Loving God, in spite of our frailties and failings, you love us and gather us into your arms.  By the power of your Spirit, help us to continue to learn from Jesus, for in his name we pray.  Amen.

            Today we hear quite a bit about things that are damaging to relationships and damaging to community. The letter of James mentions things like envy, selfish ambition, boasting, hypocrisy, and lying.  The disciples in today’s gospel display similar behaviour, and also fail to communicate.  They remain silent when they need to speak, neither asking questions nor answering them.  Their behaviour is not really child-like, but more child-ish!  It kind of makes you wonder how Jesus managed to choose these particular disciples – and kept on loving them!

         After all, Jesus was trying to tell them some really important things as they were traveling through Galilee.  They were things that had to be weighing pretty heavily on Jesus: how he would be betrayed, and put to death, and then rise again on the third day.  They were important things, and they were hard things, and the disciples couldn’t comprehend how any of this could happen to the Messiah.

         However, rather than asking Jesus what he meant, or at least engaging in conversation with him, they say nothing at all (at least – not to Jesus).  Instead, they start talking to one another when they should have been listening to Jesus – and not just talking, but arguing with one another about who is the greatest disciple.  And Jesus – who must have known what they were talking about – asks them what they were arguing about on the way.

         Once again, they say nothing at all – kind of like when parents ask, “What’s going on in there?” and the children respond, “Nothing.”  It is easy for us to imagine that Jesus got more than a little exasperated that his followers seemed to be learning so little.  And so, he does something radical.  He brings a child into their midst and tells them that welcoming this child is the same as welcoming Jesus.

         Now, I know that this may not seem particularly radical to us.  However, in first century Palestine, this child was considered to be a “non-person,” who should have been with the women (Stoffregen).  It would have been quite shocking for male disciples to be told to receive or welcome a child – something that will come up again in a couple of weeks.  In this particular instance, it is a vulnerable child who represents Jesus, and not the disciples.

         While it might be easy for us to just rag on the disciples, it is important to ask if we exhibit any similar behaviour.  Do we ever talk when we should be listening or fail to speak up when we need to?  Do we ever ignore others when they are trying to tell us things that really matter?  Do we ever compare ourselves to others, experience envy, lie, or try to figure out who is the best Christian?  Do we ever act out of selfish ambition or do things that are hypocritical?

         In many ways, we are not that different from those first disciples.  In fact, at least initially, they do something that is very common when we are dealing with hard things, or grieving, or faced with big questions.  They distract themselves with something else.  They have no idea what to do with the things that Jesus has just told them, and so they start a totally different conversation.  It is a coping mechanism of sorts – even though it must have deeply grieved Jesus.

         For our part, should we be looking to distract ourselves, there are just so many different options available.  Many of those options involve screen time, whether it is watching TV or videos, or scrolling through social media, or playing games.  Other common distractions are busy-ness, or pro sports, or over-working, or collecting things, among others.  While all of us need relaxation time, or down time, it is frightfully easy to spend hours on things that don’t really matter in the end.  It is also frightfully easy to spend time talking about things that distract us from the really big questions and conversations.

         Were we to search today’s gospel for things that matter, we would find service to others, and welcoming children and other vulnerable people.  Both of these things involve imitating Jesus, and attributing value to those who are “the least of these.”  The other thing to note in today’s gospel is that, in spite of some childish behavior on the part of the disciples, Jesus continues to teach them and to love them.  This is, indeed, good news for us, as, in spite of some of our behavior, Jesus continues to teach us and to love us.

         James, too, lifts up some gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit as things that matter – specifically wisdom, gentleness, purity, mercy, humility, and making peace.  James also includes good news, in spite of the conflicts and selfish ambition that were on display at the time.  “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:7-8).

         Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Lectionary 25(B)                              Mark 9:30-37

September 22, 2024                       James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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