Our Sunday Message

The Paradox of Greatness: Mark 10:35-45
Rev. Dr. Kenneth A. Corr
October 22, 2006
Twentieth Sunday of Kingdomtide

  First of all, before I do anything else, I need to say thank you to James and John for asking this indelicate request. Before we talk about how obtuse they were, how insensitive they were, how power hungry they were, how aggressively ambitious they were, let’s admit that they have simply said out loud what we all think and feel. Thank you, James and John, for saying it so that we can talk about it. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s recognize that we are really talking, not so much about James and John, but about ourselves. We live in a world and culture that values power and position. Whether we are talking about sibling rivalry in our families, or football rivalries between our colleges, or political rivalries between parties, or even rivalries within the church, our culture values power. We want to win. We want to be on top. We want to dominate. We don’t often admit that in church. Instead, we are like the other ten disciples who feigned moral outrage at this grasping for power. O come on! You know as well as I do that the disciples were angry because James and John asked first.1
  It is so hard to be honest in church. It is so hard to admit that we are jealous when others get recognition, that we are envious of other’s privilege, that we lust after power, that we want to be first. Like the disciples, we masquerade with moral outrage at others when the truth is that we want exactly what James and John wanted: the place of power, position, and privilege. And we are angry when others get there before us. It’s hard to be honest in church. But now that we have admitted it, let’s talk about it.
  Our text today is prefaced with a prediction of Jesus’ pending death. v. 32, “They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him.”
  This is the third passion prediction in Mark. The journey is now nearing Jerusalem and there is a sense of impending doom. Notice, the Scripture says, “They were amazed and . . . afraid.”
  Every time that Jesus predicted his suffering and death, the disciples responded inappropriately.
   • The first time, Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked him.
   • The next time, the disciples argued over who was greatest.
   • This time, James and John ask for the first place.
  They know the kingdom is near. They know that something is going to happen in Jerusalem. They sense that it is going to be scary. But they have absolutely no clue about who Jesus really is and what it means to follow him.
  And so, they imagine a kingdom like every other kingdom, a government like every other government, a power like every other power. They have no other models for ruling, for governing, for power and they want to be a part.
  I suspect that James and John are asking now because they feel a little anxious about what their place is going to be. The need to be first is really about anxiety. Hold on to that idea because we will discuss that later.
  Just like his conversation with the rich young ruler, Jesus starts with what the disciples know. “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them.” That is how the secular world works. We all understand that. In our culture, mobility is upward. Jesus told them what they knew and understood.
Then he told them what they did not know. The kingdom of God operates on different rules. The kingdom of God turns everything upside down. In the kingdom of God, the rulers serve, the first are last, strength is found in weakness, greatness is found in surrender, power is modeled through service, exaltation is through suffering, it is in losing that we win, it is in dying that we are resurrected to life. And they looked at him just like you are looking at me right now.
  You can’t explain it. You have to see it. But the gospels give us many examples to see. Who gave the most? A widow with the least. Who modeled faith? A child with only two loaves and five fish. Who saw the clearest? A blind man on the side of the road who refused to be silenced. What is the symbol of our salvation? A form of humiliating execution.
  Everything that know WE about power, position, and privilege gets turned on its head by this teaching of Jesus. To follow this Jesus means to reject everything that the secular world believes about what it means to be first. No wonder that the disciples didn’t get it.
James and John will never get to this level of understanding who Jesus is and what his passion is about as long as they are afraid. It is our fear that puts us in competition for the first place. And it is competition that destroys community.
  The disciples had gathered in the upper room after the crucifixion. It was a terribly frightening time. They had witnessed their friend die and with him most of the hope. They had every reason to believe that they would be arrested next, tried, and executed. The doors were locked and they were afraid.
  The resurrected Jesus appeared in their midst and showed them his hands and side and then said—do you remember what he said? Then he said, “Do not be afraid.”
  Where love is, there is no fear. When fear is gone, there is no competition. When competition is eliminated, there is the possibility for community.
  If we know that we are first, we can be last in line. If we know that we are right, we don’t have to shout the loudest. If we know that we will live, we can face death with courage. If we know that there is a resurrection, then the ruler can be the servant of all. Only then will we see the kingdom of God in our midst.

1 Lamar Williamson, Jr., Interpretation, “Mark,” p. 192.