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Nobody ever says "when I grow up I want to be a janitor or a garbage man." You want to be doctors, lawyers, scientists, architects, engineers... men of importance and authority. When you were really young you might even have said you wanted to grow up to be an astronaut, a "black knight" or maybe even the president. Maybe you wanted to be a "king." And now that you're older and more mature.. .your "old Adams" still want to be a "king," King Adam. That's why your days are the way they are, full of strife and battle.

Well, at least the mother knew how powerful Jesus was. She knew He was certainly very persuasive; she and Zebedee had lost both of their boys to this strange man's influence. Putting the "best construction" on it (on her) as the 8th Commandment mandates, we assume that she too believed Jesus was the long waited for Messiah! But like most, the mother of James didn't quite understand WHERE His kingdom would take fruition; WHAT this "Christ" would have to DO to bequeath the inheritance on His brothers and sisters. She trusted Jesus enough to go to Him, face-to-face, and ask for want she wanted. Confidence to ask Him, expecting a "yes," that's good. It was the content, the "what" of her petition that was lacking. That's the same with many of your prayers. Examine yourselves honestly. It's true. Many times when you ask the Lord for help you ask only from your emotions, your hearts, your "felt needs." These are all fickle and can be manipulated by the devil, the world, and your base "old natures." Like her, you "don't know what [you] ask."

The mother wanted success for her children, for her first-born son, St. James (James, named after the famed and storied patriarch Jacob). Success! Earthly triumph! What mom and dad don't desire the same for their own beloved children? Good job (fulfilling and rewarding vocation), health, prestige, nice grand-children, happiness; that sounds like you and me asking on behalf of our own kids. I'm sure the Blessed Virgin wanted the same peace and fulfillment for her dear Son. After all, hadn't she been told by the angel; "He will be great, ..and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David." [Lk. 1.32] But does glory and good times come by way of thrones? Had not Elisabeth also told Mary "Blessed is the fruit of your womb."[Lk. 1.42]

Wasn't James, the fruit of Mrs. Zebedee, blessed? Hadn't James been called by the Lord to be one of the "12" a "disciple" of the Master? Yes. Wasn't James "blessed" to be commissioned one of the Holy Apostles? Yes. Wasn't this "Son of Thunder" "blessed" to be able to bind and loose with the word of Christ Himself on his lips? Didn't James speak in tongues, heal the sick, drive out demons, and bring the kingdom? Yes.

Gabriel and Elisabeth spoke, but God also revealed His counsel through Simeon: "This child is appointed for a sign to be opposed!" and you dear loving Mother Mary "a sword will pierce even your own soul."

Your lives are lived now under the cross, not in heaven. Your day to day battles are fought on scorched earth, not in the "many mansions " yet awaiting. Your crosses are to be carried, your crowns of thorns to be worn, your confessions to be made in the face of all adversaries. A servant is not above his Master.

She wanted James to sit "on the right," upon a throne. The Lord had promised the "12" thrones. But first He would send them out to "serve tables," to "catch fish," to "shepherd sheep," and to bleed; so too for all of you. First a disciple is given a cross, and then at the end, a crown and a throne.

"Are you able to drink the cup that I AM about to drink?" the Lord asked James. The answer is NO! Only the Son of God can drain the "cup of wrath," God's holy, righteous wrath against sin, down to the bitter dregs. James could no more keep the Torah any better than you can. James and his brother could no more sacrifice their lives for your sins than you can earn or work your way to righteousness. "Are you able to be baptized with the baptism that I AM to be baptized with?" The Lord was again referring to His crucifixion and atonement for all of James' trespasses, weaknesses, inadequacies, dirtiness... and all of yours as well. It would be Jesus who would be baptized; not as He was the first time in the Jordan, but baptized with blows, slaps, insults, spittle, sweat, and blood.

James and his brother without any hesitation said YES, "we are able." They meant well, like when Peter said that he would never run away, like when Thomas said he would go to Jerusalem and die with Jesus, like all of you when you spoke your vows on Confirmation Day promising to suffer all, even death, before falling away from Jesus. "We are able." Well, no and yes. Of yourselves you are not able to do anything. But you're no longer of or for yourself. You are IN CHRIST. By the power of the Holy Spirit working in you through Word and Supper, working the same gift of steadfastness that He worked in James and John, YES, you are able. Paul is correct "I/You/We can do all things through Christ [Php. 4.13] In Christ, you have been called and anointed + and made royal priests. In Christ, James had been called as disciple, ordained as Apostle, and sent out IN JESUS' NAME. James went to "all nations " with the very Breath of the Holy Spirit still on his lips; sent to serve, preach, teach, bind, loose, serve and die. DIE.

The Lord predicted James' death. The Apostle's martyrdom turned out to be his greatest glory. Glory? Yes. For James' death was his physical "witness" which forever points others to salvation in their Savior. According to tradition, when James the Elder was being led to his martyrdom in Jerusalem, he gave there his last Confession of Faith, which so moved the one guard who led him there, that the guard at once confessed that he too was also a Christian, and begged James to forgive him, whereupon they were both led away and beheaded together. And that, is how James became "Great;" by being Less. As Jesus had said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." So also did James learn to give his own life for the sake of the Gospel. Behold the power of faithfulness unto death. The strongest of all confessions of faith are confessions made in the face of certain martyrdom, and so the Church Catholic, the Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, rightly accords highest honor to martyrs who have so shared in the suffering of Christ. Today's "RED" colored paraments help us to remember James' blood, shed in servant hood to the Church. The blood of a "follower" which directs us back to the only Blood that covers us all, washing us clean, the Blood of the Lamb. The same Blood which you will soon drink anew for life everlasting.

The example of James and his last convert, instills a willingness to suffer for Christ in both preacher and hearer alike, in recollection of the promise, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."