and if you want to open up your pew Bible
to page 1006 and 1007,
I'm going to read Mark 10, 35-45.
Jesus has now purposefully made His way.
He's on His way to Jerusalem.
So hear God's Word.
And James and John,
the sons of Zebedee,
came up to Jesus and said to Him,
Teacher, we want You to do for us
whatever we ask of You.
And Jesus said to them,
What do You want Me to do for You?
And they said to Him,
Grant us to sit,
one at Your right hand
and one at Your left,
in Your glory.
Jesus said to them,
You do not know what you are asking.
Are you able to drink the cup that I drink
or to be baptized with the baptism
with which I am baptized?
And they said to Him,
We are able.
And Jesus said to them,
The cup that I drink,
you will drink.
And with the baptism with which I am baptized,
you will be baptized.
But to sit at My right hand
or at My left
is not Mine to grant,
but it is for those for whom
it has been prepared.
And when the ten heard it,
they began to be indignant
at 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 will 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.
Amen.
May God bless
the hearing of His Word.
Now, there are two types of people
who populate.
There are Packers fans
and then there's everybody else.
I thought that was going to...
I thought that was going to be
a little more powerful than that.
Okay, let's go a little high class now.
There are Grey Poupon fans
and everyone else.
It's a kind of mustard.
Today, what you're going to see
is Jesus makes a similar kind of statement.
There are two kinds of people
populating the globe.
There are the self-serving takers
and the self-sacrificial givers.
Two ways to live.
There are two ways to relate to others.
There are two ways
that are in sharp contrast
to one another.
There's the way of the world
and then there's the way of the kingdom.
Two ways spouses
can relate to each other.
Two ways parents can relate
to their children.
Two ways friends can relate
with each other.
Two ways in which leaders
relate with those that they lead.
Two ways in which employees
relate to fellow employees
in the workplace.
Two ways in which brothers and sisters
in the church relate to one another.
Self-serving takers
follow the way of the world.
Self-sacrificial givers.
They're the ransomed of Jesus.
And they follow the way
of the Son of Man.
The difference between the two,
of course, is Jesus.
So, this morning we're going to look at
two sections of this passage.
In verses 35-40,
we see two self-serving takers.
They happen to be disciples.
In verses 41-45,
we see one self-sacrificing giver.
Behold your king,
the Son of Man.
What kind of spouse are you?
What kind of friend are you?
What kind of employee are you?
What kind of elder are you?
What kind of deacon are you?
Are you a typical taker
or a Christ-like giver?
Let's look at verses 35-40.
In these verses,
we see a very interesting dialogue
between Jesus
and two of His disciples,
James and John.
Now, just to remind you
of who James and John are,
they are part of the inner three
of Jesus' disciples.
It was James and John and Peter
that Jesus said,
come with me,
we're going to Jairus' house.
And they watched Jesus
raise Jairus' daughter
from the dead.
Not all twelve,
just those three,
Jairus' wife in the room.
These two were also with Peter
in Jesus on the mountaintop
in Mark 9
when they watched Jesus
transfigured in their midst.
These two disciples
were part of Jesus' inner circle.
And so this dialogue,
what we're about to see
is all the more audacious.
But let me give you
a little bit more background too
in terms of the context
of chapter 10
of what precedes the dialogue.
Starting in verse 17,
Jesus has this interaction
with a rich young man.
He eventually tells
this rich young man,
hey, if you want to follow me,
you've got to give up
everything you've got.
This rich young man
goes away sad
and doesn't follow Jesus.
That's where Jesus says,
hey, it's more difficult
for a rich man
to enter the kingdom of God.
It's like,
it's more difficult
than a camel
going through the eye
of a needle.
Do you remember that statement?
His disciples are like,
well, then who can be saved?
And to the good news
to our ears,
Jesus says,
well, what is impossible
for man is possible
for God.
And then Peter says,
we've left everything
to follow you.
And then check out
what he says
in verses 29 through 31
in chapter 10.
Truly, I say to you,
there is no one
who has left house
or brothers or sisters
or mother or father
or children or lands
for my sake
and for the gospel
who will not receive
a hundredfold now
in this time
houses and brothers
and sisters and mothers
and children and lands
with persecutions.
and in the age
to come eternal life.
But many who are first
will be last
and last first.
So Jesus,
Jesus has been clear.
If you're going to follow him,
it's going to be hard
to follow him.
But there's another piece
that is before the dialogue
that I want you to see.
They're on their way
to Jerusalem,
verse 32.
Some of the disciples
are amazed.
Others are afraid.
