Our priority…

 The news at the moment is pretty full of things about the forthcoming American election. The election may be happening thousands of miles away but will have an effect on us all. This comes at a time when the Middle East is once again in a state of turmoil and where tragedy and pain are all too evident every day. 

Even in this country where things are relatively stable, political posturing on all sides is something that we witness often. The desire for power, in some cases even control, is all too clear on the political stage, and, if we’re looking around, in so many areas of life. 

 

The story in today’s gospel (Mark 10:35-45)has two brothers, James and John, jockeying for positions of power in the Kingdom of God. The account happens just five days before Jesus' crucifixion. Four days before his betrayal and trial. One day before the clearing of the temple, and a few hours before the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

 

If the Disciples were going to start practicing the teachings of Jesus in their lives it ought to be now, but it wasn’t happening. Moments before the most crucial events in their life they are a bickering, petty, bad-tempered quarrelsome group, concerned with a whole lot of things apart from the life of their Saviour, and the eternal lives of all who will choose whether or not to follow him.

 

And how true that often is for us as well – we choose all kinds of debates and arguments which have little relevance for the things that are most important. At times we are all a little bit guilty of political posturing!

 

And faced with a group of disciples arguing, Jesus reminds them of their duty to be servants – serving many, certainly not themselves, and serving God, not individuals or ambition.

 

The point is that we must always seek to do the right thing, whatever the cost…

And so, what should the disciples have been doing at this point – it was 5 days before Jesus’ crucifixion – should they have been warning him not to approach Jerusalem ? It was 4 days before the betrayal and trial – should they have been looking for traitors in the camp – should Judas Iscariot have been identified, should they have been looking for a good lawyer to defend Jesus in his trial ?

 

It was one day before the clearing of the Temple, when Jesus overthrew the tables of some pretty influential people – should the disciples have been good friends and kept Jesus away from the Temple, or persuaded him that actually these people weren’t doing much harm after all, and should just be left to get on with their trading ?

 

And it was just before the triumphal entry into Jerusalem – Jesus came with a lot of popular support, should the disciples have been encouraging him to go and speak to some of the religious leaders and others in authority, and try and negotiate on the issues that were dividing them ?

 

The answer of course to all of these questions is ‘No’. Jesus knew what he was doing – the Book of Isaiah (53:4-7), tells us of the things that Jesus is going to face – Jesus isn’t coming as a politician, nor as a tactful sort of advocate for good things – Jesus was going to come as a revolutionary leader – a leader, unlike any the world had seen before, who would not seek power and prestige, but come to truly serve his people even to the point of dying for them.

 

Our duty today is just the same as the duty of those disciples – not to seek to build a kingdom for ourselves, not to look at ways of compromising a message that fits in more conveniently with what the world expects, not to try and tame down a revolutionary message – not of war or violence, or even based on politics, but a revolution built on the simple principle of love.

 

The task of the disciples was not to seek power or prestige for themselves, but simply to follow Jesus wherever he led them, and point others to him as well. 2000 years on, our task as his disciples of today, hasn’t changed at all – we are to follow Jesus wherever he leads us and we are to encourage others to do the same.

 

We are all called to do great work for God – Martin Luther King said that anyone can be great, because anyone can serve – often what we think we can’t do, we can do with God’s power… the big question for us as individuals and as a church, must be to ask ourselves what we are doing for God… what is our reply to the invitation he offers of eternal life, of a life fulfilled today. What is our response to his challenge to serve, to love our neighbours, to share the gospel message - whether that be through our words or actions or both… 

 

The disciples were distracted by peripheries, by a search for power and position…. Our call is not to be distracted but to remain focused on Jesus, on his life and the meaning of his life and message for us…. 

May we be ready to celebrate what he has done and what he is doing, and build on that celebration to invite others to join us. AMEN