A TRIP TO THE CITY

 I'd like to tell you a little Good Friday story.  Part of it comes from my imagination, but part of it is factual - based on the Gospel of Mark, chapter 15.

Alexander (lets call him Alex) and his brother, Rufus, loved their father very much.  He was a very strong man who was capable of much hard work.  Once in a while, he hoisted them onto his shoulders and carried them around.  He never seemed to grow tired.  They were proud of their father.  He stood out in a crowd because he was a big man and also taller than most.  His very size seemed to command respect.  But inside, he was a gentle man and would never knowingly hurt anyone.  

He had to occasionally go to Jerusalem for supplies and would usually take his boys with him.  They loved these trips.  When they would come to the crowded marketplaces, he would hold each of them by their hands to keep them from getting separated and lost.  Their smaller hands got lost in his big, rough hands.  He worked in the fields and with the animals, so his hands had become calloused and brown from the sun.  He was not a famous man, but he was respected because he was honest, fair and a hard worker.  But most important, he loved their mother!  This fact gave the boys a wonderful sense of security.  They had good parents, and they knew it.  

Alex was a year older than his brother, Rufus, but age didn't really matter to them.  They played together every day and also had a few other friends on the farm where their father worked.  They played with a home-made ball that they kicked and threw around.  They climbed olive trees and hid from their father.  When he would walk below them, they would jump out and try to scare him.  He would catch them and rub their heads with his knuckles and then tickle them until they couldn't stand it any longer.    He occasionally would tickle their Mom too, but she didn't think it was funny and would pretend to get angry with him.  They would all end up laughing together...

Theirs was a poor but happy home.  Their father often told them, "All you need to be happy is the love of a family, enough food for the day and a safe, soft place to sleep."  They knew he was right and they never longed for things or for wealth.  Most of the time, their mother put them to bed at night, but once in a while their father would settle them down.  They would beg him for a story, and he would sometimes tell them about his own growing up years.  But then, he would wrap each of them up tightly in their blanket so that they could hardly move.  Then, he would kiss them on the forehead and pray over them.  When leaving their sides, he would stop in the dim light and say, "You boys must love God first, always bless your family and be kind even to strangers.  This will please God and you will live a long life!"  

One morning the boys had finished their breakfast and were wondering what to do when their father asked if they wanted to go to Jerusalem with him.  They burst to his side and off they went.  It was a long walk and their father always carried a sack with bread and grape juice.  Going to Jerusalem was all up hill, so it was a little hard-going.  The trip back was always more enjoyable.  

When they approached the marketplace, the crowd began to grow thicker, so their father took each boy by the hand to keep them together and safe.  Soon the crowd became so thick that they could hardly get through.  Their father was curious and pressed to the front to see what was going on.  This public road with merchants and vendors was always busy, but today the crowd was exceptional.  Soon, Roman soldiers stopped them from going any further.  As they looked up-and-down 'the way of suffering' they saw something that immediately shocked them all.

A man - nearly naked - was dragging a heavy cross-bar through the streets.  The soldiers were mocking Him and beating Him and spitting on Him.  He was clearly exhausted and had been beaten with a whip until His back was totally scarred and bloody.  He wore a crown of thorns that had been pressed cruelly on His head.  Many of the crowd were weeping at the sight of this man.  Others were jeering and seemed to be thrilled at this horrible sight.  Then they heard that His name was Jesus!  

They said to their father, "Dad, it's Jesus!"  They began to cry as they remembered the day He had pulled them up onto his lap and laid His hands on their heads.  "Why are they being so mean to Jesus?" the boys asked their father.  "I don't know, boys, but we must pray for Him."  They peeked between Roman soldiers as Jesus grew closer until He finally collapsed right in front of them.  The soldiers whipped Him in an attempt to get Him back on His feet, but He just laid in  the street.  

When the soldiers realized that Jesus couldn't carry His cross any farther, they began to look around.  One of them spied Simon - the boy's father.  He stood out from the crowd because of his size and height.  That soldier roughly called to their Dad, "Pick up His cross and carry it!"  Without a second thought, Simon turned to the boys and told them to keep him in sight.  Then, he stepped into the street and picked up the heavy cross-bar.  While lifting it to his shoulders, he reached down again and helped Jesus to His feet.  Together, Simon and Jesus followed the cruel soldiers out of the city and up to 'the place of the skull'.  

