St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Sunday July 25, 1999, The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

The Festival of St. James the Elder, Apostle

Text: Mark 10: 35-45

Theme: Lord, Seat us in your Glory.

By Vicar Benjamin W. Berger

Today we are celebrating the festival of St. James the Elder. Who is this James and why do we have a festival for him? James and his brother John were fisherman along with Peter and his brother Andrew. One day while these men were fishing, Jesus came into their boats and called them to be fishers of men. Immediately James and John left their father Zebedee and followed Jesus. Peter, James, and John soon became leaders among the other disciples. Jesus handpicked them for many special events. They saw Jesus raise the daughter of Jairus from the dead. They saw Jesus in all his glory on the mount of Transfiguration. And they prayed with Jesus in Gethsemane on the night he was betrayed. In spite of the many great things James saw he was very much like we are. He wanted to sit with Jesus in his glory but was confused about how to get there. James and John asked, "Lord, seat us in your Glory." We also ask, "Lord, Seat us in your Glory." Jesus teaches us how he will seat us in his glory…I) through suffering and II) by serving.

James and John came to Jesus with a bold request. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask…Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." Of course, James and John still didn’t understand Jesus’ glory. Like most of the Jews, they were waiting for Jesus to reestablish Israel as the dominant nation of the world. James and John were asking to be part of an earthly kingdom.

We too often ask to be part of some special earthly kingdom. The world wants us to believe that success is the goal of our lives. Each person may define success differently. I may want to make tons of money. You may be satisfied with a top career. You may want a family to be proud of. Regardless of how we define success, our success is often based in this earthly kingdom.

Most of the time our requests for glory in this earthly kingdom are made in good faith. James and John weren’t trying to despise Jesus’ true kingdom. They believed that Jesus would establish his kingdom; they just didn’t understand what that kingdom was yet. When we ask for "success," we aren’t trying to despise Jesus’ true kingdom either. Quite often we ask God to grant us success so that we can praise him, so that we can give him glory. The request sounds good, but our hearts are still in the wrong place. Jesus understands. Rather than rebuking us, Jesus redirects our misplaced thoughts by revealing his true kingdom.

Jesus answered, "You don't know what you are asking." God wants us to thrive in his kingdom. He wants to ask, "Lord, seat us in your glory." He also wants us to understand what we are asking. His kingdom is not of this world. Having power, money, or success does not give us glory in Jesus’ kingdom. Just the opposite, Jesus’ kingdom comes through suffering. If we want to sit in the glory of Jesus’ kingdom, we will suffer.

Jesus asks, "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" Jesus’ cup was full of suffering. He certainly lived without the success that many of us crave. He didn’t have much money – not even a place to call home most of the time. He wasn’t popular. The religious and political leaders of his people hated him. And his family…well, he wandered around the countryside with a bunch of losers. In our prosperous world can we drink the cup that Jesus drank?

Jesus was also baptized with a baptism of blood. In the last week of his life Jesus shed more blood than most of us will ever see in our lifetimes. He bled from his mouth when soldiers hit him with their fists. Blood dripped from his head when they gave him a crown of thorns. Blood trickled out of the wounds on his back from the beating Pilate ordered. His hands and feet bled when they were nailed to the cross. And the last of Jesus’ blood flowed from his pierced side after he had died. Do we still want to sit with Jesus in his glory? Jesus says that we will.

We ask, "Lord, seat us in your glory," and Jesus grants our request. James and John wanted to be with Jesus so much that they were willing to suffer anything. And they would suffer. Jesus said, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with." John would eventually die in exile. And, as we heard in our reading from Acts, James became the first martyr.

However, James and John are not sitting in Jesus’ glory because they suffered. Nor will we. Although we may suffer on account of our faith, we cannot earn salvation through our suffering. Jesus grants our request not because of what we do but because of what he has already done. Jesus will seat us in his glory through suffering, through his suffering.

