Can You Drink the Cup?

Jesus’ disciples still can’t figure out life in God’s Kingdom. James and John ask Jesus for prime seats in his glory. Their request comes shortly after Jesus rebuked all the disciples for arguing about who was greatest, in Mk 9. On that trip to Capernaum, Jesus tried to straighten out their thinking:

Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35 (NIV)

We don’t often see such humility in our culture. Think about prime ministers and presidents, NHL and NBA players, or famous entrepreneurs or actors – they all want to be first, but they’re not often willing to be servants of all.

It sounds like leaders in Jesus’ day were similar. Jesus said,

You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Mark 10:42 (NIV)

No wonder Jesus’ disciples in Mark’s gospel and Jesus’ disciples today have trouble with Jesus’ teaching,” Anyone who wants to be first must be the servant of all.”

The culture in the Kingdom of God is different from anything we’re used to. Even after following Jesus, the disciples are still angling for the best seats. James and John bluntly asked Jesus:

Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory. Mark 10:37 (NIV)

Jesus tries once again to correct his disciples’ thinking.

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said.

The disciples don’t know what Jesus’ glory will cost. Jesus asks,

“Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” Mark 10:38 (NIV)

What cup will Jesus drink?

Jesus is talking about the cup of God’s wrath.

We talk about it in the new member’s class. The sacrament of Lord’s Supper is a sign and seal. If the cup at the LS is a sign and seal, the cup is a symbol of God’s wrath which Jesus drinks on behalf of sinful humankind.

Let’s we unpack some of the history of the cup of God’s wrath in the Bible. Isaiah and Jeremiah are Major Prophets in the OT. Not more important. Major Prophets just wrote more than Minor prophets. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah mention the cup of God’s wrath.

This is what your Sovereign Lord says,

your God, who defends his people:

“See, I have taken out of your hand

the cup that made you stagger;

from that cup, the goblet of my wrath,

you will never drink again.

I will put it into the hands of your tormentors.” Isaiah 51:22–23a (NIV)

Isaiah proposes a great reversal. God promises to take the cup of punishment from his covenant people and give it to their tormentors. Good deal, eh? God’s promise through Isaiah gives great comfort to God’s people being marched out of the smoking ruins of Jerusalem into exile by the Babylonian armies.

Several generations later, Jeremiah uses a similar word picture to speak of God’s judgement on the nations:

This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. Jeremiah 25:15 (NIV)

We find similar imagery of God’s judgement in Revelation, the last book in the NT. John has a vision of God’s judgement on people who persist in rebellion. Here’s what that looked like:

One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” Revelation 15:7–16:1 (NIV)

The cup or bowl of God’s anger contains God’s wrath. It’s liquid punishment on human sin and rebellion. It’s serious.

The cup of God’s wrath sounds appropriate when we think of bullies, murderers, or sexual predators. Bring it on!

But God’s wrath becomes a serious concern when we measure our own thoughts, words, and actions, against God’s standard of righteousness in the 10 Commandments. Take just the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Is God always #1 in your life?

I don’t know how you see yourself, but I confess, I fall short. I do stuff I shouldn’t do and fail to do stuff I should do. I am guilty of sin and rebellion against God. What about you?

B/c God is full of justice, he holds people accountable. The punishment for sin is contained in the cup of his wrath. But here is the amazing part of the gospel: Jesus came to take the cup of God’s wrath from us. Jesus offered to suffer and die for our disobedience and sin.

God’s anger at sin such serious business that the time came to drink the cup of God’s wrath at his crucifixion, Jesus wasn’t sure he could go through with it. Mark’s description of Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemane will come up as we read through the gospel closer to Good Friday:

[Jesus] took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14:33–36 (NIV)

Anticipating the cup of God’s wrath overwhelmed Jesus with sorrow to the point of death.

In 4 weeks, it will be Good Friday. In the Good Friday worship service, we’ll celebrate Communion. When we drink the cup in the LS, it’s a reminder that Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath. He took the cup of God’s wrath from our hands and drank it.

It’s the reason Jesus came into the world. Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God is the perfect substitute to shoulder the guilt of humankind’s rebellion against God. As a human, he can stand in our place. As God, he can bear the punishment for all humankind.

Jesus explains his mission to his disciples in Mark 10:

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (NIV)

That is what Jesus did at the cross: He drank the cup of God’s wrath at human sin. He gave his live because he loves you.

Jesus reveals his glory as the Messiah, prophet, priest, and king, when he is lifted up on the cross. You might describe Jesus’ suffering as a baptism by fire. His death makes it possible for God’s punishment to pass over you.

With the benefit of knowing the whole gospel we can see that Jesus is correct telling James and John they have no idea what they’re asking when they request to sit on Jesus’ right and left in his glory. They seem to expect Jesus’ glory in a triumphant parade and coronation in Jerusalem, followed by a grand feast. No wonder they’re making political moves to get the best seats.

The way Mark tells the good news of Jesus’ victory is that Jesus’ glory is revealed on the cross. On his right is a rebel hanging on the cross. Another rebel is hanging on the cross to his left. When Jesus enters his glory by conquering sin and death on a cross, God has prepared those spots, not for James and John, but for 2 rebels.

After Jesus dies, the centurion supervising the crucifixion looks at Jesus and recognizes something of Jesus’ glory. The centurion stands there in front of Jesus and marvels: “Surely this man was the Son of God!” It is what Mark is trying to say on every page of the gospel: Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus’ greatest glory is revealed because he comes as the servant of all

It’s the astounding realization that all of us need to reach. Jesus is the greatest prophet, priest and king. Yet he laid down his life in service of his people.

We’re called to follow his example

church leaders: elders and deacons, teachers and leaders

It’s not all honour, respect and having your own way

It’s not about being served; it’s about serving

As husband & wife, parents, and family members

No closer neighbours to love

Outdo each other in serving each other

Easy to say, but hard to do, especially in that hour before supper when everyone is hunger and tired. That’s when your commitment to serve God and neighbour is tested.

It’s tested when you need to serve up an apology, being the first to step forward and make things right

As leaders at school or work, as employers, teachers, and caregivers, wherever you might want to be tempted to lord it over others, boss others around, or look down your nose at someone you’re called to

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (NIV)