We Cause Scenes
When I was in High School youth group before my senior year I ran to be president of the youth group. My running opponent was a good friend of mine Tami. Tami and I had grown up together in church when my family started attending Peace Lutheran when I was in 2nd grade. We both had our own unique perspectives on things and would do a good job of leading our group. When election day came we ran into a bit of a problem…every time a vote was taken from the group it was an even split. We literally voted 3 or 4 times and each time, an even split. How were we going to make a decision? Our leaders devised a brilliant plan: Tami and I would go in the room next door and talk it out until we came to a decision. Could you imagine if our political process worked this way? That’s what we did though! We went into the next room and talked. I will always remember that moment. Tami was upset not from the fact that she hadn’t won, but mainly from the stress of the whole situation. I could totally understand that. In that moment being president didn’t matter as much. What mattered more was my friend and coming to a resolution. So I gave it up. I decided to take a different road and be vice president and support her. At first Tami didn’t want to go that route, but in the end she accepted. After a big hug and wiping away some tears, we were able to walk back into the youth room arm in arm looking forward to a great last year together.
Our gospel story today is a classic Marken story. You have all the great components! The disciples show that they really don’t understand what’s going on, this time in an especially open and ignorant way. There’s another reminder of where Jesus’ ministry is ultimately headed, it’s not a comfortable place. Last, but certainly not least, you have another teaching about being a servant. Really Jesus? Again with the servant-hood stuff? Hang on, I think Jesus is trying to tell us something important here…
James and John (the sons of thunder!), after hearing Jesus’ third passion predication, approach Jesus with a request. They can’t just ask though, they have to trap him in a verbal “pinky swear” first. “Jesus, we have a request, but first you have to quadruple times infinity promise that you’re gonna say yes” Jesus doesn’t bite, but simply asks “What is it that you want me to do for you?” It turns out James and John want the best places in the coming Kingdom. They want to be sitting at the right and left of Jesus when He is crowned king of Israel. These positions held a lot of power and were basically seen as advisors to the ruler. We don’t know what things are motivating James and John exactly but we can throw in some good guesses: the want for power, the fear of being lost, looking out for themselves or thinking they’re the best candidates for the job. Jesus is rightfully skeptical and asks some follow up questions to see if they really were getting what he said. The cup he is about to drink and the baptism he will endure is one of suffering and death. He was pretty clear about that in his last prediction. When asked about it James and John think it’s no problem and answer “We’re able.” Then the epic “gotcha”: Jesus affirms that they’ll follow him in these ways but in then end the decision isn't up to him. The other ten catch wind of all of this and are angry about it, probably because they didn't think about it first.
Jesus then calls them all together and presents a completely different view of things. He points out the current rulers and how they lord over the people they lead. They know they have power and use it without second thought. This isn’t going to be the new way of doing things. For Jesus, those who are seen as great take up the role of a servant or even further, become a slave to all. So yes, I am confident that the disciples were ready to run over one another to take up this call. I mean really, that was why they were angry with one another because they wanted to out-do one another in serving. Right? Not… If they understood what Jesus had said they may have had second thoughts.
Let me let you in on a little secret: the disciples haven’t changed much in the past 2000 years. Let that sink in for a moment. We may think we have gotten better but we haven’t. The focus is still on us. We want to make sure that we are well taken care of. That the future is secure. That we have some shred of control over something. We want to ensure that we won’t get lost. We want to ask for Jesus for whatever and have it happen because we get him to “quadruple times infinity promise” us, which…he still doesn’t. We’re really not falling over each other to pick up the role of the servant though sometimes we make a good show of it. Even then it is often done more as a power play to make us look or feel better about ourselves. We quickly answer that we are able to bear the cup and the baptism that is presented in the hopes that it will get us the desired result.
But, Jesus also still calls together disciples 2000 years later to do some crazy amazing things. Showing us all the true path of a servant he endured the cross and rose again so that we might be free from the need to have power. Free from the continuous pushing and shoving to be first. Free to know that death isn't the end so that we can live out the freedom to experience eternal life here and in the times to come. That’s the Kingdom that is here and still not yet. Not one where the powerful rule but one that is manifest in service to one another. This is a powerful and compelling story, wouldn't you agree? We are called as disciples today to claim these promises and to tell this story of freedom.
Where do we go from here? We are being called to share this story of freedom and use our time in more places than just here at church. What do I mean by that? Your neighbors, your co-workers, your family, your friends and yes even your fellow disciples here at church need to hear this story. One of the best ways that they are going to hear it is through experiencing your service to them. Lending a listening ear. Looking out for their dreams. Taking a moment to lift them up. Telling them stories of some crazy and amazing things. I don’t want to pull any punches either, this isn’t the safe way of doing things. You might get stepped on. You might not be first. You probably won’t get the best seat in the house. But then again, we have answered “we are able.” Which in turn Jesus has responded “The cup that I will drink you will drink and with the baptism I am baptized, you will be baptized”
Now you can look at this as a daunting task, but I want to give you another way of looking at it. There is this really cool internet sensation that you should check out. When you get a chance go to the internet and type into your favorite search “Improv Everywhere.” This group out of New York coordinates all sorts of wacky and goofy ideas to implement in every day places to, as their slogan claims, “Cause Scenes” but in a totally joy filled way. A couple examples are their “Black Tie Beach Day” where a couple hundred folks show up to enjoy a day at the beach in their formal wear. Recently, about 4,000 people participated in an “MP3 Experiment” where they downloaded a custom MP3 and followed the directions which culminated in an epic water gun fight in a park. I believe we can do the same thing using the servant model that Jesus calls us to. In our homes, in our schools, in our places of work, where ever we go we can improv everywhere. We can cause scenes of love, joy, peace and tell stories of other times those things have happened. We don’t even have to wait for the signal or directions. We have been given the freedom to go do it! The improv starts today and continues tomorrow and the next day through every day!
May you remember that you are called to tell freedom stories of amazing value. May you take the time to serve those around you this week. And may you always remember to improve peace, joy and love everywhere. Amen
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