Mark 10: 35–45
|
|
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be
acceptable to you, O Lord our strength and our redeemer. Amen.
|
This morning, in the Gospel of Mark we are offered two pictures, two
very different images of what glory is all about. The first is
an all–too–human understanding of glory. And it is
offered to us by two of Jesus’ closest disciples, James and
John. Evidently, now that he has told them for the third time
that when they get to Jerusalem he will suffer and be put to death,
they are finally believing him. But instead of expressing horror
or compassion for their friend, they are thinking selfishly. In
fact, they want to know what’s in it for them.
“Jesus,” they say, “when all this is over and you
get to heaven, would you grant us, please, the best seats in the
house? May we sit, one on your right hand and one on your
left, in glory?”
|
|
Maybe they are remembering the kind of effortless transfiguration they
saw on the mountaintop just days before when Jesus was illuminated
from within as he spoke with Moses and Elijah. Maybe they are
figuring that’s what is coming again. And in that case,
could they take a more active role – a more glorious
one? “That’s not too much to ask, is
it? Jesus, can you do that for us?”
|
|
The other disciples, hearing and seeing these brothers’
insensitivity, are aghast. And we can’t believe that
Jesus – knowing the horror, the pain and humiliation he’s
about to undergo – wouldn’t now explode in anger and
frustration at these two brothers. But that’s not what he
does. Instead, he listens to them. Rather than taking
offense for himself his concern is for them – correcting them
gently and teaching them patiently when they get it wrong For
that, in fact, is what he has come to do. He has come to be a
Servant Leader – and a Suffering Servant Leader at
that – not just for James and John, but for you and me
too. He has come to bridge the gap between a holy God and his
not–yet–holy children. And that is what really
strikes me this morning. That this is what we are all put on
this earth to do – to learn to live with loving concern for
one another. Until we get that picture, until that learning
finally sinks in, Jesus is right beside us, gently teaching us,
patiently correcting us. And this, in fact, as Isaiah foretells
it and the Book of Hebrews describes it – is heaven’s
view of glory. Not man’s understanding, but God’s.
|
|
This picture is especially poignant for me this morning, because I
just spent most of this weekend talking with a dozen would–be
Servant Leaders in Atlanta at the Cathedral of St. Philip, people who
believe God might be calling them to become priests and deacons in
this Diocese of Atlanta. My task, along with others on the
Commission on Ministry, is to help them discern who among them has
finally grasped what being a Servant Leader is all about.
|
|
It’s definitely not about ruling and reigning over
God’s flock like some worldly potentate – the “my way
or the highway” school of leadership. It’s definitely
not about wearing long robes of brightly colored brocade or a
white collar around their necks. And it has little to do with
how smart they are, where they went to school, or how many books of
theology they’ve read. It does, though, have something to
do with the suffering, the difficulties and obstacles they have been
through – especially if these experiences have helped them grow
in compassion towards others. And it has a whole lot to do with
staying in touch with Jesus and listening carefully to him so they
can then walk in his footsteps as servant leaders among us.
|
|
I’m rehearsing all this this morning because we too are disciples
of Jesus Christ, following in his footsteps through all the obstacles,
all the chaos, all the suffering of our own lives. We might start
out asking God to do things for us – whatever it is we think we
want. But somewhere along the way most of us finally realize that
the Lord has called us to serve others. And though the world never
applauds us for doing that, it’s in that service – in His
service – that we find satisfaction and joy – the peace of
God that passes all understanding.
|
|
That is the privilege he offers to us today: Not the kind of worldly
glory James and John envisioned – the self–glorifying
kind – but the privilege of walking through this wonderful
terrible world we see all around us, with Jesus Christ by our side.
|
|
To be part of it – in love – as he is in love with us.
|
Amen.
|
