WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.440 We're looking at the second half of Mark's gospel, seeing Jesus' journey to the cross. 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:21.660 And today, as Jesus continues to teach his disciples, we see the very different values, the upside down values, so it seems, but the right side up values of God's kingdom. 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:26.400 So Mark chapter 9, beginning at verse 30. 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:29.339 Let's hear God's word together. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.299 They left that place and passed through Galilee. 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:38.640 Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were because he was teaching his disciples. 00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:44.120 He said to them, the Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 00:00:44.780 --> 00:00:48.879 They will kill him and after three days he will rise. 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:55.219 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. 00:00:55.980 --> 00:00:57.140 They came to Capernaum. 00:00:57.140 --> 00:01:02.020 When he was in the house, he asked them, what were you arguing about on the road? 00:01:02.780 --> 00:01:07.540 But they kept quiet because on the way they'd argued about who was the greatest. 00:01:08.500 --> 00:01:17.879 Sitting down, Jesus called the twelve and said, if anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last and the servant of all. 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:21.679 He took a little child and had him stand among them. 00:01:21.679 --> 00:01:29.859 Taking him in his arms, he said to them, whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me. 00:01:30.459 --> 00:01:34.699 And whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but the one who sent me. 00:01:34.700 --> 00:01:43.180 Teacher said, John, we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop because he was not one of us. 00:01:44.060 --> 00:01:46.180 Do not stop him, Jesus said. 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:52.820 No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me. 00:01:52.819 --> 00:01:57.419 For whoever is not against us is for us. 00:01:58.059 --> 00:01:59.239 I tell you the truth. 00:01:59.759 --> 00:02:08.659 Anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward. 00:02:09.659 --> 00:02:10.099 Amen. 00:02:10.099 --> 00:02:18.439 So we're going to think today about different values and a different way of life. 00:02:18.439 --> 00:02:24.979 Many of us here today, either right now or have in our past, we've lived abroad. 00:02:25.740 --> 00:02:28.859 You know what it is to live in a different culture. 00:02:29.579 --> 00:02:35.819 You know that struggle sometimes when different values and different cultures collide. 00:02:35.819 --> 00:02:42.319 I had a friend in Glasgow, an older Chinese gentleman by the name of Mr. Shang. 00:02:43.079 --> 00:02:46.939 He moved to Glasgow in the 1980s. 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:52.819 So the first time there was Chinese New Year and they were living in the south side of Glasgow. 00:02:53.379 --> 00:02:59.859 His mum, his wife rather, took a pile of lucky money and burned it on the street. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:04.959 And was then surprised 20 minutes later when the police came along asking what on earth she was up to. 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:10.719 Old values, new place, values and cultures collide sometimes. 00:03:10.939 --> 00:03:16.000 And what we're going to see in the Bible today is that Jesus continues to teach about his kingdom. 00:03:16.620 --> 00:03:22.500 And the fact that in his kingdom, he turns the world's values upside down. 00:03:23.200 --> 00:03:28.540 Different ways of thinking about greatness, of glory, of inclusion. 00:03:28.539 --> 00:03:33.239 And what we see here is that the disciples, they're struggling, they're misunderstanding. 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:35.859 And that can be true for us as well. 00:03:35.939 --> 00:03:40.299 We can struggle to understand how we are to live for Jesus. 00:03:40.419 --> 00:03:41.859 So we're going to explore that today. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:47.819 Another image that might be helpful for us to think about is that of life in a colony. 00:03:47.819 --> 00:03:57.539 We know we've maybe read stories or we've had the experience of people leaving the old world to go to a new world. 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:04.560 And then when they live in that new place, they continue to represent and to live by old world values. 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:12.979 So they retain language and culture and practices while everyone else around them looks very different. 