reading for: 13 Oct

Mark 10:35-45

Moving with Christ the Servant

• READ

The passage opens with James and John, the two sons of Zebedee coming to Jesus and saying to Jesus in effect that they wanted him to do whatever they asked of him. (v35) They were telling Jesus don’t ask us questions, just grant us our demands. Jesus replied to them and asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?”(V36). The text immediately tells us what James and John wanted, they wanted to sit at the left and right of Jesus in glory. (V37) James and John made this request of Jesus because they wanted to have the most favour positions with Jesus in glory. They wanted to rule over others and exercise power over the multitudes.

Jesus said in response to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”(V38) What did Jesus mean when he talked about drinking the cup or being baptized with the baptism together with him? In short, Jesus meant that to participate in his glory is to participate in his death and sufferings. Jesus was emphasizing to them that there is no glory or rulership without the suffering of the cross. James and John answered that they would be able to drink the cup and be baptized in the same baptism. (V39) Jesus prophesized that they will indeed drink the cup and be baptized in the same baptism but that the positions of seating on his left and right are not for Jesus to grant. It is the right of the Father to grant. (V39-40)

When the other ten disciples heard it, they were furious at James and John. (V41) Like James and John, they did not want others to rule over them. They wanted the favoured positions, the leadership positions. They wanted supreme authority. Jesus, perhaps sensing that the disciples were thinking those thoughts, called to them and said that to be great among them is to be the servant, to be first is to be the slave of all. (V42-44) Jesus ends off in verse 45 by saying, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(V45). Jesus is saying that I came to serve and not to be served. In giving his life as a ransom for many, this is the supreme act of service where he served all.

In summary, the disciples craved power and authority. They wanted to be the most favoured disciple. They wanted to sit with Jesus at his right and left, being elevated above all others. Jesus knew their hearts and taught them that they were to move and follow him in his death and sufferings. To be great and first in the kingdom is to serve. Jesus understood greatness as serving others, and he wanted his disciples to understand the same.

• REFLECT

In the modern world today, we are just like the disciples. We seek after positions of power and authority. We want to be the favoured people sitting with Christ in his glory. However, we do not understand what glory means for Christ.

This text teaches us that Christ sees glory in a very different way. He sees his glory as his sufferings on the cross. The cross for Christ is a place of suffering and ransom for all, but it is also where his glory is made manifest. Jesus is challenging our definitions of authority and glory and move with him in service of others and seeing others better than ourselves.

Pray and reflect before God on our definition of glory and ask God to teach us and guide us as we understand what glory is, to learn to serve others and see others better than ourselves.

reading for: 14 Oct

Isaiah 53:4-12

The example of Christ the Servant and High Priest

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  In yesterday’s reading, we have seen Christ teaching his disciples to move with him in service of others by telling them that he was about to suffer on the cross. This death and suffering is the definition of glory. Today, we will read in Isaiah 53 more on the example of Christ the Servant.

  Isaiah is speaking of Christ in Isaiah 53 and portrays Christ as bearing our griefs, carried our sorrows. (V4) Christ was pierced and crushed for our sins. (V5)  We are like sheep who have gone astray, we have turned to follow our way. (V6) We want to achieve our desires and wants, we do not follow him. We are like the wayward sheep who has lost our way. Christ took all the sin and iniquity that was supposed to be laid on us. (V6) Christ was like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, cut off out of the land of the living. (V7-8).

  This is the will of the Lord to crush him, to put him to grief. (V10) This is because when he has made an offering for the sins of the world, he shall see his offspring. He shall make many righteous. He shall bear their iniquities. (V10-12)

  Isaiah speaks of Christ on the cross bearing the sins of the world. Because of his death on the cross, many offspring will come from him, and he shall see it. Many will be made righteous because of him. Because of Christ, we who believe in him are his offspring that has come from him. Alternatively, to use the words of John 3, we have been born from above. We have been made righteous.

• REFLECT

  Isaiah portrays Christ as the suffering servant who has borne our sins and transgressions on the cross and made us righteous. We are his offspring born from above, hence let us emulate him in service of others and move with him in the willingness to give our lives for others.

