Our reading is Mark 9:30-35. Jesus and the disciples are walking toward Jerusalem, and everyone knows a great conflict is coming with leaders of the orthodox faith. However, Jesus and the disciples view that conflict in completely different ways. Jesus is focused on the will of God and his appointment with the cross. The disciples are focused on their personal desires. They believe Jesus is a political Messiah who will lead a political revolution against the Romans. As Jesus’s friends, they believe they will receive powerful positions in the new government. So, they begin arguing about who will get the most powerful positions. Their arrogance is on display for the entire world to see. When Jesus confronts them about their arrogance, they are reduced to silence. There is no place for arrogance in the Kingdom of God.
In this blog, I want to help you eliminate arrogance from your life by looking at three reasons the disciples were reduced to silence. Arrogance is an important topic for anyone who wants to be used by God in this world. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” So why were the disciples reduced to silence?
The disciples were reduced to silence because of their ruthless pride. I did not say pride, I said ruthless pride. There is a great difference between the two. I believe that having a certain kind of pride is good. For example, I am proud of my wife, who has helped countless people around the world through her nonprofit. I am proud of my daughters because they help children in their occupations. I am proud of my grandchildren – I believe they are perfect. I am proud I served in the ministry for decades, and I am thankful God called me. I am proud of the Christian faith; it is the one true religion. I am proud to be an American. Far from perfect, I do not want to live anywhere else. Having pride in certain things is a good thing.
The disciples didn’t just have pride; they had ruthless pride. Ruth is one of the great characters in the Old Testament. She is remembered for love, loyalty, thoughtfulness, and faithfulness. In her story, she worried more about her mother-in-law, Naomi, than she did about herself. She is a beautiful example of humility. The disciples in our story are not “ruth-filled”; they are ruthless. They cared only about themselves and possessed none of Ruth’s qualities. Their ruthless behavior had to be eliminated from their lives if they were going to be part of the Kingdom of God. In the same way, ruthless pride must be eliminated from your life if you are going to be used by God in this world. The disciples were guilty of ruthless pride. They were arrogant and were reduced to silence.
The disciples were reduced to silence because of their bitter self-centeredness. They dreamed about how this new kingdom would benefit them. They showed no concern for others and no sign of personal humility. Their arrogance was on full display. American evangelist Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) once said, “God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves.” Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility value others as better than yourself.”
On Christmas Eve 1910, the Salvation Army held its international convention in London. The organizers asked their founder, William Booth (1829-1912), to speak. Unable to attend because of poor health, he sent a telegram. To save money, the telegram contained only one word: OTHERS.
In 1964, Roy DeLamotte (1918-2010) served as chaplain at Paine College in Augusta, Georgia. He was once asked to deliver a sermon answering the question, “What’s in religion for me?” The sermon became famous because it was the shortest in the history of Paine College. It was one word: NOTHING. When asked how long it took him to prepare the message, he said, “Twenty years.” It is too bad that the disciples didn’t attend that convention or hear that sermon. They were only worried about themselves and were reduced to silence, guilty of bitter self-centeredness.
The disciples were reduced to silence because of their bickering hostility. They were wrestling for position, hoping to influence the whole group. They were guilty of a condition I call “elitist domination.” That happens when one person or a small group dominates the behavior of the whole group. Sometimes, it is a well-meaning layperson. Sometimes, it is the pastor. How many struggling congregations do you know that are run by a small group or individual?
During my time in ministry, I believed in something called “healthy tension.” This is when everyone is permitted to express an opinion. Yes, tension arises and feelings can be hurt, but I believe that tension can be God’s will. In a local church, two groups are always present: bean counters and visionaries. Both hold strong opinions and believe they are right. Bean counters base their decisions on logic, while visionaries base their decisions on their hearts. If you have ever said in a church meeting, “We can’t afford it,” you are a bean counter. If you have ever said, “We need to step out in faith,” you are a visionary. The truth is that neither bean counters nor visionaries are always right. The best church decisions are often a compromise between the two. We find God’s will in that compromise. The disciples did not want tension or compromise, they wanted to dominate the entire group and were guilty of hostile bickering. They were arrogant and were ultimately reduced to silence. Let me end with a story I have told many times. At first, I thought it was historically accurate, but now I am not sure. Regardless, it makes a point.
In 1969, a group of friends in Pass Christian, Mississippi, gathered for a “hurricane party.” Police Chief Jerry Peralta arrived and urged everyone to leave because the storm was approaching. The group arrogantly refused. The officer wrote down their names, just in case. It was a good thing he did. On August 17 at 10:15 p.m., Hurricane Camille came ashore with winds of more than 200 miles per hour. Raindrops struck with the force of bullets, and waves along the Gulf Coast crested between twenty-two and twenty-eight feet high. Later news reports showed that Pass Christian, Mississippi, suffered some of the worst damage. Approximately twenty people were killed during the hurricane party. Nothing remained of the three-story structure except its foundation. Let me ask you a question: What killed them? Did the hurricane kill them, or was it their arrogance?
Jesus reduced the disciples to silence when He confronted them about their arrogance. Could that be our story? Are we dead in the water because of our arrogance? God cannot use you in His work if you are filled with ruthless pride, bitter self-centeredness, or bickering hostility. Perhaps Proverbs 16:18 says it best: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Russ Adams 