Thomas J Parlette
“A Life of Service”
Mark 10: 35-45
10/20/24
The very first job I ever had was as a gas station attendant at a Mobil station not very far from where I lived in Downingtown, PA. The station was owned by a guy who went to our little country church. His son worked there, along with a couple of other guys. I was by far the youngest, I think I was about 14 or 15 at the time – right around when the original Star Wars movie came out. I remember reading the reviews in the Philadelphia Inquirer. My job was basically pumping gas.
Whenever a car pulled up to get gas, I would hustle out and ask would I could get them – usually they said filler-up – and then they’d sit in the car and watch me do my thing.
I would get the gas flowing, and while they waited, I would check their oil, check the air in the tires and wash their windows. It was a race to get it all done before the tank was filled. It was a great first job.
In the mid to late seventies, that was the norm. No one pumped their own. All gas stations were full service. Highly trained professionals, like me, would take of everything for you.
Now, of course, my old job doesn’t exist. Everyone pumps their own gas - unless you are passing through New Jersey, where it remains illegal to pump your own gas. Now, everything is self-serve.
That’s the way it is in our modern world. It used to be that you could walk into a full-service bank, any branch you wanted, and make a deposit, take out some cash, start the loan process for a house or new car, get something notarized, or simply get your coins exchanged to paper money. But in recent years, banks have been closing branches more and more. Between 2009 and 2020, the number of branches has fallen 12%. (1)
It’s not that people don’t need banks anymore – it’s because more and more people turn to online banking for assistance. When they need cash – they go to the ATM. When they want to exchange their pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters – they have to go to a grocery store or a Target and pay a fee to convert their money to bills.
In addition, people are dining less and less at full-service restaurants, with hostesses who seat you and waiters and waiters serve you and bussers clean up the dishes. As costs rise, people are choosing quick-service restaurants, where they mostly serve themselves and clean-up their own dishes.
Full-service gas stations, banks and restaurants are dwindling in recent years. They offer a variety of necessary or expected services, and their workers do their best to satisfy their customers. As a consumer, when you enter such an establishment, you expect your needs to be met – you expect a certain level of service.
So, is that the key to happiness? Is full service, having all your needs met to key to a fulfilling life?
Not exactly says Jesus.
In this morning’s passage, Jesus is walking with the disciples on the road heading up to Jerusalem. Two disciples, the sons of Zebedee named James and John, come forward and say to Jesus, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
Wow! – quite the request! They want Jesus to be a full-service teacher, meeting their needs and satisfying their desires.
I once saw a Far Side style cartoon that showed Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden. From a dark cloud overhead, a huge arm – presumably belonging to God – extended down from the sky. The index finger of the hand was directing the first couple toward the exit. But as this was happening, Adam spoke to God and said, “Can I have a doggie bag for the rest of the apple?” The caption below the cartoon read, “Adam really, really missed the point.” (2)
That’s pretty much what is happening in this story. James and John had really missed the point. For the third time in the days preceding this event, Jesus had plainly told his disciples what was going to happen in Jerusalem. He was going to suffer and die. It seems that these two brothers had not heard a word that Jesus has said – it went right over their heads.
At first, Jesus plays along. He asks them, “What is it you want me to do for you.” In other words – “How can I help you? What can I get you?”
And James and John say, “Appoint us to sit one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” So, they want the most coveted seats in the house, what restaurants sometimes call the “display tables.” These are the seats that are reserved for the celebrities and A-listers that might stop by. These are the seats which, quite literally, put you on display. You are immediately visible to everyone entering. You see everyone, and everyone see you.” That’s the point of display tables – see and be seen.
James and John want to be seated with Jesus at the “display table” in the Kingdom of God. Maybe they even slipped him a couple of shekels to grease the wheels a bit.
Noted preaching professor Tom Long once portrayed this story in one of his books. He imagines it as though it were a scene from an old World War I movie. Jesus, as he imagines the scene, is the tough, battle-hardened sergeant, about to order his men into deadly combat. They’re hunkered down in the trenches and the bullets are whizzing overhead,
But the soldiers in his squad happen to be named, Larry, Curly and Moe. Just as their valiant leader cries “OK boys, over the top!” and begins to climb out of the trench, Curly pulls on the hem of his sergeant’s uniform, and with a goofy grin says – “Look, we have matching ties and blazers, can we sit on either side of you?” (3)
If you recall the truth Jesus has just revealed to them – that he will suffer and die, their demand is ridiculous to the point of being absurd.