Once there, Simon was relieved of his responsibility and was able to rejoin his boys.  He took them by their hands and led them away.  From a distance, they sat and watched the grisly scene develop.  Finally, Simon took the boys away and they headed toward home.  The walk was quiet as they felt the sadness of what was happening to Jesus.  They had made a trip to see Him a year ago and heard Him teach.  That was the day that Jesus had called the children to come to Him so He could bless them.  Alex and Rufus had slipped from their mother's hand and had run to Jesus.  His tenderness was a moment they would never forget.  Their parents had been moved by His teaching.  

"Why were they being so mean to Jesus?" the boys asked their father.   "I don't know, boys," their father answered.  Then he said, "Jesus is a good man and a great teacher.  He has healed many who were sick and some say that He even raised some people from the dead.  He has performed miracles that are talked about all throughout Judea."  Just as he said this, the sun was quickly hidden from them and a night-like darkness fell over all the land - even though it was mid-day.  The boys were frightened.  Then the earth began to shake and they scrambled for high ground as they made their way home.  If the boys hadn't been with their father, they would have been terrified, but they knew that he would keep them safe.  

After three hours the darkness lifted and it was daylight again.  About then, they reached home and told their mother about everything they had seen that day in Jerusalem.  It was a day they'd never forget.  It was the day their Dad carried Jesus' cross!

A STORY OF TWO DONKEYS

One day, many years ago, in Jerusalem there was a donkey and she had recently birthed a colt. 

This donkey was nothing special.  She had worked hard for her master at carrying loads and turning the style.  She had worked in the heat and had always been faithful to her owner. 

But while she was pregnant, she didn’t have to work quite so hard.  Then, her colt was born.  He looked just like his mommy.  He was now four months old and followed her everywhere she went. 

One day, when dawn broke, she thought that it was an unusually clear day.  When she got up, her colt immediately got up too. 

Soon, her owner came and took her toward the city;  of course, her colt followed right along with her.  When they came to a house, they stopped for a while. 

Eventually, two men came and talked with her owner.  After a brief conversation, these two men led her away from her owner.  She was surprised – this had never happened before.  But she relaxed when they allowed her colt to come along too.

As they came to the brow of the hill overlooking Jerusalem, there were more men and others gathered.  They all seemed very happy.  Then the two men led her to another man who had the kindest eyes she had ever known.  As she drew near to him, she felt a strange sense of being genuinely cared for. 

The two men who had brought her here threw their coats over her back and this new man climbed onto her back.  First, he had petted her colt and spoke kind words to it.  He was not heavy. 

This began the strangest journey she had ever made.  As she carried the man down the hill and toward Jerusalem, crowds of people gathered.  They laid their clothing on the road before her.  Then, they cut down branches from nearby trees and laid them before her too. 

It was noisy!  There were lots of children!  Children love parades!  Each time she checked, her colt followed closely behind her.  She felt so proud!  The people shouted things like:

Hosanna to the Son of David! 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 

Hosanna in the highest!

Before they entered the city, they came to a prominent spot where you could view the entire city.  The man slipped off of her and walked to the edge of the cliff.  The crowd grew quiet.  She heard him speak softly.  He said,

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and stone the messengers God has sent you! How many times I wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me!                                                              [Mt. 23:37 Good News Translation]

There were tears in his eyes!

She felt his pain.  She too loved her colt and loved having him close to her.  She nudged the colt with her nose.  He nudged her back and suckled during this brief break. 

Now the crowd was growing very large.  The noise magnified.  It was a joyful time!  She felt proud to be carrying this man.  The people obviously loved him and wanted to be close to him.  She was honored to be the one chosen to carry him.  

As they arrived at the temple, he dismounted and rubbed her head before moving away.  She watched as he was swallowed by the crowd.  Soon, her owner appeared and began leading her back to his home. 

As much as she respected her owner, there was something in her that made her just want to stay forever with this man who had ridden her into the city. 

Jesus our brother kind and good
Was humbly born in a stable of wood
And the friendly beasts around him stood
Jesus our brother kind and good

 

"I" said the donkey shaggy and brown
I carried his mother up hill and down
I carried him safely to Bethlehem town
"I" said the donkey shaggy and brown

[from "The Friendly Beasts" by Robert Davis]

REPEATING HISTORY

 [Based on Forged In Faith, by Rod Cragg]

In reviewing American history, I'm surprised to see that questions relevant in our country in 2021, were also relevant in the early 1600's.  Both Jamestown and Plymouth initially practiced a system known as 'Common-Store'.  This simply meant that all the supplies were brought into one place and were disseminated to all equally without regard for the level of investment made by individuals.  

