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, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.”

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:32-45

Pastor Marc's sermon on the 21st Sunday after Pentecost (October 18, 2015) on Mark 10:32-45. Listen to the recording here or read my manuscript below. 

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The American photographer Eric Pickersgill made waves on the internet this week when he released his newest photo series called “Removed.” This series of 25 black and white photographs showed people just living their lives - getting haircuts, spending time with their significant others, or just watching tv. And everyone held some sort of smartphone or ipad. There’s nothing unique about these photos. But the photographer did something different by deciding to use Photoshop to remove the phone or tablet from the image. So, imagine, a couple together, about to turn out the light to say goodnight, and they’re catching up on their emails - staring at their hands - and there’s nothing there. People of all ages, all races and genders, are sitting on couches and park benches, just staring at this empty space between their hands. It’s amazing. Everyone is engrossed in that little bit of space, appearing disconnected from everything and everyone around them. And what got me was that everyone has the same exact look on their face. And I know you know the look. If you’ve ever tried to have a conversation with me or a loved one while we’re reading or watching something on our phones - you know you’re not being noticed. We all know what it looks like to watch someone who is totally disconnected - totally removed - from us. And I’m pretty sure that’s exactly how Jesus felt when the sons of Zebedee, James and John, came up to Jesus as seen in our reading today. 

Jesus and the disciples are on the move, heading to Jerusalem, with each step bringing them closer to a Good Friday that no one seems to understand. And I imagine as they moved towards God’s city, the roads they traveled grew busier. They saw more people. The towns felt bigger.  The bright lights and big city vibe of Jerusalem got all of them excited. So James and John, the sons of Thunder as Jesus called them way back in chapter 3, both go up to Jesus with a demand. They want to be Jesus’ lieutenants; his captains; his major generals. “With Jesus leading,” they think, “there’s nothing we can’t conquer. There’s no feat we can’t accomplish. There’s no challenge we can’t overcome.” So they want to be Jesus’ seconds. And once Jesus wins all the riches, glory, and power that the disciples want him to win, they believe that money and fame and power will rain down on them too. James and John think they’re ready. They think they got it. They’re with the Son of God and about to walk into God’s hometown. What could possibly go wrong? 

When I read this text, I like to put a long pause between verses 37 and 38. I see James and John make this request, all giddy and excited, and Jesus just staring at them in silence for a really long time. Like, awkwardly long. So long, in fact, that James and John feel the urge to repeat their request incase Jesus didn’t hear them. But it isn’t Jesus who isn’t listening. It’s James and John. They conveniently seem to forgot what Jesus had just told them: that part about being condemned by their own people, being handed over to the Romans to be mocked, spit on, tortured, and killed? They think they know who is going to be at Jesus’ left and right in glory - not realizing that space is saved for two who will be hung on crosses of their own. James and John see Jesus - but they can’t see the cross. They can’t hear Jesus’ words. They can only see what the next part of the story should be instead of listening to what the storyteller is actually saying. 

James and John are removed from the story. They’re disconnected from what’s going on around them. James and John and all the disciples see what Jesus is doing - they see the healings, the casting out of demons, the amazing feats of power that people just can’t normally do. And they can’t see how this experience of God’s power can line up with Jesus’ words about what happens next. So that’s why my Jesus has that long awkward pause. And that’s why John and James thinks Jesus didn’t hear them. They’re witnessing these amazing things but they’ve removed themselves from what God is actually doing. They’re staring at that blank space, like those photographs with the smartphones and tablets removed, thinking that something important is there, while missing what’s around them. Jesus is heading to Jerusalem. Jesus is heading to do something amazing. Jesus is going to show the world that God’s kingdom isn’t about power over others. It’s about the power of being for others. And we can’t be for others if we remove ourselves from the people and the places that make up God’s story - and our own. 

Earlier this week, the Stewardship Committee here at church sent out a letter to members and friends announcing our fall stewardship campaign. Every year, at this time, we ask everyone who’s connected to this church, everyone who makes this the church what it is - to make a pledge to financially and physically support what we, together, are doing here. Every year, as we all start thinking about the end of the year - about fall, and winter, about Thanksgiving and Christmas and all those Christmas presents we still have to buy - the church, instead, asks you think about what comes next. That’s what a stewardship campaign is about. And it isn’t just about money. If you want to know how much it costs to run this church, that information is public. We vote on it every February. We know how much it costs to heat the building, turn on the lights, and pay my salary. Money is an important part of what we give to give thanks to what God has first given to us. But a stewardship campaign is always about the next chapter of our story. What we’re kicking off isn’t several Sundays to talk about paying our bills. We’re talking about doing what the Sons of Thunder failed to do. We’re here to listen to all of God’s story - to the listen to the parts of Jesus’ story that we like and those parts we don’t. We’re here to listen listen to our own story, being honest about our sin, our failures, and how we remove ourselves from what God is doing in the world. A stewardship campaign is about seeing more clearly the connection between God’s story and our own. So I invite everyone to step into that connection by actually praying. Take that pledge card, take that time and talent sheet, and ask God what to do next. I don’t know what that will look like for you. I don’t know what answer God will give you. I don’t know if God is going to focus you on this community or turn you towards others. But I do know that we can’t be like photographer Eric Pickersgill and use photoshop to remove what God has in focus - and that’s each of us, as we are. That’s who God loves. That’s who Jesus’ died for. That’s who the Holy Spirit works to keep our connection with our Creator alive. We can’t be removed from God’s mercy, even if we tried. So let’s find out strengthen the connection - and discover where God is taking us next. 

Amen.