When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.—John 11:17

“There are times when our spirit flags from weariness or difficulty. We feel about as energetic as a hibernating bear. Our world feels covered in shadow and sleep. Then there are times when we are filled with anxiety. The world races by throwing troubles at us in the most random and unexpected ways. We are not sure if we can find a place that is calm and quiet, someplace that will allow us to rest without fear. We cast about looking for support to keep us safe. There are also times when we feel encased in a dark, cold tomb, and the breath that once moved freely through us has been forcibly silenced. It feels like all hope is gone, and life will never be given to us again. Yet, even in the tomb, hope is not lost.

In an instant we feel the presence of the Holy One nearby. Something in us begins to quiver and we feel the unseen force of God beginning to flow around us. We may not know what will happen. We may not yet believe that anything will change, but we know we are not alone. We know that the pain of our heart has not been ignored. We know that the lifelessness that covers us has not been dismissed. We matter. Our pain matters. Our life matters. All we need do is be still and wait for heaven’s touch, heaven’s voice, heaven’s breath. Life will come to us again.” (Renee Miller, explorefaith.org, Signposts – Daily Devotions, “Hope Is Not Lost”)

There was a moment, standing outside the tomb of Lazarus, that Jesus felt a stirring in his own soul. Here, even though he knew he had the power to raise his friend, something inside Jesus, even if for a fraction of a moment, something turned dark. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” (John 11:41-42) In the darkness of this first tomb, Jesus turned to His Father in heaven to pray.

When we are in our own darkness, we need to do the same – after all, if it is good enough for Jesus, it sure as heck is good enough for us. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus again turns to His Father in prayer. Paul says in his letter to the church in Rome that we often do not know what to pray or how to pray. But even if we just groan in our speechless moments, the Holy Spirit speaks for us. We need simply turn to G-d in our weakest moments, put our thoughts upon the Lord, and leave the rest to G-d.

Pastor Dave

³⁵James 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.” ³⁶And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” ³⁷And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” ³⁸But 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?” ³⁹They 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; ⁴⁰but 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.” ⁴¹When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John.⁴²So 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. ⁴³But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:35-45 

“Who will you serve? I don’t know if you got a prickly feeling when reading that question or whether you read over it quickly enough not to notice how much it runs against our grain. Either way, I’ll ask it again: who will you serve? As a culture and species, we tend to prize freedom…and accomplishment…and autonomy…and self-determination…and… And the list could go on. Which is why, if we slow down and take the question seriously, we’ll recognize how much it grates against our deeply held belief and culturally formed sensibilities. Yet perhaps one of the most pernicious illusions of our culture is that we are, indeed, free and autonomous beings who can live independent of all bonds of loyalty, devotion, and service. In fact, I shudder to think how much time and energy we expend in service to – yes, in service to – the idea that we don’t have to serve anyone.

This assertion – that you will always serve something or someone whether you know it or not – is at the very heart of not simply today’s passage but much of Mark’s Gospel. Notice, for instance, the careful literary structuring of this larger section of Jesus’ march to Jerusalem and his three predictions – actually, announcements would be more like it – of his impending death. So I’ll ask it again: who will you serve? You don’t have to let others answer this for you. That is indeed part of our freedom as God’s children.” (David Lose, “Who Will You Serve”, davidlose.net, October 13, 2015) 

If Zebedee could have heard his boys, I wonder how he would have reacted to James and John and their request?  Would he have been proud of them?  Or would he have been embarrassed?  “Zebedee and Sons” the fishing business was a successful fishing business operating on the Sea of Galilee.  All was going well for the business.  The sons of Zebedee, James and John had grown up watching their father work the sea.  They were really “catching on” to the business of catching fish.  Fishing was a hard business, but now that the boys had joined their father, the business was doing so well.  Nothing makes a father prouder than to have a son or two follow in his footsteps.  And what father wouldn’t want to have more time to spend talking with his sons, swapping stories, sharing jokes, and reminiscing about the old days.  Early one morning the boys and their father were wrapping up another long night of fishing.  There was always a lot to do when they brought in the catch.  There were fish to prepare, equipment to put away, nets to be fixed.  In other words, there was no rest for the weary.  Everyone was off to their own tasks when suddenly a man of unassuming stature appeared at the seaside.  He stood there just watching them work.  He didn’t ask any questions.  He didn’t seem to have any reason to be there.  He just watched them work.  Zebedee was a little perplexed, but he had work to do, and he didn’t notice that the man walked up to talk to his boys.  James and John were mesmerized by the man – they couldn’t take their eyes off of him.  And then the man said something to them, and they all left.  They left.  They dropped everything, and left.  Zebedee was stunned, and hurt.  But nothing he said, no pleading, no demanding could change their minds.  They left their father and the family business to follow this itinerant Rabbi names Jesus.  It was unheard of, it was an insult, and nothing would ever be the same for Zebedee.

Of course I have feelings for Zebedee today because I too am the father of two sons.  I also want good things for my children.  I want them to work hard, maybe go into the family business, to make good decisions, and to love God.  But I also am reminded of the prophecy of Isaiah: “All we like sheep have gone astray – we all have turned to our own way”.   They will make their own decisions, and like James and John, they too will hear other voices.  They will embarrass me once in a while.  They will make me angry once in a while.  And of course, we, like Jesus will experience “suffering” in the midst of our relationships.  Suffering does not only come from our own health, or our own sin.  The behavior of others can also bring us suffering.  I think Zebedee suffered when his boys left him to follow Jesus – and he suffered when word hit him of the request that James and John made of Jesus.  He suffered either from embarrassment, or he suffered when he heard Jesus’ response – Jesus was going to suffer, and this cup of suffering was going to be passed along to his followers – they too will suffer like Jesus, and for Jesus.

So we leave Zebedee today, in all his suffering.  And Jesus, well, he was suffering too because his clueless disciples were still clueless even after his best attempts at teaching them about true discipleship.  But in the midst of their suffering, both Jesus and Zebedee, they both still loved James and John.  Zebedee may be lost to history, but his sons remind us that we all struggle with the teachings of Jesus.  All we can do is keep an open mind, and an open ear, and the Holy Spirit will help us know the love of Jesus – a love that allows us to suffer for others, to serve others, and to love all people – this is what makes us great in the kingdom of God. 

Pastor Dave