Invincible

Sometimes we really don't know what we are asking for.

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.” 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.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 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?” 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; 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.” When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 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. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” - Mark 10:32-45

Were James and John not listening to what Jesus was telling them?  Or were they just so focused on glory that they didn't think of the cost involved?

Of course Jesus gave them the nickname Sons of Thunder for a reason.  They were rough and tumble guys, always looking for a fight, ready to call down fire from heaven on any enemy.

So, perhaps they were looking for a battle, and a chance to prove Jesus wrong.  Let them come for you.  We will give them hell.

They may have believed they were invincible, now that they were with the Messiah.  Sure, the Pharisees and scribes were out to get them, but who couldn't take them on?

We tend to think we can do anything when God is with us, and we can.  But God may have a particular approach in mind that we are not aware of, or that we fail to see.

James and John would have to be willing to accept the death of Jesus to realize the glory of God, and that wasn't how they wanted to see the story unfold.  The end may turn out better than expected, but the path would not be the one they would choose.

So it is with us. 

We don't always get to choose the path, but we do get to choose to go in faith.

And if we believe, we will get to where we need to go.

More to come...