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Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
I suspect that most of you adults here today are familiar with documents known as “job descriptions.” At some point in your life, many of you have probably had a position with the responsibilities listed out in a written document. Some of you may have even been in management positions where you’ve had to write, edit, or enforce job descriptions.
Even if you’ve never dealt with a formal, written job description, I’m confident that whoever supervised your work tried to make you well aware of the duties and expectations, so you’d carry them out effectively. It’s pretty standard practice to do this in most organizations, so that there’s some clarity about each position and how its work is to be carried out.
But, there’s always a little “kicker” in there, right? You see, most organizations—if they’re on-the-ball—realize that it’s impossible for a job description to cover every possible situation an employee might face in the course of working. It’s just too hard to predict. They also want to have some flexibility to get their employees to be productive in case of the unexpected, or if business conditions or demands change somewhat. So, there’s often a very important phrase tucked in to the very end of most good job descriptions. That phrase is: “and other tasks and duties as directed by the employee’s supervisor.”
That gives the organization some wiggle room, and also takes the wind out of any employee’s attempt to say, “That’s not my job.” Of course, any conscientious employee is going to want to help out where and when needed and asked. Likewise, no sensible employer is going to abuse the situation by asking an employee to perform tasks that are well beyond his or her capabilities, either.
James and John want to impose that little job description phrase on Jesus, it seems: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
Pretty open-ended, isn’t it? That’s perhaps even worse than that job description catch-all. It’s sort of like the person who comes up to you and puts you on the spot with: “Hey, can you do me a favor?” Then they don’t specify what it is they want until you say, “Yes.”
Don’t you just hate that? I want to yell, “C’mon… just ask me what you want, and let me decide.” Don’t maneuver me into a commitment without being forthright with me. That’s manipulative.
Jesus knows what it is they want, of course, and He handles it pretty well. We could all take a lesson from Him on how to turn the tables on those open-ended favor-seekers. He replies, “What do you want me to do for you?”
In other words: You go first, and then I’ll let you know if it’s feasible or not.
Oh, and did I mention: James and John, the “sons of thunder,” apparently are also sons of a stage mother? That’s right—Mrs. Zebedee is part of this scheme to maneuver Jesus into giving her boys preferential treatment. It’s not recorded here in Mark’s gospel, but Matthew’s text indicates not only that she’s present, but that she’s the instigator and spokesperson for the group. Who can say “No,” to a mother in front of her kids, right? Well, God can, when the request is not in accordance with His will.
We might have thought from most of the gospel accounts that it’s Peter who’s the impetuous, often foolish disciple. Yet based on what we read here in chapter 10 of Mark, James and John have their “DUH!” moments, too. Think about it: Do you see any indication that maybe—just maybe—James and John suffer from bad timing?
That’s probably the first thing that jumped off the page at me when I read this text. Here’s Jesus, on His way to Jerusalem. He’s just told His disciples for the second time that when He arrives there, He’s going to be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. He’ll be falsely accused, condemned to death, mocked, spit on, flogged and killed. Yes, He does prophesy His resurrection, it’s true. But do you think that perhaps it wasn’t the best time for the brothers to approach Jesus, asking if He’ll give them a tremendous honor?
Either James and John have amazing faith in Jesus at this point, or they’ve got very little sensitivity. My money’s on a little of both. I can imagine them thinking and saying to one another: “You know, pretty soon Jesus isn’t going to be just our Rabbi. He’s going to be the Messiah. We ought to line up our spots before the others get to Him first.”
You know how that goes. Even as children, we learn pretty early on just how to catch our parents at exactly the right time. Later in life, we do it to people at work, or even people at church. We hit them up when their resistance is likely to be low, or when they’re in a really good mood, or when they don’t really have much choice.
Maybe our first effort was throwing the fit at the candy counter by the supermarket check-out line. Later, it’s: “Mom, can Joey sleep over tonight?” with Joey standing right there with hopeful eyes. It moves on to: “Dad, we have to finish our lab report tonight at Andrea’s house; can I borrow the car?”
And, before you protest, “I never did anything like that,” think of the times you’ve probably pulled something similar to that recently on a boss, employee, co-worker, friend, spouse, or child. We all do it: We work situations to our advantage, hoping to use the circumstances in such a way that things work out in our favor.
