Acts 11:27-12:5/St Mark 10:35-45
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Our Lord Jesus has come to serve you and all people by giving His life as a Ransom for the many. He shares His life with you by the ways and means of His Cross. For this self-sacrificing humble service of Jesus Christ even unto death upon the Cross is the true greatness of His divine glory. He has chosen, in His grace and by His mercy, for the sake of His divine love, to give Himself for you, to forgiven all your sins, and to give you life and salvation with Himself forever.
In turn, for you to receive all of this great divine service of His, by His grace alone, through faith in His Word, that is your true greatness and your glory as a Christian disciple of Christ Jesus. Paradoxically this life received is hidden under the Cross and suffering.
All of this is foolishness to the world which measures everything by its standards of power and might, or popularity, position, and prestige, and by the criteria of wealth and fame. The world cannot understand this Lord Jesus and His glory: It does not think as He thinks. It does not know the divine truth of the matter. And this is your predicament as well; your thoughts are not His thought, nor are your ways His ways.
Ask yourself: What is it you want from Jesus? What do you want Him to do for you? What sort of Savior are you looking for? One who forgives your sins and gives you life, by and with His Cross? Or one who makes your life on earth happier, easier, and more carefree and comfortable? In your heart of hearts, what is it that you’re really after? What do you think you deserve?
You may not be as brazen as the Sons of Thunder, saints and sinners, James and John, but consider how jealous and resentful you become of your neighbor and the gifts he has received. How often are you driven by pride? Selfishness? Greed? Envy? A covetous lust for what you have not been given; which is idolatry? Or do you, like the Twelve, harbor bitterness and resentment toward those who put themselves forward?
Brothers and sisters in Christ, it ought not be so among you. Such desires and impulses are not the fruits of faith and love, but of sin. And they destroy faith and love.
Do you suppose that you have been cheated or ill-treated? Do not listen to the lies of the devil. Do not regard God’s love so lightly. For His great heart of love is fully opened to you in the Cross of Christ, the incarnate Son. That is where you find and know the greatness and glory of God. And He shares it with you, by His grace.
Consider St James the Elder, the son of Zebedee. Ironically he is not at his best in this particular Gospel text, yet it is recorded by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and read in commemoration of him. These faithful men and women are not paper saints. The New Testament is not a hagiography. And you see in their lives a mirror of your own. From a human point of view you can understand his and his brother’s request. Depending on your personality and own sinful tendencies, you may be tempted to sympathize with you. Or perhaps to be indignant toward him, like the other disciples. Either way the commandment condemns you.
But for all his faults and weaknesses, his brash attitude to barbecue the residents of Samaria who rejected Jesus, and his hungering for earthly power, he was deemed worthy to have died a martyr’s death. Indeed it is precisely in this baptism of blood where St James drinks the cup of suffering shared with His Lord Jesus Christ and so partakes of the glory of His crucified and risen Savior.
St James was cut down in the prime of life. He was the first of the Twelve to be martyred and the only one of the Apostles to be martyred within the record of the New Testament. And at this the world scoffs and ridicules, even as it did the First Christian Martyr, Jesus Christ. Yet this was St James’ glory, even as it was Jesus’. It was part of his vocation as an Apostle, to serve in the Name of Christ and finally to suffer all, even death for Him who died for us all and was raised again for our justification.
Not every Christian is called to such a martyrdom. That is likely not your vocation. But it does not mean your Father who is in heaven turns a blind eye to your particular suffering and persecution within the station to which He has called you. Indeed, Christ the Incarnate Son identifies with the suffering and death of all His Christians, and pleads for the sake of His own suffering and death, for your fellowship in His glory.
Whether you will finally be put to the sword, or crucified, or burned at the stake or shot to death for the Name of Christ that you bear - or if you live a hundred years before you depart - you are given the vocation of disciple. That it, to deny yourself and take up your cross after Christ. Indeed this is your daily martyrdom; not of bodily suffering and death, but of repentance and the slaying of the Old Adam, returning to your Holy Baptism to which you are joined to Christ’s own death and resurrection.
And this is your greatness and glory: Jesus Christ. It is not in what you accomplish, acquire, or achieve in the world. Your greatness, dear Christian, is in the glory of the Cross of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as your ransom. Your value, your worth is not measured in your titles and seats, right or left, but your value is the precious, priceless blood of the Son of God.
St James was baptized with the baptism with which Jesus was baptized; a baptism of blood through martyrdom. You, beloved, are baptized into the death of Christ, washed clean with His own blood. St James drank the cup of sorrow which our Lord Jesus had already drained to the dregs for him and for you. He has filled it with His holy and precious Blood which He now pours out for you and for the many for the forgiveness of all your sins, life and salvation with Him in the glory of His Kingdom forever.
This is the new and greater Passover, the very Divine Service of Jesus Christ and the Ministry of His Gospel, the Word and Sacraments. St James was privileged to serve in the Name and the stead of Christ Jesus for a little while until his faithful service was complete in the witness of his death.
And indeed it was and is a privilege to serve in Christ’s Name and by His command, for the good and at the need of His people. The bearers of such service and the recipients of such service dwell together under the same Cross and suffering of their servant King and Lord. This is their glory and their privilege; even as the church prayed for the imprisoned and martyred Apostles, James and Peter. For nothing, not even death, shall separate our Lord Jesus Christ from those He loves and serves in His mercy.