Jesus suffered to ensure that we would sit in his glory. He lived as a poor man so that we could live in heavenly riches. He gave up his power so that we could rule with him in heaven. He endured ridicule so that we could live to praise him. He shed his blood and died on the cross so that we would never die.

Through faith Jesus’ suffering becomes our own. Through faith we drink his cup of suffering and are baptized with his baptism of blood. Through faith Jesus grants our request and seats us in his glory. We don’t have to wonder if God will take us to heaven. We don’t have to worry about suffering enough to go to heaven. We don’t have to wish for an invitation to sit at Jesus’ table. Jesus assures us that God has already prepared our place.

Not only does Jesus assure us that we will sit in his kingdom, but he also teaches us how to become great in his kingdom…by serving.

Most people, including us, don’t just want to succeed. We want to be great at something; we want to be leaders of something. Even the children want to be great. They want to be like Mike or Mia. They dream about being the President. They imagine what they would do with millions of dollars. I’m sure their dreams are innocent, but we all know how most who fulfill those kinds of dreams really become. Jesus reminds us, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them."

The principle is still true. Our very own leaders abuse their position. Those who create the laws often think that they are above the laws. They feel free to use taxpayer money as they please. They feel free to demand favors from the opposite sex. They feel free to defame their opponent to get reelected.

The great ones among us, the athletes and millionaires, act in much the same way. They use their popularity and their money as tools to get what they want. Many athletes want kids to worship them, but they don’t want to be responsible as role models. Many millionaires are willing to put thousands of people out of jobs if they can make a few extra bucks for themselves.

"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." We are believers, and we do not act as the Gentiles do. We do not abuse our positions or misuse our authority. To become great in the kingdom of God believers will become servants. And to be leaders in the kingdom of God believers will become slaves.

You and I can become great in God’s kingdom by serving. As part of the holy, Christian church and as part of St. Matthew’s Ev. Lutheran church, we are all already servants of the Word. With thankful hearts we give our lives to serving one another with God’s word. Each week we come to God’s house not only to worship him, but also to encourage one another. We confess our faith together, listen to God’s word together, and join in his supper together. Throughout the week we come together to study, to serve, to join in fellowship, and simply to see our Christian friends. We also serve one another with our prayers. On a daily basis we ask God to watch over the physical and spiritual well being of our fellow Christians. As we continue to serve one another with encouragement and prayer, we continue to become great in God’s kingdom.

It doesn’t stop there. Not only can we become great among believers, but we can also become first or leaders. "Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." Again, many of you here are already leaders in the kingdom of God. Some of you volunteer at hospitals and nursing homes to make life as pleasant as possible for the sick. Many of you willingly came to reach out to the kids of our neighborhood at VBS. Many of you gladly send your money out to missions around the world.

Of course, by becoming servants to one another or slaves to all, we are simply following the example our Savior gave us. ^"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." The Son of Man was the greatest; he was the first. He had the top position along with all of its power and authority. We were supposed to serve him. Instead, he came to serve us. The Son of Man gave up his cup of glory for a cup of suffering. Because he wanted to seat us in his glory, he was willing to pay the price – his very own life.

Jesus’ greatest act of service was giving his life. This one person gave his life for the many. He didn’t come to die for just one or two people, the rich or the powerful or the famous. He came to die for the many, for all. He came to die for you and me. The greatest and first of all teaches us how to become great and first in his kingdom, by serving.

Who is James and why do we have a festival for him? James was just like we are. He wanted to sit with Jesus in his glory, but he was confused. Jesus had to teach him that his kingdom is not of this world. His kingdom comes only through his suffering. Jesus reassured James that through faith he would sit in his glory. Jesus also taught James that he could become great and a leader in the kingdom of God by serving. We too ask with James, "Lord, seat us in your glory." Reassure us that you have prepared our seat through your suffering. Teach us to become great by serving. Who is James? He is a believer who now sits with Jesus in his glory. He is a believer who may sit next to you.