00:04:12.979 --> 00:04:19.839 And one of the things that we're called to be as a Christian church is we're called to be a Christian colony, as it were. 00:04:20.379 --> 00:04:23.399 We're called to follow Jesus and his values. 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:29.259 While we're surrounded by people who might think that the values of Jesus seem completely upside down to them, 00:04:29.379 --> 00:04:32.079 completely confusing and bewildering. 00:04:32.539 --> 00:04:38.319 But what Jesus is going to say to us is that these values, as we see them lived out in Jesus, 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:39.839 they're the path to true glory. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:48.679 And they're actually crucial to our mission as a church because it's about us living like Jesus in the world. 00:04:49.579 --> 00:04:52.120 So it's a colony that's to be positive. 00:04:52.719 --> 00:04:54.099 And that's not always been the case. 00:04:54.359 --> 00:05:00.959 It's a colony that's to be welcoming where we are to love and to serve like Jesus. 00:05:02.219 --> 00:05:04.679 So let's begin to think about our passage. 00:05:04.819 --> 00:05:08.819 Let's think, first of all, about the kingdom of the cross. 00:05:08.819 --> 00:05:16.120 Now, in verse 30, we're told that Jesus and his disciples left that place and passed through Galilee. 00:05:16.860 --> 00:05:26.899 So where Jesus has been is he's been up the mountain where he has shone with the glory of God. 00:05:27.039 --> 00:05:29.539 So he's been in the place of glory. 00:05:30.019 --> 00:05:31.759 But he also came down from the mountain. 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:39.379 When we saw this, he entered into a situation of pain and suffering and he brought rescue and release. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:44.139 But now he's moving on from there to find a quiet place. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:45.839 And we're told why. 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:53.539 In verse 31, he didn't want anyone to know where they were because he was teaching his disciples. 00:05:53.540 --> 00:06:05.879 So the focus of part two of Mark's gospel, 9 to 16, a lot of the time is Jesus teaching his disciples what it looks like for him to be the Christ, the chosen one of God. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:16.540 Jesus wants to take time to teach about both his identity and his mission as they are on the way to the cross. 00:06:16.540 --> 00:06:24.620 And so he says to them, verse 31, the son of man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 00:06:25.160 --> 00:06:26.140 They will kill him. 00:06:26.620 --> 00:06:28.439 And after three days, he will rise. 00:06:28.580 --> 00:06:29.200 Who is Jesus? 00:06:29.780 --> 00:06:31.620 He is the son of man. 00:06:31.700 --> 00:06:34.660 So this is the Jesus favorite way of talking about himself. 00:06:34.800 --> 00:06:37.060 I am the son of man. 00:06:37.060 --> 00:06:40.500 Now, this is not Jesus saying, I am just like you. 00:06:40.740 --> 00:06:42.060 I am also human. 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:48.920 This is Jesus taking a title that's found in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel and chapter 7. 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:55.160 God in Daniel chapter 7, the ancient of days is there in the throne room of heaven. 00:06:55.160 --> 00:07:05.899 And the son of man comes and receives authority and glory and power and the right of worship and eternal rule. 00:07:05.899 --> 00:07:14.319 And so when Jesus says, I am the son of man, this is a bold statement of his identity. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:19.599 So he says that I'm the son of man, but then he reveals to them his mission. 00:07:19.699 --> 00:07:20.500 Why did he come? 00:07:21.299 --> 00:07:25.919 And he gives them the second prediction of his death there in verse 31. 00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:30.060 And in particular, he focuses on this reality. 00:07:30.179 --> 00:07:34.879 The son of man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:46.360 And here Jesus is quite deliberately saying to his disciples, it is part of God's purpose that I be handed over to suffer and die. 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:51.879 He is revealing to the disciples that God's hand is behind this. 00:07:52.019 --> 00:07:56.860 This is carrying out God's plan for his own son. 00:07:56.860 --> 00:08:07.520 And we find this in the Old Testament, perhaps Isaiah chapter 53, familiar words, but really helpful for reminding us of this. 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:12.180 So here's a prophecy about the suffering servant of God. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:15.939 Isaiah 53 verse 6, for example, says this. 00:08:15.939 --> 00:08:19.100 We all like sheep have gone astray. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:26.779 Each of us has turned to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:33.820 So we have sinned, but God is going to send his servant and the punishment for that sin will fall on him. 00:08:34.379 --> 00:08:35.539 Verse 10. 00:08:35.539 --> 00:08:42.199 It was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer. 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:50.620 And though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days. 00:08:50.699 --> 00:09:02.240 It's the Lord's will that his servant suffer, that he become a guilt offering to deal with the sin of his people. 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:05.680 And so the disciples are hearing these two very different messages. 00:09:06.340 --> 00:09:09.960 They're hearing once again Jesus saying, I'm the king of glory. 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:14.299 But they're also hearing, I've come to suffer and die. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:15.680 And there's confusion. 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:17.460 We're told that in verse 32. 00:09:18.139 --> 00:09:20.580 They didn't understand what he meant. 00:09:20.659 --> 00:09:22.820 How can these two realities fit together? 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:26.759 They have been with Jesus. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:30.000 They have been witnessing the greatest life ever lived. 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:32.240 They've heard him teach with authority. 00:09:32.940 --> 00:09:35.139 They've seen his power over nature. 00:09:35.559 --> 00:09:40.460 They've seen his power over sickness and disease and even raising people from the dead. 00:09:40.539 --> 00:09:47.399 And now they're being told his life will be ended, poured out in sacrificial love. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.340 They have three of them, James and Peter, John. 00:09:51.480 --> 00:09:55.379 They've witnessed him as the king of all glory. 00:09:55.379 --> 00:10:01.360 And he's saying to them, I have come to humble myself, to suffer and die. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:06.860 And they're struggling to understand how these two things come together. 00:10:06.980 --> 00:10:08.960 Perhaps we have that question also. 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:17.139 Why did Jesus, this Jesus, the son of God, the son of man, why did he die? 00:10:17.139 --> 00:10:22.960 And what we discover in the Bible is that it reveals to us the heart of the Christian message. 00:10:23.100 --> 00:10:26.220 We talk about the gospel, the good news. 00:10:26.319 --> 00:10:32.580 But in a sense, that good news message in the Bible begins with bad news. 00:10:33.419 --> 00:10:38.539 Now, we discover from the beginning of the Bible that we were made to know and enjoy God. 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:41.159 And we were made for a two-way love. 00:10:41.259 --> 00:10:42.539 We were made to love God. 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:45.080 And we were made to love other people. 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:48.639 But very quickly into that story, sin came. 00:10:49.180 --> 00:10:52.740 And one of the things that sin does in our lives is it turns us inwards. 00:10:53.480 --> 00:10:59.080 So instead of delighting to love God and love others, we choose first and foremost to love ourselves. 00:11:00.460 --> 00:11:01.740 So we shut God out. 00:11:01.920 --> 00:11:04.000 We are unkind to others. 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:06.340 We lack that love. 00:11:06.860 --> 00:11:12.140 And so we find ourselves failing to do what God has called us to do. 00:11:12.139 --> 00:11:17.059 And the Bible says that our failure, our sin, deserves the judgment of God. 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:25.620 And so there is in the gospel a bad news, a failure to be and to do what God has called us to do. 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:28.399 But then we discover the good news in Jesus. 00:11:29.299 --> 00:11:33.000 We find Jesus comes, and the Bible says he comes as a substitute. 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:35.899 When you look at the life of Jesus, what do you discover? 00:11:35.899 --> 00:11:43.600 You discover someone who lived a life of perfect love and obedience towards his Father God and towards others. 00:11:44.659 --> 00:11:48.720 Perfect love that you and I can never do by ourselves. 00:11:48.980 --> 00:11:56.959 And then we also discover his love in that he willingly goes to the cross to be a sacrifice for us, 00:11:57.079 --> 00:12:04.039 to atone for our sin, to wash us clean, to give us forgiveness if we would trust in him. 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:09.000 He shows us love. 00:12:09.620 --> 00:12:13.779 And by faith in him, we receive the love of God in our lives. 