Getting it wrong (Mark 10:35-45)

Getting it wrong

Don't you just love it when something goes wrong?

That's what all the 'you've been framed' type shows are based on. The Gadget show even used the format to test movie cameras

We like to laugh at others misfortune, maybe we shouldn't who knows – it may be us next!

The 'disasters' – even the staged ones show ridiculous mishaps.

Sometime they are simple accidents

Often we ask – How did they manage to let that happen

or

How didn't they see that coming?

That's the type of story we have in the scripture before us this morning

James and John (The sons of Thunder Jesus called them in another place – what does that tell you about the sort of people they were? - Mildly scary perhaps, but definitely loud and probably without any effect. - anyway I digress.)

James and John have come to ask Jesus a question. If you read the Matthew version the story is blamed on James & John's mother being pushy. Here though she is not credited. Either way – they were the ones who actually asked the question – and if they can't deal with their mother by this age – well!!!

"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

bit of an oblique way of opening a request. That's not how I ask for holiday at work – I'm sure it put Jesus on his guard straight away.

Now, if you've listened to Jesus you might be expecting a clever diversionary response – He simply leads them on

"What do you want me to do for you?"

"Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

Well I wouldn't have seen that coming, but Jesus knew them better than I do, so I suppose He might have. Now here comes the diversionary question:

"You don't know what you are asking, Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

Might that question make you hesitate? Might it make you stop and think – what don't I know about what I'm asking? Where does this lead?

... but no, they are straight back into it.

"We can".

… and they did.

James:

He was the first one of the disciples to die: Acts 12:1-2

ABOUT THAT time, Herod (Agripa I ) the king stretched forth his hands to afflict and oppress and torment some who belonged to the church (assembly). And he killed James, the brother of John, with a sword.

John

- The 4th Gospel, the book of John, was written by him
- Probably the youngest one out of the twelve disciples
- did healing miracles in Acts
- He is the only one that saw Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb of God
- He is the only one that died of old age

"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."

And that could have been an end to it, but the other 10 disciples found out what was said, and Jesus has an argument on his hands. He uses it, as he always does, to tell them ONCE AGAIN about his mission

“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 the slave of all.”

How could they not have seen it? Now we can see just how wrong James and John have been. They had been with Jesus for a while now – actually lived with him, seen all the amazing things that were happening, but somehow that message had not got through their thick skulls. So often, I'm like that. Just like James and John, I've spent a long time with Jesus, but so often I miss the point.

Now we can see just what an awful blunder they have made. They were expecting all this work on Earth to lead to Glory in heaven – and it does. Not the sort of Glory that James and John were thinking of though. Perhaps they were thinking of the Roman governor, or of King Herod. A palace like that – no, a lifestyle like that would be a good reward. Slaves to do your every bidding. Never shortages of anything. Not a care in the world. Every little thing you want is somebody else's problem.

But Jesus 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 the slave of all.”

World upside down

Acts 17:6 in the amplified bible says: “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.” Paul's and his group of friends are visiting Thessalonica and as usual are in trouble with the authorities.

This little group of evangelists was now well known in the Empire. Certain Jews make sure that their presence in a town was made known to the local synagogue before they got there. But Paul and troublesome Jews is not what I'm talking about. The reason Paul was known was that he had understood Jesus' message and was preaching and teaching in Jesus name. This was bad news for those who saw themselves as being in positions of authority. It meant that they would no longer be able to get away with lording it over the people. It meant that the people would behave differently to each other. The world was changing, and the people in power were scared.

Jesus call on James and John

Let's go back to James and John for a moment. We know that they did eventually get the message that Jesus was giving them.

After Jesus' death on the cross, and His resurrection. After the coming of the Holy Spirit James and John, along with Peter were the leaders of the Jewish sect known as “The Way” - At the start of the book The Acts of the Apostles, we see that they have devoted themselves to prayer, and are meeting in the temple every day. They are leading a group which soon grows to as many as 5000 men. These people live a lifestyle that is like nothing the world has seen before – and only rarely since. Acts 2 tells us that they have all their goods in common, and when there is need amongst them, someone will sell something to raise money.

They live in close relationship to God, responding faithfully to all that the Holy Spirit says to them. They perform miraculous healing, in the name of Jesus. When called to account, they are not afraid to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah before the courts – even if that means being thrown in jail, and being beaten for their trouble.

All this is a part of the 'cup' that Jesus promised that they too would drink from. Remember the conversation? Jesus asked, “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

“We can” came the unhesitating reply.

There is another side to James and John now, though. The title 'sons of thunder' would no longer be appropriate.

When the number of disciples had grown to such a size that there were complaints that things were not being shared out properly to those in need, the apostles did not bark their orders at the crowd. Instead, they let the recipients of the relief choose people who they thought would distribute the food fairly, and dedicated their time to prayer and preaching.

When John, as an old man, accepted that Jesus was not coming back in his lifetime and decided to write down everything that Jesus said and did, he did not even include his name in the book, but hid his identity with the description – 'The disciple that Jesus loved'.

James, John and Peter were fishermen before they left their livelihoods to follow Jesus. These men, with the name of Jesus on their mouths and the power of the Holy Spirit, led the transformation of the entire Roman Empire, and changed the world forever – without ever living in a palace, or commanding an armed force, or having anyone put to death. They had certainly learnt the lesson that Jesus was teaching them in the passage we had read earlier.

Jesus call on us

I doubt that when you became a Christian, part of your prayer of commitment included a promise to drink from the same cup as Christ in the way that James and John did. When you responded to that call that God has placed on all our lives did you realize that you were being called to a radically different lifestyle to those around you. Back in 1980, I certainly had no idea where the prayer I prayed would take me. I have learnt a lot over those, almost, thirty years. There are times though when I still don't get it right, or get it at all.

We should be serving each other.

Not expecting things to be done for us.

Our ministry is to do things for others. In the church family, this can take many forms – they are all equally valid. One ministry is not prized above others, so that no-one can 'lord it' over anyone else.

I Corinthians 1:27-29 tells us "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no-one may boast before him."

It really doesn't matter who you are. So long as you are prepared to do whatever is asked of you – by God, not by the vicar, the warden, or the PCC.

Eph 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Those good works are our ministries.

Here's a short list of ministries, that you may, or may not, have considered as ministries:

1. Cleaning the building is a form of outreach. People who come through the door notice how well you take care of God’s things. It says your faith is dynamic enough that you care even for the simplest of issues.
   
2. Work in the Nursery - Changing nappies on a new couple’s baby isn’t just about changing nappies. It’s potentially changing eternity for their entire family.
3. A simple thing like regular attendance: Do you realize that when someone new comes into this building and sees it packed with worshippers, that says something to them:

“Something significant is happening here.”

“Christianity must mean something to these people.”

4. AND WHEN you take the time to get to know people’s names, to introduce yourself to newcomers, to invite them to various activities, you continue to add to the atmosphere that draws people into your church. On the "Everybody Welcome" course at Christ Church, we heard stories of the welcome that some of the congregation had received on their first visit. Most of them said that the welcome they received was important to them coming back for a second visit, then a third, …
5. Serving Coffee, provides yourself and others the opportunity to welcome people, to support them, to get to know them, perhaps to pray with them, to make them feel part of the family.

There are lots of others. None of us are too old, too young, too tall, too short, or too anything else not to be included.

It is our calling – as much as it was James and John's calling to drink from the same cup. To do that can be stated simply – very simply:

Serve others in the name of Christ.

That's it!

Now for the hard bit …

(Prayer - that we may be ready and willing so serve)