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True Greatness

Rev. Jeremy J. Schultz
Lent 5
March 29, 2009

Two boys throw open the front door of the house. They throw themselves from the porch to the ground. They round the hedge and race to the car. One calls "Shotgun!" And they both stop. The race is over. He called it – He gets it. That's the way it works. "Calling Shotgun" is something that almost everyone has done at one time or another. As you already know, it is – of course, the act of claiming the front passenger seat of the vehicle for oneself. And the front passenger seat of the vehicle is, of course, the most coveted seat in the entire car. But there are rules to calling shotgun that must be obeyed. For example, Rule #1 is – You must say the word, "Shotgun." And this must be done clearly and loudly enough so that at least one other passenger can hear you. No variations are allowed – you can't say "Shottie." You must say "shotgun." Rule #2 – You cannot call shotgun a day in advance or for an event later in the day. It doesn't work like that. You can only call shotgun right before taking the ride. Finally, Rule #3 – You must be outside to call shotgun. Otherwise, it doesn't count. Now not everyone needs to be outside. But you do and there must be one more person out there who can actually hear you. Actually, you don't want everyone outside. Because if everyone is outside and everyone is calling shotgun – this we know often leads to physical violence. And physical violence was probably just about to take place when the disciples heard about the request of James and John.

They are on their way to Jerusalem with Jesus and they say, "Teacher, 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." They were calling "Shotgun!" Shotgun in heaven – Shotgun in your glory! And the other disciples upon hearing it became indignant. Maybe you become indignant too.

Maybe you think that this is no way for them to act. They should be more humble; less requesting. After all this is not the same thing as catching a ride to the store. No, it's not. It's something far greater. Matthew's Gospel tells us that Salome, the mother of James and John was really behind this request. It was she, who in Matthew 20 presents the request. And why do we automatically think that any of them are cocky and arrogant? I'm not saying that they weren't. But why do we automatically think such low thoughts? Is it because of the reaction of the others? Are we so convinced that they are always right? If so, why does Jesus have to stop them?

I would present to you another way of viewing this request. I would suggest that Salome's question, "May my boys occupy seats of honor in your kingdom?" is no different than the prayer of many mothers who pray that their children grow up and be given some high service in the church. I would suggest that it's no different from the mother who prays, "Lord, let my son's life – let my daughter's life be used by you to bring many to salvation. Let my son be a pastor. Let my daughter be a teacher. Let them serve as missionaries. Let them bring much glory to your name." That is not a selfish prayer. In fact, that's the kind of prayer – rightly prayed – that honors God and that God loves to honor.

The prayer that I pray every day is that God gives us more. It's not that I'm unhappy. But I'm also not content. Is that wrong? I want more people in our adult Bible classes. I want more students in our school. I want to have a greater influence for Christ in this community, and state, and world. Don't you? I want to reach more people with the love of Jesus Christ. I want more people confessing the one thing needful. I want more people turning from death to life? Am I being clear? It's ok to want to be great. It's ok to want to be blessed. It's ok to want to sit beside the Lord in His glory – to have high places. And they saw the glory! But James and John didn't see the step. It's like that with us. We can see the vision – we can see the greatness of His work through us. But we don't see that the step is one of suffering.

So Jesus asks them, "Can you drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" In other words, Jesus is saying can you endure the wrath and punishment and can you be immersed in all that is going to take place to me and even as it happens to you? We can – they say. Jesus says – you will...more than you now realize.

Jesus is leading them in steps toward Jerusalem in today's Gospel. And they're all astonished and afraid because He has already told them what will happen when He gets there. And Jesus does nothing to allay their fears, rather He intensifies them and for one more time He explains what will happen. And He goes into far greater detail in this highly dramatic account. He says, "We are going up to Jerusalem, 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, who will mock hi and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later He will rise." But they didn't hear that. This is the step that they must take now with Him. And the path to true greatness is not found in a top down sort of way like it is among the Gentiles. But with true greatness the pyramid is inverted. And Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be great among you must become your servant."

True greatness does not lie in having others serve you. Jesus could have come and forced all of us – everyone to be His slaves. But He didn't. The picture of true greatness is one where the pyramid rests upon its apex. Not with a great man sitting on top of a lesser man, but with the great man bearing all of the lesser men upon His back! Jesus is that Great Man!

He bore the sins of all of us lesser men and women in His body as He hung on the cross and gave His life in exchange for ours. He paid the full ransom price and drank the cup and was immersed in all of God's wrath. He didn't pay Satan. The offense of our sin was against God. He settled accounts with the Father. So that you and I might have eternal life.

I was with a woman in the hospital this past week who is not a member of ours. I visited her a couple of times – she is near death. I was speaking with her about the love of Jesus and how He showed that by going to the cross. And she began to cry and ask "Why?" I looked at her and explained that it was because He loved her and didn't want her to spend an eternity apart from Him. And she continued to cry and ask, "why?" And I said because you are important to Him and He not only created you, but he redeemed you and she said, "Why?" And finally I answered, because He is merciful. It is simply because He is filled with mercy. "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."

True greatness, more influence for God, more of His work – these are fine things to seek. But don't forget the step. "Whoever wants to become great, must be Your servant." Look to Jesus. HE is the greatest servant of all and because of Him, you will see His glory. You may not be seated at His right or left. The occupants of those places have been determined by the Father. But you'll be there, by God's grace. And just before, you'll hear these words. "Well done, good and faithful servant." Amen.