Sermon preached at St. Alban's on October18, 2015
Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 24
by the Rev. Carl D. Mann
by the Rev. Carl D. Mann
After reading this morning’s Gospel passage we can deduce that John and James are one of three things: 1.) they are either two of the most ambitious men to ever walk the face of the earth; 2.) they haven’t a clue as to Jesus’ true identity; or 3.) they are the original members of the Chicago Cubs Fan Club. “Hey, it’s only a crucifixion. That’s not so bad. Wait’ll next year!” (By the way, I saw a sign in the crowd at Wrigley last Tuesday that said, “Next year is now!” Don’t be fooled by last night’s game; we are only lulling the Mets into a false sense of security just like we did with the Cardinals)
Seriously though, if we are following Mark’s Gospel closely, it’s probably choice number two with a little bit of choice number one thrown in for good measure, and a dash of faith, because, you see, the portion of the Gospel which we haven’t read is that after the rich young man left last week Jesus has told his disciples for the third time that he is going up to Jerusalem to be delivered into the hands of the chief priest and scribes, who will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles, meaning the Roman government, and collectively they will all mock him, spit upon him, scourge him and kill him. But after three days he will rise again. And to show his determination, Jesus walks off in front of them, head held high, resolutely leading the way to the Cross, and scripture tells us that those who followed him were amazed and afraid.
It is from this context that James and John run forward to walk with Jesus and present their request. They went from amazed and afraid to believing that there was still going to be the establishment of a kingdom, and they wanted their ‘rightful’ places on either side of their king.
Now we don’t know if James and John thought Jesus was kidding about being killed or speaking in parables as he was wont to do, or if perhaps they thought his death was going to happen at some distant time after the kingdom had been established. We also don’t know why they thought they should have these places of honor. Was it because they were the second choice of brothers to be chosen by Jesus, and when you’re number two, you try harder? Or was it because they were in the inner circle of three, and they wanted to edge Peter out of the loop because Jesus was looking to him more and more as the leader pro tem? Scripture, as usual, is agonizingly void of such details.
What we do know is that Jesus asked them if they were able to drink from his cup and to partake in his baptism, which is to say, were they able to faithfully follow the plan according to God’s will as it has been placed before Jesus? In other words, “Are you two willing to be afflicted with false accusations; willing to bear the guilt of the wrongs committed by others; whipped, beaten, wounded, stricken down, and disgraced; and to do so in obedience, without protest, and to be counted as a criminal; and finally, to die an ignoble death? Are you willing to drink from that cup of bitterness, and to be plunged into that bloody pool of death, because that’s the only thing I can promise you in the short term?”
And James and John, for whatever reason, replied in the affirmative. Whatever they were thinking; no matter how limited their idea of what was about to happen, they still believed in Jesus enough to realize that in spite of all of the nasty predictions which he has laid before them, he is destined for a glory so great as to be beyond comprehension, and they want to be a part of it.
So Jesus stopped walking, and waiting for the other ten to catch up, weighed these two simple fishermen carefully in his mind. Then he said, “Yes, I believe you are able to follow me in death. But your motives are still focused inwardly and not on the bigger picture. You’re still looking for positions of greatness according to the minds of men. You are still thinking in terms of “What’s in it for me?”
Then addressing the twelve, he said, “I want all of you to start thinking in terms of greatness according to God! I want you to start thinking in terms of “What’s in it for everybody else in spite of me?” I want you thinking in terms of “How can I improve the lives of my neighbors at my own expense?
“You see, if you want to be great then you have to become as the most humble of servants, daily doing your duty in deference, diligence, and discipline to your Master. And if you want to be first, then you must become as a slave, giving your entire being; body, mind, and spirit to God your Creator for the benefit of all, because that’s what I’m doing and why I’m here!
“Yes, I’ve come to establish a kingdom, where as king I am not to be served by my subjects, but rather to serve them. And I will serve them even unto death! And my life - not my death, but my life - will be a ransom for many. I am setting this down before you as an example and if you truly wish to follow me; to drink this cup and partake of this baptism, then you will choose to live out this discipline!”
James and John chose to do so. And with the exception of Judas, so did the other Apostles, as well as countless other Christians.
For example, James was the first of the Apostles to die for his faith being killed by the sword under King Herod Agrippa. And although not martyred, John was persecuted and ultimately exiled to an island to die an isolated death.
Peter and Paul were both executed in Rome during Nero’s persecution, with Paul being beheaded and Peter being crucified upside down. Peter’s brother, Andrew was also crucified, but on an ‘X’ shaped cross. Bartholomew, also named Nathanael, was flayed alive in Armenia. And James the Just, also known as the brother of our Lord, was thrown from the roof of the Temple and beaten to death.
In the next generation, Polycarp was burned at the stake, and Ignatius was thrown to the wild beasts in the coliseum of Rome. And there are many others down through the centuries into the current day, many known only to God, who have chosen to drink from the cup and to partake in the baptism of Jesus’ death.
Upon reflection, James and John are really no different than you and me. They are so human in their ambitions. They are almost child-like in their request of Jesus. And even though they don’t totally understand what is going on around them or fully comprehend the consequences of what is about to take place, they sense that there is something greater beyond themselves, and so they willingly choose to follow Jesus in order to partake of this unknown joy in spite of the suffering that they will endure. We too, are all called to make this choice, and when we choose to follow Jesus, we become one of the many.
