Mark 10: 35-45
Did anyone else cringe a little when you heard
James and John ask to sit on the right and left side of Jesus in his glory? It
takes a lot of arrogance and vanity to ask such a question right after Jesus
just finished predicting his death for the third time. These are not things we
normally associate with the disciples. Such human failings are often associated
with the Pharisees and the Sadducees who were the natural bad guys in the New Testament.
But the truth is that every one of us is tempted to look out for ourselves
rather than for others.
John Calvin once said that this passage is a
bright mirror of human vanity because it shows that holiness and zeal are often
accompanied by ambition or some other vice of the flesh so that followers of
Christ often have a different objective than what they should have. This problem
is as old as time. Many leaders often seek their own agenda and glory rather
than seeking to help others.
It happens everywhere and in every country. Those
who we would uphold as bright, shining examples of how to behave often have
hidden motives and purposes. Just yesterday I was reading a story about Tim
Tebow that made this quite clear. Whatever you may think of the young man, he
has become a bit of a symbol for some Christians because of the way he clearly
states his Christian views despite the many who would make fun of him.
Many people have lifted him up as an ideal
Christian. Yesterday, as I was reading the news I saw a story that stated Tim
Tebow is trade marking his Tebow move of bowing on one knee as well as the
word. He states that he does this so no one will use it incorrectly, but what
will really result is that anyone that uses the move or the word in promotions
will have to pay Tim Tebow royalties off their commission. Mr. Tebow may want
the public to think he does this to make sure the Tebow move will be used
respectfully, but it is easy to see the benefits he will gain by doing this as
well.
James and John are also leaders, they have been by
Jesus’ side from the very beginning, and they were even the first ones called
by Jesus to follow him. It would seem that they would have the most knowledge and insight into
what Jesus is talking about when he mentions dying and suffering for the third
time, so it remains inexplicable that right after Jesus finishes speaking they
make this extraordinary request of him.
What is James and John’s motivation behind their
request? Is it just about glory and honor as the other ten disciples think and
so they begin to argue and squabble with each other? Or do James and John truly
understand what Jesus is speaking of and they are so afraid that they are
seeking security by asking to be at his right and left in glory? Maybe they
really do know what is coming next and they are afraid, and in their fear they
seek the promise of a secure future. James and John may not be just power
hungry; instead maybe they are acting on their fears.
But in their haste to secure their future, whether
it is through greed or fear, they miss a vital piece of information. Jesus’
moment of glory comes when he hangs on a cross with a criminal on either side
of him. Jesus reminds his disciples that, all who would desire to be first in
the Kingdom must be last. He reminds them that leadership is not about having
power over others, but it is about serving those who are beneath you. Jesus’
vision of leadership is all about helping others.
We gain positions of power so that we may help
others to also be powerful. We gain money so that we may give it away. We gain
possessions so that we might have something to give to our guests when they
come to visit us. These things are not to make us feel like kings, but so that
we may let others feel honored and respected. This is not the way the world thinks.
If we are honest, it is not the way WE think.
There are many people in the United States that
consider themselves Christians and are appalled at the idea of giving what we
have earned to someone else. We call it socialism and communism which are scary
words in a capitalist society. Capitalism is about pulling yourself up by the bootstraps
and earning what you have on your own. No handouts are needed because everyone
gets the chance to help themselves.
Except, that isn’t true, is it?
If capitalism worked the way it should, every
person in America should have a job, and healthcare, and a decent home as long
as they are willing to work for it. That is the way it is supposed to be. But
it seems like in every nation, no matter their religion or government, there
are poor people and rich people and those that are in between. As Christians,
do we ignore the faulty logic of capitalism or do we realize there is a reason
Jesus told the rich, young ruler to sell all of his possessions and take up his
cross? Possessions often make us slaves to consumerism. We become possessed by
the things we buy and give them power over us.
I have to have the nice car and the expensive
house. I have to have more clothes than I can wear in a week and twenty pairs
of shoes to match them with. I have to have the jewelry and go on expensive
vacations. Why? Because I earned it by working hard. Because then everyone will
know that I work hard because they will see the rewards I have reaped.
But Jesus tells us it is not about that.
Leadership is not about the fancy things, it is about giving it away. It is
about serving those who do not have what we do. In our vanity and ambition we
forget that none of these things truly make us happy. Yes, they are nice to
have but as long as you have food in your belly every night and clothes enough
to cover your back – do all the extras really make you happy or do they put
chains on you?
Jesus is reminding the disciples and any who would
follow him that we cannot pin our happiness and salvation on mere humans or
their ability to have many possessions. What makes a leader, what makes a
person a Christian is their ability to be cautious, self-reflective, and their
ability to have compassion on those they are leading. Jesus is reminding the
church that it also needs to remember it is not about how many people fill the
pews or how much money we pull in every month but about how many people we have
brought to Christ and how many people we have helped. There were only twelve
disciples and yet Christianity has about 2 billion followers today. It is not
about the numbers or the power or the prettiness of the church. It is about our
willingness to serve rather than be served.
If we come to church expecting things, we are here
for the wrong reason. Church is the place where we worship God, become closer
as a community, and where we learn to serve and help others. It is not to be
used to further our own agendas and power. It is not meant to satisfy our need
for recognition and adoration. Church is where we learn the true meaning of
discipleship and leadership and how we are called to put aside our own desires
so we may look after others.
Jesus shows us how in his willingness to die on a
cross, beside two criminals so that we may all have a chance at eternal life.
Jesus makes us a promise that he is willing to uphold. Jesus’ words correspond
to his actions. He walks away from his family, his home, and allows himself to
be torn away from God through his death on the cross. Jesus sacrifices
everything to lead us to safety. He emptied himself so that we may be filled
with the Holy Spirit.
That is leadership. It is what Jesus calls us to
do if we are to be true followers. We sing the song “Each one, Reach One” today
and it says, “If we follow after Christ we all can lead one to the Savior and
together we can tell the world that Jesus is the way, if we each one, reach
one.” We follow Jesus by leading people to Him. We will lead people to Jesus by
trying to serve each other instead of seeking fame and glory and honor. We will
lead people to Jesus when we remember to love people instead of possessions.
Amen.
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