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FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN

Mark 10:32-45

Key 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.

Introduction

Today Jesus teaches his disciples how to be the servant of all. Serving is not attractive to most people, but serving is something noble and was practiced by Jesus himself. Jesus was self-sacrificing while his disciples were self-serving. May God help us to learn true greatness in God’s sight, not in light of this transient world and serve our generation like Jesus. Especially at this unprecedented time of emergency, we may grow in His image to serve others in prayer and in action than ever before.

Read verses 32-34. Describe Jesus and His followers as they went to Jerusalem. (32a) What did Jesus tell the twelve? (32b-34) Why did Jesus repeat this message?

1-1, Read verses 32-34.

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.”

1-2, Describe Jesus and His followers as they went to Jerusalem. (32a)

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.

Jesus’ death on the cross was impending. As His final hour on earth was getting closer, He led the way to Jerusalem.
As usual, people panic when the difficult time comes. And they became fearful. But Jesus led the way.
In contrast, His disciples were astonished because they still did not accept Jesus’ words of crucifixion and resurrection.
Those who followed Jesus were also afraid. Joy and peace are the byproduct when we put trust in the Lord our God like little children as we were taught.
Praise Jesus who led them as the true role model. He not only said about suffering for the glory of God but he also set a good example for them.

1-3, What did Jesus tell the twelve? (32b-34)

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.”

1-4, Why did Jesus repeat this message?

Jesus again predicts his impending suffering, death, and resurrection. Although they were not ready to listen to Jesus' words, still Jesus taught them again and again until the gospel message was planted in their hearts.
Jesus had absolute faith in His Father and at God’s time they would be ready to accept the message and they would become bold gospel servants like Him.

Read verses 35-40. What did James and John ask Jesus? (35-37) What was Jesus’ reply to them? (38-40) What does it mean to drink the cup?

2-1, Read verses 35-40.

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.”

2-2, What did James and John ask Jesus? (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.”

When Jesus’ final hour was nearer, James and John came to him asking, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.' What an incredible request!
Contrary to Jesus’ teaching about his crucifixion and resurrection, the disciples revealed their human ambition. John and James, the top disciples, exposed their political ambition ignoring Jesus’ mind before his death.
They misunderstood Jesus’ favor and attention towards them. Jesus wanted them to be suffering servants, not ambitious or political men.
But Jesus did not rebuke them because they revealed their noble desires to be great. Jesus was ready to serve them patiently. Jesus was concerned about their spiritual condition.
Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
They were asking for the two most important positions like the secretary of state, and secretary of defense.
They wanted to be rulers, sitting on the right and left side of Jesus’ throne. At this moment, their long-hidden problem came up to the surface.
In this case, they belonged to the most ambitious category of people who ever wanted to gain power. But there was a problem for them.
It was Peter, who had already taken his position as the top leader. So, James and John thought of how to get ahead of their rival, Peter.
Likewise, we want to receive glory and recognition from Jesus and others. But we should not look for human recognition. We have to serve them with pure hearts as Jesus served us humbly.
Because of this problem of seeking human greatness, the disciples could not think of anything else, including Jesus’ mind before his death.
They even mobilized their mother to influence Jesus according to Matthew 20:20. “Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.”
Nothing is wrong with the desire to be great because God created man to be rulers of this world. The problem is that we do not know how to be great.

2-3, What was Jesus’ reply to them? (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 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?'”
But they said, “We can.” To them the cup meant the cup of victory. They were ready to do anything if they could secure the best position.
Sometimes we don’t know what we are asking. One time one man said to his shepherd, “I want to be a missionary.”
But later when he realized what it meant to be a missionary which had ups and downs, suffering, and lots of sacrifice shattering his dream to pieces.
Later he regretted what he did and wanted to withdraw his request. But it was too late. But thank God who blessed him more than he’d imagined in light of serving others instead of himself only. Then his heart was filled with great thanks!!

2-4, What does it mean to drink the cup?

