A View from the Top
Foundations 260 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsFor the Christian, true sucess is serving others and putting their needs first.
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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.”
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.”
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.
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.”
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.”
And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
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?”
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,
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.”
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.”
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.”
29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,
30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
32 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.”
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.”
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.”
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.
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.”
Mark 10:
Introduction: Zig Ziglar, a noted motivational speaker and Christian used to say: “You Can Have Everything In Life You Want, If You Will Just Help Enough Other People Get What They Want.”
Introduction: Zig Ziglar, a noted motivational speaker and Christian used to say: “You Can Have Everything In Life You Want, If You Will Just Help Enough Other People Get What They Want.”
Introduction: Zig Ziglar, a noted motivational speaker and Christian used to say: “You Can Have Everything In Life You Want, If You Will Just Help Enough Other People Get What They Want.”
If you have ever worked in a business environment - particularly sales - you have probably heard that quote before. Most sales people see it as a motivation to make more sales and therefore to earn more commission.
One thing that is often missed about Ziglar’s quote is the servant heart behind it. Most people focus on the part that says, “You can have everything in life you want...” and they completely miss the part that says, if you will just help…people get what they want.” That is thinking like a servant right there.
He used to say that it was true in your personal life, your family life and your corporate life.
This morning, as we recognize our graduates, I want us to look at this passage today because I think it really lays out the key to success in many areas of life - your personal life, your family life, your work life or your college life for our high school seniors, and your church life.
The key is summed up in the words of Jesus: “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 Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Serving others is the key to success from God’s standpoint and if you will build your life upon that principle, it could change the world.
Let’s look at the story here today together...
A Foolish Request (vv. 35-37)
A Foolish Request (vv. 35-37)
There is an old expression in Latin, “Audentes Fortuna Juvat” (You-what). It means fortune favors the bold.
This was a pretty bold request from James and John…by the way, Matthew’s account tells us that they roped their mother Salome into asking this question on their behalf, but it is clear from the other disciple’s reactions that they knew who this came from. Mark just omits that detail.
This is not like asking your boss for a raise…it’s like you, the mail room clerk, asking your boss to make you and your friend vice presidents of the company and to give you both corner offices.
By the way graduates, if you ever have to approach your boss about a raise, don’t be like the man who went to his boss’s office and says, “Sir, I’ll be straight with you, I know the economy isn’t great, but I’ve got three companies after me, and I’d like to respectfully ask for a raise.” After a few minutes of haggling. the boss finally agrees to give him a 5% raise, and the man happily gets up to leave.
“By the way”, asks the boss as the man is leaving his office, “which three companies are after you?” The man replies, “The electric company, water company, and phone company.”
I have to say it took courage to make a request like that to their leader. The world we live in today would have applauded. These guys would have been encouraged to write a book called, “Your Best Promotion Now,” of asked to lead a Ted Talk entitled “How to Hack the Corporate Ladder.”
Bill replies, “The electric company, water company, and phone company.”
There are two parts to their request...
“We want you to do whatever we ask of you...”
There is one word for that…hubris! Hubris is defined as excessive pride or self confidence. In its ancient Greek context, hubris typically describes behavior that defies the norms of behavior or challenges the gods, and which in turn brings about the downfall, or nemesis, of the perpetrator of hubris.
No one would dare be so bold to say that to God today, right? Perhaps you have heard of the televangelist who recently announced to his followers that God told him to buy a $54 million dollar jet?
God is not a cosmic vending machine that you shake down every now and then hoping to get something for free.
“Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at you left, in your glory.” (Face palm)
“Hey, Jesus…forget about these other 10 losers and make us the top ranking deputies in your administration.”
“Hey, Jesus…forget about these other 10 losers and make us the top ranking deputies in your administration.”
John MacArthur said about this request, “They don’t even know where the zip code for humility is. They’re in another neighborhood all together.”
You would think that after all this time having had the perfect example of humility, Jesus, right before them every day, they would have learned a little something. They hadn’t…we seem to have the same problem as they do, by the way. I have been a believer since 1994 and I’m still having trouble with humility.
