iPod Generation or weServe People? Mark 10:32-45
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Generations – Builders, Boomers, -ers, (so self centred) Millennial’s (long for community) Tech Rev: Ipod vs. We Serve
Generations – Builders, Boomers, -ers, (so self centred) Millennial’s (long for community) Tech Rev: Ipod vs. We Serve
Imagine this place has a balcony, you are new to faith, watching what’s going to happen in this communion service, arrive before any others, before the 12 apostles. Jesus takes his place at head of table, and He’s going to serve You. He’s host of a spiritual banquet. Hardly wait!
But now 2 walk in arguing, embarrassed, thoughts about themselves. what they receive in terms of honour, pre-eminence, comparison not even on Jesus’ radar screen... Now not just big-wigs jockeying for power; but the people grow indignant, pretty soon all hearts twisted, purpose of communion going askew!
What is big on Jesus mind and what is big on the mind of his disciples two very different things.
And this evening I want you to stop to remember what was on your mind during Serve, how about now a month later. Reflect, what’s on your own mind? What’s on the mind of our Saviour, right now, sees you?
A. What’s on the Disciples Mind?
Jesus had just told them three times he was going to Jerusalem to die. Most recently giving the details: betrayed by religious rulers, condemned to death, handed over to the Gentiles, who in turn would mock him, spit on him, scourge him and kill him. After this death, handed over to God, God would raise him up!
So big in his mind is how his suffering love, sacrifice is the way of salvation, glory, the kingdom But the disciples only concern is selfish ... exclusive, being served and catered to! SLIDE 1
“Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
They picture themselves as the elite of the elite ruling over others in an earthly empire!
B. But look now What’s on Your Saviour’s Mind? What is on Jesus radar screen –
Looming so large in Jesus’ mind is this Cup that He must drink for us; and this baptism of fire!
Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?
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?”
SLIDE 2
A Cup and a Baptism. And why? Jesus didn’t just come into this world to improve our comfort here a little, nor ...He came to save us from hell,
to ransom us from the empty, unfruitful and damned way life of selfishness, wickedness.
A way of life that the human race always stumbles and falls into; a way that leads to destruction!
The cup was the OT way of saying – everything the king had stored up for someone
– foaming cup of wrath and punishment for nations, for God’s people
– when broke covenant with Him. Jesus says, he must drink this – at the heart of saving us!
And the baptism was the common Jewish way to talk of intense trials! We say it today to – baptism by fire! Jesus was not just going to undergo a little suffering, like any human hero, suffering was going to come like a flood, upon Him, infinite wrath of God immerse X in death!
That’s Jesus’ answer to their question about the seats in the kingdom! Not K of rewards!
The only way to enter the kingdom was through His suffering! Do you get that?
There’s no glory, no redemption, no being set free from evil’s tricky deceptive power in your life, no release from your guilt, without the Cross!
– unless jesus drinks our cup, under goes the baptism for us! i.e. Elijah and Moses ...
And so Jesus asks them, and each one of us this q that brings us to the m of d: can you undergo it?
C. The Moment of Decision, How are you answering that question this morning? How did James and John?
Of course the expected answer is NO! But they and so often we give the Stupid answer!
Yah Jesus we can do that, we can save ourselves! James and John can’t see the Cross yet.
They see He’s Messiah, but not how suffering, and the cross is the way!
You and I too without this Gospel & Holy Spirit showing us precious cross, would say:
Yes, Jesus we can save ourselves without going to Your Cross? We don’t need Your Cross!
Jesus, your a great leader and example – but the Cross/Res isn’t our only hope and treasure!
But wonder of wonders, Jesus’ looks past their foolish pride, self strength,
And with love he looks them in the eye – gives them a gracious response:
See, though it was a misguided answer, it also was, in part, an expression of their love for Jesus!
Jesus was looking for that. We’ll follow you wherever you go and whatever it leads us too...
They couldn’t get it yet, not before the Cross and the Resurrection – but they love Jesus! Do you?
If so look how Jesus answers you, even though you can’t drink the Cup or undergo the baptism that can save you!
D. Remarkable Reversal; though we could never pay for our own sins, never set ourselves free;
There is a way for us to share in work X alone could accomplish.
If by faith you are one w Jesus, there`s a way You will share in His Cup & in His baptism into death!
Jesus replies to their wrong answer, with these surprising words:
The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,
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,
Jesus is saying, to share in my kingdom, you must share in My passion!
By faith, your sinful nature must be crucified on the Cross with Me,
by faith in Me you must receive My new nature, covered by the righteousness of Christ,
governed controlled, increasingly moved by the very Spirit of Christ!
See the king’s cup, after Jesus drinks it to the dregs – drains all the punishment out of it –
Now it becomes a symbol of the New Life – the heavenly kingd brings to the nations!
A symbol of the tightest fellowship between You and Jesus by faith!
After the punishment is gone, the cup becomes for us the New Covenant in His life blood!
participation in Christ`s sacrifice to make us right w God, It becomes a toast to the salvation God works in our lives!
And Jesus promises James & John, not only His cup, but also His baptism! It`s for every believer to share w X!
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
See, Jesus’ question about sharing in His cup, baptism, is His invitation for us
to lay down the old ways of the kingdom of self –maybe this morning your life is all about yourself, about having the most comfortable life – every one thing serve You – X says Die to it!
And being baptized with me, Learn New Way of Love to God & others!
Embrace My reign of Grace from the Cross!
The J & J and are asking for co-chairs with Jesus in glory,
but Jesus says: I only promise you a life were My suffering love brings God’s kingdom & glory!
Its at this point that the rest of disciples, start thinking like James and John, hey maybe we’re going to miss out if they’ve beat us to the punch, made reservations for higher places!
