Lords of Dust

Mark 10:35-45

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, “Appoint 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 appoint, 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; 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. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”

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In the Presbyterian tradition, we elect elders and empower them to oversee many church functions. We are reminded in our polity that "Ruling elders are so named not because they "lord it over" the congregation, but because they are chosen by the congregation to discern and measure its fidelity to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life." (Book of Order G-2.0301) The standard to which we hold ourselves is clear, yet we, like the disciples, still often forget or lose sight of our sacred calling. And instead of striving for a heavenly community built on mutual support and servant leadership, we strive to become lords of dust, worthless dust.

 The disciples once again appear to misunderstand the purpose of Jesus' ministry. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Jesus with the seemingly benign request, "Appoint us to sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left, in your glory." Yet the question isn't all that benign. 

It is unquestionably a noble specimen of faith; but hence we perceive how easily the pure seed is no sooner implanted in our hearts than it becomes degenerate and corrupted; for they imagined to themselves a kingdom which had no existence, and presently committed the folly of desiring the highest places. (John Calvin, Harmony of the Gospels V.2)

James and John view Jesus' ministry as a pretense to establish a new earthly kingdom. And as early backers who witnessed the ups and downs of the journey, they want to make sure they get a return on their investment. The disciples' ambition for power, honor, and glory ultimately does not align with the heavenly kingdom to which Christ refers.

How often do we misinterpret the kingdom of God? If our understanding of the kingdom of God, of the vertical (the relationship between God and us), is corrupt, how can we hope to maintain the horizontal (the relationships between one another)?

We are not immune from the struggles of the disciples or the people who came before them. We like power, and once we experience it, we do not want to relinquish it as James and John tried to as they attempted to move their way up in their social standing. That same ambition is displayed in corporate/political greed, social divisions, and the church. We must recognize our responsibility as disciples to act against such unjust systems and name the times when we have failed. We are called not to be lords of dust over that which has no lasting impact and will be carried off by the winds of time but servant lords (or stewards) of one another and creation. 

It would be understandable for Jesus to be angry or frustrated with James and John, yet he uses their misunderstanding as a moment to reorient their hearts. Jesus lays out for them the tendency of our hearts to seek power and hold it over others, then transitions and says, "It is not so among you." Unlike the power lords and rulers lust for, the power that fades, power over things that will crumble and turn to dust, Jesus becomes a living embodiment of a movement that envisions radical servant leadership, one where Christ pays the price of sin for others instead of expecting others to the ransom, the cost of grace. 

Jesus, our living Lord, is still at work, teaching us how to live in community with one another as servant leaders. We witness the living testimony of Jesus whenever we see people choose humility over self-promotion and when communities come together to care for the most vulnerable. We see it in frontline workers giving of themselves during a crisis, the advocates for justice who refuse to be complacent in unjust systems, and the countless individuals who choose to serve without expectation of recognition. We are given a second chance to cast aside our desire to become lords of dust and instead become stewards of life-giving earth (earth that feeds, nurtures, and creates community).

The path of discipleship is not easy, but it is filled with opportunities to grow, learn, and transform. Christ's call to servant leadership isn't merely a suggestion; it is an invitation to embody a way of life that stands in stark contrast to the power-seeking, self-serving motives that so often dominate our world. We are asked, dare I say told, to reject the fleeting titles and empty honors and embrace the role of servants who steward the abundant grace and goodness of God's creation. 

Let us not lose sight of our sacred calling—to live as followers of Christ who led by washing feet, feeding the hungry, breaking bread with the outcasts, discerning how we might cultivate the ground beneath our feet to be life-bearing earth. May we, with humility, seek the glory that is not our own but belongs entirely to Christ, who has shown us what true power and true love look like. The Kingdom of God is not built on ambition or control; it is built on service, compassion, and the humble heart of Christ. Let that be our guide as we seek to lead, to serve, and to love one another faithfully.