TITLE: The Kingdoms Hall of Fame
TEXT: Mark10:35:45
THEME: Serving others makes us great in God’s kingdom.
OPENING
SENTENCE: A coach and his recruiter were talking about the upcoming football season.
INTRODUCTION: The recruiter asked, “What kind of players are you looking for this year coach?” The coach replied with a question, “Do you think I want the player who gets knocked down and doesn’t get up?” The recruiter answered, “No, you don’t want that player.” The coach then asked, “Right, how about the player that gets knocked down and gets back up but gets knocked down again? The recruiter said, “You don’t want that player either.” The coach finally asked, “How about the player who gets knocked down, gets back up, gets knocked down and gets back up, gets knocked down and gets back up?” “That’s the player you want isn’t it coach”, the recruiter responded. “No,” the coach said. “I want the player that is knocking everybody down—that’s the player we want!” (See SC)
Certainly winning and knocking down people is an essential part of the game of football. Yet, so many people think that is what greatness is all about in life in general. Greatness, to them is about seeing life as a big competition and the one who is left standing, the one always pushing forward, the one who knocks down others to get ahead in the game. We hear it in phrases like,” it’s a dog eat dog world and the meanest dog wins.” We hear it in politicians who demean their opponents and exalt their attributes with the intent of gaining power and influence. We see it in businesses who try to drive others out of the competition.
Needless to say that is how much of the world operates. Taking and exerting power, prestige or wealth by whatever means necessary is the drive of many. It is the cause of most wars and the drive behind most brutal dictators and it is what drives one of the world’s major religions. So much so that the world extremism or radicalism has become a term of fear and derision.
TRANSTION
SENTENCE: Yet a consistent theme in the Bible and from Jesus flies in the face of this mindset.
TRANSITION: It is a principle that is upside down from the world’s perspective and if radically applied will transform how we live our lives- for the good. In contrast to the attitude of gaining and exerting power the Bible places great value on humility and servanthood. For instance:
 Proverbs 18:12 “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.”
 Matthew 23:12 “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
 James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
SAY WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY: The morning I want us to ask the question, “How do you become great in God’s Kingdom? We will learn that it is by following the path that Jesus followed by becoming a servant to all.
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TEXT: Mark10:35:45
THEME: Serving others makes us great in God’s kingdom.
How do we achieve greatness in God’s Kingdom?
I.
By understanding where true greatness does not come from (35-37)
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
A.
It does come from the normally perceived sources of power.
It is noteworthy that in the verses just preceding this passage Jesus predicts his death and resurrection for the third time. “33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
Today’s passage must be understood in light of this prediction. Somehow these two men missed the point of Jesus prediction and were instead focused on Christ as king preparing to set up his
Kingdom. They were both insensitive to his warning of his imminent death and they clearly did not understand the implications of what was soon to come.
In believing Jesus was the promised Messiah and King of the OT James and John had the same understanding as most of the Jews of their day had of Him. Many of the prophecies about the coming King portrayed Him as one who would rule the nations with power and authority. Israel was to share a place of prominence in His Kingdom and certainly those closest to Him would wield some of that power. James and John wanted part of the action and to be in places of power when that future day would come. Their image of power certainly did not fit the prediction of
Jesus that He would die a humiliating death of a despised criminal. It is like they disregarded it altogether. They could not, like most Jews of their day, envision both a person dying in humiliation and a grand king worthy of worship. These concepts seem to be in conflict with each other. Great kings are the ones who knock others down- the do not get knocked down themselves- or so they thought.
B.
It does not come from craving power or influence.
Jesus is going to challenge their view. His disciples do something most kids try with their parents, “say yes now before I ask you the question.” And, like most parents would do Jesus says, “I will not answer until I know the question.” Their question shows their hearts- they want the power, prestige and influence that come from being close to a great king. This is the attitude that Christ will dispel.
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ILLUSTRATE: “We have all become familiar with the phrase, “upward mobility.” The term has found its way into the everyday vocabulary of most Canadians. Don't think for a moment that upward mobility is a new passion in people's lives- interest in personal promotion and personal advancement dates back to the garden days of Adam and Eve. In the same way that a compass always points north, the instinctual human needle always points up. Questioning upward mobility causes a kind of inner trauma that most people do not handle well. The mere mention of words like demotion, downscaling, decreasing, losing, and dying sends off danger signals in the minds of people. Blood pressures and pulse rates skyrocket. "Not me. Not me! Please! Let's change the subject. Let's get back to promotion, upscale, increase, winning, and living. Then you'll have my full attention. Then you'll have my enthusiastic support. Then you'll get my vote."