Although this worked fairly well in the beginning, and may even have been necessary while carving out a community in a wilderness environment, both settlements found that it inculcated laziness and a sense of entitlement among the early settlements.  

Cragg reports regarding the first settlement, Jamestown:

Most were former city dwellers untrained in farming, hunting, and other survival skills.  They had managed to survive an early Indian attack, but most were soon struck down by fatal diseases.  They had built their settlement on low, swampy land...and dysentery, scurvy, and malaria killed scores of them.  So did starvation, which was encouraged by indolence and attitude.  The Old World artisans and gentry among them refused to do the hard work that was necessary for survival - clearing trees, uprooting stumps, planting, weeding, construction.  Even so, a socialistic form of government - the common store system - entitled everyone to equal rations from a common storehouse regardless of how much they worked.  Amid constant squabbling and demoralizing dissension, the colonists began starving to death.   When they had consumed all their livestock, they turned to dogs, cats, rats, and mice.  Eventually, some reportedly turned to cannibalism.  Almost two-thirds of them died.  [p.18]

 Finally, Captain Smith, a professional soldier and explorer, saved the colony by obtaining food from neighboring Indians - and by enforcing a compulsory work program based on a New Testament admonition:  "if any would not work, neither should he eat."  Discarding the common-store system, Smith insisted that settlers had to work in order to draw rations.  [p.19]

William Bradford (first governor of Plymouth) reported that some colonists liked the common-store system and believed "that taking away of property, and bringing community into a common wealth, would make them happy and flourishing."  Instead, it bred "confusion & discontent, and retarded much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort," according to Bradford.  "God in his wisdom," he concluded, "saw another course fitter for them."  

The "fitter" course was the same biblical principle that Captain John Smith had adopted at Jamestown - "if any does not work, neither should he eat."  Bradford replaced the common-store with the free enterprise system, which allowed the private ownership of land.  "This had very good success," he would later report, "for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corne (sic) was planted then other waise (sic) would have bene (sic) by any means the Government or any other could use..."  This was more than a mere shift in economic policy:  it was a faith-based decision to trust God and embrace individual initiative rather than looking to the government as provider.  [p.16]

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” as stated in former Harvard philosophy teacher, George Santayana's work, The Life of Reason: Reason in Common Sense.

PALM SUNDAY

Matthew 21 opens with the report of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem (vs.1-11).  

Many will celebrate this occasion in our churches tomorrow morning.  It is a joyous day that begins a week of tragedy and sorrow.  

In this episode we see Jesus receiving the acclaim that He deserves.  

• a donkey (and her colt) are secured.  (vs.1-3)
• Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled:  Zechariah 9:9 and Isaiah 62:11.  (vs.4-5)
• a very large crowd spread their clothing before Jesus (and his donkey and her colt).  (v.8)
• others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  (v.8)
• all the while the people shouted:  Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!  (v.9)
• When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"  (v.10)

But the tone changes quickly!  Directly on the heels of this jubilation, Jesus enters the temple area and drives out all who were buying and selling there.  We're shocked at His righteous indignation as He overturns tables and benches and screams, It is written:  'My house will be called a house of prayer', but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'  (v.13)

On the heels of this, the blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. (v.14)  They had apparently been gathered at the temple as an expression of their hope.  Seeing Jesus there, they were not afraid, but gathered around Him and He healed them all!  Imagine, for a moment, the inexpressible joy that was generated in these moments.  The children spontaneously began singing His praises:  Hosanna to the Son of David!  (v.15)

These immediate acts of entering Jerusalem in fulfillment of prophecy, cleansing the temple, and healing the sick remarkably draws the ire of the chief priests and teachers of the law.  They scold Jesus and tell Him to shush the children.  In response, He simply quotes Psalm 8:2 for them, which surely must have aggravated them even more:  From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.  (v.16)

And with this accomplished, Holy Week has begun.  Jesus withdraws with His disciples to Bethany to rest.  

___________________________________________

It seems obvious to me that Christians (Christ-followers) should consider beginning this Holy Week in a similar fashion.

1.   Celebrate Christ as the Lord of heaven and earth;  more than that, as OUR PERSONAL LORD!  Sing His praises!  Acknowledge His Lordship.  Surrender again to Him!

