Mark 10: 35-45
Then James and
John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to
do for us whatever we ask.”
“What do you
want me to do for you?” he asked.
They replied,
“Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
“You don’t
know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I
drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
“We can,” they
answered.
Jesus said to
them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I
am baptized with,
but to sit at
my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom
they have been prepared.”
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.”
Here ends this reading of the Word of God
for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Prayer for Understanding
Holy One, you
are the Source of Wisdom for the ages. Prepare us to learn from your Word. Send
the Holy Spirit to open our minds and hearts to the scriptures that we may grow
wiser as we listen, and serve you more willingly as we live. Amen.
Message
Great Service
In the years that
have passed since I was in elementary school, things have changed. Now, many
classes have a rotating “job chart.” Each day, a different child gets to pass
out the papers, sharpen the pencils, empty the trash cans, and refill the
teacher’s water bottle. When I was a kid, each time something was needed, every
kid would raise their hands and wave them energetically hoping to be picked to
do the job. This was especially the deal when the teachers called on kids to be
the “line leader.” Every kid in the classroom vied to be in the front of the
line. We all wanted to be in the lead.
Likewise, the
disciples functioned as an eager group surrounding their leader, Jesus. They
each wanted special attention from Jesus like 1st graders want
special attention from their classroom teachers. In our reading from the Gospel
of Mark, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, asked Jesus to grant them a
special favor. They wanted Jesus to make them his seconds in command – they
wanted to rule alongside Jesus when he ruled in glory.
Old Testament
believers in God imagined God ruling over the earth like a mighty king, seated
on a royal throne. James and John wanted to be seated alongside Jesus – as the
long-awaited messiah, they imagined Jesus would rule the earth a literal
throne. Their goal was to be elevated along-side him, and to rule with him over
the earth.
So often, we wish
for things to happen for us in the future without understanding the
consequences of those wishes. In our
Prayer Course, the pastor who speaks in our videos says that if all our prayers
were granted, he would be married to one of the Spice Girls. When we pray, we
sometimes ask God to fulfill things that are unhelpful for us or unrealistic
for us. I am glad some of my prayers haven’t been answered….I am glad God never
granted me a pet pony; a house full of Cabbage Patch dolls; or a marriage to
Johnny Depp. Sometimes, we don’t understand what we are asking for.
In the
conversation we reflect on in our reading this morning, James and John did not
understand what they were asking for.
They imagined Jesus would become the kind of King who would rule from a
throne in a palace. Instead, Jesus showed us by his sacrificial example how to
truly serve others and serve the world. Jesus was the greatest gift to the
world, and he died for us. Jesus died a
horrible death – and then rose again – to teach us that nothing, not even
death, will separate us from the love of God. Jesus’ death teaches us about
forgiveness – Jesus forgave the people who killed him, Jesus forgave the people
who misunderstood him, God forgives us when we sin. Jesus’ death teaches us
about love – as it says in John 15, “Greater love has no one that this, that
one lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus taught that to be leaders, we
have to be servants. Jesus taught that true love is sacrificial, not greedy.
True love is not our glory; it is about God’s glory.
St. Paul summed
up the love of Jesus and the love we are commanded to fulfill in his letter to 1st
Corinthians. Paul wrote:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does
not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not
self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of
wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the
truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
Jesus wanted his followers to be do-ers of his work and to
fulfill his teachings. He wanted us to become servant leaders, who treat others
with patient, humble, love. He preached:
“…whoever wants to become great among you must be your
servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Jesus asked
James and John if they would be able to do what he was going to do – could they
suffer like Jesus would suffer – could they die like Jesus would die. At the
time of these conversation, James and John did not understand what they were
agreeing to do. They didn’t know Jesus would die a horrible death on the
cross. They did not know that
eventually, many of Jesus Disciples would die for their faith. They did not
understand that many future Christians would suffer and die because of their
faith in Jesus and faith in God.
We know that living as Christians will
not guarantee easy lives for us too. We
will still experience difficult times. We may suffer. We may be asked to do
uncomfortable and brave things because of our faith in Jesus. But, we know that it is worth it for us, the
hard times and the joyous times are worth it.
Because of our faith in God and our faith in Jesus, we experience the
love of God through the Holy Spirits’ presence in our lives. We are cherished
as God’s beloved children. We are forgiven and loved when we fall short and
mess up. We are the recipients of Jesus pure, sacrificial love.
James and John did not know what they
were asking for….in order to serve alongside Jesus, in order to become a leader
like him, they would also suffer for their faith. But, it was worth it for them
and it is worth it for us, because God’s perfect love is shared with us. Like
the Disciples, we are called to become do-ers of Jesus’s work and to share
Jesus’ patient, kind, modest loves with everyone we meet. May we do so. Amen.
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