Pastor/author
Rick Warren begins his best-selling book The
Purpose-Driven Life with these penetrating words: “The purpose of your life is far greater than
your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your
career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on
this planet, you must begin with God.
You were born by his purpose
and for his purpose.”
Gym
class (or P.E. if you prefer to call it that), was not my favorite class. I think it’s one of the most humiliating
classes I ever had to take. Rarely was I
picked first, much less in the middle by any of the team captains. Last was pretty much where I recall. I never fit into the popular groups in
school. I certainly never wore the right
clothes, nor went to the right parties.
I battled with rejection as a teenager.
And at times, I still do. If it
weren’t for my faith and firm foundation, I probably would struggle even more.
In
today’s readings, Jesus gave His disciples a “children’s sermon” about the
importance of living in ‘last place.’
This teaching was very important in light of His disciples’ concept of
life in His Kingdom.
We know from various Gospel accounts that Jesus’ disciples were more concerned about their own roles in this kingdom as they perceived it than in Jesus’ understanding of this kingdom. I imagine they probably made plans about how they’d treat people and what they’d wear and where they would live.
Luke
9:46 give us a glimpse of their aspirations. “An argument arose among the disciples as to
which of them would be the greatest.”
Can you believe it! Jesus is on His
way to get spit on, mocked, flogged, nailed to a cross and His disciples are
arguing about who’s going to be greatest!
And we don’t make it about ourselves at all, do we?
We
truly are not different and we all need a lesson on living in last place – a lesson
on humility. Don’t you find it
impossible for you to do something without any
concern for yourself, in one way or another?
Your purist motives, your finest work, your most caring acts – even your
righteous deeds – are like filthy rags in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6). How would you respond in the presence of God
who knows the sinful motives of your
heart?
When
Jesus confronted the disciples – they kept
quiet. It seems their reaction
reflects shame and guilt because they were only concerned about their own lives
as Jesus spoke about His death. The conviction
of the Holy Spirit upon our sin, stops us in our tracks, silences our pride and
self-centeredness, and brings us to our knees with a “last place” feeling of
guilt as we cry out “Lord, have mercy on me.”
And then we are shown the amazing love, patience and forgiveness as
Jesus picks up and proceeds to teach us how to continue to serve Him in our
daily lives. In His love, He treats us
last place sinners as first place winners!