CHRIST AND THE MARGINALIZED
Text: Mark. 1:40-45
God created human beings in His image and likeness. But the human sin brought the inequalities. God always share life with the marginalized and the rough realities of their existence. That is the unique character of God. His concern for human being is shown in the Bible and through the history.
· God hears the cry of the Israelites and came down to help them.
· The Blaks in
· The dalits and tribals in
· Ultimately Jesus came down to save the sinners.
In a way we all are marginalized: sin, sickness, social affiliation, financial situation, educational qualifications and so on.
Today’s NT reading reveals Jesus’ concern for the marginalized. Jesus heals a leper who was neglected in the society. Leprosy is often attributed to the divine curse. There is no date or place is given for this healing. Mark points out this as an example of Jesus’ healing power.
A. If you will you can make me heal. V. 40
· Here he affirms the sovereign will of God.
· Paul prayed for healing but the answer was my grace is sufficient for thee (II. Cor. 12:9)
· Jesus’ prayer in
Our prayers are often to make God’s will to do in our own way or our will in our own way. “God is neither too late nor too early but always at the right time”.
B. He stretched out His hands and touched him. V. 41
· Jesus touches a man beyond the social and purity barriers.
· His sympathy and compassion was expressed. It is giving the heart, mind power as a transforming experience.
· We need a personal touch
C. Go and show yourself to the priest. V. 44
· It was the Jewish custom (Lev.13:44).
· Jesus directs him to the priest who is the spiritual leader of the community. He himself does not take the authority, but conform to the order of the Jewish religion.
D. But he went out and began to talk freely. V.45.
· An exuberant disobedience. Emotion is not enough for the
· It demands the head, a disciplined mind.
The Cross: the new vision of Christ’s serventhood.
Text: Mk. 10: 35-52.
Cross is the central fact of Christian life. Without cross Christianity would have become one among any other religions. Cross was a sign and symbol of humiliation and shame. But latter it became a symbol of respect.
The cross in itself does not have any significance. But it is Christ who makes the difference. The death on the cross is the most painful form of death. Theologically the term cross signifies the gospel of salvation, that Jesus Christ died for our sins. It is a sign of reconciliation. It is the symbol of union with Christ.
The request of James and John tells us something about them. It tells us that they are ambitious. They wanted to have first place in the earthly kingdom. It tells us that they had completely failed to understand Jesus. However this story tells us one shining thing about them that they still believed in Jesus. They could still connect the glory with the Galilean carpenter.
This story reveals something of Jesus standard of greatness. Jesus asked that “are you able to drink the cup that I drink…”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer says that the call of Jesus is to come and be crucified. Only through cross one can become the disciple of Christ. Bearing cross is not a tragedy but a beautiful relationship with Christ. The death may be the kind of sacrifice disciples made. Or when Luther left the monastery and entered into the world and suffered, or when a person leaves behind his old nature. For this Jesus called the rich young man but he could not be crucified with Jesus.
The mark of the disciple is to bear cross.
