Sermon Audio

What is glory? Or, perhaps to put that into terms that make more sense, to interpret “glory” for a corrupt and sinful generation, what is greatness? You’ll hears answers like power and popularity, prestige and honor, possessions and property. To the world, these are the defining marks of greatness—of glory.

It has been the bane of humanity for countless ages and generations. “You’ll be like God,” the serpent told Eve, so she took some fruit, ate of it, and gave some to her silent husband standing beside her. (Genesis 3:5-6) And so began this downward spiral of man trying to be like God, man reaching for glory and greatness, man defining glory and greatness by his achievements.

It continues to this day, as the wealthy and prestigious are both adored and vilified. Oh, the have-nots often decry the haves, but they so much want to be among the haves. The 99% may protest against the abuses of the 1% (whatever that means), but they would do anything to be part of the 1%, especially if it is handed to them. Ever since the fall of man, man has been seeking ways to achieve power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing; and as man has found ways to achieve these (even if only in name), then man has sought ways to come about these faster and easier.

Such was the case with James and John in today’s Gospel. They were looking to have the places of honor at the heavenly banquet when they make the request, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”

Now, hold on a minute, James and John; did you not just hear what your teacher, the Lord, Jesus Christ just said? “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

You might well imagine what these two were thinking. “Yeah, yeah, Rabbi, beyond all of that... I mean, that’s good and all, I think, but ‘we want You to do for us whatever we ask.’” It’s almost as if these two think Jesus owes them a favor. “Hey, we left our business for You. We left our families for You. We’ve spent so much time following You and learning from You. We’ve dropped everything just for You. So, um, Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” Never mind that the other 10 disciples pretty much left everything, too.

“What do you want Me to do for you?” “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” “You do not know what you ask...to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give...”

That may as well be said of us, too. Don’t think that you’re let off the hook so easily. This request for glory and honor is a symptom of what is at work in us as well, producing the same results. By this, we are driven to dominate others, assert ourselves over others, make it a point to get our way, claim the credit for something deemed good or nice...you name it. “You will be like God...” That’s still a delightful proposition to the Old Man in us all; and like Eve we so often take the fruit and eat of it, but we’d rather keep it all for ourselves. This pursuit of honor and glory has a way of being selfish. For those we who believe in Christ and trust in Him, this selfishness has a way of robbing us of the place that is very much prepared for us, (cf. John 14:2), and certainly has a way of preventing others from that place.

Jesus asks the brothers, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” The brothers sought one thing; in actuality, they asked for another, and they did not know what it was for which they asked. Jesus speaks of a cup from which He has to drink and a baptism through which He has yet to go through. For the third time, Jesus had just told His disciples of His cup and impending baptism: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

If you want to see glory and greatness through the eyes of God, then look to the cross. On the cross is when Jesus came into His glory, for it was on the cross that the Word accomplished the task for which He was sent. (cf. Isaiah 55:11) On the cross, the Word-made-flesh accomplished the salvation of the world. “It is finished,” He cried out (John 19:30), and with that was won the forgiveness of the world, your forgiveness, as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world died as the once-for-all propitiation for all sin.

“James and John, are you able to drink this cup and receive this baptism?” “We are able,” they respond. “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”

As we look to when the Christ came into His glory, we see the two for whom places at His right and left were prepared. Flanking Jesus on His throne were a pair of crooks, sinners who sins were known by all, one repentant, one not. To these it was granted to share in Jesus’ glory, in order to show that Jesus died for all, the repentant and unrepentant alike. James and John did not know that this is what they were asking for.

It's a bit ironic that the other 10 disciples became indignant with the brothers. I guess to put the best spin on it, the brothers merely gave word to what they all wanted, and it was this that angered the other 10. However, as this quest for glory and honor infects us all, even the other 10 disciples, so it is more likely that they became indignant because James and John asked Jesus before any one of them did, or because any one of them believes they deserve the places of honor in glory over and above James and John.

Recognizing this, Jesus tells them,

You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

As much as we seek honor and glory, as much as our Old Man delights in attaining and obtaining these, Jesus tells us it shall not be so among us. Greatness comes in serving, in being slave of all.

You want a picture of it? Look to the night when Jesus was betrayed. There in the upper room, before they celebrated the Passover meal, Jesus adorned himself in the garb of a servant, and stooped down to wash His disciples’ feet. More than that, though, is the crucifixion already mentioned, as this Suffering Servant and Slave of all gave His life as a ransom for all; “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Still, we tend to act like Gentile rulers. The church on earth has presidents who sit in plush offices, directors of education and outreach, and reports and documents that tout and enforce dollar signs, numbers, and structure. Gone are the days, it seems, of bishops, deacons, doctrine, confessions, and Scripture. Churches these days seem preoccupied with the language of Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and not the Word. Congregations bicker over who’s in charge instead of listening to the Church’s Head. To all of this, He says, “No, not so among you...For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Once again, that true picture of glory and honor is seen through the eyes of God; the place of the highest honor is hanging from a tree. Yes, it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,” (cf. Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13) but this curse carries with it a blessing for the culmination of God’s creation. For on the tree of the cross, the enfleshed God stretched out His arms and received the curse of God pronounced to Adam and Eve—“You shall surely die” (cf. Genesis 2:17)—in return giving to the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve the eternal life that was rightfully His...to those who believe, as He says in John 3:16. “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree;” that was the curse meant for you, but now through Him who gave His life a ransom for many—for you—the curse no longer impends over you. You are set free.

And so we say you are set free to serve. You are set free to find greatness in service to others—those good works prepared in advance for you to do (cf. Ephesians 2:10), as we heard last week. What that also says is that these works are not from you, like the grace that saves you, like the faith you have that receives grace, these works are not yours, but from God. Oh, yes, you cooperate with the Holy Spirit in performing them, as our confessions rightly teach (cf. FC SD II.65-66), but they are His works for you; it is the life of Christ lived in us and through us.

Jesus asked James and John, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They answer affirmatively, and Jesus confirms that they will indeed do so. He says the same to you, dear Baptized. St. Paul writes, “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4) Jesus was baptized into our death, drinking the cup of wrath meant for us down to the dregs, in order that we might be baptized into His death, and drink from the cup of life which He gives us. And so, we walk in newness of life, the life we have been giving through the death and resurrection of the Son.

And that is how He still serves. Just as He came to serve, to give His life a ransom for many, He still comes to serve. Right here in the Divine Service, the Son comes as Servant, giving of Himself in Word and Sacrament. In the waters of Holy Baptism, the Word is there to give faith and forgiveness. In the Word proclaimed, He comes again to give and strengthen faith. In the words of Holy Absolution, He is there to give exactly what those words say: the forgiveness of your sins. In the Sacrament of the Altar, He is present as He gives you His body and blood to eat and to drink, that you may have forgiveness and life and salvation, even as He says, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” (John 6:54-56)

And He gives you of His greatness, here giving you a glimpse of the glory to be revealed when He comes again in the clouds with His holy angels. This He does for you—this He serves to you—you who have been Baptized with and into Jesus’ baptism; you who have drunk from Jesus’ cup. His Baptism kills you to your self, even as your Baptism drowns your Old Man, so that it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you. You can say with St. Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Jesus came and gave Himself for you, and He is here now to give Himself to you—He has served and continues to serve Himself to you—and so you can be certain of this: You are in Christ and Christ is in you, therefore you are forgiven for all of your sins.