ME FIRST
Ezekiel 23:28-34
Mark 10:35-45
October 18, 2009
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." I’m going to start way off script here, and eventually we will get back to this verse. Let’s start by talking about inspiration, and I probably don’t mean what you think I mean. In theological terms when we use that word we are asking about how the Bible was written. How were the authors inspired to write exactly what they wrote?
You are probably aware of the Apostle Paul saying, “All scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). That seems pretty straight forward – the authors were inspired by God. Actually, what that says is that the result of their work – the Scripture itself – was inspired by God. It doesn’t say how God inspired the author to produce that result. There are three good theories about how inspiration took place. The first is called ‘Dynamic’ – it doesn’t matter what the author sat down to write, what came out on the page is what God wanted written. He might have tried to write ‘Mary had a little lamb’, but what came out of the pen was, ‘In the beginning was the Word’.
The second theory is called ‘Mechanical’ – think of this as dictation. The author sat down with quill and parchment, and the Holy Spirit gave him word by word what to write down. The third theory, and this is the one that I personally ascribe to, is called ‘Organic’ – God spent a lifetime preparing the writer through the significant events in his life. At exactly the right moment, as determined by God, he either experienced great joy, or great sorrow, or frustration, or triumph. The writer gathered experiences and emotions in exactly the right order and at exactly the right time. Then, when the timing was perfect, the author would sit down and write. His writing would be in his own words, and based on his own experiences, yet it would be the will of God for exactly those words to appear. That makes the most sense to me.
Why spend so much time on this? In our reading from Mark today it says that James and John came to Jesus with a question. But, if you read this same pericope in Matthew (20:20-23) he says it was their mother, Salome, who came to Jesus with the question. Does this discrepancy mean that the Bible is not trustworthy, and that our faith is based on made up stories? No, it does not.
There are several possible explanations for this. The Apostles believed Jesus was going to be king of the world. Being the right and left hand men to the king was a big deal. One possible explanation is that this was so important it happened twice; once the mother came to Jesus (and when that didn’t work) the men themselves came to Jesus. Matthew and Mark record similar but separate events. A second explanation that has a lot of proponents is that James and John put their mother up to it. Matthew tells us what really happened; the mother went to Jesus. Mark tells us that James and John were the instigators; let’s put the blame where it really lies.
The third explanation, and this seems to have the most backers, goes like this; Matthew spent three years traveling around with James and John. They were his buddies. And, by the time Matthew writes his Gospel James has already been executed for his faith. Matthew decides why sully their reputation any more, there’s no reason to beat up on the dead. Mark was not an Apostle, and had no problem telling us what truly happened. Now, regardless of which of those theories is true I want you to notice something; the message of the story is the same, the truth of the story is the same, and the lesson for us is the same. Whether it was mother or brothers has no effect on the purpose of the Gospel. And, we gain a little more respect for the humanity, and the fear, and the frustration of the Gospel writers – and I think that is a good thing.
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. James and John come to Jesus with a carte blanche request – we want you to say yes before we even tell you what the question is. Jesus, like any good parent, refuses to bite. He wants to hear the question first.
They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." Jesus has just explained that they are leaving for Jerusalem specifically so he can be crucified; and these two guys still don’t get it. They still expect Jesus to reign as an earthly king, and they want to be Vice President and Secretary of State. Their entire focus is on personal glory; not serving the Kingdom, but using the Kingdom to serve themselves. We read this Scripture, and we want to know how they could be so short sighted and selfish. I think in 2000 years probably not that much has changed.
The purpose of a sermon is to educate, and inspire, so that those who listen feel they have been spoken to by God. It is supposed to enhance worship for the hearers. And yet, many Pastors write their sermons each week specifically to get praise and adoration back from the congregation. The point is not for me to share God’s word with you; the point is for you to praise me on what a gifted and special preacher I am. That is modern day James and John in the 21st century. I want you to know that I have help so I don’t lose my way. Every Sunday, as soon as possible after worship is over, either Brandon or Chris or Ken make their way to me and say, “You know, I’ve heard a lot better preaching on that Scripture. Maybe you’ll do better next week.” Thank you Men’s Group, I love you guys.
"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?" Jesus’ wording there is very symbolic. The cup was a well known Hebrew Bible symbol for suffering inflicted by God. Asaph the Psalmist writes, “For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed; he will pour a draught from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs” (Psalm 75:8). The prophet Isaiah says (51:17), “Rouse yourself, rouse yourself! Stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath.” Jeremiah tells the people of Jerusalem (49:12), “For thus says the LORD: If those who do not deserve to drink the cup still have to drink it, shall you be the one to go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished; you must drink it.” And, of course, in our Old Testament reading this morning Ezekiel had very harsh imagery of suffering associated with the cup.