And Jesus says
this is his third prophecy
of his coming suffering,
death, and resurrection.
And he says this.
He says,
See, we are going up
to Jerusalem
and the Son of Man
will be delivered over
to the chief priests
and the scribes.
And they will condemn him
to death
and deliver him over
to the Gentiles
and they will mock him
and spit on him
and flog him
and kill him
and after three days
he will rise.
And so,
this is the tone
that Jesus has been speaking
to his disciples
immediately before this dialogue
before Jesus,
James, and John.
And it helps you
to understand
how absolutely audacious it is.
Suffering awaits.
But apparently,
that is far from the minds
of James and John.
So let's look at this dialogue.
In verse 35,
James and John,
Teacher,
we want you to do for us
whatever we ask of you.
It's incredibly presumptuous.
It's not even a request.
We want you to do
whatever we want you to do,
Jesus.
It's kind of like this.
Let's say I find out
that you have
an outstanding credit score
and you've got
a credit card limit
that is through the roof.
I come up to you
and I said,
hey, would you
give me your card
so I can use it
for whatever I want?
You'd be like,
that's ridiculous.
It's incredibly presumptuous.
It's so arrogant
that you would presume
upon me
to make that kind of request.
They haven't asked Jesus
what they want.
What they're doing here
is they're asking Jesus
for a blank check
before they do
the actual kind of request,
if you want to call it that.
What we have here
are two self-serving takers.
Two disciples
who don't have
the things of God
on their mind.
They have the things of man.
Jesus says in verse 36,
what do you want me
to do for you?
I would love to know
what's going on
in Jesus' mind
at that moment.
Is he thinking like,
oh, this is going to be interesting.
Let's just play this handout.
We know where Jesus is going.
Jesus is going to teach them something.
As a matter of fact,
Jesus asks this same
identical question
in verse 51 of chapter 10.
What do you want me to do for you?
But that time,
it's with a blind man,
Bartimaeus.
And then Jesus grants him
what he requests.
They're in contrast.
In verse 37,
we get to the actual
kind of nature,
the heart of the request.
Grant us to sit
one at your right hand
and one at your left
in your glory.
Again,
do you see a question mark?
There's no question mark.
This is a demand.
Give us the places of honor
when you ascend your throne.
They have a very particular thing in mind.
They're still thinking
that Jesus is going to
kind of push out the Romans,
set up his rule in Jerusalem,
and reign over the Jewish people.
That's what they're thinking.
They're thinking very worldly.
They're thinking
as every other person
who doesn't follow Jesus would think.
They're tone deaf
to what Jesus has been
repeatedly saying
all along here.
That there's going to be suffering,
rejection,
death,
resurrection,
with persecutions.
It appears as though
James and John
are seeing Jesus
as a means of
political fame
and fortune.
Do you remember
last week
I was preaching
out of Mark 8?
Jesus rebukes Peter,
get behind me, Satan,
for you
are not setting your mind
on the things of God
but on the things of man.
That's what's going on here.
James and John
are not setting their minds
on the things of God
in a suffering Messiah.
Messiah.
They are setting
their mind
on the things of man.
They want
to be highly thought of.
And don't miss this.
They think they deserve
these two places of honors.
They've assessed
themselves
as worthy.
They are
putting themselves
first.
And did you notice
the ten aren't there?
The other ten disciples?
James and John
are being sneaky.
They're jockeying.
Sober, isn't it?
When you see
two of Jesus'
own disciples
disciples who are
kind of in
the inner room,
the inner group,
well, they're
seeking to use Jesus
for their own fame
and fortune.
They've got
ulterior motives here.
And what God's Word
is doing us
for this morning
is God's Word
is like this
spotlight
of kingdom holiness
that is shining
upon the hearts
of not just
James and John
but into our hearts
as well.
God's Word
because
it's not just
James and John
who have a tendency
of being selfish.
Of seeing opportunity
and taking
what we can get.
We all
can use Jesus
for our own
fame and fortune.
You know,
the greatest,
most grotesque
distortion of that
going on
right now
are those preachers
of the health
and wealth gospel
that are proclaiming
Jesus in order
to line their own
pockets
and to build
their own empires.
It is wrong.
But let's be honest,
we all can make
Christianity
less about Jesus
and more about us.
We can see
church service
as serving
in different capacities
as a way
of being recognized
and being honored.
And we forget
the way of Jesus
which is marked
by suffering
and service.
we have this
tendency
of setting
our minds
on the things
of man
and not
on the things
of God.
And in verse 38
Jesus won't have it.
He says
you do not know
what you're asking.
they're being
presumptuous
very arrogant.
