West Point Grey United Church
WPGUC
Oct 20, 2024

The Heart of Servant Leadership

Mark 10:35-45

A man was driving when his car was struck by lightning. Despite the frightening experience, he made it home safely late that night and shared the ordeal with his teenage son. Expecting sympathy or concern, he was surprised when his son responded, “Dad, let’s go buy a lottery ticket. People say the chances of being struck by lightning are about the same as winning the lottery!” 

James and John, the sons of Zebedee from today’s Gospel reading, are much like the self-absorbed, self-centred teenage son in the story. One day, the two brothers come to Jesus and ask, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” In His humility, Jesus responds, “What do you want me to do for you?” They reply, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 

When the other ten disciples hear this, they are angry with James and John for making such an inappropriate request. Perhaps they fear the brothers are trying to claim the best positions for themselves. In response, Jesus gathers them and says, “Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.”

Let us consider the setting of this passage. Jesus and his disciples are now on their way to Jerusalem, approaching the place where he would be betrayed, killed, and rise again on the third day. Jesus has already explained this to his disciples three times, and yet, they, including James and John, still do not have a clue what he really meant. 

When Matthew writes about these two brothers in his Gospel, he writes that it is their mother, not the brothers themselves, who makes such a bold request. We can’t help but laugh at their insensitivity and shamelessness of it all. Their request reveals an unashamed desire for honour and privilege. 

It seems they were thinking about election day – not for Galilee County, but for God’s election day, when their teacher, Jesus, would come into his own. Although they heard again and again what that would mean for him, it simply didn’t register. From the moment they met Jesus, they sensed something extraordinary about him. Even when he didn’t do anything flashy, he had this presence, this electricity, that drew them in. He had such power; no matter what trials awaited him, they truly believed he was destined for glory. In their eyes, no one was more fit for the role.

We can hardly blame them for wanting to follow him to that place of honour and glory. They were sure that Jesus would become the king, and naturally, they wanted to be as close to him as possible. But what they are really asking for are top-ranking positions, like cabinet ministers- one on his right and the other on his left. From a worldly perspective, this doesn’t seem unreasonable. After all, they have been Jesus’ closest assistants from the beginning. We see this in our society all the time: when someone becomes the prime minister or president, close friends often end up in key cabinet positions.

We are not so much different from James and John. In many ways, we are like them, and they are like us. We want to be great. We crave the admiration of others. We want to be first and have the best seats. Martin Luther King Jr. called this desire the “drum major instinct” – the desire to be out front, to lead the parade, to be first. And it is deep within all of us. We all seek attention and honour, even when we know we don’t deserve it.

But Jesus tells his disciples, “It doesn’t work that way.” The new world is not like the old one – it turns everything upside down. In God’s kin-dom, the “number ones” are not the powerful sitting at the head table, but the quiet ones refilling wine glasses and setting down clean silverware for the next course. They are the servants stirring pots in the kitchen, carefully testing the temperature of the soup so it’s just right for the honoured guests. While James and John wanted Jesus to hurry up and become king of the world, Jesus had something else in mind. 

Greatness, from God’s perspective, requires serving. To be great, we must become a servant.

Discipleship is not a direct ticket to the eternal reign of God. Instead, it means offering good service to one another. As Christians, our goal is not to claim the best seats of power in the kingdom but to serve those in need. True greatness is not about power and prestige but about service and self-giving love. Jesus turns the worldview upside down. The life of a disciple is to be marked by humility and service, with Jesus himself as the supreme example – he gave his life for us. 

I know a story about a man who was a member of a certain church. He passed away some years ago. He came from a well-off family, but unfortunately, he faced mental challenges and became estranged from his family and the world. He lived a life alone. Yet, he faithfully served the church, cleaning the building every week for many years. Whenever he met my friend, he would always say, “It is good to be here, inside the church. It is always warm here.” He never sought the spotlight, nor did he receive any gold or silver medals or public recognition while he was alive. Only after his death did people remember his generosity and greatness- serving the church and its people in the same worn-out clothes as his fragile, failing body.

It is when we serve that people can see God in us. People can see God through us. We can see God through the man, who loved God and served his people. Jesus tells us not to chase after power and privilege, but to seek God’s kingdom first – to put the needs of others before our own. 

And this is how we become first. True greatness is not found in power and prestige but in service, humility, and self-giving love. The greatest person in God’s eyes is the person who has a heart of humble service toward both God and others. 

Praise be to Jesus, who teaches us the true meaning of servant leadership. May each of us become truly great by serving others so that through our lives, people may find God in us. Amen.