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Stories of the Jesus Creed - John: The Story of Love
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Mark 10: 35 - 45 New International VersionThe Request of James and John 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.”
Stories of the Jesus Creed - John: The Story of Love
Last month I discovered something about the crucifixion of Jesus that I had not known before. I suspect this is also a new insight to most of you. In the study, 24 Hours, by Dr. Adam Hamilton of Church of The Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, the author says that recent research has indicated the upright beam of the cross, known as the stipes, was likely no more than three metres in length.
That does not match the picture I have had in my imagination all these years. I suppose it has to do with crosses in or on church buildings which are normally raised high off ground level. In my mind Jesus had been hauled up not three metres, but more like seven, even ten metres from the ground.
Knowing that Jesus was so close to the ground makes a particular part of the crucifixion story more compelling for me. It’s found in John’s gospel, chapter 19, at the middle of verse 25. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
Jesus could have been no more than a metre away from his mother when he spoke these words. He would have seen tears in her eyes. She would have seen the blood still dripping from the wounds in his scalp. To whom is Jesus going to entrust his mother. It’s either the person whom he knows is going to be the most loving or the one who needs the most encouragement to love. It is to John that Jesus says, take care of my mother. Love her as you know that I love you.
Jesus saw either the potential or the need in John because he had not always seen love in action. This is, I believe, one of the primary ways in which the scriptures draw us in to hear the stories. There are biographies of Christian saints through the centuries that are known by the term hagiography, which means holy-writing. In some instances this term is used derisively because much of this writing leaves out any of the warts or blemishes from the lives of these Christians. It reminds me of a concert of overtures and other favourites I heard advertised a few years ago—“only the loud and fast bits” was how one person put it.
The Bible includes the loud and fast bits, of course, but it also includes the slow and quiet and out-of-tune and painful bits of the stories of very real people. Like the bit about the fire from heaven. It’s in Luke chapter nine at verse 51.
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”
Not exactly a loving reaction—Jesus you have been teaching us to ask our heavenly Father for whatever we want in prayer. How about we ask God for a flash of lightening that will turn this village into nothing but cinders?
There was also a story of pettiness told in the same chapter of Luke’s gospel. “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us” (Luke 9:49).
Whatever we might think is included in the gospels under that overall heading of demon possession, here is a story where at least a few people are being released in the name of Jesus from whatever spiritual or physical affliction was burdening their lives. But it’s not being done by our denomination; no one has certified the credentials of these people; what if they get the credit and we don’t?
Then there is that sad and funny and oh-so-human story that is our text for today. Jesus has for the third time predicted his death and resurrection. However, John did or did not understand what Jesus had said, the message he seems to take out of the story is that the time when Jesus would set up his rule is coming closer. He and his brother James approach the Lord and tell him they want him to do whatever it is they ask of him. A bold and presumptuous move on their part—when Jesus sets up his rule, they want to be at the right and left, chancellor of the exchequer, and secretary of state for external affairs, particularly making sure the Romans don’t let the door hit them on their way out of Jerusalem and the promised land.
What happens next is predictable; the rest of disciples get their collective tunics in a knot, first of all because John and his brother have demonstrated they believe status in God’s kingdom means you get to rule just like in the rest of world, and second of all because they didn’t think to ask first.
Jesus concludes this part of the story by reminding the whole group that being a leader in the kingdom of God means being a servant. “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
There is no need to dwell on John’s failures, but it is important to note them. The Jesus Creed is clear that we are to love God and others and the Samaritans certainly qualify under that category. Between Jews and Samaritans there were religious and ethnic tensions that were centuries old at the time of Jesus. We might excuse John by saying that it was the Samaritans who first refused to offer hospitality, and that is one thing we know about them. What we don’t know is if they knew about Jesus and what Jesus taught. We know for sure John had been listening to Jesus and when given the opportunity to extend love to others he fails.
To love God and others is also to long for the kingdom of God to come in power and wholeness. If people are being freed from physical and spiritual burdens then someone who believes and lives the Jesus Creed will rejoice. John fails here also.
Perhaps it is easiest to excuse John when it comes to the request for place in power beside Jesus. What else could he be expected to hope for? The Romans continually thumbed their noses at God. Surely what God wanted was this preacher and healer to take his rightful place as ruler and send the Romans packing. He would be appointing advisors. What could be wrong with submitting your resume before the rush? Nothing, except those who lead in this kingdom are those who serve.
How is it then that John reaches the point in life where he writes to the early church, Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:7, 8)? Let me tell you what I think happens. I think John begins to learn about love on the night before the death of Jesus.
Likely you know that John’s gospel is the last to be written, perhaps around A. D. 75, maybe even as late as 90. It has a different feel than the other three gospels. It is written to fulfill different purposes. One example is that while John includes teaching by Jesus that is obviously related to the Lord’s Supper (chapter six), he doesn’t tell the story of that first supper shared on the night when Jesus was arrested. Instead he tells about the foot-washing.
I think our text today is connected to the foot-washing story. A servant should have been provided. The disciples gathered for supper in a borrowed room in Jerusalem; a servant should have been provided because what always happened at the evening meal is feet that had walked through the filth of the city during the day would be cleaned before supper. This was a servant’s job and no one did it. I think I know why. I think the whole group is at odds with one another because they think John along with his brother James has got a leg up in the race for the choice cabinet positions and it will be a frosty Friday in Hades before I wipe any dirt from his feet or now that you mention it, from any of the others either.
Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. …And during supper, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him (John 13:1–5).
John discovers that he is loved. This is perhaps a small distinction to make, but it strikes me as vital. John had certainly heard the words of Jesus about the need to love God and others. But he fails when it turns out that “others” includes those regarded as spiritual enemies. He fails when asked to rejoice whenever and wherever God’s will is being done. He fails by showing that his first thought is for power and not servanthood. He fails until his feet are washed and he discovers that love is not just something you talk about. Love is something God pours out upon us and asks us to pour out for others.
Lewis Smedes who died in 2002 at age 83 was a professor of theology and ethics for twenty-five years at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He was the youngest of five children. His father and mother emigrated to the United States from the Netherlands. When Lewis was two-months-old, his father died in the partially completed house he was building in Muskegon, Michigan.
Smedes was a person of faith but in a memoir describes his growth in love as slow and painful. He had never known his father, so he was not conscious of missing him. But his mother had to work too hard and too long in order to provide for the family and Smedes talks about missing her all too often.
When his mother broke her hip at age 86 Smedes had the opportunity to spend time with her every afternoon. He asked her why she hadn't married again. "Didn't you want a man in your life?"
"Oh yes," she said. "I did; I felt so tired and so alone, and I sometimes wished that I had a husband, but I was afraid that if another man came into the house, he might not care for my children as I did."
"I knew then," says Smedes, "that I had found the love of my heavenly Father tucked into the love of my earthly mother."
Do you know that your heavenly Father loves you? Jesus came into your life so that you would know for certain that you are loved and to give you the chance to spread that love around.
