First-Century Apostles With a Twenty-First Century Attitude
Their names were James and John. Some of their adult life was spent working with their father, Zebedee, and some as hired servants as fishermen.
They are not remembered, however, as fishermen. We remember them today because they accepted the Lord’s invitation to follow Him and become fishers of men.
Thankfully, they are also not remembered for exhibiting what seems to me to be a very twenty-first century attitude. They had been with Jesus and had been with Him as He sacrificed His time and energy in order to be of service to others. They had listened to Him teach about sacrifice and service. As the cross loomed in the very near future, they asked something that proved that they still did not understand what following Jesus was all about
Like others, they apparently thought that the ministry of Jesus would result in the establishment of an earthly kingdom. That misunderstanding, as well as the misunderstanding about following Jesus, motivated them to request places of prominence in that kingdom. That request is recorded in Matthew 20:20-21 and Mark 10:35-37.
As Matthew records, the mother of James and John joined them in the request that the two brothers would be allowed to sit on either side of Jesus as He reigned in His kingdom. It seems that they could picture in their minds occasions during which people would come into the throne room or be invited to a banquet as guests of Jesus and there they would be – James and John sitting right next to the King. It is not difficult to imagine that the hearts of the two brothers and their mother would almost be bursting with pride.
If I am even close to being correct in what these people were thinking, they were way ahead of their time. They were exhibiting an attitude that has become very prominent among those who claim to be followers of Jesus today. The attitude did not start in our century, but nothing seems to be slowing down its spread and influence.
The attitude wears a lot of names and manifests itself in a lot of ways. The following “labels,” questions, and statements are indicative of that attitude:
- The prosperity gospel
- The health and wealth gospel
- Name it and claim it.
- What’s in it for me?
- I must have my “felt needs” satisfied.
- What classes and programs are available for my family?
- I don’t want to feel uncomfortable.
- I won’t be expected to actually do anything, will I?
When Luke began the book of Acts, he refers to his earlier work, the book of Luke. He writes, concerning that work, that he wrote about what Jesus did and taught. James and John were eyewitnesses of what Jesus did and were among the original hearers of what He taught.
Thankfully, their “twenty-first century attitude” does not define them. James gave his own life for the cause of Christ and John spent his entire life in service to his Lord. He was not killed, but he spent his latter years in exile.
Instead of their lives being guided by a philosophy that was foreign to the example and teaching of Jesus, they practiced what they heard Him say on one occasion. Maybe we should learn to do the same thing.
It is interesting that this text I’m thinking about follows the request of the two brothers and their mother for those places of prominence.
But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:25-28)
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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
