Hi Everyone
I hope this finds you well. Two quick updates:
- Apologies for the Gaps in EmmDevs I've been dealing with a health issue causing significant fatigue and mental fog, which has impacted the consistency of EmmDevs. I'm truly sorry for this. The good news is that we've identified the issue, and I'm on a four-week treatment plan that should resolve it. Please keep me in your prayers for a full recovery.
- Improving Email Delivery Getting emails delivered reliably has become challenging and costly. To address this, I'm taking technical steps to improve delivery (for those interested, I'm registering emmdevs.org with a provider that supports bulk email forwarding via Sender.net). A key part of this is building a strong reputation for the new emmdevs.org domain. This starts with a small group of subscribers who regularly open and occasionally respond to emails. If you're willing to help by being an active subscriber during this "warming-up" phase, please let me know. (If you're reading this on the website or WhatsApp, you can ignore this request.)
Thank you so much for reading EmmDevs and for your continued support.
Blessings and Love, Theo
The most significant Mission Statement
| When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:41-45) |
Back in Mark 9 the disciples had been arguing about who was the greatest and Jesus addressed it with them. Now it crops up again in the form of James and John's desire to get preferred seats at Jesus' glory.
I don't know how the other disciples heard of it but I don't believe Jesus revealed it. I suspect James and John just went back to the other disciples so astonished by what Jesus had said to them that they just spilled the beans. Another possibility is that their mother, Salome, had been involved too (this is how Matthew portrays it) and she probably left in a huff after being rebuffed by Jesus and the other disciples would have wanted to know why.
The disciples are angry, but for the wrong reasons. They're mad because James and John tried to outmaneuver them. What they should be angry about is that they'd got it wrong.
So Jesus intervenes by explaining some differences...
The world has a certain way of doing things.
The world works with power, authority, position, and status.
God's Kingdom has a different way.
God's Children influence the world through service and humility.
Then Jesus shares His personal mission statement...
Now, over the last 30-40 years Mission Statements have been both trendy and helpful in helping individuals and organisations figure out priorities and the direction they should take. Unfortunately, many mission statements become posters on a wall rather than a lived-out reality."
Jesus' Mission Statement was: "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."
I guess we could say that Jesus lived out and died out His mission statement.
May this
1) fill us with gratitude.
2) inspire us to live and love lives of service!
