Focus: Humility, hospitality, and watchfulness are fundamental characteristics of discipleship.
Function: To encourage the people to embrace and develop the fundamental characteristics of Christian discipleship.
Text: Mark 9:33-50
It is not very difficult to recognize people who belong to the Hell’s Angels. Their motorcycles, their tattoos, their hairstyle, their vests with insignias, and their image of toughness—these all mark them as Hell’s Angels. Their proclivity toward crime and their association with the underworld are also part of their reputation. Surely, it’s not hard to figure out who belongs to the Hell’s Angels.
So it is with our men and women in uniform. Soldiers have their characteristics; firemen do; policemen likewise. We recognize and identify them by their outfits, their gear, their vehicles and numerous other telling characteristics.
The same observation is true for Muslims, for example. We recognize people as devout followers of the Koran and the prophet Mohammed, because they do certain things, such as praying 5 times a day, fasting at certain times of the year, and making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
Clearly, there are certain characteristics that set people apart and mark them as followers of certain religions, professions, and associations. But what it is that should mark Christians as disciples or followers of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Today, the Lord Jesus teaches us a catechism lesson in discipleship. He comes to us as a teacher; he sets us down, and he says, in essence: If you want to follow me, then remember that humility, hospitality, and watchfulness are fundamental characteristics of Christian discipleship.
In Mark 9:33-50 we find the Lord Jesus in a “kitchen environment” teaching his disciples a number of fundamental characteristics. Jesus and the disciples are “in a house” somewhere in Capernaum. They are in a small group setting; the inner circle of Jesus’ friends have moved from casual conversations to heart-to-heart discussions with Jesus. And Jesus is the leader of the group, prompting his disciples and holding them accountable by asking “What were you arguing about on the road?”
The entire passage has the feel of a catechism setting. Jesus is the Teacher who sits down to teach his followers by calling them to pay attention to some kernel of truth or wisdom. Discipleship 101 or the basic characteristics of following Jesus is the topic of discussion.
While being in this intimate setting, we also note that Jesus uses catechetical or teaching devices—devices that the early Christian church used in her instructions of new believers. For example, we note the use of repetition:
Vs. 42 “…it would be better for him….” Vs. 43 “It is better for you to enter life maimed….” Vs. 45 “It is better for you to enter life crippled….” Vs. 47 “It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God….” Repetition is a teacher’s tool of instruction.
Note also that Jesus’ toolkit of instruction includes the use of common and daily objects: “If your foot…if your hand…if your eye causes you to sin….” And note Jesus’ reference to a “large millstone” and to “salt.” These familiar objects are all part of Jesus’ toolkit of instruction. Jesus may not have access to IPODS, Power Points presentations and overhead transparencies, but he sure knows how to stimulate our imagination and how to engage our memory and brains.
So then, we find ourselves in a catechetical setting, where Jesus teaches us three fundamental characteristics of discipleship; they are: humility, hospitality, and watchfulness.
THREE FUNDAMENTALS
Humility: (Vs. 33-37) Jesus begins his teaching session by pushing a sensitive button among the disciples. There are 12 of them. They are devoted to follow Jesus, through thick and thin, so to speak. But they also expect rewards. You see, if Jesus is going to set up his kingdom, then surely he will have some special positions for his 12 best friends.
The disciples, however, are from various positions in society: fishermen and tax collector, for example. And some of them are more educated or sophisticated than others. The apostle John, for example, demonstrates familiarity with philosophical teachings. He may be more educated than the others.
So, as Jesus prepares his disciples for major changes, ranging from death to resurrection to final judgment, his disciples are debating and arguing among themselves who is the greatest.
Jesus responds and says to them: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” And then Jesus takes a child and has him stand in the middle of the disciples. In order to be noticed, the child must look up to them; and they must cast their eyes downward to the child. Then Jesus takes the child in his arms, holding the child close to his heart and face, and Jesus says: “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
By word and example, the Lord Jesus is telling us to “forget all about rank, pre-eminence, prominence” (Hendriksen), or any other worldly characteristic of importance. If we are to be Jesus’ disciples, we need to pay attention to the needs of “one, anyone, even just one, of such little ones.” In short, greatness among Jesus’ disciples is marked by humility. Greatness reaches out and seeks to serve the least among us.
I like what St. Augustine said in a sermon: (Anc. Chr. Com. p. 126) “Observe a tree, how it first tends downwards, that it may then shoot forth upwards. It fastens its root low in the ground that it may send forth its top toward heaven.” In order for a tree to grow strong and tall, it must make a downward movement; it must establish a strong root system. Greatness calls for humility. And humility is the downward movement that makes us strong disciples. The point is simple: in order to be a disciple of Jesus, we must develop the characteristic of humility.
