February 9 - Mark 1: Servanthood to Suffering

Understanding Mark's background provides the framework for understanding what he emphasized in his telling of Jesus' life. Crabb reminds us that "Mark was used to comfort." He turned away from ministry when the shine wore off and "conflict and hardship and danger" entered.   But, Jesus didn't let him stay there. Mark repented.

"Mark more fully realized that My Son lived a life of selfless servanthood that led to undeserved suffering.  He realized what kingdom living meant...

"Kingdom living consists of radical servanthood (the end of entitlement to personal comfort) and self-denying suffering with the hope of joy forever."  (66LL)

This idea of Jesus' coming as the suffering servant is evident in this first chapter.  The holy Son of God is baptized by a mere man in a dirty river (v. 9-11).  He's then pushed into the wilderness by the Spirit (v. 12) for forty days of fasting and testing.  After that, He calls young, insignificant men to come with Him and He immediately begins teaching, healing, and casting out demons and doesn't ask for thanks or glory.  Instead He asks them to be quiet, to not say a word, to say nothing to anyone (v. 25, 34, 42).  A humble and exhausting beginning that sets the stage for His life of sacrifice.

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, the Holy Spirit has been identifying some areas of sin in my life that are all bound up in this idea of comfort.  Like Mark, I desire comforts and even rationalize to the point of no longer questioning them.   Also like Mark, Jesus is asking me to not stay here in my complaining and whining about what I'm not getting.  In fact, in the deep recesses of my selfish heart, I believe I deserve these things.

These things are "reasonable" - a financial safety net of retirement, adequate health insurance, an emergency fund, dental care;  after 20 years of marriage, some new sheets, towels, and dishes would be nice;  eating out when I don't have the energy to cook; getting my haircut when it needs it instead of stretching it out a couple more months;  replacing all the worn out parts of our 1970s home; scholarships for my children's college educations; health for my family; a perfectly fulfilling marriage and friendships; a satisfying church experience.  Again, reasonable requests, but they come from a complaining, comparing, demanding, selfish heart.  For my life, God's goodness says these things are not necessary, these things are not helpful, these things do not draw me closer to Him.

In light of Christ's suffering servanthood, these things are so very minor.   The Spirit is impressing on me the cost of following Christ which comes at the price of comfort, satisfaction, and security in anything but Him.  I say that I don't want to live an ordinary life.  I say that I want to follow Him with nothing held back.  Those are just empty words when my heart is holding on to these things that He didn't choose for Himself and He hasn't promised to me.  There is a cost and I'm complaining that I'm having to pay it, even just a little.

Oh, but He's come to give me so much more, to "change me from the inside out."