On the Road Again

Series: “The Gospel Truth”

Text: Mark 10:32-52

Introduction: (What?)

After the brief interlude with the Rich Young Ruler, Jesus continued on the road to Jerusalem. The Disciples were still trying to digest what Jesus had said in response to their question, “Then who can be saved?” Peter had blurted out, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Then Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the sake of the gospel, who will not receive a hundred times more now, at this time---houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions---and eternal life in the age to come. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Examination: (Why?)

1. The third time is the charm (vv 32-34)

“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, 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.’”

The astonishment of the disciples was related to what Jesus had told them about the difficulty involved in the wealthy being saved. “Those who followed” were most likely pilgrims headed to Jerusalem for Passover. Their fear was related to the the unknown. They grasped that something significant was about to happen, but they did not understand just what it would be. Fear of the unknown is a common experience for most of us. Usually our imaginations kick into gear and we fill in the blanks with all sorts of possibilities.

Jesus pulled the disciples away from the crowd and once again sought to alert them to what was ahead. This was the third time Jesus told the 12 about His impending death, burial and resurrection. However, this time He went into greater detail ( 8 specific aspects of His Passion) regarding His treatment at the hands of the chief priests and the scribes and the Gentiles (Romans). For the most part this also passed over the heads of the 12. They really didn’t grasp what He was telling them until after the resurrection. Then they will realize that they also will face trials beyond their expectations.

One reason that we need to read and re-read the scriptures is that most of the time we don’t grasp the meaning the first or second or third time. You have probably had the experience of reading a passage that you have read many times, but suddenly having an “aha” moment. You see something clearly for the first time. That is also the reason that we are urged to “meditate” on scripture. Joshua 1:8 and Psalms 1 specifically mention the importance and the benefit of meditating (chewing on) scripture to get all of the meaning. If you are a Christ follower you have the Holy Spirit residing in you. One of his assignments is to guide you into all truth. In that respect we have a leg up on the disciples. Although they had the physical presence of Jesus, we have Him residing in us in the person of the Holy Spirit.

2. Be careful what you ask for (vv 35-45)

Sometimes children want something without realizing just what they are asking for. When our youngest daughter was born, our oldest was almost two years old. Rae’s mom had come to California to help out. She was on Weight-watchers, and because she didn’t want to prepare two meals, she put me on it as well. Back then you had to have one serving of liver each week. While Rae was in the hospital we were having dinner at home. It was liver night. Kendra, in her high chair, saw Nanny and me eating what she thought was steak. She said, “I want a bite of steak.” We tried to tell her that it wasn’t steak, but she kept insisting…so I gave her a bite. After one chew she spit it out and then took a napkin and tried to clean out her mouth. She didn’t know what she was asking for.

In vv 35-37 the brothers, “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 your left in your glory.’” Matthew reveals that their mom was with them and was the first to ask this favor from Jesus. It is clear that their mind-set was not on the coming Passion of Jesus, but rather they still thought that an earthly kingdom was on the horizon and they wanted a prominent place in it. The phrase “in your glory” had to do with an earthly kingdom, not the Kingdom of Heaven. In an earthly kingdom, those who were seated next to the king were in the places of highest prominence and honor. Evidently Jesus’s recent teaching on the “last shall be first” and the emphasis on being a servant had not stuck in their brains. I find it interesting today that we have so many designations for the office of pastor. I always get tickled when I hear a twenty-something identify themselves as a “Senior Pastor”. Others call themselves “Lead Pastor” or "Founding Pastor”. I have yet to hear anyone identify themselves as “Servant Pastor”. Yet I’m sure that is how Jesus would describe all legitimate pastors. After all, that is how He saw Himself.

“Jesus said to them, ‘You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?’” Jesus was referring to His suffering and death. Quickly they responded “We are able.” Although they had no clue. “Jesus said to them, ‘You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.’” Had they really understood this, they would have trembled rather than celebrated. In Acts 12:2 we find that “James, John’s brother was executed with the sword.” John spent much of his latter years exiled on the isle of Patmos because of the Gospel. Tradition tells us that prior to his exile Caesar sought to boil him in oil, but he escaped unscathed. In v 40 Jesus acquiesced to the will of His Father when He said, “But to sit at my right or left is not mine to give; instead it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” It is important that we recognize the plan of the Father as pre-eminent. Often our approach is to make our own plans and then ask God to bless them. Jesus knew better.

