...and give his life as a ransom for many…

There has been so much good, so much good in this series through Mark that we've called Ant, the movement of God and his people.

Each week we see, and we continue to continue to see how God is moving forward with his mission in front of him, making his mission known, and then bringing people along with him as that movement continues.

So it does make sense for us as we jump into this passage that it's actually just starting with them on the way, right?

The movement is happening.

So join with me, Mark chapter 10, verse 32.

Mark 10:32

They were on their way up to Jerusalem with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid.

All right.

So the other week, Andrew Hawes mentioned that Jesus and his followers were on their way from the provinces and the towns that were north of Jerusalem around the Sea of Galilee, and they were making their way down.

They were making their way down to the city of Jerusalem.

Now, it is a funny thing.

Anytime you hear Jerusalem mentioned in Scripture, they're going to say, we are going up to Jerusalem.

I did just say they were going south, and now they are going up.

It's because it's really elevated.

So Jerusalem is up on a very, very, very large hill.

So to get to Jerusalem, you must ascend.

So it says, Jesus and the disciples, or Jesus and his followers, were going up to Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem, you have the temple, you have the highest religious leaders there, and then you have the local outpost for the Romans.

Right.

So it's like the biggest, most important city in all of Israel.

And Jesus is going there.

It's important that he's going there because he's not just going there for a holiday, just to hang out with some family and friends.

He has been steadily working towards Jerusalem because the purpose for his coming is about to be seen, and it's happening in Jerusalem.

So this is a really, really big deal.

Now, in our text here, it says that his followers, um, in the Greek, it's a little less clear than they've made it in English.

It's just they and it's referring to his followers.

They were astonished, and they were afeared, they were afraid.

So it has this connotation that we've already seen it in uh Mark chapter 9.

Mark 9 · chapter mention

Transfiguration.

Jesus is transfigured, his face is aglow, he comes down the mountain with his three disciples who joined him there.

Peter, James, John.

And when he arrives, everybody sees his face.

It is different.

And the word there is translated overwhelmed with wonder.

When people look at Jesus, they are overwhelmed with wonder because there is something different about him.

It's the same word here.

The followers see Jesus doing what he is doing and they are amazed.

They are overwhelmed with wonder.

He is going to Jerusalem.

This is either going to be really, really good or really, really bad.

If it's really, really good, amazement.

If it's really, really bad, which is one likely one of the cards, they are afraid.

What is going to happen?

Put yourself in the sandals of the followers of Jesus.

What might be going through their head?

Jesus is going to bring the kingdom that he promised.

This kingdom of God that he has been talking about.

He he's going to go to Jerusalem.

It's happening.

It's about it's about to be here.

The Messiah is going to take the throne.

This is great.

The Messiah is going to take the throne.

Well, what's that going to look like?

Is this going to be a bloodbath?

Are we literally going to take on the Romans with swords and shield?

Is this going to be a quiet coup?

Is Jesus gonna slip onto the throne?

And what we were promised as Israelites is now finally going to happen?

What's coming?

They don't know.

They're kind of freaking out.

And yet Jesus keeps walking.

Sights set on Jerusalem.

What is it?

What does Jesus know that makes every single step worth it?

What does Jesus know?

Let's go to verse 32.

Again, because we are in part way through 32.

32 B again.

He took the twelve aside and he told them what was going to happen to him.

We are going up to Jerusalem, he said, and the Son of Man, that's Jesus referring to himself, to be clear, 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, that's the Romans, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him.

Three days later, he will rise.

Full revelation.

He is not in love.

He chooses to tell his followers exactly what is happening.

He doesn't say, guys, we're going to Jerusalem.

What's going to happen?

I don't know.

Want to keep walking after me?

You might die.

You cool with this?

He tells them right up front, I am going to die.

I will be abused.

And after my death, I will rise three days later.

Jesus is trying again, this is the third time he has made known his death.

He's trying to tell his disciples, you are still expecting a conquering king.

You are still expecting me to come in power, to throw off the shackles of the Romans and set Israel free.

This is what you're expecting.

I'm letting you know it's not conquering king right now, it's suffering servant.

It's a suffering servant.

And in the book of Isaiah, there is uh there's a prophet from hundreds of years before Jesus who prophesied about this savior, this anointed one, this Messiah who was going to come and he is going to set Israel free.

He is going to rule, but he was the suffering servant.

