Rethinking Success
Preached by Jason Abbott
November 9, 2014
If you’re like me then you think about success in terms of great victories. We think of success as a last second buzzer beating shot in the championship game or rags to riches, against all odds, stories in which someone triumphs in business. We think Hollywood movies—Rudy and Hoosiers and Seabiscuit and The Natural; or maybe the more holy among us think in terms of God’s redemptive storyline—the Exodus and Gideon with his 300 men and David against Goliath.When you and I think about success—what is most certainly not the case—is that we think about successful people being humiliated and shamed and killed. In fact, that’s not the way that anyone anywhere at any time throughout the course of human history has ever naturally thought about success.Mark, however, has it in mind to change that. Thus, throughout his narrative, he has been setting the stage for a rethinking of success.
Jesus has been predicting such a refashioned idea of success:
And [Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed (Mark 8:31).
And, his disciples have been rejecting such a reimagined idea of success:
And Peter took [Jesus] aside and began to rebuke him (Mark 8:32).
In our passage from two weeks ago, I argued that the people, at Jesus’ trial, rejected him largely because he didn't achieve the kind of success (as the Messiah) they imagined he should—if Jesus won’t be our divine doctor, chef, or conqueror then crucify this messianic failure!However, in today’s passage, Mark (in the most matter of fact way possible) narrates a divinely revised conception of what actual success—what real victory—looks like according to God.But, before we begin to rethink success, let us read this passage together and, then, pray that God would prepare our hearts and our minds, during this time, to receive his story of success.
Mark 15:21-32
21 And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. 22 And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). 23 And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.*****Well, how can we organize this passage in order to help us grasp its truth? How can we begin to refashion or to rethink our fallen conceptions of success? Looking at two things here, I think, will help us do just that: (1) we need to notice an Old Testament passage being fulfilled, and (2) we need to think more deeply about some nasty things being said.
1. An Old Testament passage fulfilled (vv. 24, 29, 34)
It’s almost certainly true that as Mark recorded his account of the crucifixion that he had Psalm 22 in mind and saw Jesus here as its focus—as its fulfillment. How so?Well, Psalm 22 is an interesting and unique example of what are often called righteous sufferer psalms—a psalm that recounts the suffering of one who’s devoted to God, sustained by faith in God, and ultimately saved by God’s grace. Mark, in fact, regularly throughout his gospel narrative sees and brings imagery from such psalms to bear on Jesus’ life and ministry.1In our passage today, there are two clear examples of Mark using Psalm 22 in this way and a third example, in next week’s passage, which I’m going to steal from Benjamin. What are these examples, these images?Let’s lay them out next to one another to see them most clearly:
In Psalm 22, David laments concerning his foes’ persecution of him—“…they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (v. 18).
In today’s passage, Mark records concerning the Roman soldiers—“…they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them” (v. 24).
In Psalm 22, David describes the derision he encounters from people—“All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads” (v. 7).
In our passage, Mark describes what Jesus encountered in crucifixion—“And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads” (v. 29).
In Psalm 22, David begins his poetic lament with a question for God—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (v. 1).
In next week’s passage, Mark records Jesus’ pained cry from the cross—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (v. 34).
Clearly Mark sees the events of Jesus’ suffering by the light of Psalm 22. Jesus being persecuted, mocked, and forsaken by God is cast as the prime example of the righteous sufferer—one who’s devoted to God, sustained by faith in God, and (as we will see in the next chapter) ultimately vindicated by God.However, when Mark sees Jesus’ suffering here by the light of Psalm 22, there’s something that simultaneously must happen to our reading of the Psalm. When Mark, inspired by the Spirit, sees Jesus as the ultimate righteous sufferer, when he fashions Jesus (by the light of Psalm 22) as that psalm’s final fulfillment, he doesn't merely shed light upon Jesus’ true identity, but he, also, shines light upon the psalm’s fullest meaning.Keep that in mind. We’ll return to it in our conclusion!Let’s turn our attention now to:
2. Some nasty things said (vv. 29-32)
I hope I never become callous while reading accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion! Readers should feel the brutality of this scene and also the nastiness of this crowd; we should recognize in ourselves the capacity for such brutality and nastiness. Here Jesus goes to his death and yet that’s not quite enough for these onlookers; they intend to mock him along the way.Look at their mocking with me, beginning in verse 29:
And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him (vv. 29-32).
