One of my favorite movies of all time is The Christmas Story. The character around whom the story revolves is nine year-old Ralphie. Now more than anything else in the world, Ralphie wanted a Red Ryder BB gun. But every time he mentioned it, he would be rebuffed. Ralphie asked his momma for the BB gun and she said, “No, Ralphie, you’ll shoot your eye out.” So Ralphie schemed and thought that he could get his teacher to be his ally in the quest for his BB gun. So Ralphie worte an essay extolling the virtues of the Red Ryder BB gun. His teacher returned it with a grade of C+ and with a note that said, “You’ll shoot your eye out.” So Ralphie went to the department store Santa Claus and after telling Santa what he wanted, the Santa told him, “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!” as he shoved poor Ralphie with his boot down a long slide. On Christmas morning Ralphie is scrambling to open the gifts under the tree. None of them is his treasured BB gun. Then his father points out a package that Ralphie had missed. Excitedly Ralphie opens the gift to find – you guessed it – his very own Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time. So Ralphie puts some BBs in the rifle, takes it outside and with his very first shot – gets a BB that bounces back and hits him in – his eyeglasses. Poor Ralphie! You have to be careful what you ask for.
I want to introduce you to a couple of Ralphies – a couple of brothers – who were asking for something that it is clear that they didn’t completely understand. In our Gospel Lesson for today, we find James and John – the sons of Zebedee – asking Jesus for a very special privilege. Let’s read about it together:
[35] Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." [36] "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. [37] They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." [38] "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?" [39] "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, [40] 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." (Mark 10.35-40, NIV)
The question that James and John asked belies a very common misunderstanding about Jesus. They asked the Lord, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” Jesus was born at a time when the nation of Israel was under the military control of the Roman Empire. The people of Israel were looking for a powerful, messianic figure to come unto the scene to deliver them from Roman oppression. When Jesus arrived – He was not recognized as the Messiah because He came as a meek and humble servant. Nevertheless, the thought of the all-powerful deliverer was never far from the minds of the Jewish people – even from James and John as they asked Jesus for the privileged seats at this side.
What James and John didn’t understand when they asked to be at Jesus’ right and left when He came into his glory was how God understood glory. The concept that James and John attached to glory emanated from the notion of a powerful Messiah. Glory to them was about conquest and squashing the enemy. It was about Israel becoming the center of the world. Glory was about ruling and authority and power. So when the request to be at Jesus right and left was made – it was truly a request to be at the center of power. James and John – be careful what you ask for.
We all know people who have given up everything in order to get to the top - their integrity, marriages, family, some even their very lives. The lure of the next promotion; the chance at being next to the seat of power; being able to call the boss by his or her first name – all of these and many other chances for the brass ring are the reason that so many people crawl out of bed. That is what they live for – climbing the ladder, recognition, honor, glory. Most don’t really understand the cost of what they are pursuing. Be careful what you ask for.
Steve wasn’t careful. He was born with an agile mind and the capacity to deal with many things going on at once. He was determined and the appeal of climbing the ladder of success was just too great. Any number of jobs Steve held could have led to comfort and a good retirement. But the appeal and the thrill of the next jump – the next brass ring was too huge. And so while his children grew up – Steve was chasing the brass rings. I don’t need to tell you the effects that had on the family. You’ve got to be careful lwhat you ask for.
George Stephanopoulos had been an altar boy - a Rhodes scholar and he was a wonderfully driven idealist. He really wanted to contribute – to make his mark on society by helping people. He signed on as the presidential campaign manager for William Jefferson Clinton. This took him to the very pinnacle of power. He spent four years just a few feet from the most powerful man in the world. But years of back-room scheming, screaming, and relentless political attacks took a toll. Stephanopoulos paid a price – his health, his reputation, and before it cost him his integrity he resigned. He writes his story in the book, "All too Human". George Stephanopoulos could’ve been more careful about what he asked for.
When ambition drives us – glory is an incredible aphrodisiac. It makes the rarified air of power incredibly addictive. Mistakenly, James and John were also driven by this. They wanted to be like Jesus – a good thing, but they didn’t quite have a grasp of the big picture.
Understanding what glory really is – in the eyes of God – in the person of Jesus - is the key to learning how to live our lives and desires. As we look at our own foibles and ambitions, we are left slack-jawed at how our brother - Jesus – was never lured by power. Scripture encourages us to look at our brother, Jesus, as the example. Saint Paul tells us: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2.3-4, NIV)
Jesus was forced to sort out for his disciples what it meant to be one of his followers – to be at his left and at his right. He had to correct that the very flawed thinking of the disciples – who cherished being in charge and being the boss. He had to tell them that it was the unbelievers who thought like this. It is the unbelievers who try to rule over their brothers and sisters. He called them to the very, very high standard of servant-hood.
So, how is the Christian supposed to respond? By imitating Jesus - by becoming a servant like Jesus did. By becoming a slave to all. “Even I” – Jesus said – “even I came not to be served but to give my life as a ransom for many.” Glory in the Kingdom of Christ is measured by the standard of self-giving that the Son of Man established as He gave His life as a ransom for many. So, James and John – and we - when we aspire to greatness – are we sure that we know what we are asking for?
Let’s read about how Jesus explained greatness to his followers:
[32] …Again he [Jesus] took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. [33] "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, [34] who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." (Mark 10.32-34, NIV)
From God’s point of view, glory means to lose everything in order to serve others – to permit others to find joy and fulfillment – maybe even at our expense. To God, glory is about giving to others. God is willing to surrender it all so that we can have it all. Glory is about sacrifice and as Jesus said to his disciples: To let condemnation and mocking and suffering and finally, death on a cross come upon Him for our sakes.
Whom we see at Christ’s right and left Jesus when He entered into his glory were two thieves. James and John – are you sure that you want to be on Christ’s left and right in his glory? Can you drink of the cup? Can you be baptized with that baptism? James and John, confidently – if not bravely, answered, “We can.” And in the long run – they did suffer as their Lord did. But in the short term – at Gethsemane, on the night of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest – the cup was too bitter and the baptism too fiery. They ran.
Friends, you need not drink of that cup; you need not be baptized with that baptism; you need not because your Lord already endured the bitterness of that cup and survived the fire of that baptism. You see, glory to Christ was about the Cross. Glory to Christ was about winning our forgiveness and securing our place in heaven. Glory to Christ was about you. Our quest for the top rung for the ultimate glory has been secured. In Christ we are on the fast track to heaven – but it looks different to God because glory looks different in heaven. Let the glory of the Cross be yours, beloved! Amen!