2.   Cleanse our personal temple!  

The most important aspect of this would be to do a personal inventory of our spiritual lives.  Are we as fervent as we have been previously?  Have we lost our first love?  Are we effective in witnessing for Christ by singing aloud His praises?  Have we allowed Him to be crowded out by other, less critical, concerns?  Do we need to recommit?  This process will likely take some time.  Will you set time aside today or tomorrow to cleanse your temple? 

Secondarily, it may also mean that we should literally clean house of things that might entrap us or lead us astray.  This might involve us in changing habits that have come to control us.  It might mean bagging up distracting materials and placing them on the curb.  Or, it is more likely to involve us in deleting computer (or phone) files that are doing us spiritual harm.  

Some of this will be simple but indicting.  

• How many times a day do I check Facebook?  - can be compared to - How much scripture have I read today?
• How much screen-time have I had today? - can be compared to - How much time have I been before the Lord in prayer today?
• How many hours of television have I consumed today? - can be compared to - In what ways have I served the Lord today?

It is likely that all of us will emerge from this kind of testing with new resolutions.  Perhaps we can be a catalyst for renewed vision and practice in our family, church and community?  

Lord, possess me now, I pray,

Make me wholly Thine today;

Gladly do I own Thy sway,

with Thy Spirit fill me.

Lord, I yield myself to Thee, 

All I am or hope to be

Now and through eternity,

with Thy Spirit fill me.

Lord, commission me, I pray!

Souls are dying every day;

Help me lead them in Your way, 

with Thy Spirit fill me.

With Thy Spirit fill me,

'With Thy Spirit fill me;

Make me wholly Thine, I pray,

With Thy Spirit fill me.

[Oswald J. Smith, 1940]

If you're my age or older, you were probably singing this - right?

FIRST DAY ON THE TRAIL!

 Three years ago, today, I started hiking the Appalachian Trail in Georgia.  

Actually, I began the 'approach trail' that starts in Amacolola Falls and takes you up the falls and then eight miles  toward the summit of Springer Mountain.  That's where the AT actually begins.  Many people skip the approach trail, since it really doesn't count.

But, being a purist, I decided to start at the beginning.  BIG MISTAKE!

First, you sign in at the Amicalola Falls center with the rangers - so they know that you're going to be on the trail.  They give you tips and suggestions and test you a bit to make sure you know what's ahead.  That takes over half-an-hour.  I arrived from Atlanta after noon, so I was already under pressure to make it to the top before nightfall.  

When you leave the ranger's station, you pass through a stone gate where a selfie is standard operation.  Then you walk a couple of hundred yards up a slow grade to the stairs that crisscross the falls repeatedly leading to the top.  Six hundred steps!  With a backpack that you're not used to that weighs about forty-five pounds!  I must have stopped to breathe at least fifteen times!  By the time I reached the top of the falls, I was exhausted and well over an hour had passed.  😂

Then the trail begins a gradual ascent with few flat spaces, weaving you gradually to Springer Mountain.  I was overwhelmed at the constant incline!  Again, even though I'd put myself through a fairly aggressive training program, I had to stop frequently to rest and breathe!  

My pace was slow.  Several weeks later I reported to my brother that I thought about quitting probably three hundred times - THE FIRST DAY!  

As I was climbing this mountain I could sense that I was losing my daylight and was not going to reach the first shelter (near the top).  I began looking for a place to set up my tent and camp for the night.  Eventually, I spied a spot about fifty yards off the trail that looked reasonably level.  I climbed over downed trees until I reached it and cleared a small space.  I set my pack down and began to unpack.  

I unrolled my tent and began to set it up.  I decided not to use the tent pegs - figuring that I'd be fine.  I used my stove to prepare some hot water and made my supper.  During this time two groups passed me on the trail  They were younger men travelling in pairs.  We hollered greetings as they passed.

As dark descended, I sat up for a while wondering what I had gotten myself into.  I had never dreamed that it would be so hard!  It never occurred to me that I wouldn't reach the camping area that first day.  I was already behind!

When it was fully dark, I crawled into the tent and into my sleeping bag and went to sleep.  As I was going to sleep, I realized that the ground wasn't as flat as I had thought.  All night long, I had to scoot myself back up the grade before dropping back into sleep!  It was a horrible night!  

Finally, daylight came.  Although I was not well rested, I was anxious to get up and have breakfast and get started.  I heated water and made a bowl of  oatmeal with some dried fruit - nasty stuff, hard to swallow.  I was already low on water...