When Jesus uses the word baptism, it is not the baptism we practice in the church. Remember, he is speaking in Aramaic, and Mark is translating into Greek. In this case baptism means submerged and overwhelmed. The Sons of Korah write, “Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me” (Psalm 42:7); using water imagery to explain being overwhelmed. King David says, “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck” (Psalm 69:1); and later he writes, “The flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us” (Psalm 124:4). In the classical Greek of that day the word baptism defined a sunken shipwreck.
So, what Jesus asks James and John is, “Can you join me in being totally submerged and overwhelmed in suffering? Can you throw yourself into the pain and punishment I’m going to endure when we arrive in Jerusalem? Can you face the all-consuming depression and despair that’s waiting for me?” And, of course, the boys don’t bat an eye. "We can," they answered. They are just as confident of their abilities as last week’s rich young man was confident in his salvation through wealth.
In fact, they probably think it is a compliment, and not a grave warning, when Jesus says to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.” James and John were very young men, perhaps even boys, when they followed Jesus. James couldn’t know that in the next ten years King Herod Agrippa would cut his head off with a sword (Acts 12:1-2). John couldn’t know that he would outlive all the other Apostles, and watch them die horrible deaths one by one; until he alone was left to tell the tale. We don’t know whether their arrogant, “Yes, we can!” brought on the baptism of the cup, or whether that had always been reserved for them. But, we can be pretty sure they never saw it coming.
Jesus continues, “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.” Who do you think he is talking about, who will be on his right and his left? Some say that he is talking about Peter and Paul. Of the twelve Apostles, they arguably have the most impact on establishing and organizing the Church Universal. But, if the context of the conversation is drinking from the cup of suffering and being baptized in overwhelming sorrow, then the more likely candidates are the two thieves who hang on the cross to the right and left of Jesus at his crucifixion. In fact, there is only one other place in the entire Gospel of Mark where he uses those exact words, “They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left” (Mark 15:27).
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. About this time in the conversation the other Apostles realize what is going on, and they are angry. They are not angry that James and John would bring up such a selfish request while Jesus is marching towards his death. They are angry because the Sons of Thunder beat them to the punch. We know this because Jesus’ next words scold all twelve Apostles.
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. Jesus says, “Look at you, you’re acting like Pagans!” In the Pagan world the most important thing was how many people you had control over. You know what a Centurion is; a Roman soldier who had 100 men beneath him. His title tells you just how important he is, by how many people must grovel before him. Jesus chastises the Apostles for wanting to be just as powerful and abusive as their Roman overlords.
When Galba became the Emperor of Rome his first words were, “Finally! I can do anything I want to anyone I want!” Perhaps the most famous quote of the barbarian Genghis Khan is, “A man’s greatest work is to break his enemies, to drive them before him, to take from them all the things that have been theirs, to hear the weeping of those who cherished them, to take their horses between his knees and to press in his arms the most desirable of their women.” Those attitudes are where the Apostles are headed, and Jesus comes down on them with both feet; not you, not now, not ever.
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. What Jesus is proposing is radical and unheard of. You want to be the most important man in the world? Be the man who saves the Romans from themselves. You want to be the most important Apostle? Be the Apostle who serves the ones greedily vying for control of my Church.
Thomas á Kempis, in his book The Imitation of Christ writes, “It is vanity, therefore, to seek after perishing riches and to trust in them. It is also vanity to seek after honors and to desire to climb to high positions. It is vanity to follow the desires of the flesh, and to labor for those things for which you will later be severely judged. It is vanity to wish for a long life, and to be careless about living a good and useful life. It is vanity to be concerned with only this present life, and not to consider those things that are to come. It is vanity to love things that speedily pass away, and not to hurry in the direction where everlasting joy abides.” You want to hear true irony? Whether we’re talking about business, or marriage, or ministry – as soon as you decide that your goal is to put more into the endeavor than you will try to take out, that’s the second you begin to take away so much more.
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. Jesus says don’t be like the Pagans, be like me – be sanctified. This is the only place in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus gives the reason for his crucifixion; so that the rest of us can be ransomed. The word he uses there is when a slave is purchased away from their owner. In this case we are talking about being purchased away from sin and back to righteousness before God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Jesus tells the twelve Apostles, “You want to be super important? Give your life to save the unsaved. Don’t do it for applause or wealth; do it because it is the right thing to do – even if the cost to you personally is high.”
May you give completely of yourself to serve the Kingdom of God; and in so doing may you find that you have been blessed beyond all of the riches and adoration you could have ever hope for.