Jesus On The Road to Jericho

Okay, we are in the last days of our Lord's life as we have been looking at his journey toward Jerusalem. So tonight we're in Mark chapter 10 and we find that the text actually says in Mark 10 verse 32 they were on their way up to Jerusalem. Now this is not just a one day you know you leave and go to Jerusalem and you're there in mid afternoon. This is a journey that takes several days. He has been coming from the Samaria area swinging up around Galilee and then down the east side of the Jordan River and we'll look at a map a little bit later but he is now headed toward Jerusalem. As he is going toward Jerusalem a conversation takes place which causes Jesus to highlight the value of servanthood and that's what we're going to look at first tonight. Jesus teaching about servanthood three gospels cover this story. We're going to look at Mark's account in Mark chapter 10 and verses 32 to 45. Last week we began this story with a note about the determination of servanthood. Jesus shows us the model of the true servant as he will close this passage with him being the model of true servanthood. He actually begins the passage the same way with demonstrating what it means to be a servant because a servant is not someone who just lays down or lets everybody walk over them. A servant has a steely determination but a determination to do God's will and not his or her own will and that's exactly what Jesus shows us here in verse 32. Look at it again they were under way up to Jerusalem with Jesus leading the way and the disciples were astonished and those who followed were afraid. Remember the scene Jesus is leading the way. He is marching toward his death and we know from what he'll say in just a moment that he knows exactly what's going to happen to him and yet he's not shrinking behind it's not others needing to come on come on Jesus let's go he is leading the way he's out front like a captain of a platoon headed into battle right into the face of battle knowing that he's going to die and and Jesus is leading his their afraid they're astonished that he even wants to go back to Jerusalem because of the opposition he's been facing they're afraid and Jesus pulls them aside and gives them a locker room talk in a sense he says there in verse 32 it says again he took the 12 aside and told them what was going to happen to him and he gives a blow by blow a count of what's going to happen in Jerusalem and of course we know from this that Jesus knows exactly what he's facing Jesus did not go naively or innocently into Jerusalem he knew exactly what was going to happen and that's what makes his stealing determination to go even more amazing he describes for them we're going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be delivered over the chief priests and the teachers of the law they will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him and spit on him flog him and kill him notice the detail of Jesus describing everything that will happen and all of this would come true but Jesus giving kind of a detailed blow by blow a count of what will happen when he gets to Jerusalem and he ends with this three days later he will rise so he gives them exactly what's going to happen and almost almost picture this scene Jesus calling them aside they're fearful to go to Jerusalem Jesus is leading the way straight into the face of his death and he pulls them aside and tells them exactly what's going to happen and I can almost see the look of determination in his eyes it's like he pulls them aside and says this is what's going to happen this is going to happen this is going to happen this is going to happen then this is going to happen now come on guys let's go and it's like he just heads out of a huddle and straight to the line of scrimmage and he's he's right in the face of the defense and he's he's headed towards Jerusalem it's an amazing scene it really is an incredible scene where Jesus knowing what's going to happen to him still is leading the charge into Jerusalem leading the way towards Jerusalem amazing well something else happens that's the determination of servanthood but what happens next demonstrates to us the absence of servanthood look at what happens in verse 35 then James and John the sons of Zebedee came to him teacher they said we want you to do whatever we ask doesn't that sound interesting do you remember what how your kids used to come to you when they were little our kids did this they would come up to us and you could tell they had a request and the first thing they would say is daddy say yes or mommy say yes and then they would ask their questions your kids do that I guess we're the only ones that have weird kids right I mean your kids did that too say yes say yes and then they would ask their question when I when I read this story I think of little children doing that in essence that's what that's what James and John are doing they come to Jesus and before they asking their question they say teacher we want you to do for us whatever we ask in other words say yes before we ask okay and Jesus like a good parent says what do you want me to do for you in other words ask your question first of course he knew what they were gonna ask but he he says what do you want me to do for you first thirty seven they replied let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory and what we see here is that the absence of servanthood is seen in their request the request they make clearly evidences no thought of servanthood they want the place of importance again put yourself in the scene Jesus has just described for them all that's gonna happen to him in Jerusalem including his death and Luke's gospel says that they didn't understand any of it it's just like it went completely over their head what are they thinking about as Jesus is going up to Jerusalem what are they thinking is gonna do take over Jerusalem and do what set up a kingdom yeah they're still thinking about that now remember Jesus has just told them remember in Matthew 19 we just saw this a couple weeks ago where after the rich young