Jump Start # 1457

Mark 9:33 “They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’  But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.”

Jesus knew. He always knew. It’s easy for us to look at the Gospels with an idealistic thought that it would have been wonderful to walk and travel with Jesus. I find the text showing more of a painful journey in which the Lord was molding the thinking and building the faith within those twelve apostles. There were several uncomfortable moments with the Savior. Jesus wasn’t afraid to tell them that their faith was little. Other times, like our verse today, Jesus knew that the disciples were going down a path in their discussions that they shouldn’t have. So Jesus simply asks, “What were you discussing on the way?” He knew. He also knew what they were talking about wasn’t productive, healthy nor faith building. It seems that the disciples also knew that they should not have been discussing these things. When questioned by Jesus, they kept silent. They were probably astonished that He knew. He always knows.

The apostles were discussing which one of them was the greatest. I expect the bragging was pretty thick. Favorites. Who is Jesus’ favorite? Loud mouth Peter was most likely right in the thick of it. There was an inner circle of Peter, James and John. Those names would have been tossed in the hat as some of the greatest.

That competitive spirit within us leads us to these kind of discussions. These discussions do not end well. So, we imagine Peter strutting himself like a peacock and stating his case why he was the number one apostle. How would that make the others feel? There was no pecking order among the apostles. This discussion was vain, selfish and lacking the spirit of a servant which Jesus mirrored. If someone was #1, then eventually someone would be # 12. How would # 12 feel? Would he just quit? Would being # 1 get a person special privileges? Those who were viewed as # 2 or # 3 would do all that they could to get to the # 1 spot. What a mess. What egos. What a worthless discussion. Jesus had his hands full with these twelve.

But are we much different today? We talk about the best song leader in the congregation or the best preacher these days. Talk like that fuels egos and can be the source of strife and jealousy among us. We all have different talents and different backgrounds. Being accepted and being used by the Lord is the greatest honor.

We tend to have the American business concept that the largest and the biggest means the best. So this thinking means a big church is better than a small church. A well known preacher is better than a little known preacher. A church with a lot of money is better than a church that has little money. City churches are better than rural churches. A church with a new building is better than a church that meets in a hundred year old building. All of this trickles down to “I am better than you are.” So, what if you are? Does that change anything? Does that mean you’ll get to bypass the judgment and sit closer to Jesus in Heaven? No. Does that mean God favors you more than me? No. What it really means, if you are better than I am, then you best get busy and do more than I am doing. To whom much is given, much is required, is a Biblical principle about responsibility. Those gifted with a talent are expected to use that talent in the kingdom. It’s not about showing off. It’s not about who is the best. You have been blessed and in turn, God expects and even demands that you use that talent.

I’m better than you are is something that never leaves us. We’d think that it’s childish, but it’s more than that. This warped thinking drives people to buy things that they cannot afford to impress people that they do not even like. Showing off is what is behind this. An esteem issue is what is also behind this.

I wonder where the apostles discussion was heading? Did they think statues would be built in honor of the greatest apostle? Did they think Jesus was going to do something special for the number one guy? What they missed in all their discussion was that they were nothing like Jesus. The Lord was humble. He put others before Himself. Boasting wasn’t in His blood. Sometimes our discussions reveal our true character. Sometimes they reveal that we’ve forgotten Jesus. Folks discussing a Bible doctrine can get so upset and mean with one another, that they forgot Jesus. He wouldn’t be that way. Some wanting something done can get so threatening and ugly that they forget Jesus. He wouldn’t be that way.

You’ll notice, the apostles were not discussing how can we praise Jesus more? No. They were not thinking, how can we help the Lord out? No. They were not talking about how we can get more of the multitudes to come or to listen to Jesus? No. Their thoughts weren’t about Jesus. They were discussing which one of them was the greatest. Wrong discussion. Wrong avenue to be traveling down. They were walking with Jesus, but at that moment, they weren’t following Him.

I wonder if Jesus could say the same things about some of our conversations and even some of our Bible classes? What were you discussing? Was it helpful? Was it profitable? Was it beneficial to everyone? Was it about you? Some folks try to stand so tall that they fall over backwards. Some try to get the stamp of approval by everyone except God.

Who is the greatest among them? I wonder if anyone dared say, “Jesus.” He was the greatest among them. He was the greatest teacher, friend, Savior, hope and help among them. Without Jesus, they wouldn’t have been together at all. Without Jesus, most of them would have spent the day in the boat pulling up wet fishing nets. Without Jesus, they would have been forgotten in history. Without Jesus, they would have died in their sins. Yes, there was one who was the greatest among them. They failed to see who it was.

Our worship, our preaching and our attitudes can do the same thing. We can talk about everything but the Lord. We can forget who truly is the greatest among us. The shoes those apostles were wearing sure fit our feet. It is so easy to get into discussions about things that really do not matter.

