued with one another who was the greatest.
He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them,
“Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”
Then he took a little child and put it among them;
and taking it in his arms, he said to them,
“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me,
and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me
but the one who sent me.”
When I say Shad do you know who I am talking about? [If no answers and explains] He is a rap artist who is a Christian. I saw him speak a few weeks ago where he talked about his creative process, and his own history and his connections with Christianity and social justice themes in his music.
I asked him about his name knowing he was named after Shadrach, who with Meshach and Abednego were put in a furnace but did not burn in Daniel chapter three. He said loves his name, wishes there were more of him. In fact, recorded a song entitled “I love my name” but didn’t mention it. Later on he was asked by a white haired professorial looking man if he thought of himself a prophet. Shad answered right away, “I am too popular to be a prophet. It got a laugh but I think he he was serious.
The question asker was seriously too, he replied, “Well I think you are.”
Mark 9: 35 “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all”
This verse is crucial both in the gospel that we read and in the gospel that we live. It comes after Jesus says that the apostles should not talk about him. In my sermon last week, I suggested that this was because the disciples were not ready, they had more to learn. They did not understand when Jesus predicts his own death.
As they journey towards Jerusalem, Jesus’ followers still had things to learn. Mark chapters nine and ten up the stakes constantly. They get constantly closer to the ace they chase. In fact, Jesus makes three predictions of his death before they arrive in Jerusalem.
Here is the point: Being a follower will soon have new consequences!
This theme, also most pronounced in Mark, is often referred to as Cost of Discipleship. My systematic theology professor from 1986, David Demson would be happy to know I still quote him in sermons. He used to say, life in Christ is more like being hit by a Mac truck than sitting in a comfortable chair. Even for those blessed with a womb to tomb faith, Christ in our life changes us so drastically, his image is apt.
The expression, If you want to follow Jesus you had better look good on wood, also comes to mind.
I have heard people tell stories of their own costs. Of how they have paid for their discipleship.
I often remember a man who testified in church about his wife criticizing him for being at church. He said this was proof that he was a doing God’s work. Later I spoke with him. I did not argue but asked a question: Is it all that different for the wife? Whether he was off drinking with friends or whether he was travelling to church services he was still not home. She was still raising their kids by herself. He looked angry. Was he angry at himself? Or was he angry at me? He didn’t say. To this day I do not know.
Or I can think of a minister who was asked to leave three successive churches saying he was a prophet who spoke the truth and that the successive firings were his crucifixion. I will be honest: I think in his case the firings were not because he was prophetic but because he was a self-centred ignoramus, a total nimrod.
Or more compassionately, a deeply broken man who should not have been ordained. For his sake and for our church’s sake.
Have you ever heard that just because you think everyone is out to get you doesn’t mean you are paranoid? I think is similar in that if you were persecuted and you were a Christian it doesn’t mean necessarily that you are persecuted for being Christian.
One of the things and inmate taught me was the phrase that when you point at someone else with one finger you have three of your own fingers pointed at yourself. This image reminds us to be careful of what you accuse others of as you may be subconsciously talking about yourself. I have told two stories critical of people pointing to their persecution as proof of their righteousness, of linking their own suffering to Christ’s. My three fingers are telling me to be careful
I could be talking about myself. I should be very careful. And I will be as I continue....
Being a caring person in jail was very difficult. In fact, I wrote an essay “Being a caring person in a non-caring place.” There was an officer who would often see me and say she’d come by, she was active in her 7th Day church and quite charismatic in her faith. Her name is Terri-Anne. Our visits were often the same. She would say I looked discouraged and talked to me about how the none of the officers liked me and how mean they were to me and the terrible ways they talked about me. And she would then would pray with me for my vindication. Vociferously. I was doing God’s work. She would say (or shout). After she left, I felt a little like I had been pasted against the wall but I appreciated it.
She was the prophet. She had it much harder than me. She was wearing a guard’s uniform and seen as a traitor. I was just a foolish naive chaplain, she should know better. And she is Metis and let’s just say that did not help her popularity much in a jail in Manitoba. And yet she sought me out to pray for me! A prophet, a hero, and a great officer all in one. Praise God, she is still there doing great work, I am sure.
And in a like way when I was working in the correctional system I took a clinical pastoral care course with a lovely and able supervisor. Good guy, a little up tight for my style, but I learned lots from him. One day asked me [his words - speaking of the jail where I was a chaplain] “Why would you choose to work in a hellhole like that?” Without thought, I responded immediately that I didn’t choose to work there, I was called to work there. Another student, an African American Evangelical woman blurted out, “Amen - Alleluia - Praise God - Brother, you are called” in this little classroom setting. It was a funny moment but again encouraging. I don’t think it earned her any points with our supervisor. Charlotte was another prophet I have been fortunate enough to meet.
Or I think of what my 23 year old daughter Morag does when she hears a racist or homophobic or otherwise inappropriate joke. She simply asks for the joke be explained. Jokes are not funny when they are explained. Don’t ask me how I know this!
I am sure some people really dislike her for this. It is embarrassing.
They likely grumble and speak poorly of her. Sometimes our prophetic ministry comes in nickels, dimes and quarters, or maybe a loonie or a toonie. It does not have to come in hundred dollar bills.
Forgive me but I want to offer one more example of the kind of servant-leadership implied in the readings today. And I think of my least popular sermon one Easter, right here about 20 years ago when I was your minister. My sermon was short:
Jesus died and rose for us.
Jesus died and rose for Adolph Hitler
Jesus died and rose for [Infamous serial murderer] Clifford Olson
Jesus died and rose for you.
There were two reactions that I recall. One was Jan who asked “Why didn’t you give a sermon today?” I told her I had, it was short. I got the “Jan look” back, which I took to mean that what I had done was not a sermon and she still had the same question on her mind. The other response was much later, when I was visiting Liz Peterson who brought it up and told me, “I hated it… [and then paused with such perfect timing that she might have rehearsed it] because, dammit, it’s true!” It is one of the most affirming messages I ever received in all my years in ministry.
Forgive me as I continue if you hear me simply muddle or even contradict myself but as I get older I become more convinced that
It is simply part of the human condition for us to “see through the mirror dimly.” At least this is what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:12. We see the world like looking through a poor mirror.
If we seek to follow Jesus, If we seek to follow right after he says “pick up your cross,” If we find unity with him and speak truth- We will make enemies! And if we experience is pain and torment, [As Terri-Anne says] the Spirit will come to comfort and to vindicate us! And If you don’t make any enemies living out your Christian life you are probably missing out on something as well. If all you do is make enemies, then you are likely not getting it right either.
United Church theology would say that any calling is experienced by one person but confirmed by many. This is calling can be to many things including prophetic ministry. Maybe the nickel and dime kind; maybe the $100 bill or more kind. Which one? That is up to God. Not us.
And I think again of Shad, the rapper, who I believe now even more strongly that he was being deeply honest if not confessional when he said that he felt too popular to consider himself a prophet. And perhaps even more impressively he was humble enough not to argue when someone else said that he was. That sounds to me like the real deal.
Self-appointed prophets? Not so much. God appointed prophets Confirmed by the whole people of God? That sounds right.
Your prophetic ministry, whether it’s potential in the future or realized in the moment is a lens to see the world. As we welcome Christ into our midst we welcome his cross, his means of death and moment of greatest clarity.
And he expects us to find ours. May God help us to do just that.