Do You Love Him?
Mark 10:32-45
• We live in a society that values ambition.
• Those who are most respected in our society are driven by ambition to reach higher goals than those who fail to achieve notoriety.
• This past week, citizens of 42 states and the District of Columbia purchased lottery tickets to win the MegaMillion jackpot of over $660 million dollars.
• To purchase a ticket that has a 1 in 176 million chance of winning takes a lot of something.
• Perhaps it is ambition, I am not sure I can say.
• A teacher decided to get her students to write an essay about what they would do if they won a million dollars.
• The teacher said the classroom was quiet for about 30 minutes while the students worked with figures, costs, plans and dreams.
• A lot of creativity and notable generosity was expressed by the students.
• The essay that caught the teacher’s attention, however, was turned in by a thoughtful and ambitious girl.
• Accompanied by pages of plans, figures and spread sheets, the girls essay simply said, “A million dollars just will not do. I need a couple of hundred thousand more.”
• Transition: For nearly three years, the disciples walked with Jesus with eager anticipation.
• They learned each would be different from the previous day, and they typically would be delighted with the results.
• Yet another day, they would experience the joy of discovery in following Jesus.
• But lately, as we approach today’s passage, things had taken a turn.
• Things were different, but the differences were not comfortable to the disciples.
• Things were taking a turn that gave them pause, created doubts, confused and even discouraged them.
• They began to struggle with questions they feared to voice, doubts, insecurities and even regrets.
• In their confusion, they began to hold back, not walk as close to Jesus as they did.
• Jesus was obviously under deep stress, and it appeared to the disciples the stress was getting to Him.
• He was speaking of death and suffering, saying things like rich people couldn’t be part of His kingdom.
• He said that the children were closer to His kingdom than they were, children who couldn’t even understand.
• Truly, anyone would have to reconsider any commitment they made, wouldn’t they?
• So they followed Him from a short distance.
Mar 10:32-34 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise."
• As they tried to pull away a little to think and get a handle on the recent events, Jesus instead calls them to walk close to Him so He could walk determinedly to Jerusalem and teach at the same time.
• As they drew near Him, He began the teaching of death and suffering again.
• He was very specific and detailed about his betrayal, trial, beating and crucifixion…
• …And His resurrection: “And after three days He will rise.”
• Such talk caused a sickening feeling in their stomachs, sweat to form on their brows.
• Many questions came to the minds of the disciples, including, “Did we make the right decision? Did we do the right thing? Will what we have forsaken to follow Jesus be worth it?”
Mar 10:35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 36 And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" 37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."
• James and John wanted assurances. So they asked for one request.
• Jesus asked, “What is it you want from me? What do you want me to do?”
• Their answer, “We want to be your right hand and left hand men in your kingdom. We need to know that our sacrifices have been worth it.”
Mar 10:38 Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" 39 And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."
• Jesus quickly pointed out that they didn’t understand what they were asking for.
• Were these disciples willing to drink the cup that Jesus was about to drink?
• Jeremiah 25:15 Thus the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: "Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.
• The Scripture scholars of those days, as well as today, realize that drinking of the cup was in reference to God’s wrath.
• Jesus was about to drink the wrath of God for the sins of the whole world.
• All of our guilt was going to be heaped upon the sinless one and were going to die with Him.
• He would be so immerged in the sins and wickedness of the world, He referred to it as a baptism, being completely under, buried or submerged.
• “James and John, are you willing to drink of God’s wrath even to death and be submerged under the sins of others, suffering from others’ sins even to death?”
• When they said, “Yes, we are,” they proved that they did not have any idea what they were asking.
• Jesus affirmed part of their understanding by saying the path they had chosen would indeed cost them their lives.
• They would suffer for, but not pay for, the sins of others.
• They would be hated and martyred for the cause of Christ.
• And even though Christ would reward His followers, as He promised in Mat_25:31-40; Joh_5:22-30, those places of His right and left hand men were assigned by the Father.
• Remember, Jesus lived under complete submission to His Father while in this life, and in complete agreement with the Father in eternity.
Mar 10:41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.
• “The nerve of asking such of Jesus Christ!” the other disciples thought.
• Whether they spoke it or not is not significant. It showed all over their faces and in their responses.
• It is understandable that they resented the sons of Zebedee asking for positions that they coveted.