APPLY: Friends, look deep within your soul because I have a sneaking suspicion that upward mobility has a hold on many of us in ways we aren't even aware of. This passage of Scripture and its implications are unsettling. Compass needles point north, not south. Human needles point up, not down and now Jesus is going to blast through that mindset and set us on a different course. (Bill Hybels, “The Severn Demotions.)
THEME: Serving others makes us great in God’s kingdom.
How do we achieve greatness in God’s Kingdom?
II.
By following the same path of greatness Jesus followed (38-40)
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them,
“You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
A.
Drink the same cup and share the same baptism refers to the crucifixion.
Jesus uses here two symbolic words, familiar in the Old Testament, cup and baptism. They are clear words and they are huge in their implications. Jesus had just finished telling His disciples what was going to go on when He goes up to Jerusalem: they will mock Him and spit on Him, and torture Him, and kill Him. The cup that Jesus drank and the baptism that Jesus was baptized with was His actual offering of His life!!! Note the prayer in Gethsemane and he was preparing to the Father regarding his imminent crucifixion. “39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as
I will, but as you will.” He repeats that prayer two other times. (SC-see file)
So, His question to James and John was literally this: “Can you, too, offer your lives?” But, the baptism that Jesus was baptized with also means putting ourselves into conflict with evil and dangerous powers. It means being willing to go all the way for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. It’s like jumping in front of a moving train in order to save a blind person who is wandering on the tracks. Jesus probably could have avoided crucifixion by staying in Galilee.
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He wasn’t brought to trial for saying, “Consider the lilies…, how they grow. It was for saying,
“Consider the thieves in the temple, how they steal!” That is one of the things that brought on the crisis. It was when He drove out demons, when He raised the dead, when He faced the evil forces that Jesus was baptized with conflict!
Can we be baptized with the baptism Christ is baptized with? I think James and John had no real clue about what was ahead for Jesus and for them.
B.
Realizing only God can grant kingdom greatness. Notice also that Jesus reminds them that what they ask is not His decision to make. It is the Fathers decision and He will only base
His decision on those who are prepared.
That path to this preparedness is given in Philippians 2, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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.
ILLUSTRATE: Before the breakup of the Soviet Union a Baptist pastor in Romania named Josef
Tson had been tortured and imprisoned for preaching his faith. He was attracting hundreds of followers and baptized over 850 converts in just a few years- something not welcome in Soviet
Romania. Josef was so convinced of the truth and importance of the gospel he was willing to sacrifice everything.
After one long and grueling interrogation in which the interrogator threatened, among other things, to spread awful lies about him to his congregation in order to discredit him. He says in a later testimony, “That Saturday morning, in my morning devotion Jesus was in front of me and said, "Josef, let me tell you how you imagined your martyrdom, going with your cross to be crucified but passing among two rows of Christians applauding. 'Bravo, Josef!' But what if I make those brothers and sisters of yours as you pass with your cross stoop down, take mud, and throw it on you and your cross? Will you accept a cross with mud on it?" "Lord, even this is from you. Then I accept it."
You don't send a lamb to the wolves to have a great time with the wolves. "But don't you see?
The lambs go to the wolves with the proclamation of the gospel and with love and with the attitude of self-sacrifice. When the wolves jump on them and tear them in pieces, with the last breath the lambs will say, 'We still love you.' And at least some of the wolves shudder and become lambs, because the truth conquers by dying."
All of a sudden I understood God's strategy. I said, "Oh, Lord. So being killed for you and for the gospel is not a tragedy. That's part of the job. That's the essence of your strategy. For 2,000 years that's how you conquered. Now I am ready to go." (Josef Tson, “Persecution)
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APPLY: Josef Tson understood what it is drink the cup of Christ. To be great in Gods Kingdom requires the mindset that says, “I am willing to serve others with my very life.” It is the kind of attitude modeled by Jesus Himself.
THEME: Serving others makes us great in God’s kingdom.
How do we achieve greatness in God’s Kingdom?
III.
