Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” (Mark 10:35)

Expecting God To Do As I Ask

Zebedee was a man who had two sons who were impetuous and zealous of spirit. Jesus chose the two sons of Zebedee to be in His inner circle of disciples to take the gospel to the whole world. On one occasion, when Jesus entered a village of the Samaritans and the people did not receive Jesus, James and John implored the Lord to command fire to come down from heaven and consume the people. They cited the case of Elijah as justification for this rash act. Jesus rebuked them for their evil spirit to destroy precious lives. The Lord came to save men, not wipe them off the map with fire from heaven.

Jesus called James and John the “sons of thunder.” There is no indication why Jesus chose to label them as He did. There was a hotheaded spirit about the two brothers that caused problems within the twelve. A few weeks before Jesus was crucified, James and John (and their mother) came to Jesus asking for a special favor. They asked Jesus to grant them what they wanted. It was a bold move to demand something from Jesus. The apostles were unclear about the mission of Jesus, still hanging on to the mistaken idea that God would restore the kingdom of David, and Jesus would reign in Jerusalem. James and John asked to serve as co-rulers with Jesus, one on His right, and one on his left.

Whenever a man decides to seek a high office of importance, hungry piranhas circle around the campaign to place themselves at strategic positions of power within the government. It seems incredible that after nearly three years, James and John are still frivolously missing the purpose of the work of Jesus. They demanded that Jesus grant them what they wanted. When challenged about bearing the “cup” of responsibility that came with that request, the two brothers arrogantly affirm they can bear any challenge that comes along. Little did they know the extent of the suffering Jesus would endure. They had no idea how much their lives would change after the death of Jesus.

James and John came to Jesus demanding something they had no right to suggest. They were not asking but expecting. Even when Jesus chided them for their question, their arrogance led them to tell Jesus they could handle anything that would come. Could James have known that his death would come from Herod when the apostle was killed with a sword? He preached at Pentecost and witnessed three thousand people obey the gospel of Christ in baptism. James was instrumental in spreading the gospel of Christ throughout the world. His death would come early in the church.

John would live to be an old man who watched his fellow apostles martyred for the word of Christ. The beloved apostle cared for Mary, the mother of Jesus. His writings would show the glory of the divine nature of Jesus and the power of God’s love. The John of the gospels is not the same John who wrote the gospel and the letters of love. James and John changed from being the sons of thunder to the sons of the Most High King who bore the cup of suffering promised by Jesus. They would never again demand anything from the Lord.

There is a spirit among men that demands things from God. The arrogance of human pride uses God like a vending machine, expecting God to perform whatever desire the human heart has. Men have recreated God in their own image to serve them as their totem of religion. They have changed the message of salvation, rejecting the plain teaching of scripture. The reason there are so many churches today who claim to follow Jesus is that they have demanded that the Lord change His will to fit their desires. Preachers preach a gospel not found in scripture. They expect God to whimper to their demands, teaching doctrines like the sinner’s prayer, salvation by grace alone or faith alone, carnal worship, or, as some suppose, there is a new gospel, whether as a watchtower lie or message from the angel Moroni. God rejects these demands. He will not bow to man or accept the demands of the human heart. How dare a man make such a claim against the Lord.

Jesus is the only truth, and His word is sealed in Heaven. Men can boast against Him, but He remains unchanged. There is one church, one faith, one baptism, one Spirit, and only one hope. Jesus is the only Lord. God is the only Father. Man is made a little lower than the angels. Only when the hearts of men subject themselves to the will of the Father and submit totally to His will can salvation be found. Are you demanding of God, or are you subjecting your life to Him? Your answer has eternity written all over it.