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SERMON 25THJuly 2010 Acts 11:27-12:2; Matt 20:20-28
St James the Apostle – Martyr
PRAYER FIRST
When Stephen and I were deciding on the dates I should preach I was at the time thinking purely in terms of logistics for sermon preparation, about giving myself and our family enough time to settle in and get organised – it didn’t occur to me to look in the lectionary to check the readings in case I’d chosen really difficult or controversial scriptures for my first sermon here. But – a sigh of relief when I did look - it seems particularly appropriate that today’s gospel addresses what it means to be a servant in the way of Christ. As Stephen explained in the Parish news a few weeks back, a deacon is called to serve Christ through serving others in the church and the community. In this way she is to be a blessing to those amongst whom God has placed her. So brace yourselves - I’ll be on the lookout for opportunities to serve you all in different ways and I hope that God grants me the grace to receive your servant ministry too.
Along with his brother John and their business partner Peter, James the Apostle was one of those disciples that Jesus called away from their demanding and sometimes dangerous trade of catching fish into the demanding and dangerous task of following him. They left their nets and followed Jesus immediately – no prevaricating – the impact of Jesus was profound enough to call them out of one way of life into another – I can certainly relate to that! But as the gospel stories unfold we see the disciples struggling to make sense of Jesus, of God himself sharing their human life completely, even submitting to a criminal’s death. Just when they think they have it all sorted, when they’ve clarified God’s plan and purposes, Jesus says or does something which throws them into confusion and forces them to think again. It’s those disciples’ struggles to understand who Jesus is, what he’s doing and why, are mirrored in our own story as followers of Jesus here and now.
James is instantly attracted by Jesus – so he takes a huge risk and decides to follow him – we see him living alongside his rabbi, absorbing his teaching and imitating his practices along with other disciples - a bit like learning from your vicar except Stephen and Sue don’t have to put up with us living in the same house! All the time James is learning what it means to be a disciple of Christ. And like most of us, he wants to do well and succeed in his chosen sphere of life. We all need affirmation. But James gets a bit carried away with his spiritual success – to the extent that in Luke’s gospel he wants to call down heavenly fire to consume the Samaritan villagers who dare to reject Jesus on his way to Jerusalem, but Jesus of course rebukes him. James has still not fully understood the nature of Jesus’ mission. Jesus doesn’t need or want a violent display of his own power to vindicate his authority, like Herod might for instance. Jesus’ authority and power are shown in his resurrection, not by taking revenge on those who have persecuted him.
Then later on James’ thoughts turn to what this kingdom Jesus promises will mean for his personal status – asking to be seated on the right and the left hands – that of course represents the 2ndand 3rdpositions of power and honour in relation to the king. Incidentally I’m not going to shift the responsibility for James’ questions onto his mother as some sort of ‘pushy mum’ who wants her boys to get to the top – she doesn’t appear at all in the same story in Luke or Mark - Jesus is taking issue with the disciples as the ones arguing about who is the greatest, and who’ll be promoted to glory in the messianic kingdom!
The irony is that, although all honour and glory belong rightly to Jesus, throughout his ministry he is amongst the people as one who serves rather than one who exploits his divine power. Jesus doesn’t insist on his rights, on the praise and worship due to him as God but instead he reveals his love in humble service. Jesus’ incarnation, his coming to us as a human being, shows us what God intended a fully human person to be. So to be fully human is not to live only for ourselves or even just our nearest and dearest – not ‘it’s all about me’ - but it’s about us and the whole of creation sharing the blessing of God’s love. That’s why our worship and practical actions must look outwards to others who aren’t yet part of our Christian community, as well as being something which ministers to us.
After Jesus own death and resurrection James and the other disciples have finally understood what true greatness looks like – and in telling the good news of Jesus they become a threat to the status quo. James is killed by Herod. And that sort of state sanctioned murder still goes on across the world.
And it’s Herod who represents the height of human ambition and the desire for dominion, glory and honour. Herod is surrounded by signs of his own importance. He thinks he’s so great…But he hasn’t grasped God’s reality – Herod’s exalted status, his wealth, his tyrannical pursuit of personal ambition is a world away from the life of Jesus, the Son of Man who has nowhere to lay his head, whose kingdom is characterised by self-giving and servant-hood and sacrificial love. Later in the same chapter in Acts Herod dies a sudden and unpleasant death. His glory and power have gone in an instant while the gospel is still spreading.
James’ story invites us to ponder what we mean when we pray for God’s kingdom to come. The kingdom of God isn’t a place where the most holy people compete for the best position at the heavenly banquet – it is a vision of God’s life-changing love breaking into our lives here and now as we work together for that day when justice and mercy shall be seen in all the earth – and as many of us have discovered for ourselves in our Christian pilgrimage, it’s discipleship which costs, it means giving up some of our needs or our rights for the sake of others - it involves following, journeying, being shaped by the Spirit in order to bring forth its fruits at the right time. When we serve others, when we actively seek the welfare and well-being of those around us - whether it’s in this church or in our neighbourhood or workplace, - we are responding to the same Spirit of Christ which filled the disciples and enabled their mission and ministry to grow and bear fruit in the world around them.
Jesuschallenged James and the other disciples to be servants; he showed them the difference between absolute human power used to dominate and control and the creative divine power of God’s love; the gospels paint a vivid contrast between those who lord it over people with the humble lordship of Christ the King. So we see the violent, vengeful hands of Herod alongside the healing, serving hands of Jesus and those who follow him and preach his good news after his ascension. In his letter to the Philippians the Apostle Paul reminds the early Christian church that Jesus did not cling to equality with God but went among those he has created as one who serves – so if we are to imitate Christ it is not in his lordship but in his servant ministry. In our prayer, our worship and our practical action, each of us serves God in different ways - some of it’s very public, some of it may be hidden and known to God alone, but all of us serve out of gratitude and the knowledge that it is only by God’s grace that we are called to build his kingdom on earth. If we are made in God’s image then we must learn to exercise whatever power we have in a godly way through the costly sharing of love, through the self-giving we see in Jesus, empowered by the Spirit of Christ, who is the very revelation of God in whom we live, move and have our being. Amen.
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