Jesus, the Divine Gumball Machine
This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, Oct. 20 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was Mark 10:35-45.
James and John approach Jesus like he’s a divine gumball machine. Like children, they say, “...we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” Seriously? “Whatever we ask of you.” Like I said, Jesus is the divine gumball machine.
Jesus responds so patiently and with such love. He doesn't tear them apart, but instead responds with, "What is it you want me to do for you?" (v. 36). What a gentle response. It certainly would not have been mine.
Jesus tells James and John that they don’t know what they’re asking. Jesus mentions hardships he will suffer: the cup he drinks, the baptism with which he is baptized.
When Jesus refers to his own baptism, he uses the present tense, suggesting an ongoing and present event. Jesus literally says, “which I am being baptized right now”; he is in the midst of his baptism as he begins his long road to the cross. Our baptism may be a one-time event, but living out of our baptism is an ongoing process. (Rob Myallis, lectionarygreek.blogspot.com).
As the Lutheran pastors were talking about this text on Tuesday, a question arose from the story. What seats of glory are we looking for? What do we WANT Jesus to do for us? I doubt any of us want to be in charge of the church. Do we want physical or emotional pain to end? Do we want to see our financial situation improve? Even as Jesus gently responded to James and John, we can count on God to answer prayer, to speak gently to us. The answer may be yes, wait or no. What we have asked for may not be good for us.
Did you hear the response of the ten disciples? They were angry with James and John. Wouldn’t we respond the same way as the ten did? Haven’t they got nerve? They want to be the head honchos. Who do they think they are? They must have learned their lesson by the time Jesus was resurrected, because Paul wrote of them as acknowledged pillars of the church. In Acts 21, James is seen as having a main leadership position in the Jerusalem church.
Aren’t we quick to point out the failings of others? It’s much easier to do that than to see our own shortcomings.
Then Jesus goes straight to the point with his own example, reminding his followers of the oppressive rule of the Gentiles over each other. But did you see this short, small phrase, “But it is not so among you” (v. 43). Following Jesus was supposed to make a difference in their lives.
Now we get to the part where Jesus teaches about the upside-down kingdom. It just doesn’t make earthly sense. If you want to be great, then you must be a servant. If you wish to be first, then you must be the slave of all. And what’s the reason for this? He came to serve and give his life as a ransom.
What do we see in servants of Christ? We see a life of service which is used by God in promoting Christ’s cause among others. It is used of apostles, of other preachers and teachers of the gospel and ot the true worshipers of Christ.
So, who are we? Where do we fit into this passage? Are we James and John? Are we the ten? Are we exercising the patience and love of Christ, laying down our lives for others?
Friends, we are the redeemed, ransomed children of God, who generously gives even more than we could ask or think. As Pastor Rob Myallis writes:
Perhaps it is something like this: Jesus is put forward as a ransom, but not simply for death but for service to God. What God wants …is not the death of Jesus, but the life, the service (which in his case, will include death). As we are baptized into Jesus' death and drink his cup, we too are put forward, not as a substitute punishment, but as something precious to God, namely, servants of God, becoming the new priesthood, in fact, a very proclamation that the Lord has delivered us.
As Luther says in the Small Catechism, “All this he did that I may be his own.” (Myallis)
How can we share such good news? Tell others about Jesus. Serve them as Christ serves us. Assist the poor, the orphans, and the homeless just as Jesus would. If you cannot go to help hurricane victims, then give so that others can go and help. If you’re wondering who are the legitimate organizations, I would recommend Thrivent and Lutheran Disaster Response, although there are others.
Listen carefully to the words of Our Song of the Day, “Love Consecrates the Humblest Act.” As we sing these words together, think about them. Listen to what God is saying through them to you. The third verse especially moves me:
Love serves and willing stoops to serve;
what Christ in love so true
has freely done for one and all,
let us now gladly do!
Amen!
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