This morning I was sitting here feeling a bit brain-dead from a head cold, and thinking about how sometimes I just don't feel spiritual at all. I was thinking about all the times that I just don't seem to be tracking with anything that seems related to God, and probably am missing what He is speaking about because I just am not listening.
I turned to Mark's Gospel and ran across these next verses, which give a great example of a couple of the Apostles who were apparently in a similar state. The background to these verses is that Jesus was again speaking to them about His impending death for the third time. I have included those verses for context - but my real focus this morning is on James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Here are the verses - Mark 10:32-45 NIV:
[32] "They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. [33] “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, [34] who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
[35] Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
[36] “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
[37] They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
[38] “You don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
[39] “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, [40] but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
[41] When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. [42] Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. [43] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [44] and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. [45] For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Starting with verse 35, it is apparent to me that neither James or John had heard a word that Jesus was saying! Here Jesus is telling them about how He is going to be mocked, beaten, spit on, flogged and killed when they get to Jerusalem and they are thinking about Jesus ruling as the new King of Israel, and them sitting on His right and left hand! Talk about completely missing the point, and all the previous conversations!
Jesus is not apparently angry about the fact they they were not listening to a thing He had just said, as He never even addresses that issue. I also love the fact that Jesus is not offended by their extremely ambitious request, their wrong approach, or even by the way they introduce it. Imagine coming to Him and saying, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask!" I don't even approach my sweetheart that way, nor would I think to do so, yet here are the brothers boldly asking Jesus to agree to do "whatever they ask"! Based on Jesus' response, it doesn't seem like He had a problem with their approach. He asks for clarification, and even after hearing their request is not indignant, nor angry! He might have rolled His eyes back a little, but the sense I have is that Jesus liked their boldness in asking, they just were asking for the wrong thing.
There are several scriptures where we are encouraged to ask of God (two quick examples - Matt 6:11; Matt 7:7-12). He has revealed Himself as our provider (Job 36:31; Ps 111:5) and He has promised to care for us and meet our needs (Matt 6:25-34). Thus, we know that God doesn't have a problem with us asking of Him, and that He even encourages that heart and mindset. God wants us to ask Him for provision and blessing.
It is interesting that shortly before these verses, we find the story of a rich man who comes to Jesus and he asks what He needs to do to inherit eternal life? Jesus answers that He needs to sell everything and give to the poor and then come follow Him (Matt 10:17-23). Sometimes people want to make this command to the rich man a command for us all to follow, and forget all the verses where God clearly tells us to ask of Him. Jesus ends that section with the following statement - “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel [30] will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields---along with persecutions---and in the age to come eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30 NIV) He intends to bless us in this present age and the age to come, if we but follow Him.
So back to the original theme, that of missing the point, not listening and God's handling of us in those times. He knows us, knows our hearts and knows our every thought and word spoken (PS 139:1-4). He has always known us and has never been surprised by a thing we think or ask. In spite of this, He loves us and has chosen us! Paul writes the following in his letter to the Ephesians 1:3-6 NIV: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. [4] For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--- [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." Rather than judge us for our inattention, our stupid thinking, or our stupid words, He loves us and blesses us with every spiritual blessing! Wow! God clearly isn't like us, nor are His thoughts like our thoughts! (Isaiah 55:8-9)
The ultimate concern of the Lord is that we are in relationship with Him. Paul mentions our adoption to sonship (Eph 1:5)! Jesus invited the rich young man to, "come, follow me" (Mark 10:21), which was a clear invitation to relationship. Jesus does not break relationship with James and John, rather He invites them into the fellowship of His suffering servant-hood. Our call, our invitation, our opportunity is to embrace the same, to follow Jesus, to be with Him where He is and to do what He is doing! He understands that we miss the boat sometimes, or often-times as in my case. He knows our thoughts and words, and still invites us to join Him. He desires to give us good things and wants us to approach Him boldly. More than anything He wants us to understand our invitation to significant relationship as His sons and daughters, in whom He is well pleased!
Let us not be indignant with our brothers and sisters who are pursuing God, who are learning how to ask Him and receive from Him! Let us not judge those who are inattentive, or missing the boat, for He doesn't judge them. Let us embrace a similar attitude towards one another and towards ourselves. Let us press forward in relationship and not worry about our past mistakes and inattentiveness. Let us believe that God has great things in store for us, and encourage one another to press into Him! God knows us and still Loves us!
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