Proper 9 (G)

Mark 10:32-45

³² And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, ³³ saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. ³⁴ And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

³⁵ And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” ³⁶ And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” ³⁷ And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” ³⁸ Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” ³⁹ And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” ⁴¹ And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. ⁴² And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ⁴³ But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

How often do you proclaim Christ’s death until he comes?

The two sons of Zebedee ask for something very strange. “We want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” Just if this were the way prayer worked. You just tell God step by step all your plans and what you desire, then God just gives you it. This is not the way prayer works.

Prayer may work a little more like our text. You make your request. God continues to teach you why you really do not want that to happen. James and John want to be on either side of Jesus Christ when he receives his glory. Jesus just told them what his glory was going to consist of.

Jesus tells them that he is going to be condemned to death and mocked, and spit upon, flogged, and killed. Oh yeah, and three days later he will rise again. Do your remember who was on Jesus right and left.

Jesus points James and John to something else. Drink the cup Jesus drinks. Be baptized with the Baptism he received. He points them to the Sacraments. It is there in your Baptism you are crucified with Jesus Christ. It is in that Cup that you proclaim Christ crucified for your forgiveness. In the Holy Sacraments God offers you the glory of his Son Jesus Christ.