Let’s do more than just walk with Jesus, let’s follow His way.

Roger

Jump Start # 1189

Mark 9:33 “And they came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’”

  We are looking at the questions of Jesus this week. Our Lord used this as a great method of teaching. Our passage today shows the way that questions can penetrate the heart and make a person truly think. There are many hymns that ask a question. The song, “O why not tonight,” has been used to get people to think about their relationship with the Lord. I know one person who was asked that very question after the congregation sang that song. “O why not tonight?” That person thought and decided to come to Christ.

Jesus, in our verse, asked the disciples what were you discussing. Jesus knew. He wanted them to fess up to what they were talking about. It wasn’t good. They should have known better. The following verse states, “But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.” What a dumb topic to talk about. Why does it matter? It did to them. I suppose each was putting forth reasons why they ought to have been the greatest. Maybe the ‘inner three’, Peter, James and John, thought they had the inside track to being the greatest. Poor Thaddeus, there’s simply not much there about him. He must have really felt left out. They didn’t understand that there wasn’t a pecking order in the kingdom. There was no such thing as the greatest. The modern concept of naming church buildings after the apostles is the very opposite of what Jesus was stressing. More than that, they completely missed the picture that Jesus was putting before them. He was a servant. He served others. He went when asked. He helped. He busied Himself in the lives of others. How could they see all this and miss the point? Jesus wasn’t being catered to. He was the one who was doing.

There is a greater lesson here with Jesus’ question. Asking, what were you discussing, would make them reveal the subject and the problem. They remained silent. Parents today generally get a “nothing.” What are you doing? Nothing. Nothing is the theme song for young people. What happened at today at school a parent asks. The answer, Nothing. What are you watching on TV? Nothing.

It is interesting that Jesus didn’t let the subject drop. He didn’t let their silence be the end. There was a problem brewing and He knew it. So they sat down in the house and Jesus says, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” Their eyes must have bounced around looking at one another. How did He know? Who told Him? Guilty and embarrassed, it was a lesson learned.

Penetrating questions are hard to ask. They are also hard to answer. They are personal. Without a relationship, such questions feel nosey. You wouldn’t ask a neighbor who you barely knew, how much he was making? His response would be, ‘It’s none of your business.’ And he’s right. Some times we try to make things our business when it’s not. This strains feelings down at the church house and even in the family. I know. I’ve been asked them. I guess when you are a preacher everyone feels like they have a right to know. And some of the stuff they want to know, they shouldn’t. We had four wonderful children. When my wife would come to services with a new born in arms, we’d be asked, ‘Are you going to have any more?’ We were asked, ‘When are you going to have the next one?’ Those questions are personal and really no one else needs to know.

There is a place for penetrating questions.

• Parents have a right to ask them of their children. Kids can be slick and dodge questions. They can be vague, ambiguous and play hide and seek with their answers. Looking eyeball to eyeball, no earphones in their ears, no texting in their hands, there comes a time for questions. When the behavior is not right, ask the questions. When grades are slipping, ask the questions. When they start getting an attitude, ask the questions. When they hang out with the wrong people, ask the questions. You ask, because you care and you have a right to know. When they say, “I don’t have to tell you,” they’re wrong. They do.

• In a personal Bible study, there comes a time for penetrating questions. Not at first, but after a few studies. When trust and relationships have been formed. When they see that the Bible is final standard that we go by. When studies have led to the person making a decision, a decision needs to be made. What will you do? Do you know my Jesus? O why not tonight? As you read passages together and explain them, let the word of God work on the heart. Ask the question and then wait. Silence is hard. But wait. Wait for them to say something. Wait for a response. There may be questions they have. There may be some things they don’t understand. There may be a fear factor that you can help them overcome. They may just be waiting for you to ask them.

• There is a place for the penetrating questions when helping someone overcome trouble in their life. Again, you need to have a relationship with the person, otherwise you appear as nosey, which you are. Not knowing someone limits what we can ask them. James discusses the value of confessing our sins to one another. There is great help and encouragement in that. There is a place for the deep and personal questions. Those moments can be the very thing that turns a heart the right direction. The right questions, asked the right way, by the right person…tender, patiently, kindly—these are the necessary ingredients that make personal questions useful.

I believe Jesus could have asked another question to the disciples. He asked, ‘What were you discussing…’ He could have asked, ‘Why were you discussing that?’ The why’s are as important as the what’s. Jesus asked this question because He cared and He was shaping the hearts of the disciples. Caring questions help. Nosey questions harm. Some people just want to know. They don’t plan to do anything with the information other than possibly tell someone else. There is a difference between prying questions and penetrating questions. There is a difference between nosey questions and caring questions. Make sure you understand the difference and use prayer and wisdom in how you use these.

Inquiring minds want to know…caring hearts want to help. Big difference. Jesus knew the difference.

Roger