Such a thing does not come naturally to anyone. Coursing through the vein of our human nature, there is the impulse to advance ourselves, to stand out, and often to stand above the crowd. That’s why the Scriptures tell us that we must seek the powerful indwelling and work of the Holy Spirit. For humility is the fruit of Christ’s Spirit at work in us and through us.
One famous preacher (by the name of Chrysostom) once said: (p. 127) “If you are in love with …the highest honor, pursue the things in last place, pursue being the least valued of all, pursue being the lowliest of all, pursue being the smallest of all, pursue placing yourselves behind others.”
Humility may not come naturally to most of us. But it can be practiced and produced. For it is God’s gift, worked in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who enables us to practice this characteristic of discipleship. So then, Christian discipleship 101 calls for humility; it also calls for hospitality.
Hospitality: (vs. 38-41) My grandfather lived way out in the countryside. He was a Christian and a member of the Christian church. His neighbors were wonderful people; they thought of themselves as good Christian people, but they were not members of the church. In fact, they had no use for the church. But they were like Christ in some of their behavior. For example, when my grandfather needed daily physical care in his dying days, his neighbors were there for him and our family. We thanked God for these non-churched neighbors who displayed so much common grace toward my grandfather when he was ill and dying.
The disciples have a question for Jesus. It’s about who is in and who is out? Who is on our side? And who should we exclude from our circle and why? “Teacher, we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” In his response, Jesus appeals to an open, welcoming, hospitable attitude toward those who express some faith or trust in Jesus’ work and power, even though they may not align themselves as yet fully with Jesus. “Do not stop him, Jesus said. No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.”
In other words, this man may not identify himself to the inner circle of Jesus’ friends; and he may not identify himself as yet to Jesus’ body, the church and all Jesus’ stands for. But since this man appeals to Jesus’ work and power (his name), we must demonstrate hospitality, an openness toward him, so that he will be able to move toward everything that Jesus stands for.
In practical terms that means we must learn to practice hospitality and grace, so that new, inexperienced, young believers will be enabled to enter the kingdom of Christ and to experience the fullness of Christ as they grow in knowledge and conviction and as they learn to enter the community of faith by baptism.
Practicing hospitality toward those who, moved by the workings of Christ’s Spirit, show evidence of a budding faith, may lead to these new, inquiring, inexperienced believers embracing the full teachings of Christ, including his body, the church. In reference to the Lord Jesus’ response to the disciples, St. Augustine said: (p. 129) “Although [this man] was not a follower of Christ, Christ ordered that he be allowed to continue because [the casting out of demons in Jesus’ name] gave a valuable testimony of [Jesus’] name to many…The centurion Cornelius also saw the angel that was sent to him to say that his prayers had been heard and his alms accepted, even before he was incorporated into this temple by regeneration.”
I pray that my grandfather’s neighbors (they are still alive) may move more and more toward Jesus and all he stands for, as they continue to live gracious lives. This much is clear: Christian discipleship 101 calls not only for humility, but also for hospitality, an open inviting spirit toward all who lean to, or move toward Jesus and his kingdom.
Watchfulness: (vs. 42-50)
Jesus teaches us one more discipleship characteristic: be watchful. Be alert. Deal radically with sin and temptation in your life. As we follow Jesus as forgiven sinners, we must not underestimate the power of sin. For sin in our lives often discredits the name of the Lord Jesus. And sinful behavior leaves misery and sorrow in its wake. Using exaggeration to make this point, the Lord Jesus tells us: “If your hand, your foot, your eye…causes you to sin, cut them off.” In other words, deal radically with temptation and sin. And placing before us hell fire as a deterrent from letting the power of sin control us, Jesus says three times: “It is better for you to enter life, the kingdom of God…maimed, crippled, or one-eyed, than…to be thrown into hell.”
Are you being lured into sin by pornography? Then deal with it radically: stop visiting places of lust; stop buying pictures and magazines that corrupt. Are we being trapped by the abusive use of alcohol? Then stay away from the liquor store and local bar. Are we falling for greed and possessions? Avoid places of gambling. Stop buying lottery tickets. Are we abusive in our behavior toward our spouse and children because of anger or an ill-tempered spirit? Get help! Confess to God; yield to God’s Spirit.
Surely, disciples of Jesus must be radically watchful when it comes to temptation and sin. In fact, says Jesus, let God’s Word, in all its fullness, function in your life like salt: purifying you, cleansing you, and preserving you as my disciple. Yes, “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
Perhaps, you did not expect Jesus to teach you about following him. Perhaps you dislike his catechism lesson today. If that’s the case, listen one more time to the thrust of Jesus’ teaching today: humility, hospitality, and watchfulness are fundamental characteristics of discipleship. Embracing these characteristics is part of the salt of God’s Word at work in us. Listen: they will lead to peace and a joyful Christian life.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen!