All The Times We Miss the Point
Sunday March 24, 2024
Series: Mark Part Two - Week 6, Mar 24 2024 Scriptures: Mark 9:30-31, 9:31-32, 9:33-37, 10:32-38a (NIV11)
Community is shaped by the conversations we share. These questions and reflections are a tool to help you meaningfully engage with the themes of this week's teaching.
-
Message Summary: Today we look at how on the road to Jerusalem Jesus predicts his death twice more, and twice more his closest friends will miss the point. And hopefully spending time in that story will help us see what we often miss about the way of peace.
Getting Stung: Mark 9:30-31. We need to remember that there is a lot left off the page when it comes to the friendship of Jesus and the disciples. His teaching and his rebuke of them happened in a context of trust and care, and desire to help them mature. So when he calls Peter “Satan”, it most probably stings for Peter, but Jesus doesn’t leave him, he stays and continues to explain and work with him and other disciples.
Being First: Mark 9:31-32, 33-37. When Jesus predicts his death the second time, the disciples quietly begin to argue who of them is the greatest. They still do not get what Jesus is saying (maybe his prediction is some kind of parable or metaphor), but what is more important, they do not understand the way of Jesus. They still see him as larger than life, someone like an emperor, but now on their side. Jesus asked them a question and gives them an object lesson. If you follow a respected teacher and call yourself a slave or a servant, you still represent them to the world with that title. A child in that culture had an even lower status than a slave, it had no cultural significance. To be like a child meant “serving with no corollary benefit to your social standing.” Jesus wants them to put to death the pride in being last. (And in ch10, he wants them to have a child-like faith that sees possibilities).
The Right Hand: Mark 10:32-38a. And once again the disciples do not understand his way in the world. Crowds want a warrior, and the disciples want to feel powerful in their association with him. And Jesus keeps saying no.
The Problem with Palms. When Jesus reaches Jerusalem and the crowds “proclaim” him king, it is a symbol of a political uprising, to have a king other than Caesar amounted to treason. Jesus rides into the city on a donkey, as a symbol of peace. The problem was that after a victory even Caesar would return to the city riding a donkey - symbol of peace brought by the power of Rome. Jesus however enters the battle that is still ahead of him already in a posture of peace. Palm Sunday is always bittersweet. It shows us how we miss the point, but God loves us anyway.
-
Connect: Chat about your experience of Holy Week. Did you grow up observing it or reflecting about it at all, or was it just a regular week between Palm Sunday and Easter celebration? If you’ve practiced observing Holy Week in any way, how has that been good for you? And if you want to try and mark it this year, what would you like to prioritize? Some ideas: read through the whole Gospel of Mark, walk through Stations of the Cross, attend Good Friday service.
Share: When talking about Peter and the context in which he “silences” Jesus and then Jesus uses the word “Satan” in response to Peter’s ideology, Jeremy said, “And strange as it sounds, my hope is that you do have a friend that might call you Satan from time to time.” So, thinking about your friendships, have you ever called someone out on things (or have you been called out on some words or behaviours) and that has helped you grow and in the end even matured your friendship with that person? What was the key ingredient for that interaction to happen?
Reflect: Look at Mark 9:30-37 and Mark 10:32-38. Reflect on Jesus's repeated predictions of His death (three times!) and resurrection, why do you think the disciples struggled to comprehend His message? Three times they either silenced him, or argued about who’s more important, or requested to benefit from his greatness. What does it tell us about them, and what does their inability to comprehend the way of Jesus tell us about us today? Jesus gives them an object lesson with a child - an absolutely insignificant member of society - in Mark 9:36-37. Would you agree with Jeremy’s point that “there's a lot of pride in being last”? What does Jesus want them to understand through this “object” lesson? How does Jesus and what it means to follow him challenge our cultural and even our personal understanding of greatness?
Engage: How does this quote from the sermon resonate with you? “This isn't about the disciples not understanding the prediction anymore. This is about the disciples not understanding the way of Jesus at all yet… See he thinks power is ultimately defeated by self sacrifice. And he thinks life is ultimately reborn when we give it away. He thinks the demonstration of love can ultimately overcome our displays of might. And the disciples, like the crowds, just don't get it. His people want a warrior. The crowds want a strong man. His friends want to feel powerful in their association with him. And Jesus just keeps saying, no. And ultimately, that's the story of Palm Sunday” In what way do you think the story of Palm Sunday is bittersweet? How do you experience this tension between human violence and Jesus’ way of love in your life and in our world today? What gives you hope?
Take away: What would you like to take away from the message or today’s conversation? OR, where do you sense the call of God in your life toward more child-like faith, faith that sees possibilities?
-
Pray: Spirit of God, who is present in and through every breath, with every rise and fall of our chest. Might we slow ourselves enough to notice you in this moment with us, surrounding us today, leading us in quiet confidence back to your image, humble on a donkey, coming in peace, amidst a world that clamours for volume, and strength, and power. As we remember your prayer for us, as we rehearse your entry here today, and as we approach your final steps toward your cross would you awaken us to the truth and beauty of your example that still lays before us, Not only that you come but how and why and for whom you are willing to give your life away. Might we then follow those steps in humble service to all we encounter, in the strong name of the Risen Christ we pray. Amen.
-
Call to Worship: John 12
Music: Curated by Kevin Borst
Passion - King of Glory
Chris Tomlin - Holy Forever
Brooke Ligertwood - HosannaPalm Sunday Prayer: Written by Bobbi Salkeld
Today is Palm Sunday, and in the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem, he flips the script on the kind of deliverer people expect.
Rather than riding a war horse, Jesus enters on a colt.
Against the idea of a king’s cape, the cloaks of the poor cover the ground.
And the answer to the cries of the people to be saved will be answered with a strange and humble peace.
All over the Palm Sunday story are references to ancient texts, one of them being Psalm 118. I’m going to read from that psalm and invite you to contemplate the ways Jesus transforms our ideas of liberation.
Think peace, think invitation, think humble involvement.
Let us pray.
[Psalm 118 (adapted)]
Give thanks to the LORD, for God is good, God’s love endures forever. (V.1)
When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; God brought me into a spacious place. (v. 5)
The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? (v. 6)
They swarmed around me like bees, But they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; In the name of the LORD I cut them down. (V. 12)
LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! (v. 25)
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. (v. 26)
The LORD is God, And God has made light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festival procession up to the altar. Give thanks to the LORD, for God is good; God’s love endures forever. (V. 29)
Amen.
