what God requires

I'm fairly certain we used the wrong Gospel reading in small group this morning, but as is typical with those things, it worked out quite well. What we read, and ultimately did a sort of lectio divina of was Luke's version of the Transfiguration. In it, Peter, James, and John are brought to the mountain with Jesus for no apparent reason, but are able to see the Moses and Elijah, to see Jesus transfigured, and to hear the voice of God "since they stayed awake." What an awesome event for them, and all because they were able to stay awake.

Contrast that with Mark 10.35-45 (Proper 24b) where James and John are scheming to be the two chosen friends of Jesus; to sit at his right and left hands in glory. Jesus here requires of them much more than to stay awake, they are to drink the cup that he drinks and be baptized with the baptism he was baptized with. This is serious stuff. He's not talking about the threat of the rhinovirus in the cup or the chill they might get from being sprinkled with water; he is talking about his death; his crucifixion, quite possibly the most awful means of death known to man.

Still later, after the other 10 get angry at James and John for their conniving, Jesus has requirements of them. "Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all." Here Jesus is requiring that his disciples throw off any power they may seek in order to serve. It is in the service of others, Jesus says, that glory is achieved. It seems to me that he is talking not about the glory of these men, but rather the glory of God. It is in the service of others in the name of God that God is glorified.

So what then does God require of those who follow Jesus? Sometimes all we're called to do is stay awake. Other times we will be called to the service of others. And yes, even to this day, we might even be called to lay down our lives, to drink from the cup of Christ, in order to live out our faith. It seems as though God requires different things of different people at different times. I guess our job is that of discernment.