The Mississippi enterprise., 1963-03-09

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
March 10, 1868
By Rev. George A. Harper
511 Avenue g.,
Greenwood, Miss.
THE LIFE OF SELF-GIV-
ING SERVICE
Scripture Lesson-Mark 10
Print-Mark 10: Sab, 35-45
MEMORY SELECTION:
For even the Son of man
came not to be ministered un-
to. but to minister, and to
give his life a ransom for
many. - mark 10:45). This
verse is designated as the key
verse to the book of Mark.
Mark presents Christ as the
perfect Servant of God. This
text in a nutshell sums up the
entire purpose why Christ
came into this world. He was
the highest person in heaven
under God the supreme Being
of heaven and earth. On earth
He took the lowest position
and humbled Himself even to
death on the cross. Unlike all
great men who seek to be
served more or less, Christ
never sought to be served, but
He served others. By taking
the lowlieSt position and seek
ing to m n t r to others
Christ became the greatest
Servant of God among all
men of all time, and thereby
qualified Himself for promo
ton and to be given the high
est position among all beings.
THE ROAD TO JERUSA-
LEM:
Jesus walked the road to
Jerusalem. 1t was a road that
led j e SuS to humiliation,
Scorn, injustice, suffering and
death on the cross. Jesus
knew what awaited Him in
Jerusalem, but He walked
this road courageously and
uncomplainingly. We see the
courage of Jesus in the state
ment which says, "And they
were on the road, going up to
Jerusalem and Jesus was
walking ahead of them. His
disciples were unable to un-
derstand why Jesus would
take this road to danger and
death. They we're unable to
share with Him or encourage
Him in the decisions He had
made to 60 to Jerusalem. Yet
Jesus did not walk alone. His
Father walked with Him. This
road that Jesus walked must
be walked by all of His fol-
lowers. 1t is a road of self
denial, a road of suffering and
a road of cross bearing. 1t
can only be walked alone. No
one else can walk it for you.
THE REQUEST OF JAMES
AND JOHN:
James and John requested
OF Jesus the privilege of sit
ting in the seats of honor
when He came into His glory.
1t is well to note that the
seat on the right of Jesus
would have been the first
place of honor. Any time a
person was able to occupy
these two places, people look
ed upon them as somebody.
Jesus said to James and John.
"You do not know what you
are asking. Are you able to
drink the cup that ] drink, or
to be baptized with the bap-
tism with which l am bap-
tized?" Jesus did not come
to earth to issue out places of
honor and glory. Jesus came
TO earth to do the will of His
Father and to teach and train
others to do the same thing
This request from James and
John brought a feeling of dis
pleasure toward them from
their t e low disciples. We
must always be careful about
trying to fulfill our selfish de-
sires. We must learn that God
does not want famous follow
ers but faithful followers.
SERVICE, THE WAY TO
TRUE GREATNESS:
Jesus taught His disciples
that the way to true greatness
was through service. He point
ed out to them the difference
in the standard of greatness
in the kingdom of God and in
the world. Jesus was the Su-
preme Example of this. He
told His disciples that He
came TO serve and not to be
served. This was His purpose
In the world. This was His
MISSION. Jesus not only serv-
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