Sermons:
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Servant of All,
Mark 9:30-37
(see
below)
by Rev. Dr. Cynthia Huling Hummel
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A SHORT
LESSON IN HAPPINESS, Psalm 1,
by Dr. David Rogne
-
TRUE
GREATNESS,
Mark 9:30-37, by Rev. Rick Thompson
-
Are You
Open to God?, Mark 9:30-37,
Pastor Debbie
-
On An Upside-Down Mission,
Mark 9:30-37,
Rev. F. Schaefer
-
Choosing The Right Path,
Psalm 1,
Rev. John C. Bogle
-
Secret Of Being A Servant Leader,
Mark 9:30-37,
Rev. Frank Schaefer
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Servant of All
a sermon based on Mark 9:30-37
by Rev. Dr. Cynthia Huling Hummel
This morning's reading places Jesus on the road with his disciples. It's a
story that we can relate to because it's about three things we're all familiar
with: It's about fear, fighting and what it means to be first. Now Mark tells us
that Jesus and his followers passed through Galilee. Jesus didn't want anyone to
know he was in town. Jesus needed some time alone with his disciples: time away
from the crowds, time to teach them about his mission, time to tell them what
was surely to pass: that he would be betrayed, that he would be killed and that
he would rise again. If you're thinking this sounds familiar, you're right. This
is the second time in Mark's gospel that Jesus predicts his passion. Even though
this is the second time that Jesus spoke to his disciples about what was ahead,
they still didn't understand. They didn't get what Jesus was talking about and
yet they were too afraid to ask Jesus what it was that he meant . Isn't it
curious that the disciples were too afraid to ask him. What about you? Have you
ever been in a similar circumstance where you didn't understand something, but
you were too afraid to ask?
Math was never my best subject. I especially seemed to have difficulty
grasping new mathematical concepts. I don't know about you, but my worst
nightmare was those horrible word problems that would always appear on exams!
The problems were usually about trains leaving places like Chicago or New York
barreling towards each other in the darkness and you had to figure out when the
trains would crash. Math was frustrating for me because more often than not, the
teacher would move too quickly- at least faster than my feeble brain could
think. And I was positive that I was the only person in the class who couldn't
keep up and who didn't understand. I worked hard and it was a struggle at times
to keep up. I can remember my calculus teacher scribbling equations on the
blackboard at break neck speed. "Mr. Smith" would then turn and ask the class if
anyone had any questions. It was quite clear from the tone in his voice that
even though he asked the question, that Mr. Smith was clearly not inviting
questions and that he intended to move on to new material. I took the hint. I
for one was not about to ask any questions. I didn't want to make him angry.
I didn't want to appear stupid. I didn't want to call attention to
myself. I didn't want to be embarrassed. It was easier to struggle
with the problem on my own. Since there were no questions, Mr. Smith would grab
the chalk eraser and wipe the equation into oblivion. In the blink of an eye,
the answer would be gone.
I've been pondering this question all week: Why is it that we, like the
disciples, are sometimes afraid to ask what we don't understand? What causes our
fear and our reluctance? For some of us- it is embarrassment. We don't want
to be the only ones that "don't get it". We may have heard that the only foolish
question is the one that you don't ask- but we don't believe it. We don't want
to look foolish, and so, we don't ask. We don't raise our hands or our
questions. Some of us would rather remain in the dark than be in the spotlight
by calling attention to ourselves. But on a deeper level- I'm wondering if
sometimes, we are afraid to ask the question, because we really don't want to
know the answer. We don't ask the question because in fact we are terrified of
the truth. We really don't really want to know , what we suspect we already
know. Sometimes, it's easier for us to be oblivious- than for us to confront
the obvious. Like an ostrich, burying its head in the sand, we sometimes
pretend that everything is fine, even when it's not. It's like the don't ask-
and don't tell policy: we hope perhaps, that if we don't ask, then he or she
won't tell us what we're unprepared or unwilling to hear.
-that if we don't ask our spouse, about his/her late nights- then he or she
won't tell us about the affair. [continue]
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