“Where Should I sit?” Mark 10:35-45
1. James and John have a Selfish Petition
• James and John come to Jesus, not with a request, but a demand: "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you" (v. 35).
• "What is it that you want me to do for you?" Jesus asks (v. 36).
2. James and John desire to set in the seat of Prestige Power and Honor
• James and John are infected with the sin of pride and: "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand
and one at your left, in your glory “They are asking can we sit in the seat of power and authority,
• They desire to set in the seat of Prestige They desire to set with Him in the highest positions .The right hand seat was reserved for the person who was second in rank, the left
hand seat was reserved for the person who was third in rank.
• Where does God set when it comes to Pride? “Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13b) “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the
Lord. Be assured, he will not go unpunished.” (Proverbs 16:5)
3. Jesus asks them can you set in the seat of fate that will await me.
• He says, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink,?
• cup” He is talking about “what he will experience”.
• Are you willing to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"
• “The word “baptism” refers to being “submerged or immersed” in that experience. Jesus is saying, “I am about to be immersed in an experience that you cannot
imagine. Are you able to go through it too?” (Can you share my fate?)
• Jesus shares the Son of Mans seat of Fate? Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three
days rise again. 32He spoke plainly about this,
4. Jesus shares they will set in the seat of anguish and the seat of a Martyrdom
• Jesus says, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized, 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" (vv. 38-40).
• They will die for their faith. All of them died a martyr’s death, except for John and he was exiled to Patmos and greatly persecuted for his faith. These men would walk the
same road that Jesus walked, but they could never endure what He was about to suffer.
5. Jesus, pulls them all aside, and explains to them where they should sit? 42Jesus called them together
• Jesus explains generally those that sit in power those in power, tend to hold people hostage,
requiring much from them while giving little or nothing in return.
• One place you should not set and that is the seat of Pride "But it is not so among you," says Jesus to his disciples. "Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and
whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all" (vv. 43-44).
• The seat Jesus desire them to set is the seat of Service to Others
• Jesus explains what he will be giving away: his very life. "For the Son of Man came not to
be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (v. 45, ).
6. Where should I set? We to should set in the seat of service to others
• WE set in the seat of service by Staying in Church 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some
are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
• WE set in the seat of service by staying in His word to be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (v
• We set in the seat of service by staying in Prayer: "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by
prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians
• We set in the seat of Service by Imitating God Be imitators of God therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
• We set in the seat of Service by staying in Love with one another
• We set in the seat of service by Encouraging One another us24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