This kind of thinking and attitude is what the world tells you you need to succeed. Success in the eyes of the world is getting to the top by any means. Most people these days only care about finishing first - nice guys finish last.
We will see in a few moments that Jesus operates on a different standard than the world and so should his followers assuming that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.
A Frank Response (vv. 38-40)
A Frank Response (vv. 38-40)
Jesus replied to their requests saying, “You do not know what you are asking.” We would say, they were clueless. “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized...”
Now the key to understanding what Jesus is saying here is found in the verses prior to where we started our story today…look at vv. 32-34
32 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.”
Mark 10:
Jesus had just told them about his impending death on the cross. He was about to suffer for the sin of the world. He spoke of drinking the cup…in the OT, the cup was a symbol of suffering…it was also a symbol of the wrath of God. To drink it was to drain it dry…the baptism he spoke of was referring to his physical death.
Jesus was basically saying, “Here is what it’s going to cost you. Are you able to pay the price?”
They foolishly chimed in that they were able. They hadn’t counted the cost of what they wanted. Neither do we many times.
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
“There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below.” ~ Spurgeon.
We want the crown but not the cross.
If you want to stand for Jesus in our time, it may cost you. It may cost you a promotion at work. It may cost you a passing grade in college. It may cost you your friends and family. In some places around the world, It cost people’s lives or their freedom.
Are you prepared to drink the cup? Are you willing to be baptized with his baptism?
But I would also remind you of what Jesus told Peter when Peter said that they had left everything to follow Jesus...
29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
They were missing a great truth: Following Jesus does not give us an opportunity to flaunt our authority. It gives us a greater responsibility of servanthood.
They were missing a great truth: Following Jesus does not give us an opportunity to flaunt our authority. It gives us a greater responsibility of servanthood.
They were missing a great truth: Following Jesus does not give us an opportunity to flaunt our authority. It gives us a greater responsibility of servanthood.
He then informed them that they would indeed drink the same cup and be baptized as he was. As did all of the disciples...
James was beheaded by Herod Agrippa according to and John, according to tradition, survived after being cast into boiling hot oil and was exiled to the Isle of Patmos where he died alone.
Bu then he goes on to say that it was not his place to say who would sit on the right had or the left in the Kingdom. He assured them that God the Father will assign those places of honor for those who had been prepared.
A Firm Reminder (vv. 41-45)
A Firm Reminder (vv. 41-45)
The guys we ought to really be concerned about in this story are not James and John, but the other 10 disciples.
It says that when they heard about the request made by James and John, they were indignant…but not for the reason you might think…they were probably mad because they didn’t of making the request first! How do you know? Back up to the previous chapter...
Mark 9:
33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”
34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.
Mark 9:
33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”
34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.
35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
Like a coach calling his team together in the locker room at half-time, Jesus called them back together and expanded on the same thing he said to them during that previous conversation...
So Jesus called them back together and reminded them of the same thing he said to them during that previous conversation...
Mark 10:42-
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.
He basically told them to stop living by the world’s standards. The world brags about titles and power and position. The position you need to focus on is that of a servant…a Diakonos…one who waits tables…(We get our word Deacon from that). A slave - a doulos.
“The Lord wants us to know that the path to the top leads through the bottom. If you really want to reach the top, you must start out at the bottom. If you really want to be a leader, you must first learn how to serve.” - Alan Carr
Jesus told them that he didn’t come to earth to be waited on…of all the people who deserved to be waited on, Jesus deserved it most because of who he is…but he said, he came to wait tables…he came to serve. (Should give you a greater appreciation for servers in restaurants, right?)
He would serve the world indeed…he came to give his life as a ransom for many. Going to the cross would be the climax of His service. The word ransom means “the price of release.” referring to the payment to effect the release of slaves or captives from bondage. Jesus paid the price to set us free from our bondage to sin and darkness.
That is service.
That is true greatness.