Jesus spoke a lot about kingdoms . . . in particular the kingdom of God. It is no wonder then that the disciples and many of his followers had their own ideas about kingdoms and what they envisioned as their roles once this new kingdom was established. They saw themselves assuming important and powerful roles in the kingdom once the old kingdom was removed. Isn’t that the way it goes whenever there is a change in government or an overthrow of the powers that be. Those who played a role assume important and powerful positions within the new kingdom or government.
That’s what the disciples were thinking . . . or at least a couple of them. The brothers James and John figured they would come out of the change in pretty good shape. So confident in this thought they asked Jesus, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” These two guys were not bashful in their assumptions. Assumptions that did not make the rest of the disciples happy. Nope, they were indignant and angry. There was probably more than a little grumbling going on among them about these two upstarts.
Imagine James and John when Jesus basically tells them that it isn’t going to happen . . . that it is not his choice or their choice who gets to sit on either the left or right side of the kingdom’s throne. Besides . . . Jesus asks them if they can do as he does . . . to “drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
With ignorant confidence the two answer, “You betcha!”
Though the writer of Mark’s gospel doesn’t tell us, I imagine that Jesus looked at the two and shook his head. They just didn’t get it. Because they didn’t get it Jesus has to explain. Basically, Jesus tells them that they would end up drinking the cup he drank and being baptized in his baptism. It would happen because they choose to walk in his footsteps . . . to live life as he lived it . . . to seek to build God’s kingdom. And, that they should do this not for any reward but because they are choosing to follow him and do God’s will. The rewards will take care of themselves. Their duty was to just do it . . . to take care of business . . . to do God’s will. Jesus does not want them to be distracted especially when it comes to doing God’s will.
The actions of James and John are a distraction to the other disciples. Notice how quickly they shift their focus and emotions towards the actions of James and John. They are indignant. They are angry. All their energy is pointed at the two brothers. The moaning, groaning, and whining has begun. They are so concerned at what someone else is getting that they aren’t getting that they can’t do what they are supposed to be doing. They are distracted.
In C.S. Lewis’ spiritual classic, The Screwtape Letters, this is one of the ploys that Screwtape tells his nephew to use to diminish the effectiveness of “the Enemy’s” followers from doing what he would like them to do. The Screwtape Letters is about a fresh advocate of the devil who is sent to earth for his first attempt at thwarting “the Enemy”. “The Enemy” is Jesus. The devil knows that the only way to foil Jesus is to mess with his disciples. Wormwood, the junior devil, is assigned a young man to keep from succeeding in Jesus’ work. Wormwood’s goal is to distract.
One of the tactics that Screwtape—Wormwood’s uncle—shares is to make the young man envious and jealous of others. He wants Wormwood to get the young man to focus on what he perceives as slights towards him as others seem to receive rewards that he himself believes he should get. And it works! It works because the young man is too busy complaining, moaning, groaning, and whining about getting the short end of the stick that he can do nothing else. The work of Jesus sits idly by as the disciple wallows in distraction . . . useless distraction.
Jesus wants his disciples and followers to forget all that stuff and to focus on what is important . . . doing God’s will. And what is God’s will? It is to love . . . to love God completely, to love others as God loves them. It is to serve. There isn’t a whole lot of loving going on when the focus is on griping about everyone else and what they are doing. This is the trap that the disciples fall into in the story we are hearing this morning. To this Jesus says, “Take care of business.” By taking care of business everything will take care of itself.
We must admit that what we are witnessing in the story this morning is effective. We know because we have all experienced throughout our lifetimes. Shoot! We have even practiced it ourselves. This behavior is all around us. We see it and experience it every day.
One group points the finger at another group . . . blames them. The other group does the same thing . . . points a finger . . . and accuses them. Blame and accusations fly. Everyone is upset. Yet, nothing gets done. Nothing gets done with the real issue. The issue or problem is still there wreaking the lives of everyone because no one is focusing on solutions because they are too busy being . . . as the writer of Mark’s gospel says . . . being indignant.
I wish I could say that in my life I can rise above this distraction, but sadly I am human. I complain about others and what I perceive as slights against me. I gripe about others and throw the blame on them for things I don’t think they should be doing. I moan and groan when I see others prosper while others suffer. I get hooked on all the rhetoric being slung around on our televisions, social media, newspapers, and radio . . . I get dragged into useless argument that only self-stoke themselves into raging distractions that keep me and anyone else from really looking at the issues and coming up with solutions.
We all do.
The disciples could not control James and John in what they sought from Jesus. All they could do is control how they responded to it . . . which in this case was not good. Instead of taking care of business they griped, complained, became indignant and angry. In the meantime, life was passing them by . . . nothing was being accomplished . . . the kingdom work Jesus demonstrated and God desired came to a standstill. Nothing was getting done. Makes old Screwtape look like a genius.
Jesus tells his disciples that they must take care of business. That is what is important . . . taking care of business. Nothing else matters. He tells them “. . . 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.” For Jesus taking care of business . . . God’s business . . . was what matters most. Everything else would take care of itself if business was taken care of.
Imagine how much closer God’s kingdom would be if everyone just focused on the business of love . . . loving God, loving others . . . and on serving others for the common good of all. Screwtape knew what he was doing. Jesus knew of what he was speaking of. Step beyond the distractions and take care of business. In taking care of business and not playing the distraction game we move ever so much closer to the Kingdom of God . . . of realizing Jesus’ hope and dream. In this we all win. Jesus told us. Amen.
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