ruler had come to Jesus and walked away sorrowfully because he was not willing to give up all of his possessions and remember the question that Peter asked what did Peter ask the Lord or say to the Lord and I know it's been two weeks I know I think I heard it okay remember me first when you come into your kingdom that's what we're gonna see tonight and it was very similar to that what's in it for me yeah remember Jesus Jesus is is watching the young rich young ruler walk away and Peter said to him Lord we have left all to follow you remember that we've left all to follow you and what will we have and Jesus remember said to him what what was Jesus first answer to him remember when the Son of Man comes and sits on his throne and his glory what will happen to the twelve what did Jesus say they would do surely you remember they would rule over the twelve tribes of Israel okay see the problem is we saw that two weeks ago Jesus had just said that just probably in the same day to them he has just told them that they will rule on the twelve try over the twelve tribes of Israel when he sets up his kingdom I think sometimes we forget that the disciples are pretty excited about that remember he went on to tell them the first should be last last should be first then he gave the parable of the landowner and the you remember the parable the paychecks where the the ones who came in last got paid the same and so he was rebuking kind of Peter's mercenary spirit but still ringing in their ears is that statement when I come into my glory in the regeneration of all things you will sit on the twelve you will rule over the twelve tribes of Israel and they got that they remembered that they heard that but now when Jesus is describing for them his death that went right over their head they missed it they're still thinking about those twelve tribes and ruling over the twelve tribes I mean that's that's the kind of stuff they want to hear that's the kind of stuff they latch on to and so while they did not get what Jesus says about his death they surely remembered what he said about ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel well that's not quite good enough for James and John they don't want to just be on a level with the other ten ruling over twelve tribes and so they come to Jesus they're thinking about I've been thinking about this kingdom thing and Jesus sitting on his throne and ruling over one of the twelve tribes and they've been thinking about that and so they've decided you know we think we could probably do a little better than that so they come to Jesus and they say teacher we want you to do for us whatever we asked what you want me to do let one of us sit at your right the other at your left in your glory we don't want to be over you know Zeb's under an afflire Judah we want to be over the whole thing with you one on your right one on your left we want to be your co-regents or whatever the fascinating thing about this to me is that this is politics at its worst Matthew first of all tells us that their mother came first and asked Jesus for a favor for her two sons so you got a little nepotism going on here you know she's trying to get her boys in the favored place but do you remember James and John and who else was kind of in the inner circle of the disciples Peter when Jesus kind of isolated three to go with him on various occasions he would pick Peter James and John what do you think's going on here with James and John I want to get one up on Peter don't they I think they're trying to pull an ace over on Peter I really do I really do think they're saying you know Peter he may be Anglin for the top spot he may want to be vice president so we're gonna beat him to it this is politics at its worst really is before Peter can get in to office we're gonna see what we can do to get into office and so they're pulling strings and working angles obviously the absence of servanthood is seen in their request but you know somehow this ambitious spirit this mercenary spirit this desire for position and prominence and prestige sounds very familiar in our day doesn't it even in the church it can happen I'd say it always does there many good-hearted people who are servant in spirit but there are also people even the Lord's work who seek status hungry for honor hungry for praise hungry for position want to be seen above others and so that happens it happens even in the Lord's work before we're before we're too quick to criticize James and John we probably ought to take a good look inside and and make sure we don't have that same desire and and longing even if we've not expressed it maybe like they did but they're trying to pull a fast one on Peter I had no question about that so the absence of servanthood is seen in their request anything else there you want to point out or ask about James and John's request well yeah for sure I mean Jesus the one who will sit on the throne has evidenced ultimate humility in leaving the throne of heaven to come down to this earth to start with who are we to the clamor for the throne's next to him yeah good good point the comparison there and contrast there is pretty awesome okay anything else okay the absence of servanthood is seen in their request but it's also challenged by Jesus answer notice how Jesus answers them verse 38 you don't know what you're asking well can you imagine put yourself in in James and John shoes you know you don't know what you're asking wonder what they were thinking when Jesus said that well what's he talking about we know exactly what we're asking with you don't know what you're asking and then notice what he says next he says can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with what do you think Jesus is talking about there crucifixion okay why does he picture it this way if he's talking about the crucifixion well why does he use these this imagery do you have any idea what he's sorry okay all right it'll be used in the last suffer there's another imagery there of the cup isn't there okay do you think else come to mind are you are you able to drink the cup that I'm