Twenty First Sunday after Trinity 20 10 24
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Job 38. 1-7, 34-end
NEW TESTAMENT READING: Hebrews 5. 1-10
GOSPEL READING Mark 10:35-45
Every person, young and grown up have desires and aspirations. Mostly the desires are about situations to become better or to be in a position of privilege, to be important. Sometimes people aspire to be better than others, to earn more, to be powerful than others.
Two of Jesus’ disciples, James and John have such an aspiration. When Jesus comes in glory and is seated in the heavens, the brothers wanted to sit on either side of Jesus’ throne. They do not want to sit on the throne but want to sit on either side of the throne.
Jesus himself was surprised that two of his disciples who have seen his nature every day and heard the good news of God’s kingdom have such a desire.
The other ten disciples were also visibly upset with James and John because they were all together as a team and this pair James and John had excluded them and they alone want to have the prominence.
Jesus then had to give them a lesson leadership. Jesus told his disciples, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.’
We heard from the reading from the letter to the Hebrews Jesus is referred to as the Melchizedek. Melchizedek is mentioned in the book of Genesis. Melchizedek is seen as one who is king and priest. Jesus is elevated as King and Priest because of his obedience and submission to the will of God.
Leaders would like other people listen to them and do what they dictate. Jesus is a servant king as he takes the form of a slave in humble submission. Jesus did not have a desire to Lord over people or misuse his relationship with God as a son of God. He made it clear that son of man came ‘not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many’.
The nature of Christian leadership is obedience to the will of God. Obedience is not the virtue of a leader in normal sense, but that is for Jesus. Jesus tells us that God is always supreme and there is no one that needs to be God, controlling everything, all the time longing to be adored and appreciated but be like Jesus exercising leadership in humble submission. That is possible only when we find God.