10-24-21 Grace-Tucson Sermon

Mark 10:35-45

[Pentecost 22]

Pastor Ron Koehler

Grace—Tucson, AZ

October 24, 2021

Dear Friends in Christ, When you are going to God in prayer and asking him for something, how do you do that? I would guess that most of the time, you go with humility, understanding that God is so much greater than sinful little you. I would think that you go to him understanding that he reserves the right to say “No,” if that is what he wants, and that is what’s best for you. And above all, I think that you probably do indeed ask, not tell God what he needs to do for you.

From time to time, it is possible that we get part of that humble requesting of God wrong. It can happen that our attitude isn’t exactly right in approaching our Savior. You heard in the gospel for today that two of Jesus’ disciples came to him with a request. It didn’t sound humble, nor did it sound like they were thinking they could get a “no” answer. Oh, it didn’t sound like a request either, did it? It was a really a statement, an expectation that Jesus would do what they wanted.

What those disciples were lacking was the proper attitude of humility and selflessness that leads to Serving Others. As we look at this interaction between Jesus and his disciples, we are reminded of Jesus’ Service to Sinners, and we learn about Our Service to Others James and John, two of Jesus’ closest friends, needed Jesus to teach them. Their ambition moved them to make a bold request of God’s Son. Matthew’s gospel tells us that their mother, Salome, was even involved in presenting this to Jesus! “Teacher, we wish that you would do for us whatever we ask.” That Jesus even tolerated that request, which is really more of a statement, is a testimony to his patience and willingness to teach! He was less patient with presumptuous pride of the Pharisees than he was with these disciples. Here, he continued to gently teach them.

In his approach, we see Jesus’ Service to Sinners.

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

“Promise that we may sit, one at your right and one at your left, in your glory.”

You see, much like you and me, James and John had some ambition, some desire and drive for a thing that they really wanted. But theirs was not limited to things in this world, like many of us strive for. What these “Sons of Thunder,” as Jesus called them, prized were positions of honor and glory in heaven! You heard that the other disciples were angry and offended by their ambitious request.

Perhaps the others remembered that Jesus had recently been through this with all of them—twice! Once as they were arguing about who was the greatest among them, and then again when they were not allowing the little children to be brought to Jesus.

And so again, he taught them to have humility, and he squashed their talk about being the greatest in God’s kingdom.

You notice that their request didn’t sound much like a humble prayer. No, there is a sort of determination there. They were looking for Jesus to say “yes,” to give them a promise, before they even told him what they were after. They were trying to lock him into doing whatever they wanted. You and I may, without thinking much about it, actually live our lives in a similar way—we may be less concerned with what God wants for our lives, and more concerned with what we want for our lives. Much of this has more to do with our lives in this world as we think more of that than heaven.

We may strive to have the best, closest family, so we do all sorts of things to make that happen. But they end up being very worldly things. So, as we focus on other things, we end up giving little attention to biblical direction that would steer us toward family devotions, bedtime prayers, Sunday School or youth group, godly discipline, weekly worship as a family, and a host of other things. We would serve our families best if we focused first on those things with heaven in mind.

If it’s money that we strive for, we might ask God to bless us with a job and pray for our retirement plans and investments to do well, all while our offerings represent a selfish and untrusting heart that ignores what God tells us about giving to him. Personal needs are put above the church’s needs, which allow it to serve others with the gospel.

If it’s power and influence that we want in business or our community or even at church, we may not treat other people well—or only treat them well only if it benefits us, forgetting all the instruction God gives about being selfless, putting others first, being loving and patient and kind, and actually serving others.

You don’t have to look at many politicians to see ambition gone wrong. We are reminded here that even followers of Jesus get it wrong—and you and I are guilty too.

What we find in Jesus is very different, however. Would it surprise you to know that Jesus had just filled the disciples in on what he was going to do to Serve Sinners?