gonna drink aha he sure did remember in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus said if it be your will remove this cut from me take this cup from me what was Jesus talking about there what is the cup his suffering okay okay yeah the wrath of God what did Jesus suffer on the cross more than anything else was it the physical suffering wasn't was it when God turned his back on him yes the whole idea of the cup probably has its roots in the Old Testament if you read through the book of Psalms you'll find that quite often the cup refers to the pouring out of God's wrath the cup of God's wrath and and I'm convinced that Jesus was talking about that part of the humiliation of the cross which involved his drinking the wrath of God taking on him the wrath of God using the Old Testament imagery of the pouring out of the cup of God's wrath it was not the physical suffering that was the most daunting to Jesus as he faced the cross although he was a man and that was not pleasant to look forward to I'm sure he dreaded that but the part of the cross which he dreaded the most I believe was the separation from his father and the bearing of the sin of mankind and drinking the cup of God's wrath remember he had never ever been separated from his father throughout eternity past and throughout his life on this earth they had enjoyed perfect fellowship never anything between them and now God the father will pour out all of his wrath because of man sin on his son and look away turning his back and Jesus will cry those words from the cross wanting my God my God why have you forsaken me I'm convinced the pardon me about Jesus turning his back oh yeah my God my God why I stopped forsaking me I think he was quoting Psalm 22 verse one which was true of the Psalmist but also if you read the whole whole passage in Psalm 22 it's quite clear it's a mishianic Psalm that even talks about the piercing of hands and feet and the dogs circling around him and so forth in persecution and wanting his death it's pretty graphic picture of crucifixion so I think Jesus was probably quoting from Psalm 22 verse one that that great psalm of agony of suffering so yeah Jesus Jesus is talking probably about the suffering that he's going to endure on the cross okay so come back now to what he's saying to them can you drink the cup I drink there's a you don't know what you're saying he says you you you did not understand what I just told you I'm we're going to Jerusalem I'm gonna be handed over to the Gentiles they will mock me spit on me flog me they will kill me that's the cup I'm gonna I'm gonna suffer the wrath of God on the cross and can you drink that can you go with me through that suffering and then he talks about being baptized with the baptism I'm baptized with I think it's obvious again he's still talking about suffering but he's talking here of being immersed in that suffering submerged in suffering fully plunged into that suffering if you will to use the imagery of baptism obviously he's not talking about water baptism here he's not asking them to be baptized in water like he was that that's just totally out of place in this context he's talking about baptism in the sense of the visual imagery of being submerged or completely encased in suffering okay are you willing to suffer is what he's saying so what is Jesus saying about position prestige power what do you think Jesus is saying about that how does that come comes through suffering yeah Jesus is saying glory in my kingdom comes through suffering and he's gonna build on that later when he talks more about servanthood but glory comes through suffering and we know very very little about that in any sense of the term not just physically but in other senses of the term as well so Jesus answer is basically you have no idea what you're asking you're asking for position but you're asking to get there in the wrong way are you willing to get there the only way that you can get the glory that comes from position in my kingdom and that is through suffering can you do that notice their response verse 39 we can they answered they're still clueless aren't they they still have no idea what he's talking about maybe they thought he was talking about you know we're going to Jerusalem and yeah the Pharisees are really upset with Jesus and want to kill him because especially the raising of Lazarus but I think Jesus will probably somehow get through that and somehow defeat them and he always has before and so maybe he'll get through that okay and maybe that's what he's talking about are you willing to go through that with me this intense confrontation with the Pharisees oh yeah we can do that we've done that before they still don't understand what Jesus is talking about so Jesus says in verse 39 Jesus said to them you will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptize baptism I am baptized with what's Jesus saying to them what what's he talking they will suffer they will suffer it's not that they will go to the cross with him and suffer at that moment with him they will not actually participate in his suffering on the cross but they will suffer they will suffer those imagery that he's used of his suffering now he applies to them and he says they will suffer did they suffer they sure did didn't they read the book of Acts they suffered and from what we know from church history and tradition all of them except John would be martyred obviously Judas excluded but all of them except John and John would be exiled on Patmus boiled in oil but he would survive it according to Fox's book of martyrs and others other church traditions but he would survive that he was the only one that died of natural death they would all suffer and John himself would suffer just was not martyred they would suffer but they had no clue not yet and is it an interesting that Jesus doesn't push it any further you know he just he drops it he drops it that's as far as he goes with it and again there I see his grace you don't you don't have any idea what I'm talking about you will suffer and then he just drops it he doesn't press