00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:23.980 We receive the power of God in order, once again, to begin to truly love God and to love other people the way we were made. 00:12:25.899 --> 00:12:29.719 At this stage in the story, the disciples are struggling to understand. 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:30.919 They haven't seen the cross. 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:33.039 They haven't seen the resurrection. 00:12:34.039 --> 00:12:40.399 Jesus is teaching that essential to his coming is his suffering and his dying. 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:44.699 Many people today, I guess, admire Jesus' teacher. 00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:47.559 They love the golden rule. 00:12:47.939 --> 00:12:50.299 Treat people the way that you would like to be treated. 00:12:51.439 --> 00:12:52.839 Love your neighbor as yourself. 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:54.620 Happy with that. 00:12:54.620 --> 00:12:58.740 But here's a part that we also need. 00:12:58.740 --> 00:13:10.659 Here is Jesus teaching that at the center of the Christian faith, at the center of his life, at the center of our message, is the cross. 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:13.960 There is no Christianity without the cross. 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:24.460 And we're being introduced to one of the core values of the kingdom of God, that of humility, that of self-giving love. 00:13:24.460 --> 00:13:28.379 And Jesus is going to call his disciples to that. 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:29.639 He calls his church to that. 00:13:29.700 --> 00:13:34.639 But first of all, we need to have received that for ourselves from Jesus. 00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:41.980 If we are to love in the name of Jesus, we need to have received the love of Jesus for ourselves. 00:13:41.980 --> 00:13:48.720 And so he begins to teach them about the connection between the kingdom and the cross. 00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:50.379 And they're struggling to understand. 00:13:51.680 --> 00:13:54.659 And then he sort of draws out some of the implications. 00:13:55.019 --> 00:14:00.460 And he shows to them that his kingdom is a kingdom of service. 00:14:01.920 --> 00:14:03.779 Again, there's clear misunderstanding. 00:14:04.180 --> 00:14:05.860 Verse 33 and 34. 00:14:05.860 --> 00:14:08.620 And Jesus asks them, what are you arguing about? 00:14:08.740 --> 00:14:12.899 And they're really embarrassed to say because they've been arguing about who was the greatest. 00:14:14.060 --> 00:14:21.379 Just like us, they lived in a culture where your rank and sense of privilege and status was really important. 00:14:22.659 --> 00:14:26.560 They lived in a time where you could be divided by wealth. 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:28.960 Or you could be divided by gender. 00:14:29.259 --> 00:14:34.560 You could be divided by social or religious status or purity. 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:39.639 And so that was the message that they had received. 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:44.519 And so they expected Jesus' kingdom would follow those normal patterns. 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:49.680 To be a follower of Jesus is to climb the ladder of success and greatness. 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:54.220 And so Jesus is going to teach them. 00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:57.320 And he's going to teach them that life in his kingdom is very different. 00:14:57.460 --> 00:14:58.200 He sits down. 00:14:58.940 --> 00:15:00.480 The posture of the teacher. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:01.920 Verse 35. 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:08.979 He called the 12 and said, if anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last and the servant of all. 00:15:10.199 --> 00:15:14.399 If you want to aspire to greatness, aspire to be great at serving. 00:15:15.059 --> 00:15:16.219 Is what Jesus says to them. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:24.299 He's already said in chapter 8 and verse 34 that to come after Jesus means living a life of self-denial. 00:15:24.439 --> 00:15:26.399 It means taking up one's cross. 00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:29.319 If you want to be great, be great at denying yourself. 00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:33.920 Paul the apostle, he talks about outdoing one another. 00:15:34.040 --> 00:15:34.620 In what? 00:15:35.500 --> 00:15:36.740 Outdo one another in love. 00:15:37.780 --> 00:15:39.520 Outdo one another in good deeds. 00:15:40.280 --> 00:15:43.260 Value others above yourself. 00:15:44.560 --> 00:15:48.879 Do we see how this is very different to the message the disciples have received? 