And he goes
on to say
you know
do you not
realize
are you able
to drink
the cup
I'm going to drink
are you
are you able
to be baptized
with the baptism
I will be baptized
with.
What he's talking
about is coming
suffering.
And in verse
39
they're like
sure
we're able
yeah
sign us up.
Having no idea
of what Jesus
is talking about.
But Jesus does.
In verse 39
he says to them
the cup that I drink
you will drink
and with the baptism
with which I am
baptized
you will be
baptized.
Do you notice
the wills?
It's future tense
it's going to happen.
James will be
beheaded.
John will be
exiled to Patmos.
Both will suffer
deeply for Jesus.
It's going to
happen.
They don't realize
what they're asking.
Jesus knows
what lies ahead.
But in verse 40
Jesus returns
back to their
quote unquote
request.
And he says
but to sit at
my right hand
or my left
is not mine
to grant.
They don't
get to determine
where they sit
let alone him.
That's the
father's prerogative.
It is the
father
God
who is in
control.
It is
he who
will reward
kingdom
greatness
of which
James and
John
do not
understand.
So here we
have this
dialogue
between Jesus
and his
kind of two
disciples from
his inner
network of
guys
and what we're
seeing is
they're self
serving takers
not setting
their mind
on the things
of God
but on the
things of
man.
And the
question that
we need to
be asking
ourselves
is
does that
kind of
presumption
reside in
us?
Is it in
me?
Am I
putting myself
first
before others
in my
marriage
in my
parenting
in my
friendships
in the
workplace
here at the
church?
But Jesus
isn't done
yet.
He's got
more to
say.
And so we
move from
these two
self serving
takers
this dialogue
now to
the one
self
sacrificing
giver
and what
Jesus is
going to
do in
verses 41
through 45
is he's
going to
bring this
clear contrast
between the
way of the
world and
the way of
his kingdom.
Look at
verse 41.
Oh no!
And when
the ten
heard it
the other
ten find
out.
We don't
know how
but they
found out
that James
and John
have approached
Jesus in
order to
say hey
can we
have the
two seats
of honor
in your
glory?
They're
indignant
with James
and John.
We've got
a conflict
on Jesus
ministry
team.
What is
he going
to do?
But before
we see
what he
does let
me let
just ask
the ten
some
questions.
Hey
ten
disciples
why are
you so
mad?
I'm
guessing
Peter
representing
the ten
would say
it's totally
uncool
for James
and John
to sneak
around our
backs
and make
their
so-called
request
totally
uncool.
But then
we'd ask
another
question.
Guys
are you
so upset
because James
and John
obviously
don't have
the things
of God
in mind
but the
things of
man?
Or are
you upset
because they
beat you
to it?
They made
the claim
that you
were wanting
to make.
They
approached
Jesus
and talked
about the
thing
that you
actually
want.
Do you
know how
we know
the answer
to that
question?
Because
Jesus
rebukes
them all.
You see
the anger
of the ten
was not
a godly
anger
but an
anger
from setting
their minds
on the
things of
man.
So in
verse 42
what we
see is
Jesus
calls them
to him
and when
he calls
them
he's calling
James and
John and
the ten.
He's like
a good
coach.
He's like
okay time
out.
Okay team
let's huddle
up and
let's work
out this
fight that
we have
among
ourselves
and let
me help
you process
it through.
Let's
all get
on the
same page.
And what
Jesus does
is starting
in verse
42
is he
sets up
this
contrast.
He says
to them
you know
and what
he's about
to do
is point
to something
that everybody
is aware
of.
It's an
observation.
It's something
that they
would all
say yeah
that's
true.
He says
you know
that those
who are
considered
rulers
of the
Gentiles
lord it
over them
and their
great ones
exercise
authority
over them.
