Jesus is asked by two of his disciples to “do for them whatever they ask of him.” What they specifically want is to be given higher status than the others in the community. Jesus uses the moment as an opportunity to teach a foundational truth.

He summons the whole group of disciples as they climb up the road to Jerusalem, and tells them that their relationships going forward need to turn from a self-centered focus to other-centered focus. He tells them that they need to put others first if they themselves want to have higher status in the new community.

That needs to be unpacked a bit, and it needs to be understood within a context of mutual submission to each other, but his charge is the foundation of the community that will spread like fire throughout the world after his Passion.

In this week’s sermon I spend some time talking about why living into this new spiritual discipline is so hard, and why it’s so important.