Greatness God’s Way
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Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time
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. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 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.”
The Request of James and John
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.”
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said.
“Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptised with the baptism I am baptised with?”39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptised with the baptism I am baptised 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.”
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.
Who is the greatest person of our time? What after all is greatness? Does greatness just happen - or do you make it happen? Lennox Lewis, Pope Jean Paul, David Beckham, Billy Graham?
This reading is about greatness.
In the reading Jesus predicts what will happen when they get to Jerusalem Mark 10:33 He will be arrested, crucified, he will die and he will rise again.
Don’t forget Jesus is speaking about his death and the way he would die about a week before he died. Today's reading is the third prediction by Jesus of his death. The other predictions up to 12 months before he died are recorded in Mark 8:31 and 9:31.
1. Greatness the world's way
2. Greatness a different way
3. What's so great about greatness
Greatness the world's way
Mk10:35 “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
Then there follows an incident which demonstrated that they hadn't a clue what Jesus was talking about. They didn’t understand the meaning of Jesus’ words and how it would affect their lives. Mark 10:35 James and John sons of Zebedee – In your kingdom can we be left and right hand men. Like Ministers of State or Cabinet members. You see their dad owned a fishing business etc… they were a bit better off than the others… a bit higher up in the pecking order…they deserved more privileges.
In the 2003 Euro Cup England v Turkey: F.A. and Gary Neville was standing up for Rio Ferdinand. A players meeting was called to discuss possible players strike - Gordon Davies comes on TV saying, I warned the FA this would happen. Press says the FA are angry about what is being said about them - It's as if they're all jostling for position (a position of greatness) in the big debate over Rio Ferdinand’s missed test. Everyone flexing their muscles wanting to call the shots.
When Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God they thought of a political change that was to happen, the Romans would loose out , and Jesus would be the P.Minister and they were putting their name forward for the Cabinet. That's greatness the worlds way. But the kingdom of God is not about political change it is about a change of the heart. V43 if one of you wants to be great he must be the servant of the rest… v44 even the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.
2. Greatness a different way
Jesus called a meeting Mark 10:41 (just like in the F.A. called a meeting over the Rio Ferdinand saga) The other disciples wanted their piece of the action, they wanted to be Cabinet members in the new kingdom, they wanted to be part of the ruling elite]. Our Lord is having to deal with all the disciples aspirations to greatness. Jesus says (v43) this is not the way it should be among you. That is the world's way of greatness, Jesus was speaking about a greatness of a different kind. V43 If you want to be great in God's kingdom you must be the servant of the rest (The word used is similar to waiter, 1st must serve everyone). They soon find out that the kingdom where they want to be left & right hand men to the Lord is an upside down kingdom, where to advance may involve being broken and may involve suffering, where the first are last, where the leaders serve.
Remember Jesus served us all when he gave his life for us. When Jesus said in v45 that he came to give his life as a ransom for many. By this He meant he was going to serve us, to stand in our place, take the rap for our sin [our lies, our pride, our lust & desires for greatness]. [Illustr. The ransom – the tourists walking up the mountain in Colombia held by 'terrorists' only by paying the price they are demanding will the tourists go free.] Only by Jesus paying the price for us can we be free, the price was his blood on the cross.
That is greatness of another kind.
3. What's so great about greatness
Why would anyone want to respond to this call to serve? (What are we going to tell Layla-T when she grows up?) That we made some promises about her spiritual Journey on 13/10/24 and that she is called to serve others. Or do we tell her that serving others is a mugs game and people usually get where they are by stepping on people to get there?
If that is true it's a picture of individuals living for themselves.
Jesus was showing his disciples (and us) a vision of a church where everyone is eager to serve others. I find that vision of community exciting. In this church we have examples of that community at work, serving teas, giving lifts, kids work, shoe box, welcome, small groups, flowers, visiting... I could go on……it’s exciting. That's what's so great about greatness of the other kind. And the job's never done, we can never get to the top cause we're aiming for the bottom!
If you are in a room full of people – then ask God how can you serve the rest, if you're in work where people are jostling for position, ask God how you can serve. If you are driving, if you are eating, if you are playing sport, if you have a needy neighbour, if you are just doing normal things in life ask God to show you how you can serve. And you'll see it builds community around you. That's what's so great about greatness of the other kind.
In the American Civil War, a man called George in civilian clothes rode on horseback past soldiers repairing a barricade. Their Corporal was shouting instructions. The horseman asked why didn’t he help as well. "I am a corporal!" he answered. George got off his horse and helped the exhausted soldiers. The job done, George turned to the officer and said, "Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, come to the commander-in-chief, the name's George Washington and I will come and help you again." With that, George got back on his horse and rode off. George Washington had learned the truth in these words of Jesus: Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. The young corporal had these words modelled to him from the man at the top.
The disciples, likewise, received from their leader this picture of servanthood. In time they began to imitate and follow their leader. Glorifying him in all things.
The good news is James and John got a chance to put this right. James was the first disciple to be martyred for Jesus. He was beheaded on the order of Herod Antipas (Acts 12:2)and John was exiled alone on Patmos. We follow that same Jesus, with us and in us, and we glorify him in worship and in serving others.