When he's
talking about
the rulers
of the
Gentiles
he's talking
about the
political
leaders of
the time
that don't
fear God
they're
outside of
Israel
and they
lord it
over the
people
which means
it's heavy
handed
leadership
it is
manipulative
it is
leadership
by threat
it is
very much
self-serving
you
go after
you take
power
you keep
power
in order
to
advantage
yourself
lord it
over
and then
when Jesus
talks about
the great
ones
he's like
hey
it's
we all
know how
the world
talks about
great
telling people
what to do
how many
people
do your
bidding
how many
people
follow you
both of
those
the rulers
of the
gentiles
and those
great ones
who exercise
authority
it has that
closes with
that phrase
over them
top down
what Jesus
is doing
is pointing
to the
current leaders
of his
day
and saying
that there
are models
of self
serving
take what
you can
get
way of
life
now
we could
do the
same
thing
today
we could
point to
the
political
system
of the
United
States
and say
both
Republican
and
Democrat
we've
got
some
poster
children
for this
way of
being
take
take what
you can
get
you
get
power
you keep
power
and then
you
domineer
to keep
it
one of the
things I'm
grateful for
being a
citizen of
the United
States
in our
system of
government
is that we
have a
system of
checks and
balances
that are
intentionally
designed
to hedge
against
tyranny
so Jesus
is pointing
to something
in their
day
that they
could all
see and
experience and
say yeah
we know that
lorded over
stuff we see
it we
experience it
for us
it's in the
news
we know
it
but it's
verse 43
in which
comes the
rebuke
but it
shall not
be among
you
this
take what
you can
get
this
self
serving
taking
but this
shall not
be
among
you
the it
is that
lord it
over
domineering
kind of
influence
by force
might is
right kind
of approach
and Jesus
saying
that's the
way of the
world
it's not
the way
of my
kingdom
it's
setting
your mind
not on
the things
of god
but on
the things
of man
it's
adopting
godless
ways of
being
to try
to
get what
you want
and Jesus
is not
simply speaking
to James
and John
here
he's speaking
to all
twelve
because all
twelve
had set
their minds
on the
things of
this world
as a way
of trying
to get
what they
want
adopting
worldly
practices
to get
the things
that they
desire
and they're
fighting over
it
on the way
to Jerusalem
where Jesus
is just
days out
from being
crucified
I'd like
to try to
bring this
home a little
bit right
now
there's a
little repeated
phrase in
verses 43
and 44
it's the
phrase
among you
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
Jesus is
not talking
about those
outside of
his kingdom
Jesus is
referring to
those inside
of his
kingdom
specifically
to the
twelve
disciples
but he's
addressing
us this
morning
we're the
among you
those who
have been
delivered from
the domain
of darkness
and transferred
into his
kingdom
the kingdom
of the
beloved son
all by his
grace
all by his
mercy
and so what
Jesus is saying
to us is
this shall
not be
so among
you
Christ the
King
church
it shall
not be
among your
marriages
it shall
not be
among your
parenting
it shall
not be
among your
friendships
among your
work
relationships
it should
not be
among your
church
if this
isn't
to be
among us
what
is
to be
among us
if
self-serving
take what
you can
get
mindset
of the
world
isn't to
be governing
our
relationships
what
mindset
must
be
governing
our
relationships
Jesus
doesn't
leave his
disciples
hanging
and he
doesn't
leave us
hanging
he says
so in
verses 43
and 44
instead of
this
over the
top
domineering
approach
whoever
would be
great
among you
he's
riffing
off that
word
great
whoever
would be
great
among you
must be
your
servant
whoever
would be
first
among you
must be
slave
of all
Jesus
turns the
world's
idea of
greatness
completely
upside down
his
kingdom
is an
upside
down
kingdom
the
kingdom
mindset
that
governs
our
relationships
is not
what can
you get
it's what
can you
give
it's not
how many
people are
serving
you
it's who
are you
serving
those
words
servant
and slave
those two
words are
referring to
the uttered
nobodies
of that
culture
at that
time
servants
and slaves
they did
the most
menial
work
they
had to
orient
their
lives
around
serving
others
was
anybody
like
shocked
by
James
and
John
and
their
request
like
that
is
ridiculous
totally
audacious
what
Jesus
is
saying
here
is
flabbergasting
kingdom
greatness
is not
measured
in what
you can
get
it's
measured
in what
you can
give
it's
not
measured
in
how many
people
are
following
you
it's
in
service
to
others
when
you set
your
mind
on the
things
of
man
you
end
up
serving
yourself
but
when
you
set
your
mind
on
the
things
of
God
you
die
to
yourself
to
serve
others
for
their
greatest
good
and
in
verse
45
behold
your
king
he
puts
himself
forward
as
the
ultimate
example
of
