Doug Van Pelt

Marky Mark

Ahhh, back in the office again (after a two-week break). Wow. I hope to get a jump-start on the March/April issue this week. If you could choose between a "So & So Says" interview with Dragonforce or Jack's Mannequin, which would you choose?

I'll pause the Alice Cooper DVD playing right now to dive into the Scripture, where we last left off: Mark 10:32.

They were walking to Jerusalem some time after Jesus told the rich young ruler what was up. Some of the disciples talked about how they'd given "everything" up, and Jesus affirmed that those who gave stuff up would be rewarded. It says in verse 32 that the disciples were "astonished" and the others that followed were "afraid." Jesus once again took the disciples aside and told them what was going to happen in Jerusalem:

"...the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. Three days later He will rise."

Those that think this story is somehow anti-semetic should change their tune when they read this. Jesus was turned over to the Gentiles for His final beating and death by torture. Anyone who foolishly hates Jews and think it was they who crucified Christ should realize that it was their own ancestors (and ultimately themselves) that hung Jesus on the cross.

Did the disciples get the message this time? Most Bible scholars would probably say, "Nope!" Instead, James and John ask Him, "We want You to do for us whatever we ask." Jesus asked what they wanted. They said, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

Jesus rightly replied, "You don't know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

They said, "We can." Even though they ran away during the arrest and trial of Jesus, they did ultimately drink the cup of death by torture for His Name's sake. Jesus affirmed this, but concluded, "...but to sit at My right or left is not for Me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."

The text says that when the other 10 disciples heard about this, they were upset. Jesus called them all together and addressed their attitudes:

"You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

He not only led by example, He taught. I love the idea of servant leadership, and I love to see it lived out. It's funny. It seems I have it partly figured out, but my problem is that when I serve others, I want the trumpets to blast and people to notice that I'm doing the "servant" thing, and that pretty much misses the boat, doesn't it?

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at December 8, 2008 09:47 AM