By becoming a servant of God and others (41-45)
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 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.”
A.
Power grabs bring indignation and resentment. Notice the response of the other disciples when they got wind of the attempted power grab by James and John. Their indignation and resentment is predictable if you work from the mindset that seeks to exalt oneself. And that exposes one of the major flaws of this attitude. Power grabs always leave the less advantaged behind- only the one who has manipulated their way to power are the true beneficiaries.
B.
Servanthood is contrasted to lording it over others. Notice Jesus clarifies the contrast.
His disciples, he says, are not to model the Gentile rulers who Lord it over others instead, they are to become servants.
C.
To be first in God’s upside down Kingdom comes from serving others. The believers primary allegiance is to God and His Kingdom which does not operate under the same rules of engagement as the earthly Kingdom. Greatness starts with a downward descent- not an upward one. This means we should not pursue the praises and adoration of others but we should pursue the praises and adoration of God.
D.
Even Jesus came to serve and to be a ransom for sin. Jesus Himself, as the great God-
Man union, came as a servant to serve others. His Kingship is one of a servant King who humbles Himself and sacrifices Himself for the sake of His people. His gives to us our model of what true greatness looks like.
ILLUSTRATE: During World War II, some American soldiers were being held in a prison camp. They were hostages without hope. Every day some of their buddies died or lost heart. No one was coming to rescue them. Somehow they smuggled in a short-wave radio, and they heard that the Allied forces had broken through and, for all practical purposes, the war was over. The
Allies had won the war. The soldiers had a deliverer. Any day now freedom would be assured— as a matter of fact, freedom had already started. (Hybels)
APPLY: In the same way, those who trust in Jesus know and believe they have been set free by
Christ. They've heard the news of salvation; they have believed the good news; they are now enjoying their liberation from slavery and bondage to sin and death. Every time we engage in
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small acts of servanthood, we participate in the grand story of Jesus to set people free from bondage. If we don't keep that one story in front of our eyes
THEME: Serving others makes us great in God’s kingdom.
SAY WHAT YOU HAVE SAID: The morning we asked the question, “How do you become great in God’s Kingdom?” We learned that it is by following the path that Jesus followed by becoming a servant to all.
TIE INTO OPENING SENTENCE: Greatness in God’s Kingdom is not a football game where it in determined by who you can knock down. Greatness is about picking people up and helping them get back into the game.
APPLY TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCE:
1.
Here's the good news from Scripture: it doesn't start with you saying, "I have to try harder. I have to do better and act nicer. I have to be less selfish." It starts by getting your eyes off yourself and on to Jesus, because he is the Master Servant. Jesus knows servanthood. All of Scripture is the big, huge, amazing, exciting, adventurous story about how God comes to serve us and set us free. Once we've been set free, we get to join the story. Christ invites us to become players in the big story of servanthood. (Hybels)
2.
One can be a leader, just as Jesus was, but he was a servant leader. The purpose of servant leadership to be willing to sacrifice all for the people God has entrusted to you.
3.
This idea of Jesus ransoming us leads to this central truth: apart from Christ, we are all hostages. We're enslaved to the power of sin—that's why we wind up in addictions and pettiness and poutiness and "demandingness" and selfishness. We're enslaved to our past, and we're dead in our sins; it's not a pretty picture. But God came to us in Jesus as a rescue operation. Jesus came to break the bonds of sin, to set us free from its power and the penalty of our sin. When Jesus died on the cross he broke the old way and offered us freedom—freedom to pursue intimacy with God, freedom to pursue wholeness and holiness.
HAYMAKER: Someone once called a preacher to say he wanted to become a church member.
But, he went on to explain that he did not want to: commit to coming to worship every week, study the Bible, visit the sick, or serve as a leader or teacher.
The minister commended him for his desire to be a church member, but told him the church he was looking for was located in another part of town. The man wrote down the address and hung up. When he arrived at that address, the man came face to face with the result of his own attitude of not wanting to be involved. There stood an abandoned church building boarded up and ready for demolition.
And so it is. The church that asks nothing of Gods people is dead. Too many people want a faith that cost them nothing. They want to able to go on with their lives with no strings attached and with others serving and admiring them. They want others in their culture to admire and praise them. Yet, this is not the path of the true follower of Jesus who models for us the nature of true servanthood. As citizens of the realm we need to be servants.
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