Lord of the Streets, Houston
September 22, 2024
Proper 20, B
James 3:1-12
Psalm 116:1-8
Mark 8:27-38
So, when my kids were younger and they had colds and various other things for which they’d take medicine, I would give them the medicine, and they’d pretty well take it. Maybe they’d ask, “What is this?” I’d tell them it was cold medicine and would make them feel better, and so they took it. Even then, though they had no idea of what it was or what it did.
It wasn’t not like it was some new food that they could eat and spit out if they didn’t like it. The medicine was something they didn’t really understand at all, other than “Mom and Dad said it’s good for me, so I’ll take it.” It occurred to me at one point just how much trust there was in that. They were curious about it, but otherwise, the thought of not taking it didn’t really occur to them. We said it was good for them, that it would help them, and so with no further understanding, they took they medicine.
Jesus’ trust in God was like that trust of a child. What did he do in the garden of Gethsemane, when he wanted to walk away from it all and not be arrested and killed? Jesus prayed, “not my will be done, but your will be done.” God had joined with humanity by becoming human as Jesus, and so in dying on the cross, God joined physically with humanity even in our death, so that nothing, not even death itself, can separate us from God.
To Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane, it is as if God said, “Your death is the medicine that humanity needs,” so Jesus, without even fully understanding said, “Ok, I trust you; your will be done.” Jesus had the trust of a child.
Jesus also compared himself to a child. When his disciples were arguing among themselves about which one of them was the greatest, Jesus brought a child to them and said, “If you welcome a child, you welcome me.” Don’t worry about who is greatest. Trust in God. The child that Jesus brought to them had no greatness like the disciples wanted, but the child did have the trust of a child beloved of their parents. Jesus didn’t desire greatness from his disciples, but rather trust, knowing that setting aside their egos and trusting in God is what would be best for all of them. Trusting in God was the medicine they needed.
In James’ letter which we heard today, he wrote to a church that was in need of some medicine as well. The sickness from which some of them seemed to be suffering was “bitter envy and selfish ambition,” kinda like Jesus’ disciples before them.
“Who is the greatest?” Jesus’ disciples asked. They were jockeying for position, wanting to have power and glory in Jesus’ kingdom. Those to whom James was writing seem to have been doing the same thing, fighting among themselves, trying to gain advantage over one another. Who was going to be in charge? Who was going to have more power and authority over the others?
I dare say that’s something we do in our lives too. Whether we’re wanting greatness in the larger society around us or we’re simply wanting some power over the people in our lives, most of us have some ways that we want greater power. That need for greatness is fueled by insecurity of not being good enough. That need for power is fueled by fear and a desire for greater control in our lives, control over others so they don’t have control over us. Our desires for greater power and control are totally understandable, and those desires sound like wanting the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, trusting in our own power, rather than letting go some of our power and trusting in God.
Jesus taught his disciples to give up their desires for power and to trust God like a little child because Jesus knew that would heal them more than gaining the power they sought over one another. If they got the power and greatness they wanted, their fear and insecurity would still be there. They would constantly be at odds with one another, constantly fighting for more power, not trusting each other. Power and greatness wouldn’t heal them, but just give them more over which to be fearful and insecure.
The medicine that would heal the disciples and did heal the disciples was to entrust their lives to God. When they did, what happened in their lives? Peace, gentleness, mercy. They found they could face the challenges of life, not always getting their way, but finding greater peace with life’s challenges, trusting in God. Greatness be damned, Jesus’ disciples found they didn’t need it.
What Jesus’ disciples found was that greatness within the church wasn’t about power but about service. Those who seek power within the church by seeking positions of authority misunderstand the way of Jesus and the places of importance within the church.
What is the most important work of the church, and where is that work done? The most important work of the church is done in the actions and relationships of all of the members of the church. The most important work of the church is how all of us live and teach the love of Jesus. How do we love and serve one another? How do we heal the wounds of the world by caring for those around us? How do we help others have the peace of God that comes through trusting in Jesus? That is the great work of the church, and it is done by everyday Christians, regular folks.
All of the perceived greatness within the church, the pastors, the priests, the bishops, all of their work is done to support the great work of the church, the work of everyday people living as Jesus’ disciples in our everyday lives.
Where does that work come from? How is that work done? The great work of everyday Christians is done first and foremost by trusting in God. In all of the changes and chances of our lives, we find peace and belonging by seeking God’s wisdom from above. As James wrote, “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.”
Our conflicts and disputes come from our cravings, even our cravings to be right, even our cravings to force others to be right and righteous. That’s wanting control over the world, wanting power and greatness. Rather than seek power and greatness, we are taught to submit ourselves to God. It may seem like getting our way would heal us, but it won’t. Like a kid getting medicine they doesn’t understand from their trusted parents, we are healed by trusting in God more than in ourselves.
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