Mark 10:35-45 - How to Win in Life.
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Big Idea:
Big Idea:
Let the humble King be your greatest influence.
Questions answered in this sermon: How do I win in life?
Intro:
Intro:
Hi Church Online - thanks for joining us today.
The other day, I was scrolling thru social media and came across an older video. What I watched was pretty confusing. And instead of me trying to describe it to you… I thought I’d just show you...
[Show video]
Now, I’m going to assume some of us still have no idea what we just watched, so let me quickly explain...
The video starts off with the white team shooting free throws. Likely, this player on the white team was fouled and has an opportunity to shoot uncontested, from the free throw line, to score points. She shoots and misses. This is when the confusion begins...
When the white player misses, the blue team rebounds the ball. However, in a moment of confusion, a blue player gets the ball and instead of running towards the blue basket (where she can score points for her team), she shoots at the white team’s basket and scores - technically scoring points for her opponents. But wait, there’s more...
In a moment of further confusion, the white team grabs the ball and now heads towards the blue team’s basket, completely turned around. And if they were to successfully score on that basket, they would technically score points for their opponents.
What’s even more confusing is the refs let it happen!
And at the end of the video, you see one of the coaches throw up his hands as if to express, “What in the world just happened?!?”
It’s one of the most confusing plays I’ve ever seen. If the primary objective of basketball is to win by outscoring your opponent, obviously, you can’t win by shooting at the wrong basket!
And in a way, this video reminded me of our world today.All of us desire some level of success in our lives. If you will, we want to win. And all too often, we do confusing things that don’t help us win. In fact, it might help our opponents, especially when our personally confusion causes others to be confused too.
Maybe I could phrase it this was: The devil has us confused on how to win in life. He’s got a lot of people shooting at the wrong baskets. Furthermore, the referees in our society just let it happen.
Maybe you’re hearing this and thinking, “George, the devil… really? We’re gonna go there?” Honestly, yes. God’s word says...
Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints,
In other words: The devil is responsible for much of the chaos and confusion of our world.
With that said, let me give you some hope: God wants us to win.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
God created us and is committed to helping us win. And that’s something we’re going to see today in the Book of Mark. We’re in Mark 10 and last week we saw Jesus and His disciples heading to Jerusalem. It’s finally time for Jesus to go to the Cross and save the world. And He ended by telling His disciples, “I will rise again.” He promises, “I will WIN. And if you’re on My team, you WIN too.”
Unfortunately, the disciples didn’t get it. They were still confused. We see that as we pick up in verse 35 that says...
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.”
Btw - quick shout out to the Young Adults. They helped me study for this last Monday.
At this super faith-building moment of Jesus’ journey to the cross, two of the hard-headed disciples respond, “Oh - you’re going to die and rise… umm okay… don’t really get it - BUT!!!! We have a question for you! When the Kingdom of God comes in it’s fullness, can you make us the two most important people in the universe?!?”
Now, you gotta be thinking, “Why would they ask this? What made them think they were - in a sense - as special as Jesus?”
One possible reason may involve the fact James and John were part of the inner circle. Jesus chose 12 disciples to invest in, but 3 of them He REALLY POURED into: Peter, James, and John.
We saw this in Mark 9. It says...
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,
The special-3 got to go onto the Mount of Transfiguration, were alone with Jesus, saw Him glorified, and saw Moses and Elijah - two of Israel’s greatest prophets - in glory!
Afterwards, they probably looked at the other disciples like, “What can I say? God has something better for us. We’re basically Jesus’ BFFs and got Platinum-Titanium- Elite - Black Card status with God.” They’re like Pastor Jon walking into a Marriott. I’ve been to a Marriott with Jon. All the workers are like, “Oh Mr. Owens, welcome back sir. How can we serve you? May I kiss your ring?”
And it’s this status that may have led them to believe, “Oh, Jesus, just to confirm, we get to sit next to you in glory, right?” Furthermore, this was compounded by a worldview that is still with us today… that...
The pursuit of personal greatness is how you win in life.
James and John were doing all they could to win in life. But before we judge them too quickly for their arrogance, let’s be honest, we act the same way...
Not only do we prioritize our pursuit for personal greatness, but we also inappropriately elevate our status to be on the same level as the Lord Jesus. You might be asking, “When did I do that?”
Let me explain...
Those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus (Christians) rightly say that “Jesus is our Lord and Savior.” However, practically speaking, we good with Jesus as Savior (please save me from my sins and the consequences) but do we really treat Jesus as Lord?
Because Lord means Jesus is in charge. A “Lord” has authority over us. He sits a the throne. We do not.
However, in this life, every time we choose to do things our way- or apart from the Lord Jesus’ leading - we ACTUALLY make ourselves co-equal, or even exalted-over, Jesus. We use our free-will to trump or dismiss His authority. We say things like...
God, I don’t care if you want me to do “this.” I’m doing this instead. We go out our days never consulting… never asking the question, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”.
God, do you want me to date or marry this person?
Lord, how should I spend this money? How should I spend my time? Where should I go to school?
No. Instead we says, “God, I want to be this way. I want to live this way. Stay out of my life… oh… but don’t go too far away. Stay close enough just in case I need Your help.”
In principle, we prioritize personal greatness just like James and John. We think that’s how we’ll WIN in life...
But look how Jesus responds...
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?”
I love that first part, “You do not know what you are asking.” Or, in other words, “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Couldn’t Jesus say that to us too?
Many times, I envision Jesus looking down from heaven and thinking, “You have no idea what you’re doing...” Because we don’t! Like the disciples, “We don’t get it!” And like the disciples, our bad life-choices are the evidence.