Talked often from Isaiah chapter 40 all the way to 55.

Isaiah 40 · chapter mention

There is a reason we are not reading the whole text out loud.

Um, it's a really big section of scripture, and it's all talking about this promised Messiah and the suffering that he would go through, the stripes that he would take on, the beating that would lead to his death.

Everybody was really excited about the Messiah coming.

Everybody was really excited about the kingdom of God actually being here.

That whole suffering part, they've kind of pushed that to the side.

That's not what, that's not what their Messiah would do.

But Jesus says, no, I will be betrayed, I will be rejected, I will be humiliated, I will be beaten, I will be crucified.

But after all of that happens, I will rise again three days later.

And this was a pure shocker.

Not everybody had seen that.

Not everybody understood what the Old Testament had said was going to happen.

And so Jesus is saying, I don't want you to be unaware.

It's unexpected, but this is happening.

And I will rise again.

Jesus knows this.

Jesus tells them this.

What does Jesus know that allows him to continue to walk to Jerusalem, knowing this is coming?

Verse 35.

And then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him.

Teacher, they said, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.

This is a very loaded statement.

The more times I read this passage in preparation, the more frustrated I found myself with James and John.

Right?

The way they approach this, this setup is an attempt to trap and manipulate Jesus.

Really, guys?

Really?

James, John, right?

We talk about James and John and Peter.

These are his three closest friends.

Two of his closest friends are trying to play their deep connection with Jesus against Jesus.

Really?

The more I stared at this confession time with Andrew, I feel I'm more frustrated at them because I'm familiar with their game.

No, I am not.

This is again, I am not confessing that I am one of the three closest people in all of history to Jesus.

That's not the part I'm familiar with.

The part that I am familiar with is trying to get God to do what I want him to by pointing to things that I have either done or felt or wanted in my life.

Tell me if this sounds familiar.

You don't have to raise your hand.

God, I've been on your team for a long time now.

Because of my loyalty to you, I want you to make my time and my following of you worth it.

So can you dot dot dot.

Okay.

Or, okay, God, you promised me that I'm your child.

And uh, well, parents, good parents give their kids good gifts.

And the good gift that I want is insert demand.

So please, God, since you're a good parent, wink wink, I want you to give me fill in the blank.

And I'll take it from the, I'll take it outside of the land of the the hypothetical ways that I've tried to manipulate God.

The reality is in high school, I asked God to give me a girlfriend if I stopped doing a particular sin.

And I meant it.

And I tried.

Update, this is not how God works.

But do we do we try to get to God to manipulate him to do what we want?

Verse 36.

Jesus, it's just it's the kindest question.

He looks at them and he says, What do you want me to do for you?

Right?

Okay, so first of all, parents.

Jesus has given us a parenting hack.

If your child comes and asks you a crazy question, you don't have to answer it straight away.

You just, you just listen.

Ask another question back.

Get more information before you agree to something you they're going to regret later because they said, and I quote, but you promised.

So, okay, play Jesus card here.

Don't answer their question right away.

Investigate.

Listen, what do you want me to do for you?

Verse 37, they replied, Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.

Now remember, remember the fear that they have approaching Jerusalem.

This thing, Jesus just told them, I am going to die.

Three days later, I am going to rise from the dead.

They're doing the math.

When we get to Jerusalem, this thing's happening.

Well, we better get our request in now.

Jesus graciously asks them the question that I feel if we are honest, we all want to be asked, what do you want me to do for you?

Have the God, the creator over all things, come to us and say, What do you want me to do for you?

My eyes get big.

I don't know.

And when he goes to them and he asks them this, do they want something wonderful?

Do they want to know him more?

Do they want him to bring world peace?

Do we want what is the thing that they're going to answer?

They want to either sit on ruling thrones to his left and his right when he comes into glory to rule, or they want to sit to his left and his right as he comes to the banqueting table, right?

The messianic table, the feast.

That's what they are asking for.

He has offered them an opening.

What do you want me to do for you?

And they answered, We want places of prominence and self-importance.

They don't want him.

They want what they can get from him.

Verse 38, You don't know what you're asking, Jesus said.

Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am going to be baptized with?

Say that three times fast.

We can, they answered.

Jesus said to them, You will drink the cup I drink, and be baptized with the baptized baptism I am baptized with, 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.

All right.

In Jesus' interaction with them, he uses two metaphors.

He talks about the cup and he talks about baptism.

All right, the cup, historically known in that culture and in their writings, that was always associated with drinking the cup of God's divine wrath, divine suffering.

All right.

So he is telling them: are you ready to take on God's suffering to sit by me?

It's a big ask.

And the second thing, are you ready to be baptized?

This baptism, um, we've talked about this already, both Andrew Haas and I, when we talk about large amounts of water, that is not a happy or good thing in that culture, right?

The Sea of Galilee, it may have provided food, it may have provided an opportunity for employment, but when it went south, it could kill you.

So, baptism, this idea of being consumed by large amounts of water, was not a good thing.

And so it actually represented despair and distress.

So let me rephrase this.

Gents, can you drink God's wrath of suffering and go through extreme despair and distress?

I know that they looked at Jesus and they said, We can.

But when I read this, and this might be me, I it's hard for me not to hear it through them thinking, okay, so if Jesus says, this is the bar, can you clear it?

And we get to sit to your right and your left to rule with you in this new kingdom, then yeah, Jesus, we will do anything for power.

Absolutely.

We'll do whatever it takes.

We want to be prominent.

Jesus says, you will.

I promise you all, this is what it looks like to follow me.

See, Jesus is meeting them head on and saying, you are wanting a kingdom that looks like this.

I am telling you, you will get my kingdom, but it is going to look entirely different.

My kingdom actually will have suffering as a part of it.

Not everyone's going to be thrilled with you.

It is going to be despairing, distressing.

Not everybody is going to want to be a part of this kingdom.

Following me is going to have this.

My kingdom is upside down.

It is upside down from the world.

So if Jesus knows this, if Jesus has these people who he loves who are trying to come to manipulate him, why, why, why does he keep going?

What does he know that keeps him going?

What kept him from bopping those two on the head?

Verse 41.

Uh Shakespeare came to mind.

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Right?

They aren't mad because their friends miss Jesus' heart.

No, they're mad because their friends got to the ask first.

They too wanted those seats of prominence.

They they were mad that almost like, guys, you ruined it.

I was gonna ask more nicely.

Jesus would have said yes to me.

Look at this face.

It would have been great.

Jesus says, no, now they're mad.

They all want that position and power.

They all want that position and power.

Verse 42.

Again, I make that assessment because of Jesus' response.

He doesn't bring everybody all together because he's frustrated with two people.

He knows what's in their hearts.

Jesus called them together and said, You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.

Regarded as rulers, like Jesus says, this is a really nice way of saying they think they're important.

They're not actually as important as they think they are, in God's view, but sure, guys, wear your crowns, make your rulings, have a day.

Feel self-important.

The Gentiles, there's so, by the way, there is just so much packed into these last few verses, and I am going to try to unpack them and lay them bare.

I promise, just sit in these, sit in this text this week.

There's so much more.

So the Gentiles, the Romans, what does their leadership look like?

How did they rule?

Jesus says, okay, well, they use their authority to put others down.

They boss others around.

They rule this way to keep people in their place.

They use their authority to get their way, to stroke their ego, to have, to maintain, and to increase power.

The way they rule creates separation and bestows value upon those that they say, those who have major power also have major worth.

Those who have little power have little worth.

They get in there and they separate and they lord over.

Disciples.

How does it feel to be on the receiving end of that?

How has it felt to be an Israelite conquered and ruled by these Romans?

It's unjust.

It's not right.

It's not how it's supposed to be, which is why they are saddled next to Jesus going to Jerusalem because they hate this.

And Jesus is reminding them this is what the Romans do.

And the disciples are like, yeah, yeah, that is what they do.

Okay.

Now, before Jesus goes on, sidestep.

Has anything changed today about how people in power treat others?

I saw some head shaking already.

Our politicians, yes.

I'm sorry to say, even the political party that you like.

Our campus presidents, our tech overlords, our bosses, our managers, our assistant managers, our assistants to the regional manager, they are no different.

They are no different.

Raise your hand if you have experienced somebody lording their authority over you.

Raise your hand.

If you have experienced this.

For those watching at home, that was over 75% of the room.

Or if you were in the front, you didn't want to awkwardly turn around and look.

Right?

That was over 75% of you that can say, You have been treated so poorly by those who have power over you.

Brothers and sisters, how does it feel to be on the receiving end of that?

It is unjust, it is not right, and it is not how it's supposed to be.

Jesus is talking to his disciples, verse forty three brings the hammer, not so with you.

