Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost Year B 2009

20 Pentecost B 09
October 18, 2009

Job 38:1-7, 34-41
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind: 2 "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. 4 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements--surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone 7 when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?
34 "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that a flood of waters may cover you? 35 Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go and say to you, 'Here we are'? 36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts, or given understanding to the mind? 37 Who has the wisdom to number the clouds? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens, 38 when the dust runs into a mass and the clods cling together? 39 "Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, 40 when they crouch in their dens, or lie in wait in their covert? 41 Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food?

Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty, 2 wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent, 3 you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind, 4 you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers. 5 You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken. 6 You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At your rebuke they flee; at the sound of your thunder they take to flight. 8 They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place that you appointed for them. 9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.
24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Praise the LORD!

Hebrews 5:1-10
1 Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; 3 and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. 4 And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"; 6 as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10 having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Mark 10:35-45
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 36 And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" 37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." 38 But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" 39 They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." 41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42 So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

God’s Question

If you want to read one of the great sermons on this text from Mark this morning, I invite you to check out Martin Luther King’s sermon entitled “The Drum Major Instinct.” Just look it up on line if you’ve got the internet, and if you don’t I’d be happy to give you a copy.

You know, I was praying the other day, and I was lifting up my problems to Jesus and telling him all about them. I was lifting up other people’s problems and the church’s problems and the problems of the world. I lift up all these problems because I know that Jesus is our great high priest, and that’s the high priest’s job of course, to listen to our problems and relay them to God.
I was asking Jesus some of the big questions, as I sometimes do. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do the wicked prosper? Why, Jesus, are there so many different ideas of who you are and what you want? Why is there war and poverty? Why do our loved ones leave us? Why do people do such awful things in your name?

So anyway, there I am blabbing away to Jesus, and all of a sudden, Jesus said, “Excuse me?”

I was taken aback. I’m generally unused to be addressed by the high priest. I thought I’d misheard, so I just resumed reciting my list of difficulties.

And the voice came again, “Excuse me.”

Well, this time I heard it and shut up. “Yes?” I said.

“I’m glad you’re sharing all these problems with me,” Jesus said.

“Well, thanks,” I said.

“I’m happy to share your problems with God,” he said.

“Well, thank you, Jesus,” I said. “That’s very good of you.”

I thought I heard an exasperated sigh, but I might have imagined it.

And Jesus said, “I hear all these questions you have for God and I pass them on to God, but did you know that God also passes questions to me for you?”

And I said, “God has questions?”

And Jesus said, “God has lots of questions.”

And I said, “Well, I’m not sure I can answer questions coming from God.”

And Jesus said, “Well, that’s okay. That’s what I’m for. Part of my job is to ask you God’s questions in terms you can understand.”

And I said, “Well, go ahead. Shoot. I’ll do the best I can.”

And Jesus said, “Well, it seems you’d like God to do something about the situations and people you’re asking about. What God is wondering is, would you like to have his power to fix the things you think need fixing?”

And I said, “Oh, I don’t think so. I think I’d probably misuse power like that.”

And Jesus said, “Well, what if we threw in God’s wisdom along with God’s power, so that you’d have a good idea of how to use it?”

“Well,” I said, “that sounds better. That sounds pretty good in fact.”

To tell you the truth, I was already scheming and plotting, but I didn’t tell Jesus this. I thought about how important I’d become. I was thinking how many people would fear and respect me. I was thinking how many people would gather around and hear what I had to say. I was thinking how many people would love me.

And Jesus said, “Well, I can hook you up. I can fill you with the Spirit of God. You will be able to do miracles. You will be able to transform the world. You will have all the answers. How does that sound?”

And I said, “Well, Jesus, it sounds like a great burden, but if you think I’m worthy of it, I guess I can take it on.”

And I was thinking, woo-hoo, I’m going to be the boss of everybody!

And Jesus said, “But before I do, God has a few more questions for you.”

And I said, “I’m here and I’m ready.”

Jesus said, “You asked me to ask God why bad things happen to good people, and God asked me to ask you a question of his own.”

I said, “I’m your humble servant and I will do my best.”

And Jesus said, “Why do good people crucify God?”

I wasn’t sure what to say, and so Jesus went on.

He said, “Why do good people all over the world rob and murder and oppress the image of God? Why do good people distrust God when all around them creation sings in glorious harmony and perfection? Why do good people hate God and reject his rule, when our lives, our food, the sunlight and the rain are all his free gift? Why do people fear death, when life clearly goes on and on, when it is so obvious that nothing is ever lost or wasted? Why do people steal other people’s resources when there’s more than enough provided by God for everyone? Why do people feel covetous when they see someone else who appears to have more than they, even though they have all they need? Why do good people neglect the grieving, abandon the imprisoned, ignore the poor? Why do good people who are strong take advantage of good people who are weak?”

And I said, “I don’t know, Jesus.”

And I was thinking, who knew? Who knew that while we are asking God to have compassion for us, that he might also be asking us to have compassion for him.

And Jesus asked me, “Are you able to receive God’s Spirit? Are you able to receive God’s perspective and see with his eyes? Are you ready to receive God’s heart and feel what he feels? Are you able to receive God’s ears and hear what he hears? Are you able to receive God’s word and say what God wants said? Are you able to receive God’s responsibility and carry out what God wants to be done?

Are you ready to accept the whole of creation as your care?”

“Are you able,” he asked me, “to be baptized with the baptism I was baptized with, and to drink the cup I drank?”

It was quite a question.

Amen.