Prayers of Approach
God our creator, we are made in your image, create and reshape us anew for your purposes. God our sustainer, who sent your Son Jesus to be our servant, by your grace, forgive us where we have hurt your world. God our guide and inspiration, open our hearts to receive your wisdom, inspire us and direct us.
Lord God, we come humbly into your presence this morning, ready to explore our place in your community. Sometimes we have very fixed ideas about where we want to sit in this gathering. We like to know our place. Help us to understand that you don’t have favourites, and we shouldn’t either, and that we are a community and we are all in this together.
God of community, you look down from heaven on your children on earth, and are overcome with love. Love that reaches out to touch even the most faraway soul.
God the Father, who made all creation, and shares all good gifts with us. We adore you.
God the Son, just as you walked on earth with your friends, you are always here with us. We adore you.
God the Spirit, though we don’t see you, we know you are deep within our hearts. You make sense of our place in your world. We adore you. Amen.
Hymn Jesus is Lord, creation’s voice proclaims it (R&S 268)
Readings: Isaiah 53:4-12
Mark 10:35-45
Introduction
The reading from Isaiah is part of the fourth and final ‘servant song’ through which we interpret Jesus’ ministry. This is the servant who gives himself to God, understanding that God will give back even more and Israel will be forgiven, and therefore restored. For Isaiah, faith is not a comfort but a matter of being wholly dependent upon God’s mercy.
In our Gospel reading two of Jesus’ disciples ask for special positions and recognition. This causes resentment among the rest of the disciples. But this bold, audacious or perhaps foolish request from the disciples provides Jesus with an opportunity to teach about how greatness in God’s kingdom is achieved. It is not about position, he says, but about serving others; it is not about being first but being prepared to be last.
This week’s readings explore what it means to be a truly great human person. Ideas about ‘greatness’ do not seem to have changed very much since the time of Jesus, or even Isaiah, but their counter-cultural conclusions will surprise many. Greatness lies in vulnerability, solidarity, sacrifice and obedience. But if ‘being prepared to be last’ does not mean ‘be a doormat’, then what does it mean?
Hymn From heaven you came, helpless babe (R&S 522)
Sermon
What does it take to get elected these days? In the United States they are just approaching the Presidential elections and here at home Keir Starmer and the Labour Party have just completed their first hundred days in office, and there have already been several by-elections and changes of personnel. So what does it take, not only to be elected in the first place, but to stay in office? We would probably answer good contacts, plenty of money, years of handshaking and ‘networking’, and of course, policies that appeal to the people. But in today’s world with mass media, spin doctors, PR and presentation specialists and advisors, ‘fact checking’ and ‘fake news’ it’s hard for us to know who and what we are getting. And it’s even harder to know whether their policies are good for the country or just good for electioneering.
Added to that, globalisation also brings the power of giant international corporations which might cater to individual wants (if you can afford it) but which lack the compassion to serve the needs of individual and society. The dynamics of business and the economy can dull our sense of responsibility to others and if we add to that the evolutionary idea of ‘survival of the fittest’ it is not surprising that we become cynical and expect that everyone is just looking out for themselves.
Faced with such a world the direct approach of James and John shouldn’t really surprise us. At least it is honest. They know what they want, so they just ask for it! The anger of the other disciples is just as understandable, but are they angry at James and John trying to raise themselves up or at the prospect of somehow being left out? Jesus however doesn’t take sides, he simply asks them to consider what it is they are asking for. What does it mean to join him on a path that leads to suffering and death? It is a dangerous choice they are making, and have already made, to follow him with no promise of great glory, but to share his cup and his baptism, and share in his suffering.
In fulfilling his own mission Jesus calls his disciples to be servants and slaves, to be the last not the first, the least not the greatest. A true leader serves the people not the other way round. And far from seeking glory and honour, far from pursuing a policy of ‘survival of the fittest’ a life of service and cooperation, of helping the less able, leads ultimately to a stronger and healthier society. Perhaps a church which now sits on the margins of society is in a better position to serve as we have been called to do.
Hymn Brother, sister let me serve you (R&S 474)
Prayers of Intercession
Thank you, Lord God, that in your kingdom things are wonderfully topsy turvy, and we are all in this together. Thank you that to do your will we must become servants, and we are all in this together. Thank you that when we follow Jesus, however little we think we have to offer, we can all minister to each other, and we are all in this together. Thank you that you know what we need. You came to earth to serve and build up your followers, and we are all in this together.
We thank you for our ministers and church community, all who help us to find our place in your community, and we are all in this together.
We pray, for the world, the church and ourselves;
When we seek power and glory for ourselves and overlook the needs of the humble and weak, Christ, the servant king: Help us to follow your example of service
Where there are those who rely on food banks and on benefits, Christ, the servant king: Help us to follow your example of service
Where stronger nations ignore the plight of the poor; where food and medical supplies are stockpiled while others cry out in need. Christ, the servant king: Help us to follow your example of service
Where churches focus on their own desires and fail to see the needy at their gates. Christ, the servant king: Help us to follow your example of serviceWhen our neighbours are sick, imprisoned by addiction, cold through lack of shelter, lonely through isolation or tearful because of bereavement, Christ, the servant king: Help us to follow your example of serviceWhen our personal ease and comfort leads us to ignore the threats to the future of our planet, Christ, the servant king: Help us to follow your example of service
Loving God, we pray that our society may become characterised by our desire to serve one another; to help the weak and seek the common good. Help each one of us to work out our place in the community of those who follow Jesus. Amen.
Hymn O Lord all the world belongs to you (R&S 549)
Blessing
May we go to serve the one who served us by giving his life, by showing the way; may Jesus guide us and be near us as we go out today.
And may the blessing of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Go with us and remain with us always.
Amen.
Prayers and other material (adapted) © Roots for Churches Ltd. Used by permission.
