Coffee With The Lord

I am always blown away by passages like Mark 11.20-26! There is so much to be discovered about what Jesus taught on the subject of faith and its potential! Sometimes I feel like I’ve only got a toe in the water of a mighty ocean of possibilities! I find myself in an awkward position… I never want to abuse faith for selfish ends – on the other hand I don’t want to leave divinely intended possibilities unexplored or experienced.

I mean, get the picture… Jesus had cursed a vibrant, green fig tree (“a fig tree in leaf”) that had no fruit. He spoke a word of rebuke over it… “May no one ever eat fruit from you again” (a tree full of leaves normally should have had fruit). The next day the disciples and Jesus passed by the tree again… Lo and behold, it had withered away from the roots! It was dead!! The disciples were blown away!! “Look!” they said, “The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

Then Jesus stretched their faith “to the max” with what followed…

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:22–25 NIV)

Now, I have to admit (after years of working with people of all kinds in the church), I would have been inclined to have responded to Jesus words like this… “Don’t say that Jesus! Just as sure as the world, some idiot will try it!” Didn’t seem to bother Jesus, though! In fact, it seems like, rather than qualifying the challenge, he wanted to encourage it! He wanted to stretch their faith to believe for impossible things!

Believe me, when I say abuses of faith have happened in the church – selfish, self-centered, self-seeking displays of “faith” (so-called). But we dare not let our negative reaction to that, or our fear and timidity, keep us from believing God can and will do the impossible!

“The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that One has died for all… and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised!” (From 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV)

It is interesting (even amusing) to simply listen to conversations and watch people in the “break room” on the job. Conversations abound about who is trying to do what on the job and why… Innuendo about their motives… Attempts to get the “inside scoop” from someone so they won’t have an advantage over you for the job later one… Strategies discussed about how to take a fellow worker who seems to be getting ahead a bit “down a few pegs”… A little drama for “image making” – either playing the part of “tough guy or gal” or “sweet as pie” – whichever the situation calls for… Psychoanalysis of the “management” and their motives or thinking… Got to get ahead – the inside track – the advantage over others… AFTER ALL, “IT’S A DOG-EAT-DOG WORLD OUT THERE!!”

Jesus had apparently been at a few drinking fountains – had listened in on a few break room conversations. And His disciples had personally participated in a few. In fact, the Bible describes a scene when the other disciples overheard a conversation with Jesus in which they felt James and John were trying to get “the inside track” with Jesus in his coming kingdom… The Bible says, “When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John!”

Jesus quickly called a “team meeting!” He had to nip this in the bud – He realized He had to deal with this attitude quickly and decisively. Here’s what he said to his disciples… “You know that those who are regarded as rules of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them… NOT SO WITH YOU! Instead whoever want to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all! 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.” (Mark 10.41-45 NIV)

Authentic Christian living – living as a devoted, obedient, follower of Jesus – has an entirely different set of values than the culture at large! The phrase Jesus used in this passage that is translated “NOT SO WITH YOU” is a very powerful one in the Greek language… In fact one could translate it “It should not be that way at all among you!” It’s called “SERVANT LEADERSHIP” and our Savior and Lord, Jesus – the Christ perfectly modeled it. With God’s help I want to avoid participating in the water fountain and break room conversations that are nothing more than attempts to get ahead in a “dog-eat-dog” world.

Listen, I want to be like the One who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life for others!” Help me Lord! I want to be more like Jesus!!