00:15:48.980 --> 00:15:54.500 Maybe it's very different to the message that we receive about greatness and about glory. 00:15:54.500 --> 00:16:02.419 And to try and help them to understand, Jesus gives them a lesson illustration. 00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:03.379 Verse 36. 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:04.919 He calls in a little child. 00:16:05.940 --> 00:16:07.279 Takes the child in his arms. 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:12.059 And he says, whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:16.799 And whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:20.719 He's giving them two lessons. 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:24.839 I think he's saying, welcome a child for Jesus' sake. 00:16:25.459 --> 00:16:30.319 Don't be so concerned about a rank and status that you ignore those who are weak. 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:32.439 You ignore those who have low value. 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:38.379 Children in Jesus' day considered to have very low value until they reached adulthood. 00:16:39.219 --> 00:16:41.139 Welcome a child in Jesus' name. 00:16:41.139 --> 00:16:52.159 But also, as those who are sent by Jesus on the mission of Jesus, they are to regard themselves as children for Jesus' sake. 00:16:52.980 --> 00:16:58.399 To remember that even as they go about their mission, as they go about their ministry, as they go about living for Jesus, 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:05.319 they're not to be pursuing their own glory, but rather they want to point to the glory of Jesus. 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:15.200 One of the things that becomes clear when Jesus teaches is he wants to form a counter-cultural community. 00:17:16.139 --> 00:17:19.659 Where greatness doesn't come by pursuing personal glory. 00:17:20.819 --> 00:17:25.579 Where greatness doesn't come by stepping on others in order to get ahead. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:29.500 Where we don't achieve greatness by force. 00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:34.299 Rather, we follow the way of Jesus where greatness comes by going low. 00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:39.119 By giving recognition and value to others. 00:17:40.179 --> 00:17:44.319 Maybe especially to those that the world wouldn't tend to pay much attention to. 00:17:46.379 --> 00:17:54.539 I find this a profoundly attractive community compared to the competition and the hostility that we can find in so many places. 00:17:55.439 --> 00:18:01.740 The church and the church on mission is therefore to seek to promote the good of others. 00:18:01.740 --> 00:18:10.359 That we are to have concern and value placed on everyone who comes into this place. 00:18:10.420 --> 00:18:12.240 Who comes into our communities of faith. 00:18:12.980 --> 00:18:17.480 It's like when James, Jesus' half-brother, he wrote a letter. 00:18:17.700 --> 00:18:21.000 In chapter 2 of that letter, he forbids favoritism. 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:27.279 Suppose two different people come into your meeting and one's a really rich guy and one's a really poor guy. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:29.279 Don't say to the rich guy, have the seat of honor. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:32.079 Say to the poor guy, here, sit at my feet. 00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:39.059 We see everyone as made in the image of God with value and dignity. 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:41.460 We follow the example of Jesus. 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:42.759 You read the gospels. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:43.559 What do you discover? 00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:45.819 Oh, we've seen Jesus welcomes children. 00:18:45.819 --> 00:18:54.480 We see Jesus showing dignity and respect to women when they were regarded as less than in his day. 00:18:55.319 --> 00:19:02.200 We see him extending the touch, the healing touch to lepers who are isolated in their community. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:05.819 We see him welcoming in the outcasts. 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:11.759 He lives by a very different but by a very attractive set of values. 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:17.940 And, you know, when the church of Jesus gets this right, it also makes a big difference. 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:19.359 It also looks wonderful. 00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:31.119 I love reading about the church in the early centuries in the Roman Empire as they looked to live out the values of this colony while surrounded by the Roman Empire. