The religious gathering I serve is continuing to journey through different spiritual disciplines as a part of our Sunday morning gatherings. This week we thought together about serving others.

After playing Janet Jackson’s brilliant music video for her hit “What Have You Done for Me Lately?”, our primary text was Mark 10.35-45, which tells the story of two brothers, James and John, who were also disciples of Jesus. It concludes with

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

So we thought together a little bit about the backgrounds of James and John; their father’s name, Zebedee (which means Thunder!), their background as fishermen (which is reappropriated in Jesus’ invitation to fish for people) and their social economic status (which may have taken a nosedive after they left their father (Thunder!) and his hired men to follow Jesus and fish for people instead.

Then, we thought together about the ways in which we can fall into the trap of ruminating on the things we may have “left” to follow Jesus instead (certain relationships, business practices, Sunday morning football?).

We concluded with Darrell Guder:

The act of Israel’s election was itself rooted in God’s gracious love. God chose Israel not for people’s merit but as an act of mercy… That calling, however, was not for Israel’s benefit alone. God’s missional intention was that all the world should be blessed.” (The Continuing Conversion of the Church, 78-79)

And we recognized that our “coming to Jesus” really had little to do with us in the first place. However it happened, it was not so much about our “decision” and more about His preemptive gracious act. And His calling is meant to be not only about us, but about how He uses us for others.

Of course, a lot of religion ends up being about us and our needs. But the stories of the Scriptures really are different. They’re about the God who meets us where we are and uses us to meet the needs of others. Which influences what church is supposed to be about.

And in light of how the majority of the American population views Christians, getting back to those Scriptures could do some good.

Tags: Church, Darrell Guder, Janet Jackson, Jesus, Missiology, What Have You Done for Me Lately?
Categories: Bills, Frames, Pages, Pixels

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