daily java

Daily Java:

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.” “What is your request?” he asked. They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:35-45)

James and John had probably gotten this all figured out a few days ago and were waiting for the chance to ask Jesus for this special favor. The other apostles were off a ways and they were alone with Jesus and they thought they would go ahead and cement their relationship with him and also get ahead of the others in the process.

After all, they were part of the inner circle. And they already had an in with him. And if they could just get their place as his main leaders, the other apostles would be under them.

They were cut out for this anyway. Their mother told them so and encouraged them. In fact, it had been her idea (Matthew 20). They were a little worried about what the others would have to say, but she told them it would be fine and she would be proud of them.

When they asked, Jesus answered, Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? And, of course, they were. In fact all of the apostles were ready to do that. They just didn’t think of asking Jesus to let them be in charge.

They tried to look humble as they replied, Oh, yes, we are able. They were such humble little disciples. Leadership material, yes, even strong command material. But humble. Oh, yes.

Jesus response surprised them. He said, Oh, yes you are going to drink and suffer too. But then he told them that it was God who chose, not he.

It backfired on them. They didn’t get what they asked for, and the rest of the apostles got mad at them. They turned quickly from great leaders to goats. And the others told them about it, too.

But Jesus defused the situation. He said, Listen, guys. That is the way the world acts, not my followers. He told them, But among you it will be different. It is a different paradigm than before, a completely different thing. This new thing, this new kingdom is characterized by servanthood, not personal glory and honor.

It goes against all that people usually do. The leaders are the servants and the last is the first. Even Jesus himself is a servant. He came to die, so his followers have to die.

Needless to say, this didn’t sit well with the apostles. They just didn’t understand it. And it is hard to understand.

But it is part of what 1 Corinthians 1 calls the wisdom of God. To the world it looks like foolishness, but it is power to those who believe.

Hard stuff to understand, but power to our lives when we do. Strength through weakness and power through service.