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:33.299 A couple of things that they did. 00:19:33.700 --> 00:19:37.319 It was common practice in the Roman Empire. 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:46.439 If you were looking for a male heir and you had a baby girl, if you didn't want the girl, then you could just throw her out, leave her on the street to die. 00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:47.639 What did the Christians do? 00:19:48.819 --> 00:19:54.339 They adopted those babies into Christian families to say that God cares for everyone. 00:19:54.339 --> 00:20:03.399 When plague broke out in towns and cities and people were, you know, everyone was just, every man for himself, running to get out of town. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:06.939 You know, knocking people into the gutter to get past. 00:20:07.019 --> 00:20:08.799 What did the Christians do in many cases? 00:20:08.939 --> 00:20:16.959 They stayed and they loved and they served and they contracted the plague themselves as they cared for others. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:23.920 So that even the Roman emperors were recognizing, hang on a minute, there's this group of people called Christians. 00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:25.880 They love our people better than we do. 00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:33.860 And it was in part as they served and as they loved and as they welcomed that the church grew. 00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:38.920 Because the church looked beautiful, because the church looked like Jesus. 00:20:39.940 --> 00:20:41.680 It's what we discovered in the gospel. 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:43.480 Jesus comes how? 00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:46.220 He comes as our humble servant. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:50.579 Jesus is the one who goes low for his people. 00:20:51.120 --> 00:20:56.380 He is the one who is abandoned so that we can be welcomed as children. 00:20:57.840 --> 00:21:04.319 And it's that love and it's that example that will turn our lives and our world the right side up. 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:07.180 So it's a kingdom of service. 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:13.579 It's also a kingdom of inclusion as we discover in verses 38 to 41. 00:21:13.579 --> 00:21:20.059 I guess we all recognize the temptation to hold on to power. 00:21:20.699 --> 00:21:25.319 To exclude rather than to include to be concerned with self-interest. 00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:28.139 We see it in politics sometimes. 00:21:28.379 --> 00:21:29.579 We see it in the workplace. 00:21:30.199 --> 00:21:32.259 We can identify it in our communities. 00:21:32.259 --> 00:21:35.819 That so often there can be a division into. 00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:36.759 There's us. 00:21:36.859 --> 00:21:37.759 We're the people with power. 00:21:37.859 --> 00:21:38.519 And then there's them. 00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:41.160 And we need to keep them out and make sure that we can hold on. 00:21:42.879 --> 00:21:46.019 It seems like it might have been the same temptation for the disciples. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.019 Look at verse 38. 00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:50.099 Here's John. 00:21:50.099 --> 00:21:55.119 Teacher said, John, we saw a man driving out demons in your name. 00:21:56.019 --> 00:22:00.619 And we told him to stop because he was not one of us. 00:22:01.659 --> 00:22:08.240 Now last week when we were here, we discovered something about the disciples of Jesus. 00:22:08.359 --> 00:22:15.319 The disciples had been given authority by Jesus to be able to drive out evil spirits in his name. 00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:19.439 But there's this one particular occasion where they are unable to. 00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:24.960 And chapter 9, verse 28, they asked the question, why couldn't we drive out this demon? 00:22:25.939 --> 00:22:28.859 And Jesus says, this kind can come out only by prayer. 00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:31.379 So demons are driven out by prayer. 00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:35.579 Prayerful dependence on God, on the power of Jesus. 00:22:35.579 --> 00:22:42.839 Now they're rebuking someone who is clearly, therefore, dependent on prayer. 00:22:43.379 --> 00:22:47.539 Who is clearly working in the power of Jesus. 00:22:47.539 --> 00:22:50.819 Who is concerned for the glory of Jesus. 00:22:51.879 --> 00:22:53.859 But they're thinking, hang on, he's not one of the 12. 00:22:54.139 --> 00:22:57.019 Therefore, let's try and stop him. 00:22:57.079 --> 00:22:58.199 And what does Jesus say? 00:22:58.759 --> 00:22:59.419 Verse 39. 00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:00.199 Don't stop him. 