The Request of James and John: Mark 10:35-45

Just imagine for a moment, walking up to Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, and saying “Hey, Jesus, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

Have you ever had anyone come up and say “I want you to do whatever I ask of you without asking any questions? Just say yes.” And then you give them that look. That, not a snowballs chance in h e double hockeysticks look.

The answer? Not a chance.

Whatever our disciples lack in intelligence and understanding, they sometimes make up for it in gumption and persistence in spades.

We’ve all seen groups of children do this over various things. I generally try to avoid making sexist comments when possible but quite honestly, more often than we see this in boys. They gather in a little group and dare one another to do things. The winner proves themselves to be both the bravest and dumbest.

At this point in our story, we finally learn who won the perpetual “Who’s the greatest?” argument that didn’t seize despite being rebuked for it multiple times. It has come down to two: James and John. I would argue that they have officially declared themselves the two densest disciples and are now seeking to determine which triumphs over the other. They are about to decide who is going to pee on the electric fence…

James and John however just volunteered themselves for a fate far worse than getting their little willies electrocuted. You can’t say Jesus didn’t warn them he did say “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?” We all know Jesus’ fate. The Sons of Thunder would not fare much better.

James was the first of the disciples to die a martyr’s death beheaded by King Herod in Acts 12:1-3. John, however, tradition says managed to evade death multiple times after being immersed in a barrel of boiling oil and managed to escape death while imprisoned a couple times. Sometimes living can be more challenging than dying.

Are you able to drink the cup that Jesus drank? To be baptized with the fire Jesus was baptized with? Are you willing to accept that fate whatever it may bring?

Isn’t it great that we don’t have to?

We spend so much of our lives fighting for control and power. So, much time and energy spent trying to acquire something we already have.

Look at how much energy we expend trying to invite God into our lives, trying to prove ourselves worthy when all we really need to do is accept the invitation that has been extended to us.

As human beings, we struggle with wanting to be the greatest. We have this idea in our heads that if one person is good at something it makes them better than we are or someone else is. We think that winners and losers applies to more than just the game we are currently playing and rather than spend our lives lifting up skills and assets, we try to drag others down.

Maybe it’s because I am not a very big person and I have lived half my life standing on my tiptoes to reach things but I have chosen to look at the world from my own perspective rather than trying to see it from whatever it looks like from up where most of you see it. My being small does not make me less. Quite often actually, it makes you my servants.

I have discovered that simply by making eye contact and pointing in a grocery store a total stranger will retrieve things for me. I’ve never been turned down. It’s like a magical power.

I have learned that if I rely on other people who have gifts that I do not have it does not make them more and it does not make me less. I may be smarter than you but you can probably do a whole lot of things I cannot. I may be able to come up with an amazing idea but I need you to carry it out. That makes us equal.

Life is about changing our perspective. Looking at something we’re good at, acknowledging that perhaps that’s not out role in life and instead looking to what we are good at and letting others use their skills.

Little boy in a baseball hat

Stands in the field with his ball and bat

Says, “I am the greatest player of them all”

Puts his bat on his shoulder and he tosses up the ball

And the ball goes up and the ball comes down

Swings his bat all the way around

The world’s so still, he can hear the sound

The baseball falls to the ground

Now the little boy doesn’t say a word

Picks up his ball, he is undeterred

Says, “I am the greatest there has ever been”

And he grits his teeth and he tries it again

And the ball goes up and the ball comes down

Swings his bat all the way around

The world’s so still, he can hear the sound

The baseball falls to the ground

He makes no excuses

He shows no fear

He just closes his eyes

And listens to the cheers

Little boy, he adjusts his hat

Picks up his ball, stares at his bat

Says, “I am the greatest, the game is on the line”

And he gives his all one last time

And the ball goes up like the Moon so bright

Swings his bat with all his might

And the world’s as still as still can be

And the baseball falls and that’s strike three

Now it’s suppertime and his mama calls

Little boy starts home with his bat and ball

Says, “I am the greatest, that is a fact

But even I didn’t know I could pitch like that”

Says, “I am the greatest

That is understood

But even I didn’t know

I could pitch that good”

This song by Kenny Rogers is one of my favorites. No matter how many times I hear it I am reminded that we are all the Greatest, just maybe not at everything.

I have this analogy I like to use. “If you use a vaccum cleaner to clean your clothes, it is not the vaccum’s fault if your clothes are still dirty.”

Every single one of us has gifts to use. Every single one of us is the Greatest in our own individual way. I guarantee no one can be you better than you can be you. But if you try to be someone else, you will fail.

I have never been so confused as when one day I heard this little voice say “Excuse me ma’am, could you reach that jar for me?” Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine someone would ask me that and yet… I looked down and sure enough, a sweet little old woman was asking. It felt so awkward to reach up and grab a jar for someone. If it was possible to do it wrong, I felt like I did.

Our disciples are arguing over the greatest because they want to be Jesus. The want to drink of the cup he drinks and to be baptized as he was baptized because well how cool would that be if a dove came down like the spirit of heaven and a booming voice echoed like thunder as God claimed you as his own and told you that he was well pleased. Personally, I think that would be terrifying, and I’d be glad I was standing in water so no one noticed I peed my pants, but hey maybe one of you might appreciate it more. Probably the same ones who would pee on the electric fence.

It’s hard though isn’t it? Everyone wants to be the quarterback, the star of the show. No one aspires to sit third string.

But, when we figure out who it is God wants us to be and accept that for whatever it is. When we can appreciate those who are smarter than us, braver than us, taller than us, stronger than us, more creative than us, more crafty than us, prettier than us, more intimidating than us. When we can appreciate our differences without ever thinking that someone is better than us, boy does it make it a whole lot easier to love our neighbor.

Can you do as Jesus did and admire people for what God made them to be? Because that’s the cup he drank from. Can you bear the brunt of jealousy, anger, hate, and mistrust? Because that’s the fire that Jesus was baptized in. Can you be the Greatest you there is without ever lording it over anyone or hiding your talent away from the world? Whoever wishes to be first among you must be a slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life for the ransom of many. Can you risk embarrassment, gossip, anxiety and nervousness to use what God gave you for God’s glory and serve others with it?

Can you stop asking Jesus to do what you want and instead pray “Hey Jesus, I want to do whatever you ask me to do?”

May, the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you
And give you peace