July 25, 2023

Today's Reading: Mark 10:35-45

Daily Lectionary: Judges 2:6-23, Acts 13:13-41

And he said to them, “What do 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.”  Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” (St. Mark 10:36-38)

In the Name + of Jesus.of Jesus. Amen. It’s a pretty bold thing for James and John to ask, right? They think they know what they are asking for—Jesus is going to be made king of Israel, and they want to be at his side when He ascends his throne.

This kind of ambition is good today; it shows that you are a go-getter and ready to take on more responsibility than people who don’t want to jump into the action. Except, they didn’t know what they were asking, did they?

Which is why Jesus asks them flat out if they are able to “drink the cup” that He is soon to drink. To suffer as He is soon to suffer. To be baptized into death, not just for himself, but for all of humanity.

Jesus says that they will indeed drink and be baptized as He is, which is a rather forbidding thing to say as it is, but then He goes farther and says that the places to his right and left have already been assigned.

Even before Palm Sunday, Jesus knew who was to be crucified with him on Good Friday. Those places had been prepared from eternity, because even then, before the first “Let there be…” was spoken on the first day of creation, God knew that his Son would need to become man to save all people from their selfish ambition.

Eventually, St. James does drink the same cup Jesus drinks, when Herod beheads him for proclaiming the gospel. But St. James goes to his earthly death in faith and trust, because he knows that when Jesus ascended his glorious throne of the cross, death, sin, and the devil were defeated, and he could rejoice that he would soon be at the Lord’s side in eternity.

May we always have this same faith and trust; that even when we lose sight of the Lord’s work for us, we may always trust that he saves and keeps us, and he does it all without our help. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O gracious God, Your servant and apostle James was the first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the name of Jesus Christ. Pour out upon the leaders of Your Church that spirit of self-denying service that they may forsake all false and passing allurements and follow Christ alone, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect for St. James the Elder, Apostle)

-Pastor Duane Bamsch is the Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley, CA  and the President of Higher Things.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the Pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.