And His merciful service continues to this day in His Divine Service, the same as it was the Apostles back them so also here and now for you. For the Son of Man who lived and died and rose again continues to come not to be served, but to serve, to give Himself, to give life, and a seat in Him, by fellowship in His humanity and divinity at the right hand of the Father who is in heaven. To Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all the glory, honor and praise, now and forever. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
Our Lord Jesus has come to serve you and all people by giving His life as a Ransom for the many. He shares His life with you by the ways and means of His Cross. For this self-sacrificing humble service of Jesus Christ even unto death upon the Cross is the true greatness of His divine glory. He has chosen, in His grace and by His mercy, for the sake of His divine love, to give Himself for you, to forgiven all your sins, and to give you life and salvation with Himself forever.
In turn, for you to receive all of this great divine service of His, by His grace alone, through faith in His Word, that is your true greatness and your glory as a Christian disciple of Christ Jesus. Paradoxically this life received is hidden under the Cross and suffering.
All of this is foolishness to the world which measures everything by its standards of power and might, or popularity, position, and prestige, and by the criteria of wealth and fame. The world cannot understand this Lord Jesus and His glory: It does not think as He thinks. It does not know the divine truth of the matter. And this is your predicament as well; your thoughts are not His thought, nor are your ways His ways.
Ask yourself: What is it you want from Jesus? What do you want Him to do for you? What sort of Savior are you looking for? One who forgives your sins and gives you life, by and with His Cross? Or one who makes your life on earth happier, easier, and more carefree and comfortable? In your heart of hearts, what is it that you’re really after? What do you think you deserve?
You may not be as brazen as the Sons of Thunder, saints and sinners, James and John, but consider how jealous and resentful you become of your neighbor and the gifts he has received. How often are you driven by pride? Selfishness? Greed? Envy? A covetous lust for what you have not been given; which is idolatry? Or do you, like the Twelve, harbor bitterness and resentment toward those who put themselves forward?
Brothers and sisters in Christ, it ought not be so among you. Such desires and impulses are not the fruits of faith and love, but of sin. And they destroy faith and love.
Do you suppose that you have been cheated or ill-treated? Do not listen to the lies of the devil. Do not regard God’s love so lightly. For His great heart of love is fully opened to you in the Cross of Christ, the incarnate Son. That is where you find and know the greatness and glory of God. And He shares it with you, by His grace.
Consider St James the Elder, the son of Zebedee. Ironically he is not at his best in this particular Gospel text, yet it is recorded by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and read in commemoration of him. These faithful men and women are not paper saints. The New Testament is not a hagiography. And you see in their lives a mirror of your own. From a human point of view you can understand his and his brother’s request. Depending on your personality and own sinful tendencies, you may be tempted to sympathize with you. Or perhaps to be indignant toward him, like the other disciples. Either way the commandment condemns you.
But for all his faults and weaknesses, his brash attitude to barbecue the residents of Samaria who rejected Jesus, and his hungering for earthly power, he was deemed worthy to have died a martyr’s death. Indeed it is precisely in this baptism of blood where St James drinks the cup of suffering shared with His Lord Jesus Christ and so partakes of the glory of His crucified and risen Savior.
St James was cut down in the prime of life. He was the first of the Twelve to be martyred and the only one of the Apostles to be martyred within the record of the New Testament. And at this the world scoffs and ridicules, even as it did the First Christian Martyr, Jesus Christ. Yet this was St James’ glory, even as it was Jesus’. It was part of his vocation as an Apostle, to serve in the Name of Christ and finally to suffer all, even death for Him who died for us all and was raised again for our justification.
Not every Christian is called to such a martyrdom. That is likely not your vocation. But it does not mean your Father who is in heaven turns a blind eye to your particular suffering and persecution within the station to which He has called you. Indeed, Christ the Incarnate Son identifies with the suffering and death of all His Christians, and pleads for the sake of His own suffering and death, for your fellowship in His glory.
Whether you will finally be put to the sword, or crucified, or burned at the stake or shot to death for the Name of Christ that you bear - or if you live a hundred years before you depart - you are given the vocation of disciple. That it, to deny yourself and take up your cross after Christ. Indeed this is your daily martyrdom; not of bodily suffering and death, but of repentance and the slaying of the Old Adam, returning to your Holy Baptism to which you are joined to Christ’s own death and resurrection.
And this is your greatness and glory: Jesus Christ. It is not in what you accomplish, acquire, or achieve in the world. Your greatness, dear Christian, is in the glory of the Cross of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as your ransom. Your value, your worth is not measured in your titles and seats, right or left, but your value is the precious, priceless blood of the Son of God.
St James was baptized with the baptism with which Jesus was baptized; a baptism of blood through martyrdom. You, beloved, are baptized into the death of Christ, washed clean with His own blood. St James drank the cup of sorrow which our Lord Jesus had already drained to the dregs for him and for you. He has filled it with His holy and precious Blood which He now pours out for you and for the many for the forgiveness of all your sins, life and salvation with Him in the glory of His Kingdom forever.
This is the new and greater Passover, the very Divine Service of Jesus Christ and the Ministry of His Gospel, the Word and Sacraments. St James was privileged to serve in the Name and the stead of Christ Jesus for a little while until his faithful service was complete in the witness of his death.
And indeed it was and is a privilege to serve in Christ’s Name and by His command, for the good and at the need of His people. The bearers of such service and the recipients of such service dwell together under the same Cross and suffering of their servant King and Lord. This is their glory and their privilege; even as the church prayed for the imprisoned and martyred Apostles, James and Peter. For nothing, not even death, shall separate our Lord Jesus Christ from those He loves and serves in His mercy.
And His merciful service continues to this day in His Divine Service, the same as it was the Apostles back them so also here and now for you. For the Son of Man who lived and died and rose again continues to come not to be served, but to serve, to give Himself, to give life, and a seat in Him, by fellowship in His humanity and divinity at the right hand of the Father who is in heaven. To Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all the glory, honor and praise, now and forever. Amen.
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