Not so with you.

Not so with you.

If you are my follower, this sort of description should never, ever, ever be said of you.

Not so with you.

If you are my follower, don't wear this.

If you associate with my name, have nothing to do with this mindset and lifestyle, not so with you.

Those who follow Jesus are not to lead like the world leads.

We aren't to take on business practices of manipulation because we know that if we say or do the right thing, we can get what we want or for our business at the end of it.

We aren't to point to our high titles and believe that those of us who have the high title also have higher value, or then on the opposite side, look at somebody's low title and assign low value.

Not so with you.

Nearly all of us raised our hands saying that we have been treated like this.

Now, I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand as high, but raise your hand if you have used your position or authority to look down on somebody else to devalue them or distance yourself from another.

A show of hands, if this has actually described you at times.

My hands up, my hand's way up.

Not so with you.

Verse 43 B.

Instead.

Instead, this is a really nice contrast word.

We need to pay attention.

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

Instead, raises our eyes to him.

He has our attention.

We hear his voice.

There's another way.

There's another way.

Greatness is through serving.

Greatness is through serving.

That is upside-down living.

Do you want to matter?

Do you want to be important?

Do you want to have influence?

Good.

Stop striving.

Stop fighting for position.

Stop making it about you instead of trying to make sure all roads point to you where you are the top.

And then you can give your edicts and take care of things.

Become a servant.

And I love this.

Become a servant of all.

Become a slave of all.

Now, are two words in this text.

I'm actually not going to make a big deal about them.

The first one he says you need to be a slave of all.

That's the word diakonas.

And the second, to be a slave is dulos.

The first, diakonas, uh range of meaning, right?

So this is somebody who is going to be a servant, a waiter.

I'm telling you, like up at the top, minister and deacon.

Those are positions of serving.

Slave, slave, bondservant, one that is actually subject to another.

All right.

Jesus uses these like we see sometimes in the Psalms where the psalmist praises God, you are this and you are that.

He just kind of renames the second thing to describe the first.

They're synonyms in this case.

What are they conveying to us?

We must, must, must look towards everybody that God has put in our life and we say, How can we serve, honor, and love you?

This is the way of the people who follow Jesus.

If you want to be great, that's how our life has to look.

The way of the world takes honors from others.

Takes honor from others.

The way of Jesus seeks honor for others.

The way of the world fights for personal or hierarchical power.

The way of Jesus gives power away so that we can lift others up.

The way of the world exercises authority over others.

The way of Jesus uses authority to serve others.

And if this hasn't been clear yet, the way of Jesus really, really, really should be evident in the church.

Again, that's a bit of an irony that we have to say that.

The way of the world should not describe how the way the church operates.

In a few weeks, there will be a couple gentlemen that we will bring before you who are going to potentially be elders here at West Village Church.

Being an elder is not about having the highest business acumen or knowing the right people in the right places.

Being an elder isn't about an ability to win an argument or make others do what you want.

Being an elder isn't even about being the most spiritual dude in the room.

And then that we we grant somebody who is super spiritual with the reward of elder.

An elder is nothing like that.

An elder is somebody who is called to serve the church, to lift others up, to seek others good before their own, to pour themselves out for a season so that the bride of Christ knows him more.

An elder leads by serving.

Sorry, y'all.

Scratchy throat today.

I have been asking this rhetorical question again and again, and once more I will.

Repeat that verse.

Jesus is giving us his purpose statement.

Jesus, why are you here?

For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

If you are wanting a verse to memorize in Scripture, big arrows here.

Memorize this.

Can you step back with me just for a second before we launch excitedly into this verse?

There are three things to answer the question.

There are three things that Jesus knows.

That he knows coming into this passage.

One, he knows that God the Father loves him.

He is secure in that relationship, too.

He knows who he is.

He knows who he is.

And three, he knows that he loves us so.

Because he knows these massive things, he knows them to be true, he marches to Jerusalem.

Why?

Because nothing that happens in Jerusalem are going to change these three things.

He doesn't get baited by those who he is close to trying to manipulate him.

Nothing that they can say to Jesus are going to change these three things.

He isn't scared by the so-called rulers.

There is nothing that they will do to change these three things.

They are not going to alter his purpose.

He is not going to alter his purpose because nothing before him is going to change these three things.

He, Jesus, God over all, the king, he is not going to pull rank.

