Content Not To Be The Greatest
Luke 22:24-30 Luke 9:46 Mark 9:34 Song of Songs 8:7-9 Psalm 45
Jesus could not believe that they were at it again and on this night of all nights.
Discussing amongst themselves who was the greatest. It was becoming like a needle stuck in a record.
He had just shared the most precious meal of all time with them. He had spoken as plainly and as openly as he could about his forthcoming passion. Now here they were on the way to Gethsemane, him up ahead and all alone, thinking about what he would find in the shadows of those olive groves. Them, dragging their feet, whispering in a huddle, about who was better than who.
It had happened before – at least twice before and each time Jesus had been trying to lead them deeper into the truth about themselves. It was just after the Transfiguration and in between miracles when He said “Let these words sink into your ears – in the end they are going to kill me”, but they just left the words hanging in the air and started to jockey for position. Jealous about who had been allowed to come up the mountain with him and who had been left behind in the valley to deal with Pharisees. He knew the truth of it.
He had cast out an unclean spirit at Capernaum and as they were walking along he had tried again to tell them where all this was leading – I will be handed over and they will kill me –he started to say but I will rise again, I truly believe I will rise again, but they did not question him, did not make a single comment – theychanged the subject – to the matter of the pecking order.
He had only washed their feet just minutes before! He had only just said – you are to do to others as I have done to you. Serve each other – don’t laud it over each other.
These were the times when Jesus was at his most lonely. When those whom he had named as his friends distanced themselves from what was going on and started to place themselves in an order of preference. He was isolating himself as the lowest of the low, did they not see, this was the consequence of his love, making him not even just a servant but actually a slave. They were isolating themselves at the other end of the scale, who would sit on the throne, who would be the greatest – who was born to be king.
He had actually told them until he was blue in the face – that real loving is not about according yourself status – but the other person. That’s why he was always stooping down to those on the bottom rung of the ladder and raising them up, not to be sensational, not to convince them to follow in larger numbers – but, quite simply – because this was is what love is. Giving yourself out of love for another. It’s compassion.
The Song of Songs is a bit near the knuckle you might think and you might want to question the learned scholar who seized upon that particular manuscript and decided that yes,it was essential biblical material. I think it was the sort of writing that would stir the heart of people like Jesus, because so many of its sentiments start with the word – you – it’s a book which celebrates the beauty and the glory of another person and concedes top place to that person – or to that God – whatever interpretation you like to put on it.
This evening’s Psalm is another utterance of selfless love – seeing the best in the king because his life has been blessed by God.
It’s that sort of love – for us, that kept Jesus going on that dark way between the Upper Room and Gethsemane whilst his nearest and dearest were quite literally on another planet.
They were discussing on their way which one of them was the greatest.
I am ashamed to say how much I enjoy Prime Minister’s Question time – each leader vying for the public verdict that they are the greatest. Brown, Cameron or Clegg, put them in order of preference and e mail the BBC. This last Wednesday it was all a bit different. It was all rather subdued, because in the matter of parliamentary expenses they had all been found lacking. Undone, Exposed, and for once they knew it. The truth was out – none of them are the greatest . Where does the country look for its role models now – chirped the pundits back in the studio.
Similarly the heartbreaking discussions which divide the church reflect the same sentiments which made Jesus despair on that dark night. They were discussing which of them was the greatest GAFCON, The Third Province, Mainstream, Ecclesia, and yes, let’s be honest – the sense I might have that I’m somewhere nearer the truth of things than some of them. We’re all so easily deflected away from what really matters, not prepared to excercise love in terms of being a servant – but being a master and to be seen as such.
The most dangerous thing with this preoccupation with ourselves and our level of authority is that we do not see where God is. Steadfastly plodding on towards Gethsemane out of love for us. We go into our little huddles because the enormity of that is too much for us.
The transfiguration must have been mindblowing. The Last Supper must have been electric. What was there to say but discuss the safe territory of better or worse.
Often what stops us advancing in faith hope and love is our playing along with this game. That we have to achieve some measure of greatness to be deserving of God and that can mean elbowing each other out of the way as we do it. The way of Jesus is to give that up – yes we are all sinners and can never get to that position of superiority – so why spend our lives aiming for the impossible, but more than that – because God is God and the greatness we seek for ourselves resides in him and always will do – here’s the greatest thing – because God has entered the human experience totally and utterly in Jesus – we can get glimpses of that greatness in each other all the time.
My salvation actually depends on seeing something of the greatness of God in you – because you are the body of Christ. Make that old standard our cause for endless rejoicing
The sings my soul my saviour God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art. For this is our story and this is our song.
RH 19.5.09