Mark 10:17-31 (RSV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
October 15, 2000<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church of San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Fall of 1997, there was a rally in Philadelphia called the Million Woman March. The organizer was trying to get a million African American women and other women from around the country to come to hear speeches and attend workshops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe main thing is,\u201d said the woman who was organizing the march \u201cAfrican American women got to regain their proper posture. We have got to look back in our history, reclaim good resources from the past, and learn to stand up again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a powerful image. The women wanted to reclaim their proper posture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don\u2019t have good posture. Joy is always telling me to stand up straight. She would physically pull my shoulders back to straighten me up. I need to hold my head up high! I need to put a book on the top of my head and walk around like that all day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You know that posture is a mirror of the soul. You can learn a lot about people by looking at their posture. Our posture, the way we carry ourselves, our exterior physical demeanor, is an indication of what is going on within our souls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His Countenance Fell<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Physical posture isn\u2019t mentioned often in the Bible. But I think about the woman who suffered from a crooked back for 18 years found in Luke 13:10. She had spent years stooped over, staring at the ground, hobbling about, unable to work, getting by as best as she could. Then she met Jesus and stood up straight. In one encounter with Jesus, her stooped countenance was healed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think about the woman who was bleeding for 12 years. She must have been bent over too\u2014ashamed to look up and see people talking about her. She had spent all of her money to get better, but rather grew worst. Her countenance had fallen a long time ago. She must have been closed to the ground and reached out to touch Jesus\u2019 cloak in desperation for some relief. And immediately, her bleeding stopped and she felt her body becoming healed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think about Zacchaeus who was a wee little man. Even though he might not have been physically bent over, he most definitely felt that way. Nobody wanted to be his friend because he cheated them of their money. His countenance had fallen. He was short in stature\u2014physically, ethically, and spiritually until Jesus went to his house for dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today\u2019s Scripture from Mark\u2019s gospel mentions posture, at least indirectly. Did you catch it as we read the gospel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A rich young man comes to Jesus asking, \u201cGood Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? (Mk. 10:17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus at first responds with a rather conventional word: obey all of the commandments. Of course, obeying all of the commandments would be no small order. And yet surprisingly, this young man says that he had done just that from the days of his youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then Jesus from the RSV version of the Bible,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201clooking upon him loved him, and said to him, \u2018You lack one thing; go, sell<\/p>\n\n\n\n
what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
and come, follow me.\u2019 At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away<\/p>\n\n\n\n
sorrowful; for he had great possessions\u201d (Mk. 10:21-22).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always loved this expression\u2014his countenance fell. His countenance became sorrowful. His countenance indicated his face, his whole posture. After this conversation with Jesus who loved him, the young man felt no joy or peace. His countenance fell. He slumped down and got very depressed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mark 10:17-31 (RSV) October 15, 2000 Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church of San Francisco. In the Fall of 1997, there was a rally