Here, “the cup” meant the cup of sorrow and suffering and “the baptism” meant the baptism of his death on the cross.
Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right and left is not for me to grant.
These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” Jesus predicted that they would drink the cup of suffering as they said.
Actually, James became the first apostle who was martyred for the gospel of Jesus (Ac 12:2) and John was in exile to the island of Patmos. (Rev 1:9)
As far as the position is concerned, Jesus kindly told them that God is the Giver of the right and left position before the throne of the Eternal King.
This means that our position is secured in the kingdom of God according to God’s plan. We don’t have to search, nor worry about where we will sit there.
God knows where we end up in sitting. By saying this, Jesus implied that his throne is not a political one, but a heavenly one.

Read verses 41-45. How did others respond to James and John? (41) What did Jesus teach them based on their desire to be great? (42-44) What can we learn from the Son of Man who came to serve and became a ransom for many? (45)

3-1, Read verses 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.”

3-2, How did others respond to James and John? (41)

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.

Usually, the other disciples were friendly with James and John because they appeared to be quiet and to have no interest in politics.
But through this event they revealed that they too were also very politically ambitious. They became furious about James and John.
Everyone had a secret desire to win this contest and be named the number one in Jesus’ coming Kingdom.

3-3, What did Jesus teach them based on their desire to be great? (42-44)

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.

They were just like the Gentiles, who exercised their power over the weak and needy. They had a wrong concept of greatness. So Jesus taught them again.
Jesus explained to them worldly greatness. Worldly greatness depends on the power of money and human authority.
The kings lorded over their people and treated their slaves like their own property. The disciples thought about greatness in the same way.
But this is the gentile concept of greatness. Lording over is not the way of greatness. God’s people must have a different concept of greatness.
Peter was transformed from a worldly ambitious man to a humble shepherd. He said in 1 Pet 5:2-3, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve, not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
We must not lord over them, nor exercise our authority over them. It is to serve them eagerly with servant leadership and to become examples to 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.

Jesus showed them true greatness in God. Jesus urged them to be the servant of all and be slave of all.
Jesus knew that they wanted to be treated like Roman governors and to be served like kings. Spiritually they were very childish.
They had no idea of how to be servants of God. They had to learn the truth of God regarding spiritual servant leadership.

3-4, What can we learn from the Son of Man who came to serve and became a ransom for many? (45)

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.”

Jesus was known as the son of a carpenter. He had no house of his own to stay in. He was despised and rejected. He was criticized by the Pharisees.
Many religious people of his time treated him as nobody. But in reality, he is God Almighty who created the heavens and the earth. He is the King of kings.
Jesus must be served like other kings or presidents. But he did not come to be served, but to serve.
All men and women of the world want to be served. In America serving others is thought of as humiliating.
When we are served by others, it is true we are happy. But we are happier when we actually serve others because we experience the very life of God.
In this hardship, some people volunteer to serve the people who are affected by the deadly virus. We may wonder what led them to do so. But we see greatness in their sacrificial hearts in serving others.
When we also serve others through our 1:1 Bible studies, we experience the secret of joy the world cannot offer.
Our happiness is to see our students grow in Jesus. We forget all the worries of life when our sheep accept the word of God.
Music servants are happy to make spiritual environments for the worship service. Cooking servants are happy to feed many hungry people. Cleaning servants are happy to see people use a clean Bible house.
Jesus, even though he should have been served, he served all kinds of sinners. Jesus, even though he is God, served a most selfish man, a tax collector Levi.
Jesus served innumerable sick people. Jesus preached the Kingdom of God to the poor in spirit. Jesus was despised and rejected.
Jesus said to his disciples, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.”
In this way, Jesus taught them the principle of the heavenly kingdom that is to serve, not to be served. Jesus elevated servantship as the highest lifestyle through his life on earth. Serving is not humiliating but glorious.

Conclusion

Serving makes one’s life truly great, not the position or worldly fame. Jesus lowered himself from the glory of heaven and served us so that we might have eternal life and glorious hope in his kingdom. Jesus ‘gave’ his life to serve sinners. Jesus’ serving did not stop by healing the sick and preaching the Kingdom of God. He served mankind by ‘giving’ his life as a ransom sacrifice. In order to save our life Jesus ‘gave up’ his life. Sometimes we think that we sacrificed too much for others. But we remember that Jesus gave his life for us as a ransom sacrifice for our sins. May the Lord help us be eager to serve others like our Lord Jesus Christ.

One Word: Even the Son of Man!