James and John didn’t get it. They wrongly thought too highly of themselves...
Jesus says, “Are you able to drink the cup I drink?” The biblical vocabulary refers to the cup of God’s wrath. Yes, God has wrath. Now, God’s wrath isn’t like human wrath - where He just flies off the handle in emotional rage. He’s not Vecna (Stranger Things reference).
God’s wrath is His perfect eternal judgement on sin. It’s what we all deserve for sinful lifestyles. And to clarify… the intensity of God’s wrath is more than any human can handle, even for a second.
You ever pop an engorged tick? That’s what would happen to our fragile bodies if we tried to endure a millisecond of God’s wrath. But here’s what’s crazy... on the cross - that’s what Jesus did as our substitute!
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
That word “propitiation” means “wrath-absorber.” And ONLY Jesus (as the Son of God) could absorb the cup of God’s wrath. This was a cup James and John could not drink - they had no idea what they were talking about!
Furthermore, when Jesus refers to “the baptism,” it’s more than just water baptism. It speaks of identity. When John the Baptist water-baptized Jesus, it wasn’t because Jesus needed to repent, rather, He was identifying with sinful man. He was immersing Himself to identify with mankind - so that… He could fully pay for all of mankind’s sins. Again.... ONLY Jesus could be baptized with this baptism.
Yet, the confused disciples replied… “We are able.” (Mark 10:39) Jesus may or may not have rolled his eyes at this point...
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.”
Although I picture Jesus a little annoyed with James and John, he responds with grace and tells them, “You will drink the cup and be baptized.” It’s not the same cup and baptism required to save the world- ONLY Jesus could do that - but as followers of Jesus, they would share in His sufferings and burdens.
Which gives us a chance to pause and think about something important...
Suffering is part of the present unfolding of the Kingdom of God. Suffering doesn’t mean failure. For the child of God, suffering is not without purpose. Now, suffering is not the point of the Kingdom of God, but it is part of the process by which God chooses to make us more like Jesus. He also sovereignly uses our suffering to reach the world.
Therefore, if you are suffering today, but also faithfully following God, know that you may be simply experiencing God’s promise. That your sacrifice is NOT in vain, but has eternal meaning and rewards awaiting. As Paul told Timothy...
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
With that… look verse 40, because I believe this is key to understanding our passage...
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.”
Notice Jesus - the Son of God, fully God & fully man, the 2nd Person of the Trinity - says, “I don’t know something.” That’s weird isn’t it? If Jesus is God, how does He not know something?
The answer involves a mysterious practice Scripture reveals as part of the Holy Trinity. The practice is kinda a naughty word in our culture. It might get you canceled. It’s an “S-word” more disliked than “suffering.” The practice of SUBMISSION.
Within the Trinity, there exists a perfect relationship between the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. All co-equally God; yet… the Son and Spirit SUBMIT to the Father. Meaning - mysteriously - the Father knows things the Son doesn’t… as Jesus discloses here. How is that possible? I have no idea.
What I do know is Jesus wants us to see that submission is both beautiful and necessary. And if we sinners want to WIN, we need to learn to practice submission. Because God is going to tell us things we don’t understand, things different from what the world around us teaches, different from what we feel or grew up believing. For example...
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 world teaches us that the way to win in life is to achieve personal greatness. And our sinful nature is drawn to that - that message feels good to us! But Jesus clarifies… the way to truly WIN is not thru personal greatness, but by being a servant.
That’s crazy to us! It’s so opposite of what we feel or see in this world. But here’s how we know Jesus is right… He proved that it works!
If sin and death are our greatest enemies, then defeating them is WINNING. And when the Son of Man (Jesus) came to this wrold to serve His Father and us… to give His life as a ransom for many on the cross… the Bible says He defeated sin. Furthermore, when He rose three days later - it proved Jesus won!
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
Do you want to WIN in life? Then, ask yourself: Am I a servant? If someone was to examine my life, would they walk away describing me a as a servant? Or, would they say: That person is committed to their personal greatness.
And consider this… we’re all willing to “serve” when WE WANT TO. Sometimes we “serve” because it fulfills our personal desires or advances our personal greatness.
But here’s the real heart check: Will you serve when there is no personal benefit to you? When it adds nothing to your personal greatness. In fact, it gives what you have away.
We see this perfected modeled for us in Jesus. Because I believe the Scriptures reveal that Jesus would’ve personally preferred to NOT go to the Cross! Why else would He ask the Father...
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
That’s the Servant’s heart! In submission, you say, “Not my will, but your will.” It’s giving my life in service to God and others. It’s living out the words of Paul who said...
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
And when He did this… He won. That’s why Paul goes onto say...
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So, let’s refine our question. Not just “Am I a servant?” But... “Am I a servant like Jesus?”
I’ve heard it once said, “As Christians, if we claim to be servants like Jesus… why do we get upset when people treat us like servants?” How we respond when treated like servants reveals the genuineness of our hearts. It shows us how in sync our heart is with Jesus, which also indicates if we are on the path towards WINNING.
Response:
Response:
As we close today, I want to ask: Do you want to win in this life?
Then realize this:
Left to our own sinful nature, we have no idea what you’re doing or how to truly win.
But Jesus does!
And He’s calling us to submit to His ways and WIN!
You see, we don’t win thru personal greatness. That’s shooting at the wrong basket. We win by doing what Jesus says - like being a servant. We win by letting King Jesus be our greatest influence. And today, if you’re ready to take that step of faith, and let Jesus become your Lord and Savior, pray this with me...
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