Scripture: Mark 10:35-45

Sermon Title: His Scoreboard Is the True Gamechanger

Peace Lutheran Church

St Patrick’s Day

3/17/2024

Introduction:

In 1916 Georgia Tech played a football game against Cumberland College.  Though Cumberland discontinued their football program, they were not allowed to cancel their game against Georgia Tech.  And thinking about the way that Cumberland College destroyed Georgia Tech in baseball with the final score being a 22-0 route, Georgia Tech’s head coach, John Heisman, decided it was time for a little revenge!  For the upcoming football game…Georgia Tech routed Cumberland college…222-0.

In June 1973, Secretariat, the powerful race horse, became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion.  Secretariat dominated the race at Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths.

Tennis great, Stephi Graf, in the 1988 women’s French Open, defeated Natasha Zeverva 6-0, 6-0, in a match that took just a little over a half an hour.

Folks, when we compete, we learn valuable lesson like dedication, respect, teamwork, and sportsmanship.  That’s why competition is good for us, but let’s face it, we are infatuated with “running up the score,” aren’t we?

How many points can you get?

How many ribbons, medals, trophies, and banners are hanging on your walls?

We look at someone’s outward appearance, their popularity, their possessions, and we think, “Wow!  They’ve hit the jackpot!  They’re winners!  They’re the icon of success!”

You’re probably familiar with the expression, “Go big or go home“?  “Go big or go home” means that there is no “in between“.   You win big or lose big.   We “live and breathe” this expression because we hate losing…we can’t imagine losing…we want to “win big”.

Isn’t that true?

But here’s the problem with our “go big or go home” mentality…our lust for “running up the score”.  While we desire temporary, earthly treasures, triumphs, and trophies–we forget about what we are fighting for, and we “lose sight” of the most important thing.

Today’s gospel lesson in Mark 10 is a real, evident life lesson of believing/living out the most important thing.  Before we look at James and John’s “Go big or go home” request to Jesus, I want us to think about a similar story that relates to this one in Mark 10.  Do you remember the dialogue that Jesus had with the rich young man?

First, it’s important to know that it was a well-accepted belief among Jesus’ countrymen that–if you were prosperous–God must have blessed you because you were a righteous person.  You followed the 10 Commandments to a “T“.  You went to worship regularly.  You were a devout attendant at the religious festivals.  You were a good neighbor.  Jesus/His disciples interacted with a young, Jewish, religious man who fit this category.  He looked good, was deeply religious, was well-0ff…what wasn’t there to like about this guy?

Looks are deceiving.  While he looked perfectly secure on the outside, there was an obvious insecurity on the inside.  Jesus knows this of course because He knows our hearts, doesn’t He?  Wanting to make sure his score remained at the top, the young man ran up to Jesus, wanting to prove how good his score was:  “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

In other words, “If the kingdom of God is just another business transaction…what must I do to earn it?!”

One of the most amazing attributes about Jesus is that He always gets to the heart, doesn’t He?  Getting to the heart–Jesus loves to ask honest, thought-provoking questions that “dig up” what we really love the most.  He knows we love to keep score…He knows that we love to compare our righteousness over others, and rather than rubbing our insecurities in our faces, Jesus brings them out of the depths of our hearts, where we can truly seem them for what they are.

Listen to the way Jesus responded to the young religious man:

Why do you call me good? 

There is no one good except God alone.”

Even this well-educated religious man’s idea of goodness is challenged.  Jesus basically told him, “Goodness doesn’t start with you; goodness always comes from God.”  Then, knowing what he did for a living, Jesus mentioned the 10 Commandments that related to his relationships with his neighbors:

You know the commandments–honor your father and mother, don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t commit adultery, don’t defraud.”

Teacher!  All of these I have kept since I was just a boy.”

He wasn’t lying.  Jesus didn’t argue with him.  In Mark’s gospel, we are told that Jesus “loved him” and–with honest, faithful words–the Savior brought the young man’s deepest insecurity–his need to run up the score–to the surface.  Jesus said:

“You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Can’t you hear Jesus’ ever-truthful, ever-faithful words that He already spoke to His disciples?

What do you benefit if you gain the whole world–“if you run up your score”–but forfeit your soulyour true selffor temporary treasures and trophies?

So, what happened with this young religious man?

Sadly, he walked away from the Lord/His eternal kingdom–filled with everlasting treasure– because he couldn’t imagine losing his temporary wealth.

Do you see where his heart really was?

It was set on “running up his score”, so how did the disciples respond?

They were confused!  They couldn’t believe what they heard.  “How could this man not be right with God?”  “He is the poster child of success.”

But Jesus told them the truth, just like He tells us the truth, “Real-life success is not based on your scoreboard.  Earning God’s righteousness–based on what you’ve done is impossible–it’s like a camel going through the eye of a needle–but with God–all things are possible.”

You see–with God–with His Scoreboard in mind–all things are possible because Jesus–God in flesh–surrendered His flawless, undefeated life–for our “defeats/sins” where–“He who knew no sin became the perfect “ransom” or “payment” for our sins,” meaning that only Jesus could cover the insurmountable cost of our debts/sins that we could never pay back on our own.

Having Jesus’ interaction with the young religious man in mind–let’s fast-forward to James and John.  Again, it’s the same thing.  Like Jesus told them, they didn’t really understand what they were asking because they were assuming that they’ve earned a higher score–a higher seat in his kingdom–while the others were outraged, “What gives James and John the right to think that they deserve better?!”

Do you see what running up your score does?  It doesn’t prove that you’re better.  Running up your score clearly shows how insecure you are.  “I’m better in God’s eyes than that guy/gal over there!”  But look at the way Jesus responded.  He squashed James and John/the disciples/our scoreboards for God’s scoreboard.

Are you ready for this?

God’s scoreboard is the true gamechanger.  Jesus told His disciples, “You want to be winners in God’s eyes?  Lose your scoreboard first.   Get in the back of the line.  The last shall be first; the first shall be last.  Consider your Heavenly Master–while I have every right to be praised and worshiped as the King of kings–while I have every right to be the first in line–I’ve made the heart-felt, sacrificial decision of being last “for you”–to pay your ransom–that you could never pay off on your own.”

Take a good, honest look at your own life.

Can you think of time when someone gave you a precious gift that you didn’t earn?

Similarly–do you remember when someone–all because they deeply cared for you and believed in you–covered a payment that you couldn’t pay for?

I would imagine that their sacrifice/their payment “for you” was beyond what your words could describe, right?

Instead of trying to prove yourself, how did that special loved one encourage you to “pay it forward” in someone else’s life?

Folks–beyond what our human words/emotions can describe–Jesus loves/believes in God so much.  He also loves and believes in you and me so much–that He became the last in line–the ransom–the perfect payment “for us” so that we could be set free from sin and death and receive the gift of God–His eternal life–through Jesus–being His Spirit-filled, debt-free people–who gladly pay it forward.

With the gift of abundant life that you have through Jesus–what is God calling you to do to pay it forward in someone else’s life?

Just remember…God’s scoreboard is the true gamechanger.

Close in prayer.