Friday, March 26, 2010

Jesus Again Predicts His Death - The Request of James and John

Exodus 9:13-35
2 Corinthians 4:1-12
March 26, 2010


They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise."

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
- Mark 10:32-45

The disciples of Jesus were without doubt a strange and peculiar group. Arrogant and rude conceited and condescending they were. Two of them asked permission to sit at the Savior’s side in glory to which the rest argued with them with much indignation. Were they upset that James and John had broached such a question or were they disgusted with themselves that the brothers Zebedee had beaten them to the punch? At the same time they were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. His disciples were probably astonished because of the determination with which Jesus proceeded to His goal. (See Isaiah 50:7) Astonished - because Jesus would not stop until He had reached His goal in Jerusalem. As for the crowed why were they afraid? There is always fear of the unknown. What would happen next? It is only after the resurrection of Jesus and His appearance to His disciples that all of the events of His passion make sense. Likewise for you - nothing in your life, your past, your present circumstance, nor the future makes any sense without the reality of the resurrection. As we journey through Lent we know the Lord is with us. We know that He orders our days and directs our steps. Yet sometimes we can become lost and overwhelmed by the burdens of living. Thus we are encouraged to walk daily with the Savior especially today in the midst of Lent – the cross looms before us – but with the cross there is the open tomb and the promise of hope and restoration. Always and forever we are Easter people.

Lord, we pray that Your grace may always precede and follow us that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.

Collect for the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost Lutheran Book of Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House St. Louis

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