The First will be Last and the Last will be First

Lesson: Mark 10:17-31
Grace and peace to you from God our Creator and our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The first time I went to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in downtown Toledo was during the summer. I was assisting anyway I could to prepare for the arrival of my fellow ALT participants. It was during this time that I met Mike and Barb.

Mike and Barb run a ministry called Morning Blessings. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings between 7:30 and 10:30, one can find sanctuary in the social room. They serve wonderful home cooked meals and provide fellowship for whoever comes through the doors. Everyone is treated as one of Gods children.

In our lesson, Jesus is upsetting the status quo by ushering in a new reality, a new way of thought. Up until this point, it had been understood that wealth was a sign of God’s blessing. One can look to the words of Proverbs 8:18-21:

"Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and prosperity. My fruit, [my action] is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, endowing with wealth those who love me, and filling their treasuries."

So is it any wonder why the disciples were confused, shocked even?

Peter’s response of, ‘Look, we left everything and followed you Jesus! What else can we possibly do?’ is one that many find themselves asking.

Jesus’ response is one that goes deeper and causes reflection. It is a call to be community, to love unconditionally those who are outcast from society and seen as the ‘other.’ We are called to serve and care for our broader community, not just ourselves.

This is the lens through which we can look at the last verse of our text Mark 10:31, ‘But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’

We see similar language used two other times in the Gospel of Mark within verses of each other.

In Mark 9:33-37, the disciples are arguing about who is the greatest among them. Jesus asks what they were disagreeing about and the response is silence. He goes onto say 

"‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes on such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’"

Again Jesus is upturning the worlds order. He is changing the narrative and bringing glimpses of the kingdom before our eyes.

At this time in history, children did not have any status in society. They were considered weak and insignificant. When Jesus says, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me,’ he is calling us to welcome the insignificant, lowly, those who are outcast.

And then a third time in Mark 10:41-45 we hear this language again presented in a different way.

James and John have just requested to sit at Jesus’ right and left. The rest of the disciples were angry at this. Jesus calls to them and says

"You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus embodies what it means to serve, and changes everything so we can experience the kingdom in our lives.

People see Jesus and they see a powerful person. They themselves may want a piece of that power to do whatever they want without consequence. However, Christ uses his power to empower those that society sees as unworthy. When we hear the words, ‘but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all,’ it is a call to embody the way Jesus lives. To care for others, call out injustices, and embrace inclusivity.

Through the waters of baptism, we are compelled to go into the world, shining Christs light in the darkness. We are called to be ambassadors of grace, hope, and love. This is the way of life Jesus is beckoning us to live into. He is with us for the journey especially when times are difficult and is always by our side.

Over these past six months, I have gotten the chance to know Mike and Barb better. I have also eaten and fellowshipped with others who come for the meal, served, and walked through Morning Blessings. Every time I am there, I feel a sense of awe and wonder because people are treated with respect. They are a part of the family of Christ.

When I am at Morning Blessings, I witness Gods in-breaking reign. I see glimmers of the Kingdom of heaven here on earth. It is moments like these that encourage me to continue encouraging others to be more inclusive, to live into Christs call for all of us.

So during this season of Lent, let us consider and reflect on these two questions:

Who are the insignificant in our midst?

Who is Christ asking us to embrace?

Let us pray.

Father, you are our strength and solid rock in an ever-shifting and changing world. Despite our stubbornness to trust in you, you still love us and provide us with strength. Help us put our trust in you so that we may grow in our relationship with you and carry out your plans without fear and hesitation. Amen.