Mark Sermon Week 25 - What do you want from God?

Russia Ukraine

Welcome/Intro

Welcome

My name is Justin

Good to be with you

Welcome ONLINE

In the Gospel of Mark — the last section before he gets to Jerusalem

Great job Nduka — I’m just having fun, so blessed to have men like this.

Intro

If Jesus were to say to you “What do you want me to do for you?”

What would you say? How would you answer that?

Let’s take a minute to think on that

Open a Note, Write in your notebook

a couple things that come to mind.

Jesus is actually going to ask this question twice in our text today and we want to look at how different men responded

Four things:

Some of you need to hear what he has already said to you.

Some of you need to have your expectations/perspective shifted by Jesus — to hear the truth

Some of you are needing mercy from God, some even salvation

Some of you need to be healed by God, emotionally, mentally, spiritually

Bible

We are going to be in Mark 10:32-52 today

Go there in your Bibles

Pray

Isaiah 61:1–4 (ESV)

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me

to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

4 They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

On the Road to Jerusalem

Mark 10:32 (CSB)

32 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...

On the Way to Jerusalem from Caesarea Philippi

Continuing Kingdom Ministry — Bringing the KOG

Training the Disciples for Kingdom Ministry

Jesus is leading the way

He is out ahead of them and they are following Him

That’s exactly how it’s supposed to be

Two Reactions — underline that

Disciples = Astonished

Followers = afraid

Why?

Followers have some sense of danger

Disciples — blinded by their ambition

Training Time Out w/ the 12

Mark 10:32–34 (CSB)

32 ...Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them the things that would happen to him.

33 “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, 34 and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and he will rise after three days.”

Why does he take then aside?

b/c they were astonished.

they still think Jesus is about to bring down fire from heaven, legions of angels and establish his Kingdom Here and NOW

Jesus again is training them, teaching them.

So often Jesus is trying to teach us something and we cannot hear it or we will not hear it.

Progressive Revelation

Notice what Jesus is doing here.

This is the 3rd time he has predicted his death

And each time more is revealed to the disciples.

Mark 8:31 (CSB)

31 Then he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man

to suffer many things and

be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes,

be killed, and rise after three days.

Mark 9:31 (CSB)

31 For he was teaching his disciples and telling them,

“The Son of Man is going to be

betrayed into the hands of men.

They will kill him, and after he is killed, he will rise three days later.”

Now

Mark 10:33-34 (CSB)

33 “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,

34 and they

will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him,

and he will rise after three days.”

Jesus has just revealed more details about:

Where it will happen = Jerusalem

How it will happen = betrayed/handed over to RL’s

They will condemn Him and hand him over to Gentiles

Gentiles will humiliate him and execute him

BUT STILL - rise after three days.

Remember this is all predictive — they have no idea about what’s going to happen

I think Jesus often tries to reveal things to us, but we can’t hear him, or worse yet we will not hear him.

This will all begin make sense to them in about 10 days time after it all happens:

Betrayal — Arrest — Trial — Flogging — Crucifixion — Resurrection

another 50 days:

— Commission — Ascension — Pentecost

Next week he enters Jerusalem and we begin the Passion Week.

W/in 10 days everything will change.

Sometimes God speaks to us, but we can’t hear him, but it will all make sense one day.

It’s not “what do you want me to do for you” BUT “do you see what I have already done for you?

For some of us that may mean crossing the line of faith today — to see that Jesus death and resurrection were for you

For some it is remembering this truth: Jesus died for you. Jesus rose for you.

For some of us we need to hear and obey what he has already told us.

What has God already told you, but you have not listened or followed yet?

Let it sit.

Why is it we struggle to hear god?

Why do we struggle to follow him?

Why don’t we hear?

Let’s look at James and John.

Mark 10:35 (CSB)

35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him and said, “Teacher, we want you to do whatever we ask you.”

In one ear and out the other

Nothing Jesus just said registered to them

Jesus has just told them about his own death

It’s like someone confessing they fatal disease and you not not even acknowledging it and asking them for something.

they ask “We want you to do whatever we ask you”

This is the question before the question right?

