The Road Defined by the Cross

Intro

The last few week we have been talking about what it means to follow Jesus as we journey with him through the book of Mark to Easter.

Everybody wants to follow Jesus until they realize where He’s going.

We love the idea of victory. We love the idea of purpose. We love the idea of greatness.

But the road Jesus walks doesn’t lead to a throne first—

It leads to a cross.

Mark 10:32–34 CSB

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were astonished, but those who followed him were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them the things that would happen to him. “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles, and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and he will rise after three days.”

Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem. and he tells the disciples exactly what is going to happen to him there. This is the third time he has told them what is going to happen but they still don’t get. Maybe they are in denial, maybe they legitimately think that Jesus is so popular there is no way that he could be killed. whatever the case these disciples who are literally on the road to the cross. Still do not understand what Jesus’ true mission is. By this time they understand that he is the son of God. So in their minds it is even more reinforced that nothing could happen to the Son of God. in their minds Jesus will continue to rise higher and higher and them along with him.

And they are right about that. But they are wrong about what rising higher in the kingdom of God looks like.

If you misunderstand Jesus’ mission you will misunderstand your role in it. and that is going to be on full display with the disciples when we keep reading.

These verses make Jesus’ mission even clearer.

1.The Savior Came to Suffer and Serve

The image that the disciples had in their mind of who they thought Jesus should be kept overriding what they were actually seeing Jesus model and teach about who he was. Even here as they approached the end of the road of their time together. They still could not comprehend that the Savior would save through suffering and service rather than commanding and conquering.

In their mind Jesus started out showing humility and over time would gain greatness. But the opposite was true. Jesus was already greater than they could ever comprehend before he stepped foot on earth, and his road was to suffer and serve more and more throughout his life until it finally culminates in the ultimate act of suffering through death on a cross and the ultimate act of service. For him to lay his life down for those that he is greater than.

It is so easy for us to look at the disciples and say how can you not get it. He’s told you three times he’s going to die why don’t you believe them. If someone tells me something three times I start to take what they say way more seriously the third time than I did the first time.

When my kids are in the car with me on a road trip and they tell me they got to go to the bathroom. even though we just stopped. The first time I hear them but I am not very urgently going to look for a place. If there’s a Bruce’s we stop right away but if not we keep going. the second time they tell me maybe I start checking exits, but that third time the standard of place that we will stop at goes down and we are going to stop as soon as possible. We go from holding out for a buccees to stopping even if its one of those sketchy 7/11s where the bathroom is on the outside.

But even though Jesus has told them three times hes going to suffer and die they are still holding on to the image they have of who they want him to be. It’s easier to look at this and think how don’t you get it. but we often do the same. We want to hold up who we want Jesus to be in our minds over who he actually is. We misunderstand his mission. Which makes us misunderstand our role on the road.

Like the disciples we think the more like Christ we get the greater we get. and that is true but greatness in the kingdom of God looks very different than what greatness on earth looks like. and the road toward earthy greatness is not the road to the cross.

Look at how badly the disciples misunderstood their role.

Mark 10:35–40 CSB

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him and said, “Teacher, we want you to do whatever we ask you.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them. They answered him, “Allow us to sit at your right and at your left in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We are able,” they told him. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with. But to sit at my right or left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Jesus has told them he is going to suffer and die to serve them and and James and John two of the all star disciples. just ignore that and say so after you conquer the whole earth can our thrones be next to your thrones in the highest place of honor.

Thats crazy. could you imagine if pastor Jeff came to me and said Daniel I am going to die. and the next thing out of my mouth was can I move into your office? what a messed up sense of priorities. and thats what the disciples had because they misunderstood Jesus’ mission.

They are still behaving like those outside the kingdom. In the kingdom greatness isn’t characterized by the place of your seat. It is characterized by service to others. and that goes against every human instinct we have.

This is where we have to remember we are not following a human. We are not building an earthly kingdom. We are following the son of God and his kingdom is like nothing on this earth because he is like nothing on this earth. If it was would it even be worth joining?

They think being great in the kingdom looks like thrones and crowns but Jesus shows them its about service.

He asks them are you read to drink the cup I drink. and they say yes.

2. You Can’t Follow Jesus Without the Cup

Pull out cup.

What does that mean? its not like giving someone a sip of your milkshake. To share a cup meant that you would share in that person’s fate.

Jesus was saying if you want to follow me you want to great in the kingdom of God than your fate will be the same as mine. And they thought sign me up Jesus is going to rule the world forever. They imagined the cup like a royal goblet with jewels all around it, and they said sign me up. I will gladly drink that cup with you.

They didn’t understand even though Jesus had just said it. that sharing his cup meant being a suffering servant like him.

This isn’t something we just see in these disciples I have seen it in young people in the church, I have seen it in older people in the church, I have seen it in my self.

Here’s what really gets me I want you to think if you have ever fallen into this trap like I have. We say we want to follow Jesus, we want to be like him. Best case scenario we are exactly like him. and we think the more and more like him we get the better things will be. The more of his cup we get the easier things will be. The more liked we will be.

