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FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN

Mark 10:32-46 Key Verse 10:45:  “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.’

    My one spiritual lesson for 2016 is that Jesus is the Servant King. In 2016 we studied the Gospel of Mark. I would like to share my testimony based on Mark 10:45.

    I would like to ask a question: why should Jesus' disciples aspire for greatness through servanthood instead of grabbing positions of power like the world?   

The first answer is in Jesus’ kingdom the value system of the world is turned upside down. In verse 43 “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.’ In Jesus’ kingdom things work differently. The greatest is the least and servant of all. However, there is a deeper reason why Jesus' disciples must aspire for greatness through servanthood Mark 10:45 says, ‘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.’  For even the Son of Man, the King of God's kingdom, even He was a servant. He came not to be served but to serve. In position and power the Son of Man is the greatest. In Daniel 7 we read that the Son of Man is given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language will worship him. However, at heart and in character the Son of Man is a humble servant. He is a servant King. If the king is a servant then it is not surprising that his kingdom will consist of servants as well.  However, the Gospel is more than an ideal of servanthood. Jesus’ death is much more than just a servant giving his life to the point of death. Jesus gave his life in order to achieve something. Verse 45 says Jesus’ death would be a ransom. Jesus’ death would be a price paid in order to liberate slaves. There is power in Jesus’ death. Jesus’ death is God’s power of deliverance from the power of sin and death for all who believe. The most astounding thing is that the ransom price came in the death of the Servant King.

    This world is crushed under the slavery of sin and death. Last year in South Africa students protested for free tertiary education. This year the FeesMustFall movement was taken to the next level. Things became nasty. Our nation was shaken by violence on our campuses. One time after Bible study I took brother Mondli back to campus. Just that week his campus was in the news. The front gate of CPUT was set on fire and a security guard barely escaped with his life. I read it on the news but when I dropped him off and witnessed the damage, it gripped me. It is hard to explain the image but it looked like a war zone. I was overwhelmed with the feeling that things are not right, this is wrong!’ 

    Everyone condemns using violence as a means to an end, however students made their point that they must be taken seriously. Their voice counts and will not be silenced. In my own opinion although students are demanding for FeesMustFall they are actually crying out for broader change than just university fees. Our economic and social environment in South Africa are not good. Our unemployment is high - around 30%.  Economically we are not growing causing inflation and rise in prices, increasing poverty. Socially, there is racial tension that sometimes reach boiling point. Historically there were injustices and oppression through apartheid and at present there is bitterness and fear. On top of that when we see the extent of corruption then we must conclude overall our nation is in the iron grip of a dark force, making us slaves of fear. Fear that our nation might explode with violence, destroying everything. We are pulled down with concerns of the future and burdened with the uncertainty of what lies ahead. 

    In my view Jesus did not die to turn South Africa into paradise. That cannot happen while the Fall of Adam is still present. A truly new South Africa under the Rule and Lordship of King Jesus will only be consummated in the new heaven and the new earth where there will be no more death, crying and pain, where the power of sin and death would be eradicated for ever and put away out of God’s presence for good. That is still coming and we are not there yet. My hope is not that this world would now become paradise. 

    What is my hope? My hope is that the power of Jesus’ death may ransom one person at a time out of the dominion of darkness into the dominion of light and the kingdom of God. Yes, that is a spiritual transition while living in a dark and corrupt world. But nonetheless a real transition that is absolute. My hope is that through people who have entered the Kingdom of God that they will have an influence and effect on the people of this dark world. Kingdom people are witnesses to show the world that there is an alternative way of life that includes integrity, forgiveness and servanthood. This world is not all there is. There is eternal life only in King Jesus’ kingdom. 

Personally, I look back on 2016 and there are many things that happened in our family. One big thing was we moved to a new house we bought. I want to give thanks to God for answering our prayer and granting us a new home. I give thanks to God for a small garden that I like so much when I work in the soil until my back breaks and cannot stand up straight. Most of all I thank God for the Servant King, Christ Jesus who gave his life to set me free from the darkness and oppression of a Fallen world. Yes, I still live in this world and my hands are covered by blisters when I work in the garden. Yes, I am concerned about the future of South Africa and the racial tensions building up. But there is also hope in my heart that Jesus’ Kingdom cannot fail. There is a new world waiting. I pray that while I am in this world God may use me to serve UWC students with the truth of God’s word. That my life can be a light that shines with hope that there is another Kingdom that is not of this world. A lasting kingdom that is worth living for no matter what happens in this world. I pray to humbly serve other people, making known the Servant King, so that together we can push on towards the eternal kingdom of God. May God bless 2017 to make it a year of growth in humility, growth in servanthood, growth in the kingdom of God. 

Prayer topics:

• Hebrews study 2017.
• Sisters ministry to grow.
• Brother Mondli to grow as a disciple of Jesus.