Understanding Servanthood in God’s Kingdom
This Sunday, October 20, 2024, is the twenty-second week after Pentecost, and the Gospel reading is Mark 10:35-45. The audio file above is a 12-minute overview for pastors, Bible study leaders, or folks who like to dig deeper into the lectionary reading. I hope this is helpful in preparation for preaching and teaching on this passage. In the section below, you'll find a full sermon I prepared. The sermon and audio file are different -- same scripture, but a different approach. At the end of the sermon I have added a prayer, and questions for each day of the week for further reflection on the Scripture reading. Let me know if you find this helpful, or suggest ways this could better help you as you prepare to share God's Word.
Understanding Servanthood in God's Kingdom
Scripture Reading
Mark 10:35-45 (NIV)
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."
As we continue our journey through the Christian Year, this passage invites us to walk alongside Jesus and His disciples, witnessing their struggles, their misunderstandings, and their gradual transformation.
Today, we find ourselves in a pivotal moment of this journey, where human ambition collides with divine purpose. Where the true nature of greatness in God’s kingdom is revealed.
To illustrate this story, let’s look at the life of a successful entrepreneur whose choices embodied the stunning paradox Jesus presents to his disciples.
John Woolman’s Radical Choice
In the bustling colonies of 18th-century America, a young Quaker named John Woolman was rising through the ranks of society. As an enterprising merchant in Mount Holly, New Jersey, Woolman had achieved a level of affluence and respect that many of his contemporaries envied. His business acumen was bringing him wealth, and his future looked bright by all worldly standards.
But Woolman felt a growing unease. The more he reflected on his faith and the teachings of Jesus, the more he became troubled by the injustices he saw around him, particularly the institution of slavery. He began to question whether his pursuit of wealth and comfort aligned with God's call for justice and compassion.
In a radical move that puzzled many of his peers, Woolman chose to re-orient his life dramatically. He gave up much of his profitable business, and instead adopted a lifestyle of voluntary poverty. Abandoning the goal of worldly success, he became an itinerant preacher and writer, traveling extensively to speak out against slavery and injustice. Woolman even dressed in clothes made from undyed cloth because dyed fabric was the product of slave labor.
Woolman's radical commitment had its consequences. Fellow Quakers, who didn’t see the evil injustice of slavery, ridiculed him. Traveling to speaking engagements was physically taxing, and his simple lifestyle brought financial instability. Eventually, Woolman had to rely solely on the compassion of others for lodging, meals, and survival. Yet, he wrote in his now-famous journal that he found a deep sense of purpose and joy in his new path.
Woolman's life embodied this profound truth: true greatness in God's kingdom often looks like foolishness to the world. By worldly standards, Woolman had taken a step backward. But in God's economy, Woolman had discovered the paradoxical path to true greatness – the way of servanthood and self-giving love.
As we explore today's passage, we'll see how Jesus teaches this very paradox to his ambitious disciples, challenging them – and us – to redefine our understanding of greatness.
A World of Power and Ambition
To better understand the depth of Jesus’ teaching in our passage, we must first step back into the world of first-century Judea. It’s a world where power is everything. The Roman Empire rules with an iron fist, and even in occupied Judea, there’s a complex hierarchy of power among religious and political leaders.
Into this world comes Jesus, a teacher from Galilee, speaking of a kingdom not of this world. He’s gathered a group of disciples, including James and John, sons of Zebedee. These brothers, whom Jesus nicknames “Sons of Thunder,” are known for their fiery temperament and ambition.
Just as John Woolman’s society valued wealth and status, Jesus’ disciples were products of a culture that equated greatness with power and position. Both contexts set the stage for a radical redefinition of what it means to be truly great.
We read Mark 10:35-45 today. If you remember, last week we were with Jesus and the disciples as Jesus blessed the little children, only to be confronted with an urgent question from a man the Bible describes as a rich young ruler.
After that encounter, Jesus and the disciples continued on their journey to Jerusalem. Mark describes the disciples as being “astonished” – probably because they were still reflecting on Jesus’s words to the rich young man. Mark also adds that others following the Teacher and his disciples “were afraid.”
Sensing this unease in the crowd, Jesus pulls the Twelve aside for a private conversation. Referring to himself in the third person, Jesus tells them what is about to happen:
“We are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the 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.” -Mark 10:32-34
This is the third time Jesus has warned his disciples of what is ahead. You would think they would understand and be seriously concerned for Jesus’ welfare. But, if you thought that, you would be wrong, at least about James and John.
Right after this somber announcement, James and John approach Jesus. They brazenly say to him,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
Even in the best of times, if someone came to me and said, “I want you to do for me whatever I ask,” I would be suspicious. I think you would, too.
Jesus asks them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
To which James and John give an incredible reply,
“Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory”
James and John’s request is breathtaking in its boldness. In the ancient Near East, these positions at the right and left of the king signified the highest honor and authority, second only to the king himself. Essentially, they’re asking to be Jesus’ top lieutenants in his kingdom.
Wait. Did I miss something here? Hadn’t Jesus just told the disciples he was going to be handed over to the authorities, be mocked, spit on, flogged and killed? Were James and John not paying attention when Jesus warned of the fate awaiting him? Did they misunderstand what he was saying? Or did they misinterpret Jesus’ final cryptic statement,
“Three days later he will rise.”
In other words, what in the world were James and John thinking when they asked Jesus this question?
