I. Theme – The call to discipleship means service and sacrifice.
Robert Hord’s Chalice
"Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?" – Mark 10:38
The lectionary readings are here or individually:
Old Testament – Isaiah 53:4-12
Psalm – Psalm 91:9-16 Page 720, BCP
Epistle – Hebrews 5:1-10
Gospel – Mark 10:35-45
Today’s readings confront us with the reality that the call to discipleship means service and sacrifice. In Isaiah, the “suffering servant” of Israel, though innocent, takes on the sin, sorrow, pain and oppression of God’s people. According to Hebrews, Jesus, the full embodiment of the “suffering servant,” identifies with humanity and offers himself as final high priest and ultimate sacrifice.
In the gospel, Jesus reverses our understanding of greatness: those who would lead must serve. One reason we are so disgusted by John and James may be that we recognize a shred of their ambition lurking within ourselves. We have probably all had the experience of launching a project with confident enthusiasm (and utter naivete). Whether it’s a food drive for the hungry, a new family budget or a vow to get shipshape organized, we plunge ahead with dreams of glory.
Like James and John, we gloss over any possible difficulties. Reality hits with a clunk. And then we appreciate the enormous difference between the apostles pre- and post-resurrection. When they rely on themselves, they are a sorry lot: self-seeking, argumentative, downright stupid. Yet Jesus can see beyond all that and can assure them of fellowship with himself. How? Perhaps he sees them as they would become, filled with the Spirit after Pentecost: transformed into courageous witnesses whose dreams of greatness had been replaced by the humble goal of serving the lord they love and others
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Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost, Oct. 20
First week, Oct., 2019