You see, Jesus came for all people, but only those who choose to participate in his life, death and resurrection; those who put their trust in God above all other things; those who are willing to serve others before themselves; and yes, even those who are willing to give their life in obedience to their faith; these are they who will fully participate in the glory that is promised in the resurrection.
So just as James and John should be held up as an example for us, we as Christians are called to be examples to the world, leading others into making this same choice.
Let us pray: O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful, those present and those who have departed, the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AMEN
Seriously though, if we are following Mark’s Gospel closely, it’s probably choice number two with a little bit of choice number one thrown in for good measure, and a dash of faith, because, you see, the portion of the Gospel which we haven’t read is that after the rich young man left last week Jesus has told his disciples for the third time that he is going up to Jerusalem to be delivered into the hands of the chief priest and scribes, who will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles, meaning the Roman government, and collectively they will all mock him, spit upon him, scourge him and kill him. But after three days he will rise again. And to show his determination, Jesus walks off in front of them, head held high, resolutely leading the way to the Cross, and scripture tells us that those who followed him were amazed and afraid.
It is from this context that James and John run forward to walk with Jesus and present their request. They went from amazed and afraid to believing that there was still going to be the establishment of a kingdom, and they wanted their ‘rightful’ places on either side of their king.
Now we don’t know if James and John thought Jesus was kidding about being killed or speaking in parables as he was wont to do, or if perhaps they thought his death was going to happen at some distant time after the kingdom had been established. We also don’t know why they thought they should have these places of honor. Was it because they were the second choice of brothers to be chosen by Jesus, and when you’re number two, you try harder? Or was it because they were in the inner circle of three, and they wanted to edge Peter out of the loop because Jesus was looking to him more and more as the leader pro tem? Scripture, as usual, is agonizingly void of such details.
What we do know is that Jesus asked them if they were able to drink from his cup and to partake in his baptism, which is to say, were they able to faithfully follow the plan according to God’s will as it has been placed before Jesus? In other words, “Are you two willing to be afflicted with false accusations; willing to bear the guilt of the wrongs committed by others; whipped, beaten, wounded, stricken down, and disgraced; and to do so in obedience, without protest, and to be counted as a criminal; and finally, to die an ignoble death? Are you willing to drink from that cup of bitterness, and to be plunged into that bloody pool of death, because that’s the only thing I can promise you in the short term?”
And James and John, for whatever reason, replied in the affirmative. Whatever they were thinking; no matter how limited their idea of what was about to happen, they still believed in Jesus enough to realize that in spite of all of the nasty predictions which he has laid before them, he is destined for a glory so great as to be beyond comprehension, and they want to be a part of it.
So Jesus stopped walking, and waiting for the other ten to catch up, weighed these two simple fishermen carefully in his mind. Then he said, “Yes, I believe you are able to follow me in death. But your motives are still focused inwardly and not on the bigger picture. You’re still looking for positions of greatness according to the minds of men. You are still thinking in terms of “What’s in it for me?”
Then addressing the twelve, he said, “I want all of you to start thinking in terms of greatness according to God! I want you to start thinking in terms of “What’s in it for everybody else in spite of me?” I want you thinking in terms of “How can I improve the lives of my neighbors at my own expense?
“You see, if you want to be great then you have to become as the most humble of servants, daily doing your duty in deference, diligence, and discipline to your Master. And if you want to be first, then you must become as a slave, giving your entire being; body, mind, and spirit to God your Creator for the benefit of all, because that’s what I’m doing and why I’m here!
“Yes, I’ve come to establish a kingdom, where as king I am not to be served by my subjects, but rather to serve them. And I will serve them even unto death! And my life - not my death, but my life - will be a ransom for many. I am setting this down before you as an example and if you truly wish to follow me; to drink this cup and partake of this baptism, then you will choose to live out this discipline!”
James and John chose to do so. And with the exception of Judas, so did the other Apostles, as well as countless other Christians.
For example, James was the first of the Apostles to die for his faith being killed by the sword under King Herod Agrippa. And although not martyred, John was persecuted and ultimately exiled to an island to die an isolated death.
Peter and Paul were both executed in Rome during Nero’s persecution, with Paul being beheaded and Peter being crucified upside down. Peter’s brother, Andrew was also crucified, but on an ‘X’ shaped cross. Bartholomew, also named Nathanael, was flayed alive in Armenia. And James the Just, also known as the brother of our Lord, was thrown from the roof of the Temple and beaten to death.
In the next generation, Polycarp was burned at the stake, and Ignatius was thrown to the wild beasts in the coliseum of Rome. And there are many others down through the centuries into the current day, many known only to God, who have chosen to drink from the cup and to partake in the baptism of Jesus’ death.
Upon reflection, James and John are really no different than you and me. They are so human in their ambitions. They are almost child-like in their request of Jesus. And even though they don’t totally understand what is going on around them or fully comprehend the consequences of what is about to take place, they sense that there is something greater beyond themselves, and so they willingly choose to follow Jesus in order to partake of this unknown joy in spite of the suffering that they will endure. We too, are all called to make this choice, and when we choose to follow Jesus, we become one of the many.
You see, Jesus came for all people, but only those who choose to participate in his life, death and resurrection; those who put their trust in God above all other things; those who are willing to serve others before themselves; and yes, even those who are willing to give their life in obedience to their faith; these are they who will fully participate in the glory that is promised in the resurrection.
So just as James and John should be held up as an example for us, we as Christians are called to be examples to the world, leading others into making this same choice.
Let us pray: O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful, those present and those who have departed, the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AMEN