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:04.500 No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me. 00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:08.859 For whoever is not against us is for us. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:11.579 We're in the same kingdom. 00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:14.319 We're in the same team. 00:23:14.759 --> 00:23:16.440 Therefore, don't stop him. 00:23:16.900 --> 00:23:21.200 Rather, be glad that you're seeing the kingdom come. 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:24.019 That you're seeing God's work. 00:23:25.900 --> 00:23:26.880 Verse 41. 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:29.000 He says, I tell you the truth. 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:36.980 Anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward. 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:40.000 Jesus is saying this. 00:23:40.140 --> 00:23:42.519 God may use a person to do a big thing. 00:23:43.299 --> 00:23:44.599 To drive out a demon. 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:48.480 God may use a person to do a small thing for him. 00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:52.640 To give a cup of water to a fellow person. 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:55.100 God remembers. 00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:56.660 God sees. 00:23:57.180 --> 00:23:58.880 God rewards both. 00:24:00.180 --> 00:24:05.020 What matters is, do I belong to Jesus? 00:24:06.420 --> 00:24:12.680 Am I doing whatever I can to serve the church of Jesus and to show love for others? 00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:15.420 Are my opportunities big or small? 00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:16.860 Are my gifts big or small? 00:24:16.900 --> 00:24:17.720 That doesn't matter. 00:24:17.860 --> 00:24:19.040 Do I belong to Jesus? 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:22.399 Am I doing what I can to serve him? 00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:28.259 The disciples are being reminded that the church is bigger than they think. 00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:30.980 They need to have a wider view of God's kingdom. 00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:35.659 They need to have a more inclusive view of who is a disciple of Jesus. 00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:42.500 They need to learn to celebrate rather than complain when they see God work in another person. 00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:55.599 And so one of the things that we're going to do this evening as we take time to pray is we're going to give thanks to God for what he's doing locally, nationally, and globally. 00:24:56.500 --> 00:25:06.000 Some of the stories I've heard about this week, some of the things that we'll pray about, we'll give thanks for up in the northwest of Scotland, 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:15.220 the new church that's been redeveloped in Poole U and the great opportunities for community witness up there in the northwest. 00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:21.140 We'll give thanks that Chalmers Church here in Edinburgh is looking to plant a new church in Collington. 00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:24.960 They've got 37 people ready to go for that. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:30.720 We'll give thanks for the church plant under Jonathan de Groot in Christ Church over in Glasgow. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:39.480 And we'll give thanks that at the last Christian Union Missions Week, there were seven people that gave their lives to Jesus. 00:25:40.360 --> 00:25:42.559 God is doing things. 00:25:43.120 --> 00:25:50.380 And it's really important that we learn to celebrate, to recognize that where God is at work, where God's building his kingdom, 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:53.220 that that's part of our work and we should be really glad. 00:25:53.220 --> 00:26:01.900 I think it's also important for us when we see that Jesus values even a cup of water given. 00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:10.480 It's important for us as a church to have that culture where we're thankful, where we're thankful when people do small things and big things. 00:26:11.559 --> 00:26:18.039 So here in Becloot, it's a chance for me to just stop for a moment and to say thank you. 00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:23.259 For example, to everyone who helped with the work party yesterday. 00:26:23.879 --> 00:26:30.399 Lots of light bulbs getting changed, drains being unblocked, furniture being moved around, things being painted. 00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:33.180 Important stuff, small stuff, but important stuff. 