22 October 2006

Mark 10: 35-45

James and John were not so off base in their request and Jesus knew it. That’s why his rebuke was softer than it could have been. James and John, as we know from the gospel reading this morning approached Jesus. Their first statement was not the actual request. It was a pre-request, similar to what a child might try with a parent. “Agree to give us whatever we want.” Just like that. Just agree to what we want and we’ll all be happy. Of course the reason they couched it like that was that they knew that Jesus would have problems with their request.

And Jesus, like a good parent, doesn’t agree to give them what they want, but instead just asks what it is that they are requesting. That’s when James and John have to show their hand. “We want to sit next to you, one on the right, one on the left, in glory.” They wanted the best seats in the house when Jesus gets to rule. They wanted the places of importance. Prime real estate.

Unfortunately, to our ears, we think of Jesus reigning in glory post-resurrection: Jesus, the eternal ruler, reigning in heaven. It’s unfortunate because we lose the actual request that James and John were making.

Of course, the disciples, in spite of Jesus’ predictions of his own death, were still counting on Jesus being an earthly ruler. There was still the expectation that Jesus would stride into Jerusalem and take over as ruler of Israel, expelling the outside oppressors and tumbling the corrupt religious rulers of the day. Then Jesus would hold court, with of course, James and John in seats of power, right next to him.

We think that James and John have the same viewpoint that we have—Jesus reigning in glory for all time and they want to be there with him. We miss out on the fact that they were watching for earthly power and glory.

They didn’t understand the suffering aspect of Jesus ascendance to glory. Even though he goes on to explain it. In fact, just prior to these verses which we heard this morning, Jesus predicts his own death. But the disciples can be pretty blind. They miss the references to death and suffering and continue to believe in the limited ruler—a Jesus who just has an earthly rule.

So we have it; James and John seeking, trying to get in before the rush of the other disciples, to get the good seats in the house. Sure, they said they could drink of the cup from which Jesus drinks and be baptized by the same baptism as Jesus, but they didn’t know really what that meant. It’s easy for us to read these words and know exactly what Jesus meant, but the disciples missed what was actually going to happen.

How much like the disciples are we? Especially like James & John? Even with our hindsight, how much do we miss in what Jesus is trying to communicate?

Each of us here would no doubt like a seat in glory next to Jesus. But are we ready to go through the needed steps to get there? Do we really know what we’re asking? Do we know what it means to be followers of Jesus? Do we understand the suffering? Have we got a good grasp on what it means to drink the cup and be baptized by Jesus’ baptism? Are we able to perceive the meaning of Jesus’ words when he tells us he doesn’t rule as earthly rulers rule?

The ten other disciples, we’re told were angry with James & John for their request, no doubt because each of them wanted to request the very same thing. Yet none of them understood what that meant any better than James & John did. No one seems to get Jesus. No one seems to grasp onto his message of serving and suffering on behalf of others.

Do we? Do we really get the message of Jesus when it comes to what we must do as followers? Or are we like the disciples who want the seats of power and glory without the difficult work to get there? Anyone who claims to want to follow Jesus without fear and trembling is missing the point.

What are you expecting of Jesus? Do you know what you’re asking for in your expectations? We put expectations on Jesus that may or may not be fulfilled. And the onus of dealing with those expectations falls on us.

We are more like the disciples than we care to admit. We want Jesus our way—whatever that may mean to each of us. But are we prepared for Jesus, Jesus’ way? We put so many expectations on Jesus, even though we have the benefit of hindsight that the original disciples didn’t have.

Jesus turns power on its head and reminds us that we must be servants to each other. Jesus’ followers, his disciples of whatever age, are set off and against the predominant culture. This is easier to remember for the earliest followers of The Way, as early Christians were called. The distinction between the earliest disciples and their culture was easier to see. But that distinction must be made by us today. We are to set ourselves against our culture. This means that we have to turn our culture on its head.

By doing so, we see that those whom we serve are those to whom Jesus calls us: the poor, the left out, the marginalized. Not those in power, those who rule with their money or those who are at the center of the culture’s celebrity fascination.

Following Jesus may not be easy. It may not be what we expect or want. We may be more like the disciples in our outlook. We may not have the correct expectations of Jesus and seek out perverse variations of Jesus’ power. But we can become true followers of Jesus by serving and preparing to suffer. Then we are truly drinking of the cup from which Jesus drank and sharing in his baptism.