By the way, of all people of all creation, who could pull rank?

It's him.

And he is not going to pull rank, because he doesn't need anything from us.

And whatever we bring to him will not change those three things.

God knows the Father loves him, he knows who he is, and he knows he loves us.

Because the creator and ruler of all things know these things to be true, then he comes to complete this love for us.

To serve and give his life as a ransom for many.

Or textually accurate for the many.

Not just a lot, the many.

He came to sacrifice himself for the many.

This death sets us free from the power and the penalty of sin.

He came to defeat death through resurrection by dying and then beating death and raising us to glory forever.

He didn't come to compete against the bad rulers and just be the best bad ruler.

He isn't playing the game.

His kingdom is of a different kingdom.

His way is of a different way.

Okay.

Because Jesus has done all of this.

We, the people who have said, You are Lord, we confess our sin.

We do not have it together.

We receive the forgiveness that you offer us.

Because he has set us free, we are now able to follow him.

We are now able to live, we are able to follow the way of Jesus that I've been teasing out, that the text has been stating this is the way of Jesus.

Now, please hear me.

What I'm not saying is that because Jesus gave us a great example, that we as humanity were unable to live the right way.

But now that we have seen Jesus, aha, I now know the way, this is the way.

Because we see it, because we see him, we're like, okay, now we can.

I just needed a good example.

No, I promise you, if you just keep trying harder and harder and harder to be like Jesus, you will be more and more and more miserable.

Because we cannot do it on our own strength.

Jesus came and served and gave his life as a ransom for us.

And because he ransomed us, he set us free.

We are free.

We don't have to play the game of the world.

He gives us the strength and the power through the Holy Spirit to live for him.

We are free to live for him because living for others will never satisfy.

We are free to love like him because we have a complete love from him.

We are free to serve because we have all we need in him.

The good news, the gospel is that the King of Kings lived a perfect life, died a sinner's death, and rose to a victor's crown so that we are all ransomed and set free in him.

This was the purpose in his coming.

In setting us free, he has called us to be his disciples who know him, who love him, and are following his steps.

I want to paint a picture really fast.

Can you imagine a world where there are a group of disciples that know Jesus?

They don't just know about him, but they know him.

They desire to know him.

And as they know him more, their life is shaped by his way.

What would it look like for Victoria to be filled with a whole group of people who know that they are not competing or trying to earn their worth from the people around them, that they know that they are loved and that they love and serve willingly.

What would it look like for the area of Victoria, the greater Victoria, to be overrun by people who love Jesus and love others because they are loved by Jesus?

I say overrun, that's usually not a positive word.

So filled, overflowing?

Lots and lots of people who exist to love and honor their neighbors just because they are, not because they've earned it.

What would it look like if Victoria actually had the look of the kingdom of God?

Don't you want it?

Don't you want to exist in a world like that?

Don't you want to participate in a kingdom like that?

As the band makes their way up, want to ask us to reflect.

If we've heard about Jesus, have you actually accepted Jesus as Lord?

Have you actually come and said, Lord, I can't do this.

I need you, and I need all that you can give to me.

I need to be made whole.

If you have never made that prayer, we are going to have prayer partners here on the side.

And they would love to introduce you to Jesus and help pray that prayer to help you cross over that line of faith to say, I am following Jesus and I want to.

If you have already prayed that, if you have already committed to Jesus, I'm just going to ask: are there areas of your life that you said, I'm glad Jesus chose to be the slave because I'm going to rule here?

Are there things that you actually need to give up to Jesus and say, I want to serve you and I want to serve others?

I want, I am your servant, and thus I will love and serve and honor others.

As Nathan begins kind of doing the meatly-meedily play behind, I want us to go to God in prayer and just ask him, Lord, where do I need to be made whole in you?

So let's close our eyes and just pray through these areas as I list them.

Lord, where I live, where do I need to receive your strength to serve other people where I live?

Go to God and ask this.

Where I learn, the places we go to school and the spaces we put ourselves to continue to grow.

Who do we need to serve like you?

And Lord, where are the spaces that you have given us to recreate, to play, to have fun where we still are seeking our advancement there?

Lord, where do you want us to show up as your servants, to love others like you do?

Lord, we have seen so many things.

Names, faces, places.

But Lord, we ask that you mold us in your image.

Lord, that we can receive your love, that we can know you more and more, and live as people who know you well.

In your name we pray, amen.