I want you to think. Is that how it worked out for Jesus?

The more holy he became, the more set apart he became. the more opposition he faced, the more friends he lost. until by wordly standards he had nothing. Even though in the kingdom of God he had everything.

There comes a point in your Christian walk where you have to decide is it worth sharing the cup? Before you can get closer to God you need to drink the cup. and actually understand what it means unlike the disciples did.

To drink from the same cup as Jesus means that you arent surprised at temporary suffering you expect it and embrace it because you know its making you more like Christ. To drink from the cup means you know your life is building toward serving more people not being served by more people, To drink from the cup means that people may hate you for what you declare as true.

There comes a point on the road where you cant get around the cup your only choices are to turn around or drink from it. but you cant get closer without the cup. You have a choice to make. and after this morning you cant plead ignorance anymore. Jesus makes it even clearer what a life that is given over to following him looks like.

Mark 10:41–45 ESV

And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 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. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The other ten disciples are angry at James and John probably because they didnt think to ask Jesus for a high place first. But Jesus imediately pulls all of them aside and corrects all of them. He points out something all of us have seen.

People who are not in God’s kingdom use the positions of authority to Lord over people, and serve their own interests. Have you ever had someone become a manager at a place you worked and they immediately start thinking that they are a big deal, and start using that power to impose their will. and its like man you’re an assitant manager at Texas Roadhouse chill out.

Jesus is saying that isnt How I use my authority so it isn’t how members of my family are going to use their authority.

3. Greatness Is Found in Serving Others

You are called to use your authority differently. Everyone else is going is going to use their authority to make themselves higher. You are going to use yours to lift others up.

The greatest and best person who ever lived and walked this earth was a humble servant. He got down low so he could lift others up. All the way to death on the cross and now he calls us, those who follow him to do the same.

I look at the pastors who have these big moral failures. and people ask me how did this happen? and the specifics may be different but at the core its all the same. They do what these disciples did they get too focused on building their kingdom instead of God’s kingdom. they misunderstand their role. They get into ministry thinking they are going to get a parking spot and when the call to ministry is the same call every Christian has. and isn’t to a parking spot and a place of power. It is to pick up a towel and serve.

If Jesus didn’t come to be served but to serve why do we think I have been born to be served.

Let me be clear about this. Being called to serve does not mean we are all called to lowly jobs and we should turn down promotions so we stay servants. Your mission to serve is not tied to how high up the totem pole you think your vocation is.

Do you work in a resturant like I did for 10 years you are called to use your influence there to serve people, are you a manger at bank your mission is to serve people especially the ones who work for you. Are you retired. guess what you may be retired from the work force but you are not retired from serving others. in fact you have now been blessed with more time to serve the church and your family. Are you a mom or dad you are to use that influence to serve your kids by raising them up to love Jesus. There so no greater act of service than to point people to the one who can save their life and give their life purpose.

Being great in the kingdom of God is shifting your mindset when you meet people from what can I get out of this person to how can I serve this person. We do it because of what Jesus said in verse 45 Mark 10 45

Mark 10:45 CSB

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

If Jesus came to serve and not to be served even to the point of giving up his life who are we to think we can follow him without doing the same.

You might think you don’t know my coworkers, you don’t know what my family has done to me they don’t deserve it. You’re right they don’t but neither did you.

You are never more like Jesus than when you serve people who don’t deserve it.

Jesus came and died for you even though you don’t deserve it. so that you can be a part of the kingdom of God forever?

How can you become great in the kingdom of God today? it isnt going to come through self promotion or praying that God would give you a more influence. People who don’t serve others with a little influence don’t do it with a lot of influence.

You want to be great in the kingdom of God? heres how you do it. you serve as many people who don’t deserve it as you can, as much as you can, for as long as you can.

Conclusion

You have been saved to serve.

The question is not if you believe that. The question is: are you actually living that?

Is your life marked by how many people you serve… or how many people serve you?

I’m not just talking about having a spot on a volunteer team—although that’s a great place to start.

I’m talking about your heart.

When you walk into a room… when you go to work… when you’re with your family…

Are you thinking: “What can I get from this?” or “How can I serve here?”

Because those are two completely different roads.

One leads to building your kingdom. The other leads to the cross.

And you don’t get to walk both.

Earlier we talked about the cup.

At some point, every single one of us has to decide: Will I drink it… or will I walk away?

Because you can’t follow Jesus without it.

You can’t have the life of Christ without the sacrifice of Christ.

You can’t claim to follow a Savior who served and gave His life while building a life where you are constantly being served.

So here’s the call today:

Stop waiting for a better opportunity. Stop waiting until it’s easier. Stop waiting until people deserve it.

Start serving.

Serve the people in your home. Serve the people at your job. Serve the people in this church. Serve the people who can do nothing for you.

Because that’s exactly what Jesus did for you.

And here’s the truth:

You will never look more like Jesus than when you choose to serve someone who doesn’t deserve it.

So today, you have a choice.

You can keep chasing greatness the way the world defines it…

Or you can step onto the road Jesus is walking— the road of the cross, the road of the cup, the road of service.