Kevin Bennie
Nov 17, 2023 10:15 AM
👇💥 FOLLOW ALONG💥👇 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 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.” 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with 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.”” â€â€Mark‬ â€10:42-45‬ â€ESV‬‬ Jesus says that the world leads one way, but we, those who follow Jesus, lead a different way. In fact, Jesus just calls it service. 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 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.” 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with 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.”” â€â€Mark‬ â€10:42-45‬ â€ESV‬‬ Jesus says that the world leads one way, the Romans were fairly successful in terms of their leadership! Their leadership style, exercising authority over those they lead and lording it over them, worked. They achieved dominion and glory, riches and influence. But we, those who follow Jesus, lead a different way. The slave of all. And Jesus is our great picture, the image of what we ought to be. What we can be in and through him. If anyone deserved glory, if anyone had the right to exercise their authority, it was Jesus. Yet he came to serve. REFLECT When you imagine greatness, when you think of success, does it look like Jesus or the way he describes it? Does it look like a massive online following? Does it look like wealth from successful business or accomplishments in music or film or in any other industry? Does it look like expansive reach, a global phenomenon? Or does it look like a man, serving twelve men, forgiving the outcasts, healing the rejected, or sharing truth with whoever would listen? PRAY Lord, open my eyes to what my picture of greatness is, and how that has been shaped by culture, family, and friends around me. May my life continue to look more and more like yours. Help me to serve those around me, that they might see you. Amen.