00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:34.720 So thank you to everyone who helped with that. 00:26:35.879 --> 00:26:40.700 Give me a chance to sort of think about everyone through the week who volunteers faithfully. 00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:44.160 We had deacons court on a Monday. 00:26:44.819 --> 00:26:49.080 We had a women's book group on a Tuesday led by Sarah and Vicki. 00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:54.039 We have community groups with leaders who open their homes every week. 00:26:54.740 --> 00:26:56.840 We have Richmond court coffee morning. 00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:58.059 We have a toddler group. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:26:59.680 We had the youth group on a Friday. 00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:02.000 So many people involved in serving. 00:27:03.539 --> 00:27:05.900 It's important for us as a church to say thank you for that. 00:27:05.900 --> 00:27:12.040 To think about how many people are involved on a Sunday to make worship possible. 00:27:12.460 --> 00:27:13.900 Probably at least 50. 00:27:14.580 --> 00:27:20.540 From opening up, from welcoming, Sunday school, catering, AV, musicians. 00:27:21.060 --> 00:27:24.480 There's a lot of people serving small ways and big ways. 00:27:25.220 --> 00:27:27.920 It's important for us to remember that Jesus values that. 00:27:28.580 --> 00:27:30.740 That there is reward in that. 00:27:30.740 --> 00:27:39.539 And there is a reminder too that in our divided world, Jesus offers a different message. 00:27:41.539 --> 00:27:44.079 Here is Jesus, the perfect son of God. 00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:48.759 And he enters into the world, the Bible tells us, to make his enemies into his friends. 00:27:49.099 --> 00:27:58.079 He crosses that divide in order to create a new community, a new family where he is the head. 00:27:58.079 --> 00:28:05.740 And that family is open to anyone who will trust in Jesus as Lord. 00:28:06.579 --> 00:28:14.579 Anyone who will turn from sin, who will trust in him as Savior, has a place in that family. 00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:22.819 And again, that's very different sometimes to what we find in our own countries and communities. 00:28:22.819 --> 00:28:26.779 What we see is that Jesus values are very different. 00:28:27.659 --> 00:28:31.099 But Jesus values will turn the world the right side up. 00:28:31.879 --> 00:28:33.019 I'm just about to close. 00:28:33.099 --> 00:28:38.939 Let me share a story from when Vicky was a student in Aberdeen. 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:41.799 And she had a year abroad in France. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:49.759 And she came back home by Eurostar and then by the train up to Glasgow. 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:56.559 So if you can imagine somebody who's got all their worldly possessions all in various bags of different sizes. 00:28:56.700 --> 00:29:02.319 So she got to the Eurostar station and was struggling to get all of her stuff down the escalator. 00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:06.420 Well, along came a well-dressed man and helped her. 00:29:06.839 --> 00:29:07.859 It wasn't me, by the way. 00:29:09.079 --> 00:29:11.940 I feel like I needed to say that. 00:29:11.940 --> 00:29:21.920 A well-dressed man came, carried her bags, stowed the bags, and then went off to drive the train. 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:29.860 He was Mr. Eurostar train driver taking his idea of serving his passengers very, very seriously. 00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:33.240 We think about Jesus. 00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:40.299 Jesus didn't grasp onto power and glory and stay in heaven where he could have remained. 00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:42.599 Instead, he came down. 00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:52.240 He humbled himself, becoming one of us to serve us, to love us, to die for us. 00:29:53.519 --> 00:30:00.339 I wonder today is the cross of Jesus at the core of who we are, at the core of our lives. 00:30:00.339 --> 00:30:07.480 Have we seen how the values of Jesus are different and more attractive than anything else? 00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:12.799 That it's better for human well-being when we live the way that we are made to live, 00:30:12.859 --> 00:30:17.839 when we live following the example, the rule of Jesus. 00:30:19.220 --> 00:30:21.720 He is our perfect example. 00:30:22.299 --> 00:30:23.659 He is our perfect Savior. 00:30:23.779 --> 00:30:25.779 He shows us what humble service looks like. 00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:28.959 He shows us what it looks like to welcome others in. 00:30:28.960 --> 00:30:35.220 He teaches us to celebrate God's work in the lives of others.