October 17, 2021 — Pentecost +21B

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 10:35-45

Greatness is arbitrary, isn’t it? It is decided by ever changing rules, ever changing qualifications. What made you great in the 60’s may not make you great in the 2000’s. A band that was great in the 50’s cannot compare to a band that is considered great today. And yet, people go to great lengths to be considered great. Some people have put the word “great” in their names – like Alexander the Great, or Wayne Gretsky, who is known as the “Great One”.

It was greatness that was on the minds of the disciples – it had been greatness that had been on their minds since the second time Jesus told they he was going to Jerusalem to be killed. In the 9th chapter of Mark, Jesus is telling them he must die, and they are arguing about who was greatest among the disciples. Jesus responds by telling them that whoever wanted to be first among them must be last and servant of all. But that apparently didn’t have much of an impact upon them – for here are James and John asking Jesus for positions of greatness, in the kingdom of G-d. It is so apparent that the disciples do not have a “great” grasp on the obvious. Earlier when they saw someone casting out demons in the name of Jesus, they asked Jesus if they should stop the person. But Jesus tells them that “Whoever is not against us is for us.” And when the disciples are stopping the children from coming into his midst, Jesus says “Let the children come. It is to such as these that the Kingdom of G-d belongs.”

And here, the disciples want to be great – or at least to receive some kind of payoff for being followers of Jesus – and Jesus will again try to teach them what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Will they get it this time?

Jesus says that greatness in the Christian community is not defined by society’s definition of greatness, to have positions of greatness or honor. Greatness instead comes in the personal service to others – being a slave to all – in self-denying acts of Christian love and mercy that one does for another – done without expectation or recognition of praise. In other words, the Christian expression of true discipleship has no room for “token” contributions. Greatness does not in the squirts of a water pistol – especially when we are trying to put out the fires of hell in this society. Christian greatness comes from those who are willing to pour themselves out and completely lay down their lives by heading into the teeth of the flames of sin, death and the devil and do self-denying acts to serve others with the intent that other lives depend on our acts.

Pastor Dave