In the movie Evan Almighty, Morgan Freeman plays the character of God. In one scene, Freeman is having a conversation with Evan's wife, and he poses the same question in three different ways.

IF you ask for patience, does God give you patience, or does He give you opportunities to be patient?IF you ask for courage, does God give you courage, or does He give you opportunities to be courageous?IF you ask for a close family, does God zap you with warm, fuzzy feelings, or does He give you opportunities to love each other?

In vv 41-45 Jesus once again grabbed a “teachable moment” to communicate the reality of how greatness is achieved.

“When the ten disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John. Jesus called them over and said to them, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. But it is not so among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all. But even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.’” Jesus was a “servant-leader”.

Deacons and SS teachers exemplify this in our church. They make phone calls and visits to check on people, they remember birthdays and anniversaries with cards, they offer transportation to Dr. appointments or offer to pick up things at the grocery store. They are servant leaders.

3. Never too busy (vv46-52)

As the trip toward Jerusalem progressed, more and more people joined the traveling crowd. As they passed through Jericho we find a familiar story for many of us.

“They came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many warned him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more, ‘Have mercy on me, Son of David!’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called the blind man and said to him, ‘Have courage! Get up; He is calling for you.’ He threw off his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.” (vv 46-50) Not every beggar had a coat. For Bartimaeus to throw it aside so that it would not hinder him getting to Jesus, was the exact opposite of what the Rich Young Ruler had done. At the risk of losing a garment that served him well as both a coat and a blanket, Bartimaeus wanted nothing to get in the way between him and Jesus.

Jesus was and is never too busy to take time for one who is truly seeking him. Bartimaeus knew that Jesus was from the line of David and thus was the promised Messiah. He unashamedly kept crying out to Jesus even when others were trying to shush him. Again desperation drove someone to diligently seek Jesus. I read this week where someone asked Pastor Chuck Smith, whom God used to bring about the “Jesus Movement” of the late ‘60’s through the early ‘70’s if he thought there would be another Spiritual Awakening like that. He replied, “I’m not sure that we are desperate enough.” Desperation leads to crying out to the only One who can deliver us without regard to what people around us may say or do. While politicians and media personalities are loudly striving to lead people away from dependence on God, there MUST be an equal and opposite push from those who are Christ followers to the God who can make a difference. We can’t dare let them silence us. Dr. Erwin Lutzer, pastor emeritus of The Moody Church, where he pastored for 36 years, has written a book entitled “We Will Not Be Silenced!” subtitled, “Responding Courageously to Our Culture’s Assault on Christianity.” We MUST follow the example of Bartimaeus and not be silenced in the face of those who would do away with Christianity.

When Bartimaeus came to Jesus, an amazing thing happened. “Then Jesus answered him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’” Can you imagine going to Jesus in prayer and having Him interrupt your prayer with such a question? “‘Rabboni,’ the blind man said to Him, ‘I want to see.’” Once you know that you have Jesus’s attention as you pray, you can boldly ask what you want. “Jesus said to him, ‘Go, your faith has saved you.’” Whoa! Bartimaeus asked for physical sight, and he got spiritual salvation! Absolutely. The same faith that freed Jesus to restore sight to the blind man led to his salvation. Remember, Paul wrote “For it is by grace you have been saved THROUGH FAITH...” How do we know that he was saved? Because in the last part of v 52 we find, “Immediately he could see and began to follow Jesus on the road.”

Application: (How should I apply this?)

Are you “on the road” with Jesus on the way to His second coming?

Have you been on the road with Jesus in the past, but have wandered down a side road, going your own way? Do you need to get back “on the road again with Him?

Since this is Father’s Day, let me ask you men. Do you have a child, a sibling or a spouse, or parents who have never surrendered to Jesus? Does it affect you at all that if they should die or Jesus should come back now that they would be eternally lost? Are you desperate enough to keep crying out on their behalf to Jesus for their salvation?

Whatever you sense in your heart or mind that you should do…do it now.