He had literally just finished telling them this: “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the experts in the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” (Mark 10:33-34) And then James and John do this! They clearly believed the part about the resurrection at least, because they were thinking about heaven when they approached Jesus!

But still, the lack of spiritual understanding is astounding, isn’t it? Jesus tells them he will suffer and die—do the things that the Messiah was promised to do. And instead of just being thankful and praising Jesus, they are concerned with what they could get for themselves, specifically honor and glory in heaven!

Well, they would soon see all this happen…and it would impact their lives in every way.

Jesus’ Service to Sinners would move them to give their very lives in thankfulness and service to Jesus, and in Service to Others.

What they witnessed, and we see by faith, was Jesus betrayed by Judas and handed over to the religious authorities…his death sentence by Pilate…the torture carried out

by Gentile (Roman) soldiers…the rejection and mistreatment and crucifixion. And then, his amazing resurrection from death.

After being instructed by Jesus and seeing him do all things well and witnessing him give his life as a ransom for sinners—after all of that, their lives and attitudes changed entirely. They finally understood and wanted to serve Jesus with their lives—and that meant serving others too. They loved Jesus for his forgiveness and for his victory over death which meant resurrection for them too. Jesus was their Savior AND their example of how to live in this world out of love for him.

What they thought they could do, they couldn’t do, but Jesus did. He drank the cup of suffering that brought forgiveness and life to sinners. He was anointed to bring salvation. Jesus made the ultimate difference for all people as he Served Sinners.

But Jesus did tell them, “You will drink the cup that I am going to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am going to be baptized with. They would be appointed to proclaim Jesus’ Service for Sinners, and they would suffer and die for it—all but one, according to Scripture and historical accounts. They would not save the world as Jesus did, but their Service to Others would bring his salvation to many.

Jesus’ followers today, are called to Serve Others also. The Savior’s instructions to them are for us too: “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But that is not the way it is to be among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave of all. 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.”

We treasure the love and forgiveness and promised resurrection that Jesus’ ransom brings us also. We too see in Jesus the example set for us in Serving Others. And so, we put behind us the sins of pride and improper focus and ambition, knowing that those sins are forgiven in Christ. And we adopt a new attitude. We’re not looking to exercise authority over others, but to serve them instead. We are looking to be servants of all, slaves even!

I recently met a man who shared with me his experiences in a number of places in our country and in other countries. Social services and humanitarian aid were where he directed his time and efforts throughout his life. I had asked him what he did, and he very humbly shared his experiences. I told him, “That sounds like a life of serving others.” As Jesus’ disciples, our lives are to be filled with kind acts and efforts of caring and love. God would have us share with those in need and help those who are hurting.

He expects us to comfort those who grieve. We are called by God to Serve Others, and there is no shortage of people around us to serve when you think about our families and our neighbors and people that we work with or go to school with.

In addition to all of that, he tells us to go out into the world and make disciples. We are to take on the work that James and John and the rest of the disciples did. The ransom that Christ paid to buy us back from sin and hell was not only for us; it was for everyone. We understand what Jesus did, so we are in the perfect position to Serve Others with the saving gospel. Serving Jesus and Serving Others are the only proper responses to the love of Jesus. It is with true love for Jesus and true love for others that we work for the earthly and spiritual benefit of the people around us.

It is not a desire for greatness that pleases our Savior, but a spirit of selflessness and humility. God says this elsewhere in Scripture: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility consider one another better than yourselves. Let each of you look carefully not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4). Only Jesus’ sacrifice for us and the Holy Spirit’s working on us can change our hearts.

That change of heart and that loving Service to Others, are proof of a faith in the One who loved us with all his heart and Served Sinners like us. Jesus promises us then, not seats at the right and left of him on his throne in the glory of heaven, but life in heaven with him most certainly! Until that day comes for us, May Jesus’ Service to you give you the desire to Serve Others.

May God help you to see the opportunities to Serve Others. And May the Holy Spirit move you to Serve Others!

Amen.