You Got Served

What it says:

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

Mar 10:36 NKJV – And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

Mar 10:37 NKJV – They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”

Mar 10:38 NKJV – But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

Mar 10:39 NKJV – They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;

Mar 10:40 NKJV – “but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but [it is for those] for whom it is prepared.”

Mar 10:41 NKJV – And when the ten heard [it], they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.

Mar 10:42 NKJV – But Jesus called them to [Himself] and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

Mar 10:43 NKJV – “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

Mar 10:44 NKJV – “And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

Mar 10:45 NKJV – “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

What it means / What it means to you:

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

• This is kind of a funny thing to do because Jesus just told them in the previous verses that he was going to die
• It would be like if I said I was terminal and I was going to die soon and you said, “Yeah before you do that I have a favor to ask.”

Mar 10:36 NKJV – And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

Mar 10:37 NKJV – They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”

• This is an audacious request but it shows us a couple of things one they were brave enough to ask Jesus for what they wanted while the others who really wanted the same thing were too timid to make such a request

Mar 10:38 NKJV – But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

Mar 10:39 NKJV – They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;

• Even though Jesus Says this he is taking about in the future because in just a little bit they will all run for their lives when Jesus is arrested

Mar 10:40 NKJV – “but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but [it is for those] for whom it is prepared.”

• The Disciples wanted to share in the glory of Christ but they didn’t know what it would take for Christ to enter into his glory.
• It took dying on the cross, the Disciples were inadvertently asking for each of them to be crucified next to Jesus one on his right and one on his left

Mar 10:41 NKJV – And when the ten heard [it], they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.

• This is the result of a long-standing argument amongst the disciples
• They already had this argument previously and there are about to have this argument again at the last supper
  • Mar 9:33-35 NKJV – Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who [would be the] greatest. And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
  • Luk 22:24 NKJV – Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. (At the Last Supper)

Mar 10:42 NKJV – But Jesus called them to [Himself] and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

• This reminds me of the of how ancient royalty is depicted as having palanquins, you know those beds with pillows that had curtains and were carried around by slaves
• They always seemed to have some slave nearby fanning them

Mar 10:43 NKJV – “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

Mar 10:44 NKJV – “And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

• Notice that Jesus doesn’t rebuke them for wanting to be great in the Kingdom of God, He corrects their understanding of what that means
  • 1Co 9:24 – 27 NKJV – Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain [it]. And everyone who competes [for the prize] is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a perishable crown, but we [for] an imperishable [crown]. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as [one who] beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring [it] into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
  • Heb 12:1-4 NKJV – Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares [us], and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

• In fact Jesus had already promised them position in Mat 19:28 NKJV – So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Jesus also promises us that if we will lay down our life for his sake now we will also inherit similar rewards
  • Rev 3:20 NKJV – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
  • Rev 3:21 NKJV – “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
  • 1Co 6:2 NKJV – Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
  • 1Co 6:3 NKJV – Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
  • Parable of the Talents
• Paul is the epitome of this look at 1Co 9:19 NKJV – For though I am free from all [men], I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
• I think of the Military and those we consider heroes in our culture they are those who Sacrifice and risk everything for others.
• 1Pe 5:1 NKJV – The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
• 1Pe 5:2 NKJV – Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
• 1Pe 5:3 NKJV – nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
• 1Pe 5:4 NKJV – and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
• 1Pe 5:5 NKJV – Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to [your] elders. Yes, all of [you] be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

• 1Pe 5:6 NKJV – Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
• Mar 10:45 NKJV – “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
  • Jesus starts off for many of us as a means to an end
  • He’s a means to fix my marriage
  • He’s a means to break my addiction
  • He’s a means to immortality
  • I believe Jesus is happy to serve you in this way
  • This doesn’t mean that Jesus is inferior to you that he chooses to serve you
  • Jesus is vastly no infinitely superior to you but he loves you and he wants to serve you
  • What is the ultimate purpose for Christ doing all these things? It’s so that we can be reconciled to God and be in relationship with him
  • A parent serves a baby at his / her every beck and call but that doesn’t mean the baby is superior to the parents
  • Eventually that baby is expected to grow up and begin serving other by getting a job and taking care of his own family
• There comes a time in a Christian’s life where he grows up a little and God becomes less of a means and he becomes the end that we are seeking
• There is a shift were we desire to imitate Christ and serve Him and others wholeheartedly
• Ex. Moravian missionaries

• This verse really is an encapsulation of the gospel
  • What are we being ransomed from?
    • Sin
    • What is sin
    • Sin is transgression of the Law. 1Jo 3:4 NKJV – Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
    • Sin is wrapped up in our nature Eph 2:3 NKJV – among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
      • Sin isn’t just the Kinds of things we do it’s the kind of thing that we are
      • We are a natural born sinner
      • We aren’t a sinner because we committed sins we commit sins because we are a sinner.
      • Rom 3:10 NKJV – As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
      • Rom 3:11 NKJV – There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
      • Rom 3:12 NKJV – They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”
    • Sin enslaves us.
      • Jhn 8:34-36 NKJV – Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, [but] a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
        • You couldn’t stop sinning even if you wanted to
        • You are a slave to sin, in total and complete bondage
        • You are a subject, a serf, a slave, a pawn
      • 1Jo 5:19 NKJV – We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies [under the sway of] the wicked one.
      • Rom 6:20-23 NKJV – For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things [is] death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
      • Uses the law against us
    • Death and Divine Judgment are the result
• If you aren’t a Christian I want you to picture yourself captive right now. You are being held hostage, a ransom demand has gone out and it has been paid. You can go but for some reason you haven’t yet. Maybe because you didn’t know that the ransom had been paid or maybe you have developed a bond with your captor
• Make no mistake God doesn’t want to destroy you with your sin but if you will not be separated from your sin. Then you will be cast out with both the Devil himself and your sin