Then I broke down my tent which had nearly turned upside down overnight.  When I finally had everything packed, I was shocked at how late in the morning it already was!  I crawled over the downed trees again, found the trail and restarted the climb.  After going about two hundred yards, I came to a kind of summit where the trail leveled out for a bit.  There, on both sides of the trail were beautiful, flat, much-used camping spots!  Two of the young men were frying eggs on one side and two on the other side were eating pancakes and bacon.  They hollered greetings to me and I dragged past them.

Quickly, the trail continued its upward climb.  Later in the morning both sets of guys passed me on the trail.  They made it look so easy!  Several others passed me as they made their way down the trail toward the falls.  Each stopped to talk briefly.  I've learned since that lots of people just hike the approach trail, spend one night and then return to their vehicles.  That thought crossed my mind many times that second day.  By mid afternoon, I had to make my first major decision.

Should I stay at the shelter near the top of Springer, or sign-in at Springer and keep going six more miles to the trail's first shelter/camping area?  

I pressed on...

Fortunately, after peaking at Springer, the trail descended for a while.  It felt wonderful to be stepping down instead of up!  When I did hit grades, they were usually fairly short and not as steep as the approach trail.  As dusk arrived, I saw the shelter off to the right of the trail.  Heaven couldn't have looked better!

It was packed!  The temperature had dropped to forty.  There were about thirty people ahead of me!  The shelter only slept fifteen - on two levels, so it was obviously full!  A freezing rain had begun to fall.  Tents were set up everywhere.  People were cooking their meals.  Almost everyone had more modern equipment than I had brought.  Their meals looked and smelled delicious.  There were two small tables for cooking and a few places to sit.  After setting my tent up and unpacking, a small area had cleared and I began cooking my meal.  I think I made spaghetti and meat sauce - all of which I had dried in my garage in the months preceding my hike.

I used the tent pegs every night after my first terrible night.  I also was far more careful to try to find a truly flat space.  

I was finally ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL!  Let the fun begin!  

WORSHIP PLANNING

When I was leading the church, my whole week was aimed toward Sunday.  When Sunday was over, I took a day off and then took aim at the next Sunday.  I lived for these special times!  Although I had many other responsibilities during the course of any given week, making certain that I had Sunday’s plans well under control and immersed in prayer was pivotal.

Over the years, I developed priorities about the development of worship.  These emerged from

·         personal experiences,

·         reading books and other materials,

·         attending conferences and seminars,

·         the seasons of the Christian year,

·         participation in denominational emphases,

·         dialogue with other leaders,

·         participation in many worship experiences of different traditions and forms, and

·         the study of God’s Word.

By my very nature, I bring a creative surge to worship planning.  I believe that worship should be engaging, fresh, vibrant, meaningful, participatory and relevant!  To a certain extent, spontaneity should be allowed for.  We are not watchers – we’re worshipers!  The experience can be shaped, but it cannot be controlled.  Everyone – as well as the leaders - has a part in forming the experience and flow of worship. 

In forty-three years of pastoral ministry, I was privileged to see most of the churches I served at least double in size.  Thanks be to God!  A growing church that is seeing new converts is an exciting place to be!  When people are trained to come with an expectant spirit, good things are likely to happen!

I’ll list some constants as far as our planning went:

ü    Our purpose is to bring honor and praise to God! 

ü    Creative efforts must serve this purpose, but never overshadow it.

ü    Utilizing the gifts and abilities of the congregation is a high priority.  They can do far more than greet and take the offering. 

o   Some are gifted musicians to assist in facilitating meaningful worship.

o   Some are gifted readers for sharing scripture lessons and other readings.

o   Some are capable of assisting with drama to convey the message via the arts.

o   Some are capable of leading in meaningful prayer times.

o   Some can use humor to present announcements and the life of the church family.

o   Others are suited to add elements of technology to the practice of worship.

I distinctly made it my goal not to step onto the platform until it was time to preach the Word of God!  Others are capable of caring for and leading the rest of the worship experience.  I wanted the people to associate seeing me with receiving a stimulating message from God’s Word!

Holy Communion is a dramatic expression of God’s sacrifice for our salvation.  I always invested deeply in the Sundays when we received the Lord’s Supper! 

·         The directions and invitation were clarified.

·         We made certain that people knew when children were welcome and how to handle their experience.

·         We prepared resources for corporate reading that varied every time communion was served.

