Petting Zoo.

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor. He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied, “Permit these two sons of mine to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He told them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” Now when the other ten disciples heard this, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:20-28)

"Pet" is an interesting word with multiple meanings. It is a noun, it is a verb, it is an adjective, it is an acronym. And, in the above passage, there is a lot of "petting" going on, in every sense of the word.

Zebedee's wife. It is significant that Scripture tells us she kneels before Jesus prior to asking Him to pet (favor) her. In this case, Mrs. Zebedee's vested interest was not really in the establishment of the kingdom of God: she wanted to see the establishment of her sons to prominence. And it is significant that Jesus, seeing her kneeling, asks her "What do you want?", because He knew she was not kneeling to ask Him, "Jesus, what do You want?". Not everyone who petitions Jesus is worshiping Him. 

Zebedee's sons. As pets (overindulged children), James and John transitioned into adulthood continuing to childishly funnel their personal desires through their mother. And, like children, they foolishly thought they were capable of enduring the level of suffering Jesus was about to face in His Passion. But if they couldn't ask Jesus a simple question without enlisting their mommy's help, what made them think they were ready to suffer for His sake? Not everyone who says to Jesus "I am able" is able.

The other ten disciples. These other ten men petted (sulked and took offense) at the brash request of Mrs. Zebedee. Their reaction brought to life a "pet peeve" that was lining the minds of all the disciples: the privilege of being with Jesus was not enough. Each disciple wanted to be first in rank. This mindset also surfaced at another point in their ministry, leading them to argue with each other about who among them was the greatest (Mark 9:33-35). Not everyone who sits with Jesus is satisfied with His companionship.

Jesus. Our Lord, long before this incident, had conducted a spiritual PET (positron emission tomography) scan on His disciples and on Mrs. Zebedee. He knew the layout of their inner workings: their brains and their hearts, their desires, their motives. He saw how selfish ambition had jumped out of society and into their faith community, grossly infecting each disciple-- an infection so deep that three years of direct teaching from Jesus was not enough to erase its effects. His assessment? You are supposed to be living according to My kingdom values, but you are still living according to the cancered values of Rome. Purge Rome from your souls and embrace My kingdom.

During this past weekend of English-language services, Pastor Sam warned us of the danger of seeking to be petted (deriving sensual pleasure or personal gratification) through wielding prestige and authority, or through manipulating the weak and helpless. He said, and I paraphrase, "The value of the kingdom of God is servant leadership. Jesus, the One who took a basin and towel and washed His disciples' feet, has demonstrated to us that the greatest among us is indeed the one who serves." And, our pastor asked a question: "Are you seeking to serve, or are you seeking to be served?"

God, please reveal to us the inner workings of our being. Help us to reject the urge to be served. By the power of Your gracious Spirit, cause us to fully embrace servanthood for the sake of Your kingdom.