That’s damaging enough when we do it in our human relationships. When we attempt to do it in our relationship with the Almighty, however, it’s far more dangerous. Attempting to manipulate God, as James and John do here, is not only wrong; it’s damnable. It’s blasphemy—setting ourselves in the place of deciding how God should behave in our relationship with Him, rather than letting ourselves be directed by Him. It’s forgetting those important words that James and John had already heard; words which we’ve spoken ourselves, time and time again: “Thy will be done.”
James and John, just like us, need to be put in the proper place in our relationship with God—and it’s not a place they or we can put ourselves. First they are humbled with a reality check: “You don’t know what you’re asking.” Then they are challenged with a question: “Can you do what would be necessary to be entitled to sit in an honored place?”
In other words, “Can you, James and John, do whatever will be asked of you to earn your place in heaven?” They claim they can, but like so many before and after them, they really don’t understand what is required. The granting of heaven comes only to those for whom it has been prepared, and it comes to them only by the grace of God. The Lord will do the humbling and the exalting, the crushing and the lifting up, according to His own purposes, in His own way, and on His own timetable.
Steer well clear then, of those two errors we see James and John making in this gospel text. First, presuming to ask God to do what we would have Him do, according to your own will. That’s a recipe for sin, because anything arising out of your own will and nature is corrupted by your flesh, the world, and the temptations the devil lays on you, encouraging you to “be like God.”
Second, don’t presume that you can drink the cup that Jesus drank, and somehow achieve something toward your own salvation or exaltation in heaven. As believers in Christ, you will certainly taste the bitter cup of persecution in this, and you certainly will build up treasure in heaven by the good works you carry out in faith. But you are persecuted on account of being bound to Christ in His death and resurrection by your baptism. And your good works are only good when they are driven by the Holy Spirit, apart from any expectation of rewards or accolades.
It is only because Jesus did all things asked of Him by the Father—and not anything asked of Him by you, or James, or John—that salvation is yours. It is only because the Son humbled Himself—and set aside the glory and honor and power and might of sitting at the Father’s right hand—that His life, death, and resurrection assured that you would receive not what you ask, but what you so desperately need: Forgiveness of sins. Life and salvation.
All this comes to you by the gift of faith—something you can’t ask for; can’t earn; can’t keep or strengthen by your own doing. By faith that Jesus did indeed go up to Jerusalem. By faith that He was in fact betrayed into the hands of the chief priests and scribes. That He was unjustly condemned to death, handed over to the Gentiles, mocked, spit upon, flogged, and crucified.
This is your faith, dear Christian. This is your creed: That He who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried is He who also rose again and ascended into heaven. So that He could sit at the right hand of God and intercede for you, and take all those inadequate, inarticulate requests you make to God, and make them His own.
Brothers and sisters: Through faith, your will becomes aligned with God’s will. Then, when you pray, “Thy will be done,” you can be confident and assured that Jesus will convey to our Father in heaven that which is pleasing to Him. He will steer us to ask for what we need, not just what we want. You see, Jesus tells His followers that we may ask for whatever we want or need in His name, and that He and the Father will grant it.
But He’s not giving us a magic formula, or some sort of script or recipe for prayer. Rather, in saying the words, “in Jesus’ name,” we are confessing confidence and trust that He has found favor with the Father for us, and that favor brings blessing upon us, both now and for eternity. We are confessing faith in the One who has already done everything the Father has asked of Him, and more than you could ever have asked or even hoped for.
He came to serve, that you might be freed from slavery. He came to give His life as a ransom for many; that you would not remain in bondage.
Pray with me:
Dear Lord, by your Holy Spirit, guide us to pray rightly, and to implore you not to do whatever we ask of you, but whatever would be Your will for us. Make us bold to confess that You are the One who was delivered up to death for our sins, and rose again victorious. You have given us the baptism which unites us to that saving death and resurrection, and the cup of salvation which unites us with angels and archangels, all the company of heaven, and saints triumphant, militant, and yet to come. We pray in your name, the name you have given us by which we must be saved: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
