The Serving Savior (Mark 10:32-45)

The Serving Savior Mark 10:32-45 Introduction • Jesus’s conflict with the Jewish leaders is coming to a head. Jesus has been ministering for about 3 years now and Passover, the appointed day of his death, draws near. In 7 days, Jesus will be dead. • Jesus has predicted his death two other times (8:31; 9:31) • The disciples are showing themselves to be rather dull students: indignant toward children (10:13) and stunned at Jesus’s response to the rich young ruler (10:26-27). • The final statement prior to our scene is this: “many who are first will be last and the last first A Clueless Request (10:32-37) • To everyone’s amazement, Jesus is charging up the hill to Jerusalem to his death (see 32-34) • At this moment, James and John seek a blank check first and the two highest places of honor once that tactic failed (ignoring the third person of their inner circle, Peter). • The request reflects some faith – some commentators wonder if, like Peter, they were trying to break Jesus out of his defeatist thinking. • Parallel passages show, however, that the request was premeditated and manipulative (see Matthew 20:21). A Humbling Reply (10:38-41) • • • The cup of God’s wrath is a metaphor used throughout the Old Testament to symbolize God’s rage against the entire planet – see Psalm 75:8; Jeremiah 25:15-16; or Zephaniah 3:8 (just to name a few). Judgment by baptism is also an Old Testament metaphor for the inundation of cataclysmic suffering – Messiah will be swept away by the torrents of judgment (Psalm 42:7), stuck in the mud while floods inundate him (Psalm 69:1-2), and passed through the waters of judgment (Isaiah 43:2). James and John, however, are blinded by ambition. Nine are are blinded by rage, and one by hypocrisy. A Call to Service (10:42-45) • Jesus begins with an observation from the world of men – one that needed no proof. Ambition is ugly in all its forms. • Jesus continues by asserting the kingdom ethic and identity – service, submission, and even slavery. Greatness is measured by one’s willingness not only to help other believers, but to bring themselves under other believers. • Jesus concludes with His great example – He came to serve (as the disciples had witnessed for 3 years) and to pay the price of our sins (as they disciples would see in a week’s time). Conclusions • Service is integral to the Christian life. It follows the pattern of Christ and fulfills the law of love. • The Bible defines true service as glad-hearted (Psalm 100:2) work for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24) that demonstrates our love for each other (Galatians 5:13). • Service Group Opportunities: 1. Fellowship Committee – Elaine Gonino 2. Mercy Ministries – Steve Bejamin 3. Facility Care – Benjamin Conklin