This mocking is terrible, but it is also ridiculous and ironic.When I was a kid, whenever my dad would barbecue something for dinner, the two of us would play basketball against one another while the meat cooked. Over the course of many years, our games became more and more competitive until one day, when I was in late middle school, I defeated him for the first time. Finally, I had won!For those of you who don’t know me well, this might be difficult to believe, but, when I win games, my initial reaction is to kindly and graciously talk trash. Consequently, upon making that final victorious shot, I gave my dad an earful: “His performance was unquestionably extraordinary for someone as old as he was. In the future, my baskets could count as 1 point while his could count as 2 points.” So on and so forth, I mocked him.Then, the next time we barbecued—the next time we played basketball—something strange happened; my gentle, godly father crushed me without mercy. You see, all along—for my benefit—he had been graciously restraining himself. He had been holding himself back so that we could relate in basketball.There is something of that very thing going on here!When the crowds mock Jesus and challenge him to powerfully save himself, they think, when he doesn't save himself, that it demonstrates his lack of power. Yet, how much more powerful is it to remain—in terrible agony on that cross—when you have all the power in the universe to stop it! (Restrained power!)When the religious leaders chide him to save himself as he saved others, they think, when he does not save himself, it must mean that he can’t save himself as he’d saved others, but their assumption couldn't be further from the truth. Rather, he stays on that cross precisely so that he can save others.In short, when all these malicious onlookers mockingly challenge Jesus here, they assume, when he doesn't answer their challenges as they think that he should, it must be because he’s not following God—he’s not walking in the will of God. So (they assume) that’s why he’s now hanging there under God’s judgment!But, all of them have completely misunderstood this scene and this man. You see, like my father with me in that pickup basketball game, Jesus has power. He simply chooses not to use it so that those who mock and torture and kill him may taste victory through his defeat.Furthermore—far from being a sign that Jesus hasn't followed God’s will—him hanging on that terrible cross, to suffer and to die, powerfully testifies to us about Jesus’ perfect submission to his Father’s will and:That submission is the epitome of ultimate success—ultimate victory!However, we don’t naturally think of success or victory in that way, do we! Even Christians don’t usually measure success in terms of faithfulness to God unless, of course, faithfulness to God aligns itself with our human ideas of success: a nice house, a great spouse, popularity, fame and more fame.Let me suggest that we need to rethink our human understanding of success. We need our conceptions of winning and losing—of being victorious—adjusted. We need to take pleasure, even as Jesus did, in following God’s plan for our lives even when it means trials and sufferings, wrath and ridicule, rejection and death. Such things will come when we faithfully follow God in a fallen world.In fact, there’s seemingly this throwaway verse that powerfully pictures here the subversion of our human conception of success. Mark briefly tells us:
And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross (v. 21).
If we too quickly pass this verse by, we miss something truly amazing in it. In the eyes of all the onlookers who were there that day, Simon was the big loser. He was inconveniently forced to carry Jesus’ heavy and, no doubt, bloodied cross. This is the last thing a first century Jew wanted—jury duty on steroids!But, in the midst of his losing, Mark adds a phrase that shouts of victory! Simon was “the father of Alexander and Rufus…”. Why is that so important? Well, it tells us that Mark expects his original Christian readers to know these sons most likely because they were members of its church family!If this is the case (and I think it likely is) then I’ll bet Simon of Cyrene doesn't look back upon his encounter with Jesus that day as some kind of failure—but, rather, as the most successful day of his and his family’s lives!*****As we conclude, we must turn our attention to Psalm 22 once more. Remember that I mentioned that Mark sees Jesus as the ultimate righteous sufferer, and remember that, if Jesus fulfills Psalm 22, I argued that that should shed light back upon the Psalm’s fullest meaning, and it does.As David outlines the sufferings and trials he has encountered, at verse 21, he very suddenly and mysteriously stops his cry for help and begins to praise God for his salvation; however, there’s no indicator as to what God has done for him. Yet, about a thousand years down the road, Mark sees Jesus as God’s saving work for David and for the nations—for me and for you!As we finish here, I just want to read how David praises God for salvation. He, through the Holy Spirit, doubtlessly spoke of things beyond his understanding. Nonetheless, he spoke truly of Jesus Christ—the righteous sufferer for us!Listen to these words about Christ. I’ll begin in verse 21 where the tide turns for David.
Psalm 22:21-31
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!22 I will tell of your name to my brothers;in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!24 For he has not despised or abhorredthe affliction of the afflicted,and he has not hidden his face from him,but has heard, when he cried to him.25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;my vows I will perform before those who fear him.26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!27 All the ends of the earth shall rememberand turn to the LORD,and all the families of the nationsshall worship before you.28 For kingship belongs to the LORD,and he rules over the nations.29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,even the one who could not keep himself alive.30 Posterity shall serve him;it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,that he has done it.
1See G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, Mark 15:24.