But how different really, is their request, compared to so many of the prayers we’re inclined to offer up in our less reflective moments?
Fame and glory. They do sound appealing, don’t they? Are we entitled to such prizes, because we’ve chosen to follow Jesus? The Bible says the other 10 disciples were angry with James and John for asking such a thing. But is that because they think the request is out of line? Or is it because they’re upset they didn’t think of it first? Hard to say.
Whatever the case may be, Jesus says to the brothers, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
“Sure,” they say – “that sounds good. We are able.”
“You will drink the cup and you will receive the baptism, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to appoint – it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
Jesus predicts that they will suffer just as he will suffer, drinking the same cup and receiving the same baptism. But he goes on to say that he is not the one who will be assigning seats at the tables in the Kingdom of God. Only God prepares the final seating chart. Jesus makes it clear that the Kingdom of God is not a full-service restaurant. You don’t get to make a reservation at the best tables, then have a server meet your needs and satisfy all your requests. Money, power and status do not put you at a display table, where you can see and be seen.
No, Jesus attaches a very different meaning to full-service. And his meaning is the exact opposite of what most of us expect.
The 10 other disciples become angry with James and John, probably because they feel that the two of them are pushing ahead of them in line to the Kingdom of God. Jesus calls the disciples together to straighten them out. He says, “You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.”
In the kingdoms of the world, power-people are tyrants. They throw their money, status and power around, and put themselves on display. But in the Kingdom of God, power-people are servants. Those who wish to be great must devote themselves to serving the people around them.
Jesus turns our idea of full-service completely on its head. Full service does not mean that your needs are met and your every request is filled. No – full-service means that you serve others fully.
Author Anne Lamott admires a friend who picks up litter as they walk together. The woman is 84, short and sturdy, and she puts the small items in a little bag attached to her belt. Her friend says, “I’m just picking up micro litter, little stuff, like bottle caps and bits of wrappers. But I try to help where I can.” (4)
Once upon a time, there was a great and powerful war horse that came upon a tiny sparrow, lying on its back with its feet in the air, eyes squinched tightly shut with effort. The horse asks, “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to hold back the darkness.”
The horse roars with laughter. “That is so pathetic. What do you weigh, about an ounce?”
And the sparrow replies, “You do what you can.” (5)
Trying to help, in ways big and small, is part of living a full-service life. You do what you can.
Lamott also remembers the love and service shown by her mother. When Anne was growing up, her mother showed love and service by “taking modest bouquets and baked goods to friends in decline. Some had sunk into cranky dementia, alcoholism or depression,” says Lamott. “But my mom showed up for them. She taught me that service makes me happy.” (6)
Good point – service does make us happy. We think that being served will make us happy, but such happiness is short-lived. We have a great meal, leave a tip for excellent service, and then… the next day we are hungry again. Only serving others gives us a satisfaction that lasts.
Lamott says, “We know by a certain age the great palace lies of the culture.” Interesting phrase – “the great palace lies.” What she means is the lies that possessions, achievements and positions will make us happy. The “palace lies” are what motivate the rulers of the gentiles to lord it over the people of the land. But Lamott knows that it is a lie to believe that if you buy, do or achieve certain things, you will be happy, rich and fulfilled.
“Nope,” she concludes. “Love and service make us rich.” (7)
I think Jesus would agree. A full-service life is an existence devoted completely to service. Happiness and greatness come not from achievement and wealth or sitting at the right or left hand of Jesus. No – true happiness and greatness comes from helping others and making the world a better place. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr once said in one of his last sermons, “The Drum Major Instinct” – “Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.” (8)
Full-service banks, restaurants and gas stations might be going out of style. But not full-service people, not people who are willing to follow the example of Jesus. He said that “he came not to be served but to serve.” And that kind of life of service will never go out of style.
May God be praised. Amen.
1. Jan Kiel and Steven Ongena, “The demise of branch banking – Technology, consolidation and bank fragility,” Journal of Banking and Finance, Jan. 2024, www.sciencedirect.com.
2. Stan Purdum, Sermons on Gospel Readings Cycle B, “The Strange Economy of the Kingdom of God,” CSS Publishing Inc. 2005, p337.
3. Homileticsonline, retrieved 10/1/24.
4. Anne Lamott, “A short guide to a full-service life,” The Washington Post, Dec, 24, 2023, A19.
5. Ibid…
6. Ibid…
7. Ibid…
8. Martin Luther King Jr. “The Drum Major Instinct,” preached at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Feb. 4th, 1968.
