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Sermon: Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (C) - 25th July 2010
St Aidan’s Anglican Church West Epping 8:30
Readings: Jeremiah 45, Psalm 126, Acts 11:27-12:3, Matthew 20:20-28
Very soon in Australia we will go to the polls. We will get a change to make a decision about who should lead Australia. No doubt the topic of leadership will come up during the election campaign. Two different leaders will tell us of the kind of leadership they believe Australia needs at this time. And we may be influenced by their arguments and vote accordingly. But its this question of leadership that Jesus raises in today’s reading.
What are the qualities of a good leader? And no doubt Jesus meant more than just Prime Ministers and Presidents. Ultimately, the question is for each of us. What kind of a leader am I? How can I be a better leader at work, in my family, with my friends.
But don’t think that the discussion is only theoretical. The question came up at a crucial time in Jesus life. He was just outside of Jerusalem. The disciples had some understanding that Jesus was reaching the climax of his ministry. Several times the crowds had tried to make him a king. The disciples knew that Jesus had special powers, “Even the wind and the waves obeyed him.” Maybe this was the time for Jesus to take the capital city and declare himself as King. Maybe any day now Jesus would be hailed as King in Jerusalem.
If that was so, what power would the disciples have? What position would they enjoy? When you think about it there were three disciples who were particularly close to Jesus. These three formed an inner circle with Jesus. If Jesus was about to become king surely his second in command would be chosen from one of these three, Peter, James or John.
When Jesus was asked to heal Jairus’ daughter, Jesus chose just three disciples to go with him and enter that sick room – Peter, James and John. When Jesus climbed the Mount of Transfiguration to meet with Moses and Elijah he took with him three disciples, Peter, James and John, When Jesus went to Gethsemane shortly before his arrest, he singled out Peter, James and John, who went with him to pray. It was a familiar pattern. When there was something very important happening Jesus usually chose these three disciples.
It may be because of Jesus preference for these three that as the time came for Jesus to enter Jerusalem that James and John’s mother came forward and made her request. “When you become king, have my sons, James and John sit on your right hand and on your left, that is, the two most powerful positions under the King. Not a small request was it? Jesus had called James and John “Boanerges”, the sons of thunder. We might call them call them the noisy boys.
When Jesus was approaching a particular Samaritan village, the people of the town refused to welcome him. It was James and John who suggested that Jesus could call down fire from heaven to consume the village in judgment. That request gives us some of the flavour of those two boys. And perhaps they inherited this characteristic from their mother, because she is the one who makes this bold request at this time.
Jesus was amazed. He realised they had little understanding of what was about to happen. So he asked them, “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” He knew he was facing death. He had warned them this would happen. Yet it seems that almost without thinking they said they too could drink from that cup. Jesus gave them a stern reply that they certainly would drink from that cup. And for James, those words were fulfilled very quickly.
Today is St James day. Today we specially remember this apostle and martyr. In Acts 12 we are told that King Herod rounded up several of the church leaders in Jerusalem including James. Herod acted swiftly and had James executed immediately. This made the King very popular so he then arrested Peter. Fortunately, Peter was able to make a miraculous escape. Yet oddly today we remember James not so much for what he did, but for where things went wrong, where he misunderstood Jesus and his teaching.
Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem to face the climax of his ministry in his own death. Yet James and John were more concerned with issues of power. And human nature never changes. We are no different to people back then. Today we find power attractive. In any group we wonder who has the power. Who comes second? We understand hierarchies, and structured communities. Ironically, in groups that have the least power, they are almost obsessed by power. In any jail, the inmates quickly sort themselves out in terms of a power hierarchy. This is basic human nature.
But Jesus is explaining that this should not be the focus of ministry. Serving one another is not about power. He encourages us to look at the world. Look at how power is exercised in the world. Those with power are always tempted to use their power harshly. Its almost as if Jesus is anticipating the words of Lord Acton who wrote, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” It is almost a clique to link power with the abuse of that power. Think of the many prominent businessmen who have a reputation for bullying.
But we mustn’t assume that when Jesus preaches against the abuse of power that he is being naïve. In his day Rome was so successful because it knew how to use power. Usually, there was only one penalty for standing against Rome and that was death. Rome ruled by the sword and tolerated no opposition. No one knew better about the use and abuse of power than those who suffered under Rome’s rule.
But Jesus is addressing the question of how does a person live under such a regime. Many Jews thought the answer was to raise armies against Rome. They thought they only path was the path of revolution and this is what they did beginning in 66AD. They mounted a revolt against Rome that lasted until 70 AD. It resulted in the city of Jerusalem being destroyed and the inhabitants wiped out. That was how power was exercised by Rom in Jesus’ day.
But Jesus is teaching an alternate way, he is teaching the path of slavery and service. True greatness will be found in the path of service. Jesus had gone into much greater detail in his Sermon on the Mount. There we read,
‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
One of the best examples of this teaching being put into practice is the work of Mother Theresa in Calcutta. Yet we are doing the same thing when we donate to charity or when we knit a blanket for the homeless in Darlinghurst. It may not be flashy. It may not be reported on A Current Affair. But it is the path of service, the duty of the slave.
And this is just another example of how the values of the Kingdom of God are upside down and back to front. they are different from the values of the world around us. In Jesus day, he was teaching how the people of God should live under a repressive regime. Israel ignored his teachings and embarked on a revolt that lasted over 60 years. At the end of that time the whole state of Israel was wiped out by the Roman armies. They ignored Jesus and went for the power play. And they lost.
It amazes me that there are Christian organizations today who still believe there is something magical about the land of Israel and that Jesus will return to set up his kingdom in Jerusalem. If Jesus didn’t do it the first time, why would he bother with it the second time. If people read the book of Revelation they would know that the new Jerusalem will descend out of heaven anyway.
But as for us, we are called to follow the life Jesus lived, to serve each other as Jesus has served us. The son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. So we have the contrast here between power and service. Power of course is always attractive. But according to Jesus it won’t get us what we want. On the other hand we have the less attractive path of service. The irony is that we know that the people that matter the most to us, the people that influence us the most are the ones who serve us, the ones who care for us. Jesus command to us is to be that person, to our families, to be that person to our neighbours, to be that person to those we meet at work. And when we are that person, we will be the salt of the earth.