10-21-18 Sunday Sermon Mark 10:35-45

Mark 10:35-45

“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him.

“Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”

“What is your request?” he asked.

They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

“Oh Yes,” they replied, “We are able!”

The Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared places for the ones he has chosen.”

When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So, Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.

But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

So, what do you think?

There are Two Ways to Look at their actions.

1.   Was James and John acting in a Proud Way, Boasting?

2.   Or were they acting in a motivated way?

o  As if they are being very ambitious acting? 

§  Such as like the Early-Bird gets the worm;

§  Or the first to ask gets the prize.

What comes to your mind when you think of the characteristics of Someone being Successful?

·       Male – Gentleman; Direct; Faithful; Integrity; Honest; Mature; Self-Confident; and have a Positive Attitude

·       Female - Self-belief; Ambition; Confidence; Passion; Humility and a willingness to learn; Sense of purpose; Assertiveness; Hard Work; Bravery; and is Persistent.

There is no question, James and John both wanted to be successful within their walk with the Lord and they wanted at least the position of that success and maybe the recognition that goes with it.

To James and John, it was to sit next to Jesus, so they could be close with the Lord as well as be in the position of knowing what’s going on and have opportunities where they could act.

But-at least by the way that they opened the conversation with Jesus suggests that they had some hesitation on their part.

·       "Teacher," they began, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."

·       “We want you to do us a favor.”

Often, we hear this “Testing of the Ground” from our children who want to do something that they are not so sure that they will be able to do.

We have all heard it, in fact, we have all done this as well. “Mom and Dad, we want to ask you for a favor.”

Asking in such a way that you are hoping for a “YES” answer before the real question is even asked.

But I think you have to get up pretty early in the morning to get one-over on Jesus. He so wisely and quite rightly responded with a question of his own: "What is it you want me to do for you?"

Finally, the two brothers made their request, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."

Surprisingly, Jesus Did-Not rebuke them for their desires.

And He did not question them of their motives even though they were so inappropriate and even proudful.

But Instead, he engaged them in further conversation about "the cup" and "the baptism."

He did not speak directly to it but I believe we all heard Him asking the two brothers "Can you Really-Truly follow me through my suffering and death?"

After all, Jesus had already told his disciples about his up-coming arrest and execution -- not just once, but three times.

His last prediction of what was to come soon is recorded in Mark 10:33-34 directly before our text for today.

Surely, if James and John had been listened to Jesus, they would have understood what was coming and they may have changed their minds about asking their question altogether.

^10:33) Listen, we are going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. ³⁴⁾ They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

However, from James and John’s question, it is very clear to me that they were so engrossed in their concern about their own future rather than showing any concern at all about Jesus’.

However, To the brother’s credit, when Jesus questioned them, they bravely responded with a yes -- "We are able."

And-Again, Jesus did not argue with them or question their motives. He simply told them that it was not up to Him who will sit where in the Glory.

But what about the other Disciples. What was their reaction?

·       What on Earth Are you thinking of?

·       How Dare You go behind our backs and ask Jesus for the best places of honor!

·       What are you trying to do? Push us all out in the Cold?

o  Was there Jealousy?

o  What about Fear?

o  How about Pride?

o  And I believe if we are truly honest, you would even have to say – that maybe, yes maybe some hatred also?!

Isn’t it Almost like what we call ROAD RAGE in our World of Today?

But, Did you catch it?

Did you catch that NONE of The Disciples shown ANY Concern At ALL about Jesus' prediction of His Suffering and of His Death?

They were just filled with Selfness, thinking of ONLY of Themselves.

Are we Like that Today?

Deep Down Inside of us, Is that who We Are Also?

But, As clearly as Jesus told them, you would have to think that surly, it has to be that no one could understand what Jesus was saying.

However, It makes you wonder because there is No Question that the other 10 clearly understood what James and John had done.

Can we not all imagine them going right back into the same argument that they all had on the road to Capernaum in the previous chapter. You Know, “Which one of them was the greatest”?

You remember, that was when Jesus settled their argument by saying, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all" (Mark 9:35).

·       And then as an example, he encouraged them to welcome the children in their midst.

In today's text, he responded in much the same way: "Whoever wishes to become Great among you must be Your Servant, and whoever wishes to be First among you must be Slave of all" ^(10:43-44).

·       As an example, he pointed to his own mission and way of life: "For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many" ^(10:45).

The Greek word for serving that appears twice in this verse is only found in three other places within Mark's Gospel.

·       After Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, angels came to Serve Him. ^(1:13).

·       After Simon/Peter's mother-in-law was healed by Jesus, she got up and used her newfound strength to Serve Jesus and his disciples. ^(1:31).

·       The women who witnessed Jesus' death are described as those who had Served him by supporting his ministry ^(15:41).

Isn’t Just So Cool? At the Beginning and End of Mark's Gospel,

·       Jesus is Served by women and angels,

·       And here in chapter 10,

o  In the midst of his own

§  Preaching,

§  Teaching,

§  And Healing ministry,

o  Jesus describes Himself with the very same word. He came to Serve.

For Jesus,

·       Success was not like sitting on a throne.

·       Success also Did Not mean "Lording or Ruling it over" other people who were lower on the social or economic ladder.

·       Success Did Not mean acting like a Master or a Ruler.

But - Instead, success looked like Serving.

·       It looked like being the Last in Line instead of the first.

·       It looked like being a Servant -- even a Slave to all others.

For Jesus – He redefined the meaning of what it is to be Successful.

It is not to ‘Sit on a Thrown Next to Jesus’ but rather to ‘Follow Jesus into Servicing others.

A basic dictionary definition of Service is simply to do something for and to help someone else –

·       God,

·       Another person,

·       Your church,

·       Your community,

·       And Your world.