it any further they they would not understand couldn't handle that but notice what he ends up saying in verse 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant these places belong to those for whom they've been prepared in other words that's the father's prerogative to assign those places and it's not as though he even corrects their misperception of the kingdom he just says that's not my not mine to give that'll be places of honor will be given by the father I just want you to know that the way to get theirs through suffering and you will suffer and then drops it at that but the others don't don't drop it what we see in verses 41 to 45 is is the model of servanthood we've seen Jesus determination of servanthood he will go wherever God's will leads him he will serve the father's will we've seen the absence of servanthood in James and John but but notice he talks about the model of servanthood in verses 41 to 45 when the ten heard about this they became indignant with James and John what do you think's going through their minds maybe we should have asked okay maybe that's what they're thinking how there they've asked such a question you know I'm sure that it was obvious to them that Jesus included James and John and Peter in in some things that the others were not included it could have been some jealousy you know all this is going to get sorted out in the book of Acts through the filling of the spirit and as they begin to put the pieces of the puzzle together about what Jesus has done and what's happening but there are each other's throats there is an uproar over what James and John have done can you imagine what Peter's thinking you guys tried to pull a fast one on me can you imagine their interaction I would love to have heard that conversation I don't think I don't think we're just talking about a little simmering feud here I think these guys were at each other's throats and so look again Jesus calls another huddle Jesus called them together can you just see that here they are you know carpeting each other and and Jesus says okay come on guys come on gather around you cause them together and he said you know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them and their high officials exercised authority over them not so with you instead whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be slave slave of all now what Jesus does first of all is he demonstrates for them the wrong model here they are fusing at each other over what Peter and James have done and he says you know what guys you're looking at the wrong model of leadership who were they looking to for their model of what leadership is all about who were they looking to Gentiles Jesus mentions the rulers of the Gentiles who would that be in their case the Romans I mean think of this think of the irony of this the people who have who have ruthlessly subjected their nation and their nation is downtrodden under the Romans suddenly now in at least this way the Romans are their heroes they're the model of leadership because they have power they have position they get glory and so somehow now they become the model it is amazing how often we look to the world and those who are the exact opposite of Christ's values as our models I mean I hear it all the time you did too people looking to business tycoons or entertainers or sports figures who may not be a godly testimony thank god there are some that are and do have a servant kind of leadership and model that kind of leadership like I just cut an article out of paper what was yesterday about Tim Tivo and his what he's already doing in New York I mean there's a guy that has it right he ought to be a model but there are a lot of other people that we set up as models for whatever this is the kind of person I want to be and they are not at all like the Lord Jesus we're picking them from the world's value system and Jesus is saying you got the wrong model guys that's not the way it is in my kingdom you know they're you know they're models of courage models of bravery models of manhood models of women womanhood and all of that that are taken directly from the world's value system and they don't look anything like Jesus but they are supposed to be our models of success or models of what a leader is or model of what a real person should be it's amazing how far we stray from the right model Jesus said if you want to be great you got to be a servant if you want to be first then become a slave now that is exactly the opposite of the way the world does and the models that are often put before us are the forceful the boastful the in your face I'm not taking anything from anybody get out of my way that that kind of person is that the model of leadership that Jesus describes not at all not at all not at all now we've already seen Jesus was no coward Jesus had a steely determination to go right into the face of death but it was not a one-upmanship get out of my way nobody's gonna tell me what to do kind of attitude not at all so Jesus tells them here's the right model verse 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 the right model is Jesus that's our model for leadership manhood courage determination life that's our model Jesus now he uses an interesting title son of man which in some sense refers to his humanity but there's another there's another reference here because all the back to Daniel seven where Daniel in one of his visions saw one like in verse 13 Daniel 7 13 one like the son of man come before the father the ancient of days in heaven and receive kingdom thrown power glory from him it's obviously a picture of Jesus receiving the kingdom from the father so the son of man is an Old Testament title for the one in heaven who receives the kingdom from the father it's it's a statement not only of the humanity of Christ but also of his deity and so what Jesus is saying is the son of man the one who was adored in heaven and and has every right to receive the throne from the father and all power and glory and authority the son of man in Daniel 7 did not come to be served he came to serve and he came