Like “if I tell you a secret do you promise not to tell”

look at Jesus response

Mark 10:36 (CSB)

36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked them.

There’s our question right? How did you answer this?

James and John

Mark 10:37 (CSB)

37 They answered him, “Allow us to sit at your right and at your left in your glory.”

This is why it said the Disciples were astonished — they still think that when Jesus rides into Jerusalem it is going to be as a conquering King with all the Power of God that they have seen.

The want power and position

The right and left hand where the two most important positions in a Kingdom

As close to the King as you can Get

With the most authority and power.

they have the faith but fail to understand how God will do it

how many of us need to have our perspective shifted

They don’t hear what Jesus has already said to Him b/c they are focused on what is important to them rather to God.

So often we do this.

We don’t hear God in His Word or otherwise

b/c we are fixated on our own lives

our own problems

B/c of how we think God should do it.

What about you?

is this true of you?

It’s not to shame us, but to reveal to us that there is something more, something better.

Something beyond what we can see

maybe what Jesus needs to do is change our expectations, to shift our perspective

Jesus:

Mark 10:38 (CSB)

38 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?”

You don’t UNDERSTAND what you are even asking

He asks them a question:

Drink from the cup = suffering

The only way to GLORY is through DEATH

Baptized baptism = total immersion, overwhelmed = Cross and Resurrection

See (Rom 6:1-4)

What does that mean?

they don’t understand that Jesus is going to suffer and die

and to follow Jesus you should expect the same.

It is really interested the only other place in mark where these two word appear

Mark 15:27 (CSB)

27 They crucified two criminals with him, one on his right and one on his left.

They do not understand yet where the road to Jerusalem will end.

let’s look at their response.

Mark 10:39–40 (CSB)

39 “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.

40 But to sit at my right or left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

We are able = pride / lack of understanding

they ask for glory and one day they will but through suffering and death

You will drink the cup / baptized

James — 1st Martyred Apostle (Acts 12:2)

John — the last living apostle — suffered greatly

To your question: That is not mine to give

I have something else to give for you.

God answering our prayers may look different toy than we think

asking God to increase our faith

How are the others disciples feeling about this conversation?

The Disciples

Mark 10:41 (CSB)

41 When the ten disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John.

Disciples are angry

they are rightly offended by this request, but is it b/c they have heard what Jesus said?

probably not.

Probably b/c they wanted to ask first

selfishness in others often reveals selfishness in our heart.

Training Time Out

Mark 10:42–44 (CSB)

42 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.

43 But it is not so among you. On the contrary,

whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant,

44 and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all.

45 FOR even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, edw

and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Look at the Leaders of this world

they abuse power, they dominate others

Russia

Point: Some of us need to have our expectations challenged. Our perspectives shifted.

James and John (and the rest) want power and position

they think that will validate them / save them

Jesus doesn’t give them power and position, but crucifixion

They want to become ‘great’ — gk: megas — They want to be a ‘big deal’

They want to be important, thought well of, sought after

anybody else want that?

Notice: He doesn’t condemn the request.

He doesn’t say it’s bad to want to receive from jesus

He doesn’t say it’s bad to want to be great

He redefines what greatness really is.

He has to shift their perspectives from the ways of the world to the ways of God

Not the first time:

Israelites — we want a king like the other nations

Essentially rejecting God as their King

b/c this is a Human Condition

it’s not just limited to the disciples, not the nation of Israel

but everyone one of us.

We are born this way.

We want to be first

We want to be most important

We think this is true of us.

to be great, to be MEGA in my Kingdom means to serve others

it means to give others.

notice he doesn’t say if you want to become great SERVE others

no it’s not a statement of DOING but of BEING

13.1 εἰμί): to possess certain characteristics, whether inherent or transitory

that’s really important.

it is language of identity

to become great is to BE a servant

Whoever wants to be FIRST will BE a slave to ALL

Litmus test

If you are the kind of person who IS a servant to others

who IS a slave to all

Then you are considered GREAT/IMP/MEGA in the Kingdom of God.