That Almost Rolls of your tongue like the 4-H’s Pledge.

I pledge my head to clearer thinking,
My heart to greater loyalty,
My hands to larger Service,
and my health to better living,
For my club, My community, My country, and My world.

So – Just “How do we do this?”

·       It can be as easy as holding the door open for someone else behind you.

·       It can be visiting others who are in the Hospital

·       It could be just serving others, helping out in a soup kitchen

·       It could be praying for others who are in need.

·       When you hear a siren, saying a quick but meaningful prayer for the emergency crew, the people who are involved, and for their families.

·       It can be so involved as being part of a house building project for the poor

·       And it can even be being employed as a person who Serves others, Police, Fire, Ambulance, Bus Driver, Teacher, or some other type of community Service person.

·       It can be made easy, just doing something to help in or offer service to others.  

But just because it is easy to describe what Serving Others Is, It does not mean that it is always easy to do.

Not only are we busy people in a busy world but when we Serve,

·       We cannot select only those who we would like to help,

·       We are called to Serve Everyone.  

But - How can we possibly find the

·       Time and Energy to do even one thing more than what we are doing now

·       And I am not always comfortable when I am around some of the people who are in the world?

We all can find so many excuses

·       But the thing is,

·       God’s Word challenges us

·       Even with the example of Jesus,

·       And Jesus challenges us with the call to follow him –

·       Not only in our hearts,

·       Not only with our minds,

·       Not only in our prayers,

·       But in our daily, Every Day lives,

·       And in Serving, Providing Service to Others.

But - How are we to do that?

·       How are we to become people who are successful at Servicing

o  And not just with our words

o  But Truly With and In Our lives?

At the beginning of Mark's Gospel, Simon/Peter’s Mother-in-Law was unable to serve.

·       She was sick with a fever.

·       It was so severe that she couldn't even get out of bed.

·       Then Jesus came to her home –

·       He came right to her bedside –

·       He took her hand,

·       He helped her up,

·       And the fever left her.

·       She was completely healed!

The FIRST THING To be successful at Service, we need

·       The Healing Touch of Jesus.

Here is a little information about me:

·       I can't preach alone.

·       I can't visit someone who's just been diagnosed with cancer on my own.

·       Or at least if I do these things on my own strength,

o  I know that the Good that I share won't last long.

o  I can't Bring the Compassion of Jesus

o  Nor the challenge of Jesus' teaching to anyone

§  Unless I've first been touched by God myself first.

That is not only the Truth for me but for all of us.

·       Without having the touch of Jesus

·       And the power of the Holy Spirit,

·       We will just get frustrated, tired, and burned out.

And that Touch can come in so many ways.

Sometimes we might receive that touch

·       In our own quiet times with the scripture and/or in our prayer time.

Sometimes we might receive it

·       During the worship or as we take part in the Lord's Supper while at church.

Sometimes we receive it

·       Through music, Through friendships,

·       Or even after having an afternoon nap.

With the Touch comes a feeling of Great Peace.

·       This makes us feel really close to God,

·       And we may just want to stay there and enjoy that Peace.

We may just want to enjoy ourselves,

·       To enjoy God's Goodness,

·       And leave all of the Responsibilities and Frustrations of the world behind us.

But to live a life of successful living is more than just Jesus and us and feeling good about life.

We are not meant to receive the touch of Jesus only for ourselves.

·       That would be like singing the same chorus over and over again without ever stopping.

·       It may be wonderful at first, but at some point, you have to move on to a new song.

To be successful at service,

·       Yes, we need the touch of Jesus,

·       And we also need to move on to the next step.

Simon/Peter's mother-in-law didn't continue

·       To lie in bed thinking about how wonderful it was to be healed by Jesus.

·       She didn't just think about serving.

·       She didn't just sing about serving.

·       She responded with service.

·       To be people who are successful at serving,

o  We need to respond to Jesus.

·       We can't just save up our serving for some future day

o  For a time when we think we'll have more time then,

o  Or for a time when we think we'll feel ready.

For Jesus, serving was a way of life.

Even if Jesus had never said a single word

·       That described the way that lived,

·       We surely gain that knowledge by just the things that he did.

For Jesus, serving was more important

·       Than for Him to keep the religious law.

When he saw a man with a withered hand,

·       He healed him -- even though it was on the Sabbath that the law reserved as a day of rest.

For Jesus, serving was just part of who he was/is.

There's a wonderful recording of events found in the Gospel of John telling us about Jesus washing the disciples' feet.

·       Normally, it's the feet washing part of that story that gets our attention.

·       But just before Jesus washes his disciples' feet,

·       In John 13:3, it says, "Jesus knew that the Father had given Him authority over everything and that He had come from God and would return to God.”

·       That was when He got up from the table and washed his disciples' feet.

·       Jesus served because he knew that he had come from God and was going to God.

·       He served out of a sense of who he was.

For Jesus, serving did not come out of guilt.

·       It did not come out of low self-esteem.

·       It did not come because other people expected it.

·       It did not come because he needed to win the approval of others.

·       For Jesus, serving came out of knowing who he was.

That's my hope for your service and for my service.

·       Serving will come out of knowing who we are

o  Who we are in relationship to God through Jesus Christ.

·       We will be empowered to serve

o  Because we've been touched by Jesus

o  And are ready to respond to his call in our lives.

Dear Lord, we are so grateful that you came

·       Not to be served but to serve,

·       And we receive your touch in our lives with joy.

For those like Peter/Simon's mother-in-law

·       Who are ill and unable to serve,

·       We pray for your mercy and healing,

·       And for patience to rest in you.

For those you enable,

·       Grant a fresh vision

·       And fresh motivation for serving you and others. Amen.