Serving Like Jesus: Bekah Beck

The following was shared as a homily at our Sunday Evening Eucharist service on 10/17/2021:

So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” - Mark 10:42-45

It is tempting for me to read this passage and just skip over it because it seems really simple. But, as it often happens in Scripture, that simplicity is what makes it significant. By telling the disciples that greatness is found in servanthood, Jesus is shepherding their attention away from the endless acquisition and use of personal power and towards something far less selfish. He tells them to seek the good of others, not themselves. “The pagans,” Jesus says, “are tyrants.” But it ought not be so among us believers. When we are actively pursuing the good of our neighbors and brothers and sisters, it becomes difficult to lord our power over them because what is obviously good for them comes from God alone. To serve people well, you have to be observant enough to see their needs, and when you’re paying good attention to other people, you forget about yourself. 

Now, I want to avoid telling you that if you’re just slow enough and patient enough, you’ll be a good servant. Because I don't think that’s true. At least not in the way that Jesus is talking about it. At the end of our Gospel reading it says, “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” It would seem that the kind of self-sacrificial behavior Jesus is prescribing for his disciples (and so, for us) is wholly and completely animated by the revelation they have of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As we go through the process of seeking another person’s good, we are reminding ourselves of the Gospel. We are reminding ourselves of how God Almighty sought our own good.

Because our servanthood is so tied to our understanding of the Good News of Jesus, I want to remind you of the Gospel. Remember that it was God himself who stepped into human flesh so that he, with his own two hands, could wash our feet and save us from death. Remember that Jesus’ servanthood is not found exclusively in his death but is made plain in his very life. For “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with us in our weakness.” The fact that Jesus was human and subject to the same temptations as us was an act of service. The gift of communion exemplifies how the Lord is still, to this day, seeking our good. He could have just left it at the cross, but he decided to serve us his body and blood as a reminder of just how much he cares. So, as we are about to take communion, remember that the maker of heaven and earth came down to live in his own creation. Not so He could rule as a tyrant, but so he might serve to us the goodness of redemption. Amen.

Bekah Beck is a first year Intern at the Wesley, but has been a vital member of this community since her freshman year at LA Tech. She thrives in chaos and is always ready to be goofy and laugh with anyone and everyone. After finishing the internship, Bekah will be moving to North Carolina to pursue a Master’s in Divinity from Duke University.