to give his life a ransom for many that's the greatest act of his servanthood was when he gave his life as a ransom and ransom means to buy so one of the words for redemption it means to buy out of a slave market give his life a ransom for many the one for the many Jesus died when he died that was his greatest act of servanthood that's the right model that's the right model of servanthood okay questions yes he has you know what Jesus just said in Matthew 19 about them ruling over the 12 tribes of Israel God has prepared for his kingdom his Millennial kingdom governmental rulers for every part of the world there will be government in the millennium and there will be rulers over towns and cities and states and provinces and countries and whatever David will be the the ruler under Christ over Israel according to Jeremiah and Jesus will rule over the whole world David will rule over Israel 12 apostles over the 12 tribes and remember Jesus in some of his parables talked about you've been faithful and little and you'll receive much in the kingdom you'll be a ruler over many cities okay so there will be people ruling and those already are prepared by God God knows exactly who they'll be it's all arranged he knows what you'll be doing in these kingdom what I'll be doing is kingdom it's all set so yeah yeah it's a fascinating thought yeah pretty raw material for starting the church with right these 12 guys or 11 11 of them actually pretty raw material and when you think of the guys who walked three years with Jesus and he's coming to the end of his life and they still don't get it yeah still call calling them together yeah still call the huddle saying you guys got it all wrong you're following the wrong kind of leadership that's not leadership in my kingdom that's not what power is about and they've got it all wrong and you know what it does for me it two things two things it highlights for me first of all it demonstrates how lonely it must have been for Jesus as he went to the cross even those closest to him didn't understand what was going on that's loneliness and you know it will be highlighted when he gets to the Garden of Gethsemiti and the three who are closest to him can't even stay awake for one hour to pray with him he's all alone he's all alone and as he goes to Jerusalem nobody else understands what's happening he's all alone incredible loneliness the second thing it highlights for me is exactly what you said John and that is this is really raw material that Jesus has with these men to work with and these are going to be in just a few weeks in a matter of about seven weeks they're going to be leading the church the founding of the church these guys well it gives me some hope gives me a little hope yes Max yeah yeah that's an issue I would love to get into but I won't I won't right now I personally take the view the Holy Spirit did in dwell in the Old Testament but that's not a very common view but certainly he did not he did not have the same filling and power in them to do the work of ministry that he would in the book of Acts things do change in the book of Acts yeah say that again Barry I'm sorry yeah yeah yeah that's a good point you know looking back on their own dullness and slowness to catch on would make them more sympathetic to others who would struggle as well no doubt yeah I think they would have I'm sorry with the first part of your statement Bob I'm sorry I'm having trouble hearing they would have uncovered the purpose of Christ oh tried to maybe head that off keep it from happening possibly so I mean when when they did get an inkling you know when Jesus told them back in Matthew 16 the very first time he described to them that he was going to go to Jerusalem and die you remember how Peter responded not so Lord this will never happen to you and Jesus said to him what get the behind me Satan I mean Peter was ready to head it off yeah this can't happen to you Lord so you know this is all in God's sovereign plan a part of how it all worked out but certainly things would change in the in the book of Acts when the Holy Spirit came on them in great power to enable them to do the work of of ministry and that would change things a lot they would but I think more than anything the 40 days of instruction from our Lord after the resurrection was what got them on board that's where they really began to understand what was going on because you know it only took a few minutes for the two on the road to Emmaus to say where our hearts were burning in us when he was telling us about how all this fits in the scriptures and I think Jesus spent a good bit of the 40 days instructing the disciples you know this is what this is all about this had all fits together and they finally got it so by the time Acts 2 comes Peter is preaching on the day of Pentecost the Old Testament prophecies and how they're fulfilled in Jesus they got it they finally got it and that was the result of the 40 days of instruction and the the filling of the Holy Spirit you know Acts 2 talks about the filling of the Spirit they were filled with the Spirit so that enablement of the Spirit to do the work of God was was also there okay our time is gone and I really wanted to get to the next part we'll have to wait on that till till until next week let's pray Father thank you for our Lord's model of servanthood Lord we are so pressured in this day and age to accept models of leadership models of courage and and all that are so against what our Lord presented I pray Lord that you would help us to understand and not only understand but to live out the kind of courage Jesus had kind of courage which would not stop at doing your will but was not the kind of forceful self-promoting courage that is often presented as leadership today I pray Father that you would help us to understand that he came to serve and to lay down his life and I pray that you would help us to do the same be the kind of leaders that would follow his model Lord we are so guilty of what James and John tried to do so often I still learn what it really means to follow you in Jesus name amen