  Reflect on who Christ is as the suffering servant and what he has done for you. Pray and ask God for strength and love to follow him in serving others. Ask the Lord for an opportunity at home, at the workplace or in your LG or kampong for you to help bring reconciliation between parties who are in conflict or misunderstanding. This is our priestly calling in Christ.

reading for: 15 Oct

Hebrews 5:1-10

Moving with Christ the High Priest

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  Today we will read about Christ, the high priest. The author of Hebrews starts in chapter 5, picking up the theme of Christ as the high priest, which he started in chapter 4.

  Chapter 5 verse 1 starts with the high priest in the Levitical system. The author speaks of the high priest being appointed from among men to act on behalf of men in relation to God. They were to offer gifts and sacrifices to God for the sins of men. (V2) They are able to deal gently with the sins of the people since they themselves are beset with weaknesses. The high priest in the Levitical system was sinful just as they are and had to offer an offering for his own sins just as he does so for the people. (V3) This honour is not an honour that anyone can choose to take for himself, but this honour is only taken when it is given by God, just as Aaron was. Aaron was the first high priest in the Levitical system that was called by God, and his descendants followed him to be high priests in the Levitical system. (V4)

  The author of Hebrews now tells us in verse 5 that just as Aaron was appointed by God to be a high priest in the kingdom of Israel, Christ was appointed and chosen by his Father to be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. (V5-6).  In the days of his flesh, Christ offered up prayers and supplications to the Father. Christ on earth undergone all sorts of temptations and learned obedience through what he suffered. (V7-8) Christ being made perfect on the cross, became the source of eternal salvation to all who believed in him. (V9) Christ is the one that is appointed by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. He is the true high priest.

• REFLECT

  Jesus is the true high priest who understands all the struggles and pains that we go through. This is because in the flesh, he faced all sorts of temptations, from hunger to death. Jesus faced temptations to such a degree that many of us would never even experience. Christ showed us what it meant to obey God in the midst of the suffering and offered up prayers and supplications for us.

  As we move with Christ, who is our high priest, let us come to him when the journey is tough. When we are struggling in our pains and temptations, let us come to him. Let us depend on him to be the source of eternal salvation for us.

  Share with your LG any recent struggles, pains or temptations that you have faced or are facing. Pray for each other and come to Jesus, who is our high priest together.

reading for: 16 Oct

Psalm 91:9-16

Depending on Christ

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  Psalm 91 is a famous psalm in the world today, and it is typically used as the favourite psalm whenever difficulties arise in our lives. It speaks of depending on Christ, who is our deliverer and saviour.

  Verse 9 to 16 speaks of those who are depending on Christ and making Christ his refuge. Because of that, we are protected from harm.  Verse 9 speaks of us who have taken refuge in Christ and is dwelling in his presence. Verse 10 to 12 speaks of the protection that Christ offers, how no evil shall be allowed to befall us. A charge will be given to the angels to guard those who depend on Christ.

  Verse 13 speaks of the authority that we have to tread upon the lion and the serpent. This highlights to us the authority that we have to overcome the obstacles in our life. We will not be overcome by these obstacles. Instead, we will have the authority to tread upon them.

  Verse 14 to 16 once again speaks of the deliverance of the Lord to those who call on him in their times of trouble and how the Lord would rescue and deliver us. We will be satisfied if we call on him, and he will give us deliverance and life.

• REFLECT

  The words of this psalm are powerful and speak of deliverance for those who call on the Lord. Christ has given us the authority to overcome the obstacles in our lives, to tread upon the lion and the serpent. Christ will deliver us in our times of trouble if we call on him. We will be satisfied and honoured by Christ if we call on him.

  The key question to ask and reflect on is, will we call on him? When we face troubles, will we call on him? Will we be so stubborn in our pride and refuse to call on him and choose to solve the problem in our own strength. This psalm teaches us that in the midst of our struggle, we need to take refuge in him and depend on him for deliverance. He is the one that will deliver us and help us to overcome.

  Pray that we will have the courage to humbly come before him to seek his deliverance in times of trouble. Help us not to solve the problem and obstacles in our own strength but to depend and rely on him.