Frankly, I have no idea. James and John are obviously thinking ahead to a time when Jesus will enter some kind of “glory.” But getting from “being killed” to “glory” takes a mighty big stretch of the imagination.
Perhaps these two sons of Zebedee believe that the expected Jewish Messiah will be victorious over the occupying Roman army, and the Jewish religious leaders whose lives depend on going along with Rome. Of course, there’s the dying-thing first, but maybe James and John are in denial by choosing to imagine the best outcome. In any event, they ask the question.
When we listen to Jesus’ reply, we hear a resigned sadness in his voice as he tells them,
“You don’t know what you are asking.”
This is the same sadness Jesus shows later as he hangs on the cross and says, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
It’s a sadness that only Jesus can know because only Jesus understands what lies ahead --how agonizing the future will be for him, and his followers.
First, Jesus knows there are trials and suffering which will come to him. And not only to him, but also to his disciples. They don’t know it, but Jesus does. They can’t imagine it, but Jesus can.
So, Jesus asks them quietly,
“Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
The cup and baptism to which Jesus refers are significant symbols in his life, and in the wider culture. In Jewish theological imagery, a cup can symbolize God’s wrath. Psalm 75:8 says,
“In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.”
Also, in ancient Near Eastern thought, drinking a cup could symbolize accepting one’s fate or lot in life.
In the Garden of Gethsamene, Jesus will pray,
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” – Matthew 26:39
So, “the cup,” as Jesus uses it here, is the cup of suffering. Jesus will drink of this cup unjustly because he has done nothing for which he should suffer. Eventually, this cup of suffering will be transformed into the cup of redemption which we take symbolically during communion.
The “baptism” that Jesus mentions is not his physical baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, although the idea of total immersion is the same. Baptism is another image for suffering – being totally immersed in the process of suffering and shame the Savior of the world must endure.
James and John, naively arrogant, answer Jesus’ question --“Can you drink the cup or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” – with “We can.”
Then, Jesus says that they will drink from the cup and be baptized with the baptism of suffering. This prophetic insight comes true in their future, as all the disciples but John suffer and die martyrs’ deaths for the cause of Christ.
Then, Jesus tells them the request “to sit on his left or right is not his” to grant because…
“These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
Paradoxically, it is on the cross that thieves hang on the right and left of Jesus – not a place of glory at all, but for one a place of redemption.
However, then our scene shifts. As happens with small groups of 12 people, somehow the other 10 disciples hear that James and John have tried to grab positions of honor for themselves. Of course, the other 10 are mad – “indignant” is how Mark puts it.
Jesus calls them all together to say once more what he has been teaching and demonstrating for three years –
“…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you 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.”
That’s the upside-down Kingdom of God in a nutshell – serving is better than being served.
We live in a world that often equates greatness with power, wealth, or fame. We’re bombarded with messages telling us to climb the ladder, to outdo others, to be “the best.”
But Jesus turns this worldly understanding of greatness on its head. When the other disciples become indignant at James and John’s request, Jesus gathers them all for a crucial lesson. He contrasts the leadership style of the gentile Roman Empire with the leadership style of his kingdom.
“Not so with you,” Jesus declares. In God’s kingdom, the path to greatness is not climbing the ladder of success, but stepping down into the role of a servant. It’s not about lording over others, but serving them. It’s not about being first, but about being “slave of all.”
John Woolman’s life beautifully illustrates this paradox. By worldly standards, his choice to simplify his life and speak out against injustice was foolish. He gave up comfort and status to serve others, often facing ridicule and hardship. Yet in doing so, he embodied the very greatness Jesus speaks of – the greatness of servanthood.
Jesus concludes his teaching with a profound statement about his own mission:
“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”.
This verse captures the heart of Jesus’ ministry and the essence of true greatness in God’s kingdom.
The paradox of the cross is that the King of kings chooses to become a servant. The one who could command legions of angels allows himself to be arrested, mocked, and crucified. The one who is Life itself tastes death for the sake of many.
John Woolman, in his own way, lived out this paradox. He chose the path of service over status, of speaking truth over securing comfort. His life serves as a powerful example of what it means to drink the cup and undergo the baptism that Jesus speaks of.
As we continue our journey, let’s hold this paradox close to our hearts. Let’s allow our understanding of greatness to be transformed by the servant King. And if we do, we will discover that in losing our lives for his sake, we truly find them.
Lord Jesus, we confess that we often seek greatness in the wrong ways. Forgive us for our misguided ambitions and transform our hearts. Teach us the way of true greatness - the way of servanthood and self-giving love. Give us the courage to drink your cup and to be baptized with your baptism. Like John Woolman, help us set aside our comfort for the sake of your kingdom. In your name we pray, Amen.
Reflections for the Week Ahead
Monday: Reflect on your own ambitions. How do they align with Jesus’ definition of greatness? Consider John Woolman’s choice to simplify his life.
Tuesday: Identify one way you can serve someone today without seeking recognition, embodying Woolman’s spirit of service.
Wednesday: Meditate on the phrase “the Son of Man came to serve.” How does this challenge your view of leadership? How did Woolman exemplify this?
Thursday: Consider a “cup” of suffering in your life. How might God be using it to shape you? Reflect on the challenges Woolman faced in his ministry.
Friday: Practice “downward mobility” today by putting others’ needs before your own. How can you challenge injustice in your community, as Woolman did?
Saturday: Reflect on how your understanding of greatness has been challenged or changed this week. Write a short prayer asking for the courage to live as a servant leader in a world that idolizes power and fame in leadership.