• The indignation was obviously fleshly attempts to vie for higher positions, respect and popularity.
• This presented Jesus with a golden opportunity to teach a powerful lesson.
Mar 10:42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
• Up to this point, the disciples were still following Jesus for what they expected out of it.
• They were still following Jesus to serve their own best interests.
• Jesus points out that this is how unregenerated people participate in organizations.
• It’s about what they get out of it; how it serves them.
• It is about grabbing for power, being a leader, and becoming someone important.
• Jesus didn’t say that this would not work in the Church. We still see it today.
• He did say there was no place for the power-grabbing that is so natural for mankind in the Church.
• He said that the important people in the Church would be the humble, those who serve and those who deferred their interests for the interests of others.
• And then He pointed out the example that He Himself has given us.
• The creator of the universe, sustainer of all powers, the Lord of lords and King of kings didn’t come to earth for His creation to serve Him.
• He came as a humble servant and literally gave His life for His fallen creation.
• There are three things about Jesus’ example that I covet in my life and in yours.
I. We must be willing to suffer loss.
• To be counted in Christ’s service, you must be willing to accept God’s assignment.
• As Jesus prayed to the Father in the garden, “Not my will but thine be done,” we must die to our plans, ambitions and expectations. Ref. Matthew 26:31.
• Jesus asked the disciples, “Are you willing to drink of the bitter cup that I am about to drink”.
• You will not be asked to die for the sins of the world because you and I cannot qualify for a pure sacrifice.
• However, we must be willing to sacrifice all for Jesus.
• We must be willing to “take up our cross and follow Jesus.” Ref. Matthew 16:24.
• Joh_12:25 “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
• I cannot accomplish this unless I love Him most.
• I will fail unless my love for Him is enough for me to suffer loss for His will. His love for me is enough to sustain me.
• Do you love Him?
II. We must be willing to be submerged.
• Jesus talked of not only drinking of God’s will, but also suffering the care of many souls.
• Soul-care is difficult and painful. It is costly and requires sacrifice.
• Many have said, “Lord, I will give up all for you, as long as I don’t have to deal with other people.”
• “Build a monastery and put me in it and I will be the model Christian.”
• If you were attending our Wednesday night Bible Study, you would have heard repeatedly that the book of 1 John emphasizes that our responsibilities are to love God and love like God.
• Loving like God means loving others, loving those who God loves and suffering loss for the sake of others.
• Jesus told His disciples that they must be submerged, completely baptized in that kind of love.
• 1Jn_4:20 “If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
• That means this; you are willing to suffer from your brother without it shaking you from your service.
• Psalm 15:1, 4 “O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?... He who swears to his own hurt and does not change”.
• That means I won’t get offended and pull away from the Church.
• It means I won’t pick up an offence and get mad.
• It means I won’t pout over past hurts and excuse my lack of Christian service and concern.
• Jesus tells me to be willing to be submerged in rejection and keep on loving, keep on giving, keep on caring.
• I cannot accomplish this unless I love Him most.
• I will fail in this area unless my love for Him is enough for me to tolerate His sheep at their worse.
• He truly loves me and His love for me is enough to sustain me.
• Do you love Him?
III. We must be willing to be servants.
• Most Church arguments come when someone doesn’t get their way.
• Immature Christians fuss and fight because they want to be served and not give way to others.
• Many Christians approach their Christian service and Church membership the same as they would if they had never met Christ.
• This is what James is saying.
• James 4:1-3 “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
• I understand how we can get confused.
• I mean, God love me and gave His Son for me. Jesus gave His all for me.
• You should be willing to value me since God loves me so much.
• But Jesus said, “Stop, it is not about others loving you and serving you. It’s about you serving me by serving others.”
• He even illustrated it in a story.
• Mat 25:34-40 “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'”
• I cannot serve others like Christ did unless I love Him most.
• I will fail if my love for Him is not enough for me to stop seeking my own and serve Him through serving others.
• His love for me is surely enough.
• Do you love Him today?
• If you love Him most, you will be pleased to die to your will and suffer for His.
• If you love Him most, you will find it joyful to put up with the pain others cause you to reflect His love.
• If you love Him most, you will be honored to serve Him by serving others.
• Do you love Him today? Can you drink of this cup? Can you be submerged in the pain? Can you serve others without seeking to be served?
