Sermon on Mark 9:30-37 (Proper 20)

The Missing Voice

When I went grocery shopping last weekend I heard and saw a sight that really captured my attention and my heart. There was a young boy shopping with his dad and baby sister in the produce aisle. As they where shopping, the boy kept pointing out different vegetables and fruits that caught his attention. He wasn’t just doing it in a way that only his dad could hear, his excitement was enjoyed by everyone! “Dad! I know what that is! That’s Indian corn! Dad! Look! Purple Cauliflower! That’s awesome! Are we getting bananas, dad? I like bananas!” Then I heard something that brought me crashing down to reality. I’m not sure if it was his dad or another person, but I heard the three most disheartening words ever “Okay, calm down!” The words didn’t seem to faze the boy though. He just kept right on pointing things out, but at a slightly reduced tone.

Our gospel lesson from Mark today is booby trapped. What do I mean by that? You have a director of youth and family ministries preaching. The end of this passage especially has been used as a basis for pointing out the importance of youth and family ministry. This should be a youth minister’s dream verse! I tell you a couple heartwarming stories (I already opened with one), reiterate the importance of welcoming children, get it set in your mind again my usefulness and purpose. Boom! We’re at the hymn of the day and I have a new found job security. Sorry. Not happening. If we just did that much of the complexity of this story would be gone. So strap in, prep for your nap if you must because we’re diving in.

One of the first ways I came at this verse was through something we use with kids all the time. Whenever you got ready to go somewhere in school what was the first thing the teacher told you to do? That’s right. Line up in a line. The line as a form of crowd control and easily mobility for a class has been around forever! I’m pretty sure they did this in Jesus’ day too. So we have our line of kiddos and what is the most coveted place of all? Again, you’re right: the front. You got the special title! You were the line leader! You had an important function! Every kid wants to be the line leader. There is always a pushing and shoving match to see who is going to lead the line which is ultimately decided upon by the teacher.

We encounter the disciples and Jesus today on the road to Capernaum. Jesus took the special side streets because he didn’t want the crowds to know they were there so he could do some intense teaching with his chosen 12. The teaching is intense for this point in the story. Jesus tells them the way things will be. The path that they are headed towards. “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” The disciples don’t understand, but this time is different, the writer gives us an even deeper glimpse “they were afraid to ask him” So what do the disciples do instead? They get into a slap fighting contest to determine who the line leader is. Okay, so maybe they didn’t really do that, but that is how it went down in my head. They argue about who is the greatest! Who is the line leader. Jesus, being the fantastic teacher that he is, not only calls them on it in a rhetorical way because he knows what was happening, but tries a different approach.

He begins teaching them concerning what they are focused on the most: what does it mean to be the greatest and how to do it. It’s not by being a line leader. It’s not about who comes first. It’s something completely different. Jesus, makes a statement and then follows it up with a concrete example. “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all” Then he takes a child and places it among them. We have to unpack this a bit. In Jesus’ day children were the lowest on the social ladder even below women. This isn’t a heartfelt, “Aw, look at the cute kid with Jesus moment” but a pointed reminder that Jesus is giving to his disciples. Here is the missing voice. Here is the lost voice. Here is the voice on the edge of everything. You want to be first? Pay attention to this voice. Listen to this voice. Serve this voice.

In a 21st century world we have gotten better at this, somewhat. We’re better about welcoming children and listening to that voice. We’re better at listening to some other voices. Not perfect, but better. We still have some growing edges. There are still tons of voices that are looking for welcome. Looking to be a part of our story. Looking to be a part of God’s story. We’re good at listening sometimes and other times we’re not. We get afraid to ask questions or understand, so we start slap fighting to see who gets to be the line leader. We miss the promise of the cross, fail to ask about it when we don’t understand or worse claim that we understand fully. We push other voices out of the picture or try and get them to calm down. We forget to look for who is on the outside edge. There is a voice missing.

One voice that isn’t missing is the one from the cross. A voice that cries out with us “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani? “ “My God, My God why have you forsaken me” A voice that has experienced where we have been, especially when we are on the outside edge.  A voice of love, grace and mercy that continues to teach us how to serve and listen. A voice that gives us the confidence to listen, love and try to understand despite being afraid. A voice that continually speaks a different message that is hard to understand. A message that says to be first is not what is important, but to serve and welcome all. A message that dares us to ask questions. A message that works through the most odd places: Through a cross, through a child, through those on the edge. Even through you and me.

Let me leave you with this: Where is the missing voice in your life? It could be any number of things or people. I’m not talking on a global scale, let’s face it there are missing voices on that stage too. I’m talking about the realm you can do something about. At work, at school, at home, here at Shepherd of Life: What voice needs a welcome? What voice is missing? It may be a voice that is excited and enthusiastic. It may be a voice that is tired and weary. It might be a voice that is broken. It may be a voice that is different. It might be a voice that is just lost and looking for a place. May we join our voices with the voice of God in saying “All are welcome.” Thanks be to God. Amen