·         The music/videos were carefully selected ahead of time to add meaning to the experience.

·         Other elements of worship were abbreviated to allow appropriate time for Holy Communion without going unduly long.

·         Prayer stations were provided where people could receive special prayer with a trusted, respected leader.

·         We encouraged people to speak to one another throughout this portion of worship and to pray together.

 

We tried to keep David’s statement in our minds as we planned:   [Psalm 122:1]

“I was glad when they said to me,

‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”

 

Worship is more than an obligation!  Worship is something we should look forward to.  It should challenge us in our faith and walk!  It should facilitate our joy and our pain.  People need to be given the opportunity to minister to one another! 

Leaders are present to lead and direct, but not to control or manipulate. 

Music is a large component of worship.  It can add to or detract from our experience.

·         It must be done well.

·         It must be led well.

·         It must invite participation.

·         In most cases it should be familiar to the people.  I feel robbed when the worship experience involves songs that I don’t know and have never heard! 

·         It must ‘flow’.

Flow is an important factor in worship!  We should aim for a seamless involvement with little or no distractions.  Choppy, disconnected elements do not advance our potential to experience God’s presence. 

And that really is the end-goal!  We want our people to experience the presence of God!  We want Him to draw near to bless and touch and minister to the needs of our people.  We would hope that any evaluation of our people would find reports that they frequently experience the presence of God in worship. 

I always worked in a framework that allowed for freedom and diversity.  Churches that rely on liturgy must be especially on guard that the oft-repeated components don’t become boring, monotonous and devoid of meaning.  When people begin to feel that every Sunday is exactly alike, we have missed the mark!  When the order never is altered and the components are always in exactly the same order, we fuel disconnection! 

If we want our people to experience the presence of God, we – as leaders and planners – must keep ourselves clean and our purpose and role clear! 

TWO STORIES OF TWO MEN

In Matthew 20, we have back-to-back stories that send a message simply by the order in which they are recorded.

First, in verses 17-19, Jesus - for the third time - predicts His death.  Notice the details that He includes:

Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.  They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.  On the third day he will be raised to life!"

I wonder how this announcement hit Judas?  

I wonder why the disciples didn't seem to hear these words, even though He repeated them at least three times?  Was it just too far-fetched to be credible?  

The next words that Matthew includes tell of 

...the mother of Zebedee's sons who came with her sons and kneeling down, asked a favor of Jesus..."Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."   [vs.20-21]

Interestingly, Mark's gospel leaves the mother out and simply has the two coming to Jesus with this request. 

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.  [v.24]

 Jesus' response to this dissension was curt and to-the-point:   

"...whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave..."  [vs.26-27]

We're given no indication of how James and John reacted to Jesus' words.  Were they grieved?   Did they feel corrected?  How about the other ten?  Were they able to get past the grandiose appeal for favor?  

I find it most interesting to observe the report that immediately follows this - ending the chapter.  Here's a synopsis of the story.

As Jesus and His disciples left Jericho along with a large crowd, two blind men were sitting by the roadside and heard that Jesus was passing by.  They shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"  The crowd tried to shut them up, but they shouted all the louder!  [vs.29-31]

Jesus stopped and called them.  "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.  "Lord," they answered, "we want our sight."  Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes.  Immediately they received their sight and followed him.  [vs.32-34]

The contrast between these TWO STORIES OF TWO MEN is remarkable!  

In the first story we have two men who are on the inside, but want more.  James and John walked with Jesus everyday, ate with Him, witnessed His miracles and healings, and heard His teachings.  But this was not enough - they wanted to share His glory!

In the second story we have two men who are on the outside, and just want their sight. They hear the name JESUS, and their hope rises;  they won't be shut up!  Jesus turns His eye toward them and asks what they want.  He then restores their sight.  They follow Him!

________________________________________

Interesting.  The first two men - disciples of Jesus - didn't get what they asked for.  The second two men - despised and rejected - did get what they asked for.  

At the beginning of this blog, Jesus spoke, but His devoted followers didn't seem to hear Him.  But Jesus ALWAYS hears those who are among His followers AND those who are not among His followers!  

Oh Lord!

         As one of Your followers, help me not to feel entitled;  not to seek recognition that I don't deserve.

Help me to hear and believe You when You speak and to use wisdom and good judgment as I seek to fit into Your plans 

Most of all, help me to be a genuine follower, not one who is just in it for the perks!

For the Kingdom's sake.  Amen.