Think of the whole congregation now forgetting Jesus, what’s big on his mind –clamour to take!
And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.
And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.
SLIDE 3As one commentator put it: They’d rather bear grudges than they would crosses!
But it’s this that becomes the occasion for Jesus greatest teaching about His job as the Messiah and of his final instructions to us as followers, disciples of the Messiah!
E. Jesus Final Instruction
He channels their selfish desires for greatness in a completely unexpected direction.
Track and Field – some cheering for all, but everyone wants greatness. Bball, business! Nothing wrong But Jesus hones in on the example of Gentile Lords and their desire to dominate others!
But Jesus turns that life-philosophy to be #1, ingrained habit of treating others as lesser, completley turns it on its head.
The whole world, our fallen human nature, it resists the Cross & servanthood. It lives for self!
But now Jesus says, this new life you find in me – it`s is patterned after my love, my Cross!
I remember learning this the summer that changed my life: We called it being ministry-minded.
In same way Jesus called all his disciples together and said: But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,
But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,
Outdo yourselves not in having others serve you, or getting your way, ordering people around. Outdo yourself in being great in self-giving service of others!
Ask that question of those around you here, at home, at work – net giver to those relationship or taker? Pushy way in, getting your way... or servant to all? Are you full of resentment when give and give of yourself, to better others – cost to you, they don’t seem to appreciate it. Or do you consider it a privilege of living for something and someone bigger than yourself – living to make world others better!
That’s got to be what Jesus means whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.
And we think: that’s a tough teaching, maybe once in a while we attain that kind of love – get it right with that kind of service! Do it for a week on Serve, as long as… but not real life! Not saved by works!
And you’d be right, because this is the fruit, not the cause of our salvation!
But if Jesus servanthood was the cause of your salvation, do see any of the fruit growing here?
So keep listening; for Jesus gives us not only His example of this Ministry-Minded, life of service!
He also gives us the greatest motivation, to reproduce His ministry-mindedness, in our own lives!
Many times Jesus predicts he’s going to die in the gospel of Mark, but only here does He tells us why? For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
You know what a ransom is: kidnapped… pay us the ransom give you your child back.
Jesus says we’re under the power of Satan, chained up in selfishness, and sin,
I give my life, sacrifice it, to give you a new life – free life.
The teaching of Jesus isn’t the point of his life – but this dying to set us free,
to give us whole new way to live – for God, for others – whole point of His life.
And this is how he instructs those self-centred, greedy, proud disciples of his;
He says: You be changed by this – you share in cup, be baptized into my death,
and your lives will be ransomed to start living for the kingdom of God!
Become ministry-minded community, not just individual coming here to take and get places of honour, or feed ourselves. Then you’re an I-pod! but a community inter-connected in service. We-serve!
Think for a moment of a situation, person that needs redemption – orphans, marriage family failing down the street, Could be bro/sister walking down the wrong road, friend enslaved alcohol, in the depth of darkness never seems to lift! Neighbours for Serve, Kids w/o Jesus in VBS, Sick, Needs Encouragement
No greater expression of love than for you and I to lay down our lives lay down part of your life, part of the cost – to work for redemption!
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
The glory, the complete victory, kingdom will come, but only in the path of service:
Why Boenhoeffer – When Jesus bids a man, come follow me, come die – die to self-orientated life – find new life in Christ – in service to God and each other! For James it was life of a martyr, for John – as live for testmimony of Christ, apostle of love, exile in Patmos!
For us it may be to give your time, money, your love, leisure, retirement;but the cost is nothing to the goal!
That’s what the gen x–er’s longing for commit to cause bigger than themselves!
But it takes embracing Christ’s Cross and the cross of service he lays upon you!
Let me conclude with a story: Columnist Deborah Mathis wrote about the time when she was at Union Station in Washington D. C. on a particularly busy day. The first thing she remembers about that experience was the noisy hubbub of sounds. • The public address announcer calling out arrivals and departures. • Scores of pagers, walkie-talkies, and cell phones crying out for someone’s attention. • You could hear horns honking, machines clinking out change, and babies crying. • A security guard yelled at a man who was about to enter a forbidden area. 3 women stood up from their bench in order to argue with each other more loudly.• And a man in front of her was nervously pacing in a tight circle.
But then she heard someone singing. "What a friend we have in Jesus,All our sins and griefs to bear; What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer."
Slowly a change came over the noisy crowd.
The voice continued: "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer."
The quarreling women stopped their talking and quietly took their seats. People who’d been tense and hurried; seemed to slow and relax - and they strained to hear the voice singing the remaining verses that old hymn. And Ms. Mathis realized she was singing along. So were the three women who had been bickering. And few others as well. The man in front of her, who had been behaving nervously quietly said: "Nice, huh? I don’t even believe in Jesus, but that’s nice." ( Rubel Shelly)
Music has a way of changing our lives. When we share it, it can affect the lives of people around us.
But the problem is that today we live in an Ipod world, each drowning out noise – personal music, no interaction!
But what if spiritually we took out our earbuds, opened our lives to each other, to needs around us?
Shared our music of service each week here, out there with a few God’s calling us to!
Of course service, probably different than a song, to give of ourselves to others,
be a song that works redemption in a loud, loud world!
This evening I hope you have a personal relationship with Jesus!
But I hope as you know Him you begin to serve like Him,with others give your life as ransom for KofG! That too is our participation in suffering love and victory of Jesus!
Not iPod generation – but a weServe generation! Not just a new outlook of a gerneation, part of New People of God!
I pray you commit to Him so the Cup we drink is our participation in Christ,
the baptism we share with Christ, is also a baptism together into Christ’s suffering-love and service!