It’s a story that many are familiar with, but it always seems so out of place in the context of this particular biblical narrative. In Mark 9, we read about the transfiguration and the healing of the boy with an unclean spirit. After these events, Jesus foretells his death and resurrection, but the disciples are unable to grasp the meaning: “But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.” (9:32)
This is a pivotal moment in the recounting of the life and ministry of Jesus. However, following right on the heels of this, we discover that the disciples have been arguing about “who was the greatest” (9:34). In modern day speak, we might title this section of Mark’s Gospel: Grandstanding.
Grandstanding or self-aggrandizement is choosing to make oneself the centre: the centre of the conversation, the centre of activity, and the centre of the applause given by others.
Honestly, I don’t think the disciples (nor us for that matter) consciously and deliberately sought to put themselves in the centre. But they did. And we do. And the fact is, we often enjoy being the centre.
The Gospel displaces grandstanding from the heart. The Gospel pushes one to be other-oriented rather than self-oriented; dependent on Him rather than independent, relying strictly on oneself.
The Gospel will move us to put Christ more deliberately before others than ourselves.
Here’s the question though: what would happen, if we were to walk away from the ministry in which we are engaged at this moment? Would others take up the charge?
If it all depends on us, then we are at the centre, and we are, in some way or another, people’s Savior rather than Jesus.
Talking to a fellow church planter while attending a conference on CPM in Switzerland, he shared that he had begun a new work in Eastern Europe. He had seen a number of people come to Christ and these new disciples wanted to meet as a ‘community of believers’. They agreed to a time for their first meeting. When the day came for the meeting, the church planter deliberately chose not to show up for the meeting. Now I don’t know what you think, but I was a bit taken aback by his approach. However, what happened was that the group waited, and when the church planter didn’t show up, they started the study and worship time. And the group continued on without the church planter.
Again, I’m sure we could find fault with elements of this approach. What I learned was that this church planter understood the Gospel message of humility and tried to find ways to not to be at the centre of this work. What he ended up demonstrating was that the group was first and foremost dependent on God, not on him.
Filed under: Empower, Gospel, Humility | Leave a comment »
Thoughts Along The Journey 