Are you the kind of person who serves others?

not to get something, but becuase of what has been given to you

At WORK/SCHOOL — to you live this way?

are you a SERVANT to your boss, coworkers, employees

Are you a SERVANT to your professors, fellow students, freinds

PARENTS:

are you a servant to your Kids? not Lording your authority over them?

SPOUSES:

Are you a servant to your spouse?

Or do they exist to serve you?

CHURCH

does your church exist to serve you? or are you a servant to your church?

You say,

no, how do I do that?

Where do I find the power/ability to be a servant? a Giver?

FOR

Here’s his reason — FOR so important

He doesn’t just teach this stuff — He embodies it

It is WHO HE IS

Mark 10:45 (CSB)

45 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.”

Even = emphasis

The most important person, the most powerful person, the person most worthy to be served and worshipped night and day

Even HIM

He WAS A SERVANT

he WAS A GIVER

why?

To become great? no, b/c he was great

RANSOM

James and John ask Jesus to give them position and power

Jesus says that is not mine to give, but here’s what is mine to give

my life as a ransom.

Ransom:

this is the only passage in Mark that tells us why he must die: He “gives his life as a ransom for many.”

The term ransom (lytron) was used

for compensation for personal injury (Ex. 21:30) or a crime (Num. 35:31–32),

for purchasing the freedom of an enslaved relative (Lev. 25:51–52),

and for the price paid as an equivalent for the sacrifice of the firstborn (Num. 18:15).

In extrabiblical sources,

it referred to the amount paid to free a slave or prisoner, redeem a pledge, or reclaim something pawned.

Exodus 30:12 connects this word to the annual half-shekel tax that in the time of Jesus went to support the daily temple sacrifices for the people’s sins.

Tosepta Seqalim 1:6 directly connects the half-shekel offering to sin atonement between Israel and God.

The concept of ransom, therefore, is connected to the idea of cost, substitution, and atonement.

Isaiah 53:10–12 forms the most likely backdrop here:

Isaiah 53:10–12 (CSB)

10 Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. When you make him a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.

11 After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and he will carry their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him the many as a portion, and he will receive the mighty as spoil, because he willingly submitted to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.

Illustration: Gift Cards

Don’t you love gift cards — finally go to that restaurant you can’t afford

or buy something you couldn't’ afford

It’s great right — it’s free to you.— But someone paid the cost

someone bought the gift card and it was debited from their account and gifted to you

credited to you.

What would you buy with a $1000 gift card?

Where would you go? What would you do?

Jesus gives his life as a ransom — a debit from his account and a credit to yours.

but the cost was his life for yours.

It is a gift card with an unlimited amount

1. Some of us need to have their expectations changed, their perspective shifted.

We need to shift our concerns off or what we want and listen to what God wants

The kind of person God wants us to be.

2. Some of us it not’s what do you want Jesus to do for you, but what has Jesus already done for you.

Remember the cross and resurrection

3. Some of us we need to realize that the power to Change comes from God and our mysterious cooperations iwth him.

We need to utilize that gift card in our daily walk

an unlimited credit.

God is with us — his power and presence

WE simply have to come nnd ask

not something we achieve but recieve

To illustrated this final point, Mark included this final story before entering Jerusalem

and really — Peter.

Bartimaeus

Mark 10:46–52 (CSB)

46 They came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.

47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 Many warned him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more, “Have mercy on me, Son of David!”

Kind of this annoying guy, people are trying to shut up

saying Jesus doesn’t care about you, your not important

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage! Get up; he’s calling for you.” 50 He threw off his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

51 Then Jesus answered him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Rabboni (an honorific title for a teacher of the Jewish Scriptures, implying an important personal relationship)” the blind man said to him, “I want to see.”

52 Jesus said to him, “Go, your faith has saved you.” Immediately he could see and began to follow Jesus on the road.

Jesus asked Bartimaeus the EXACT same question he asked James and John.

What do you want me to do for you?

Two things Bartimaeus asked for: Mercy & Sight

There was no doubt what this man wanted.

I. MERCY: He knew he needed Mercy

hardship has a way or revealing who we really are

suffering it can give us an awareness of ourselves that good times can’t

maybe that’s you, maybe you are in a hard time right now

And God wants to reveal some things to you.

honestly this was me the last 3 weeks.

