A few weeks ago someone mentioned how much they liked having the sermon notes on the blog when they listened to the sermon, so of course, last week I did not post the notes until Monday! I will try and get the sermon notes up before Sunday for those who like to read along. Of course, those reading along will discover the difference between what is written and what is spoken.
This week's sermon was an attempt to approach the sermon a bit differently. I'm not sure how effective the approach was. In doing a sermon in first-person voice, it makes it hard to explicitly engage what is going on in the moment in our context. One of the strengths of this summer series has been how the sermons have connected to our current context. With this sermon, the listener has to make that leap for herself or himself.
As an aside, my mother is daily diary writer and a proud mother, so I sort of had her in mind as I wrote the diary entries. Not what words she might say, but the image of a mother penning her thoughts at the end of a day.
“Diary of a Mother” August 9, 2020, SAPC, Denton; Matthew 20: 20-27; Matthew 27: 55-56 Richard B. Culp
Matthew 27: 55-56 Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Introduction: We continue in our preaching series, “People Like Us.”
this week we meet the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Do not look for her story anywhere but the Gospel of Matthew. Some biblical scholars assume the woman Salome, who watches the crucifixion of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark, is the same as the mother of the sons of Zebedee, but there is no textual evidence to prove that connection (see All the Women of the Bible, Edith Deen, 194 for more on Salome).
The Gospel of Matthew leaves her unnamed.
Some biblical scholars see her as a tool used by the writer of Matthew to tell the story of disciples battling for who might sit by Jesus, without making James and John look as bad as they do in say the Gospel of Mark (New Interpreter’s BibleVol VIII, 398) You know the old trick - let mother be the one to ask the question!
This morning, I am going to share with you a series of diary entries the mother of the sons of Zebedee wrote - well, maybe she did not actually write them, but she could have!
Move 1: First diary entry - no date, but from its content, we can assume it was written (at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it) after her sons had been serving Jesus, but before she makes her request of Jesus to seat her sons at the right hand and the left hand of Jesus in the kingdom of heaven.
Dear Diary, I know most mothers think their sons are really great young men, but mine really are! They do not like it when I brag on them, but they are deserving of all the good things I say about them. Just ask the neighbors who watched them grow up and become the men they are today.
Zebedee and I raised them to be faithful to God and to serve God. They were already doing that before they met Jesus.
I remember how excited they were when they came and told us they believed that Jesus was something special. Maybe even the Messiah.
I remember thinking that the boys might be a little dramatic in their description of Jesus, but we encouraged them to follow their hearts. If they believed in Jesus and wanted to follow him - then leave their boats, give up their fishing nets and follow Jesus.
And did they ever. And they are good at following Jesus. They were two of the twelve picked to work closely with Jesus. Jesus has even sent them out into towns together to teach and heal, and my boys have done a great job of doing those things for Jesus.
the others started to call them the J and J boys. It made me so proud would I would hear people say, “The J and J boys were there with Jesus when he healed our son.” or “did you see what the J and J boys did?”
J and J - my James and John.
I do not know how long they will follow Jesus. But I do know that my two are two of the best at what they do with Jesus.
Move 2: Second diary entry - from its content we can assume it was written after her request of Jesus.
Dear Diary - My sons are mad at me. Maybe Jesus is mad as well, although he did not seem mad - more like he did not understand. Or maybe that I did not understand.
All I did was ask for what they deserve - to sit on either side of Jesus in the kingdom of heaven.
I guess some of the other disciples took it the wrong way. I wasn’t saying they were not worthy of sitting by Jesus. They do good work as well, especially Peter.
but I think John and James are as deserving of those seats of the others, maybe more so.
Jesus did not disagree with me. Well, not exactly. He asked if I knew what I was asking.
then, he asked the boys if they were able to drink from the cup he was going to drink.
Both boys said they were able. I was so proud of them. I know they can. they have learned so much from Jesus and are so committed to serving him.
I think they can handle anything Jesus needs them to handle. They have been by his side for all this time. If Jesus had to step away for some reason, James and John could take over and it would go smoothly.
I do not understand why Jesus mentioned drinking from the cup that he was going to drink?
I have always understood the idea of drinking from the cup to be drinking from the cup of God’s wrath. Like drinking from the cup meant suffering, maybe even dying.
why would Jesus be talking about suffering and dying. The crowds love him. I know the Temple officials do not seem to like him, but Jesus has so much support from all the people.
Thankfully, Jesus put an end to the disagreement between my boys and the other disciples. He told them that if they want to be great, they must be servants. He even went on to say that he came to serve and not be served.
I sort of get what Jesus is saying. After watching him all these months interact with others, I know he really does try to serve people, to help them with their difficulties, and to heal them.
My boys are learning to serve like Jesus does.
Just because I think they deserve to sit by Jesus in the coming kingdom does not mean they are not willing to serve. It just means that they are the best servants!
Move 3: A third diary entry written after Christ’s crucifixion.
Dear Diary - I wept, I remembered, and now I worry.
I wept as I watched Jesus die on the cross. What a horrible way to die.
Crucifixion - the death reserved for the worst of the criminals, which means they think of Jesus in that way.
I do not think of him in that way. He was always so concerned about others. I know he could get angry with all the rules and all the ways the chief priests tried to control everyone, but he did nothing to deserve crucifixion.
Some people got mad him because he did things differently and he cared for people they did not think deserved his care, but to crucify him?
Those were not my first tears. The last day or so has been horrible. Things have changed so quickly - just a couple of nights ago my sons celebrated the Passover supper with Jesus.
they said it was a wonderful evening at dinner, and then everything changed after the dinner.
I have not seen either James or John in the last day or so. I’m not sure where they are. I hope they have stayed out of trouble with the crowds.
when I think of jesus. I weep.
I also remember. I remember how Jesus loved the people, taught the crowds, and healed the sick. who will take care of those people now?
I also remember my two boys and how they followed him. The stories of all these things they did together - the miracles, the teaching, the healing, the working together. Is that over?
What will they do know How can they follow Jesus when he is dead?
Maybe that’s why Jesus told them they had to learn how to serve to be first. I suppose they can carry on Jesus’ work by serving and loving the people.
And now I worry. I worry about my sons James and John. I know, a mother always worries about her children, but as I remember Jesus asking if they could drink of his cup, I worry that somehow Jesus was talking about his suffering on the cross and dying.
Does that mean crucifixion awaits my boys James and John?
The world seemed a better place when Jesus was with us. I worry now that things will be just like they were before.
If Jesus is gone, where will we find hope?
If Jesus is gone, whom will my boys follow?
Will the J and J boys still have work to do?
Conclusion: the mother of the sons of Zebedee asks Jesus if her sons can sit next to him in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus asks her if they can serve next to him in the world.
Jesus asks us the same question.
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