He knew where to go for Mercy: Jesus, the son of David

messianic term

he believed — he had faith — he trusted that Jesus could give him mercy

Not an accident this comes right after the idea of ‘ransom’

Bartimaeus needed forgiveness of sin

cleansing of his own heart

It many ways, Bartimaeus who was blind, could see more clearly than you and I can, than the disciples can

Maybe some of us need mercy today

We all need mercy

But some of you may have never experienced the mercy of God

maybe like Bartimaeus you’ve heard

quite down, Jesus doesn’t care for you

your not important.

But Jesus does care for you

He will not turn anyone away that comes to Him (John 6:37

John 6:37 (AV)

and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

There is nothing you have done or could do that is greater than Christ’s love for you.

We want to give you an opportunity to do that later

to cross that line of faith and experience God’s forgiveness

For some what you need is to experience the mercy of God for the first time, the forgiveness of sins.

We want to give you an opportunity to do that.

II. SIGHT

The second thing Bartamaeus asked for was physical healing — sight

He asked for healing from blindness

It’s ok to ask for Jesus to meet our physical needs

our emotional needs, mental needs

It’s ok to ask God to miraculously heal us or our loved ones

In fact, James 5:14 commands us to do this.

Jesus doesn’t just meet out spiritual needs but our physical needs as well.

Matthew’s version adds:

Matthew 20:34 (CSB)

34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they could see, and they followed him.

Some of us have physical needs

physical healing, emotional healing

We want to give you an opportunity to ask for that.

but let me ask you...

How was Bartimaeus healed?

Faith — Jesus says

trust — confidence in the one who could heal

His faith in Jesus caused him to act on his faith

this is our part

simply to cry out, to ask, to come to jesus

What good is a gift card if you never use it?

it is faith that both saves us

and heals us.

b/c faith is always directed at Jesus the one who died that we might be healed.

What is Bartimaeus’s response?

He follows Jesus on the road

on the road to Jerusalem — the road to suffering

When we experienced the power and grace of God it is not hard to follow Jesus — even a road to suffering — to Jerusalem

I think Jesus does ask us this question

each one of us today

What do you want me to do for you?

our job is to ask

and then listen, receive, and follow Him

Ask

If Jesus asked you “what do you want me to do for you?”

what did you say?

what would you say?

I want to encourage us to ask God today.

In fact, we will have some leaders off to the side who will be available to pray with you.

Some of you may need to simply hear what he has already told you.

We may need to remember what Jesus has already done for us.

Act on what he has already said

Some of us need to have our expectations shifted and perspective shifted regarding what would ask for.

You need to hear the truth from Jesus

Some of you may need the mercy of God, the forgiveness of sins

to believe in Him for this

to cross the line of faith.

Come and Ask.

Finally, are asking for physical needs, in particular healing.

Emotional Healing

depression, sadness, anxiety

your not sure, you just need prayer

you need God to meet you.

Mental healing

struggle with negative thoughts

low view of self

believed the lies of the enemy

you need prayer, you need truth, you need a miracle

Physical healing

some of us would ask for physical healing

maybe you are afraid to ask, afraid to be disappointed

We believe that God heals today

that he can heal

that he will heal— someday

we want to ask him to do it today, to move that date up

Some of you might get healed today, but you’ve got to come and ask

you need to come and receive prayer

that is yoru step of faith.

If Jesus could heal blind Bartimaeus he can heal you, becuase Jesus is alive and well today

So I’m going to pray for us in a moment

I want to encourage you to respond today

You can do that in your chair

But come and share with someone, receive prayer

let’s see what the Lord might do.

so often God ministers to us through each other

If you are a leader could you go ahed and stand back there

MM

I”m going to lead the way in this and do something a little risky

There’s someone here that has been on my heart to pray for healing from some time now

So I Want to invite her up here just to the front and I want to pray over her

she has a condition that is genetic and so truly would be a miracle if God chose to heal her

So I want to invite MM up here and I want to pray for her, would you extend you hadn with me and ask God to heal

Then come and receive prayer.

Closing Prayer