a
slave
of
all
he
himself
became
a
servant
he
himself
was
humiliated
in
verse
45
he
says
for
even
the
son
of
man
came
all
along
we've
been
talking
about
when
you
hear
that
title
son
of
man
think
of
Daniel
chapter
7
verses
13
and
14
the
ancient
of
days
God
the
father
gives
to
the
son
of
man
a
dominion
a
kingdom
that
will
be
everlasting
and
indestructible
and
this
dominion
and
kingdom
is
made
up
of
people
from
all
the
different
nations
and
one
might
think
reading
Daniel
chapter
7
that
this
is
going
to
be
a
political
figure
who
sets
up
shop
in
the
middle
of
Jerusalem
and
starts
claiming
rights
and
flexing
his
muscles
but
what
Jesus
is
saying
here
is
no
the
son
of
man
did
not
come
to
serve
to
be
served
but
to
serve
and
to
give
his
life
as
a
ransom
for
many
let
me
read
to
you
Philippians
chapter
2
do
nothing
from
selfish
ambition
or
conceit
but
in
humility
count
others
more
significant
than
yourselves
there's
the
kingdom
ethic
let
each
of
you
look
not
only
to
his
own
interest
but
also
to
the
interest
of
others
have
this
mind
among
yourselves
which
is
yours
in
Christ
Jesus
who
though
he
was
in
the
form
of
God
did
not
count
equality
with
God
a
thing
to
be
grasped
but
emptied
himself
by
taking
the
form
of
a
servant
being
born
in
the
likeness
of
man
and
being
found
in
human
form
he
humbled
himself
by
becoming
obedient
to
the
point
of
death
even
to
death
on
a
cross
of
all
the
human
beings
that
have
ever
walked
the
face
of
the
earth
Jesus
Christ
could
have
lorded
it
over
everyone
but
he
chose
not
to
what
he
chose
to
do
is
willingly
give
his
life
as
the
ultimate
self
sacrificial
gift
to
a
sinful
humanity
he
became
a
ransom
for
many
that
word
ransom
just
means
it
means
a
payment
for
someone
who
is
in
captivity
a
prisoner
or a
slave
to
set
them
free
ransom
for
that
word
that
preposition
for
it
actually
means
in the
place
of
as
a
substitute
he
ransomed
himself
for
many
and
the
many
are
all
those
sinners
who
would
one
day
recognize
him
as
their
one
true
king
God's
grace
incarnate
and
respond
by
denying
themselves
taking
up their
crosses
and
follow
him
ransom
for
many
revelation
chapter
seven
we have
this
multitude
of
people
from
every
tribe
tongue
and
nation
gathered
around
the
throne
and
they
are
saying
salvation
belongs
to
our
God
who
sits
on
the
throne
and
to
the
lamb
the
many
Jesus
makes it
very
clear
here
that
his
kingdom
operates
according
to
a
different
set
of
rules
than
the
world
and
he
is
no
exception
in
fact
he
is
the
greatest
example
he
rebukes
his
disciples
for
their
worldly
thinking
and
he
corrects
their
thinking
with
kingdom
thinking
putting
himself
forward
as the
ultimate
example
behold
your
king
brothers
and
sisters
that's
our
king
that's
the
tone
so
what
would
you
say
is
the
point
of
this
passage
well
Jesus
is
presenting
us
two
ways
to
live
two
ways
of
relating
to
others
there's
the
way
of
the
world
of
self
serving
take
what
you
can
get
and
there's
the
way
of
the
kingdom
self
sacrificial
giving
what
you
got
and the
difference
between
the two
is the
son of
man
is
Jesus
he's the
great
change
agent
behold
your
king
He's
he's the
that
lord
bet
his
death
enslaved
the
reason
did
sons
acum
the
morality
ту
this
nation
it's
you were ransomed by the blood of Jesus
so that you would no longer
live for yourself in this world,
but live for Jesus and His kingdom
in this world.
Which means we walk in His way.
The way of self-sacrificial giving of ourselves
for the good of others.
That's what we're seeing here.
It's not only the disciples who need a correction.
We all do.
And unlike the great ones of our day,
our King is humble at heart.
Do I have an amen?
So, have you become a follower of Jesus yet?
Have you declared Him as your King?
Have you come to see this Jesus as the Son of Man
who is totally God and totally man,
the Lord of Lords and King of Kings,
who is humble at heart and who gave Himself for you?
The way to respond to God's love and Jesus to you,
God's grace to you,
is to go all in.
To deny yourself, to take up your cross,
and to follow Him.
Don't waste any more of your life
for trying to take what you can get.
Rather,
come give your life
together following Jesus with us,
an imperfect church,
seeking to serve others.
If you're not a Christian,
make today the day
that you become a follower of Jesus.
Now, if you are a Christian,
I'm not sure if you guys know this,
but usually I write my final version
of the sermon on Saturdays.
So, yesterday morning,
I came bounding down the stairs,
and I greeted with Jenny
with this question.
Jenny's my wife.
Jenny, are you a typical taker
or are you a Christ-like giver?
She didn't miss a beat.
Both.
How true, isn't it?
If I were to ask you that question,
are you a typical taker
or a Christ-like giver,
I'm thinking you probably say,
hmm, yes?
Christian, have you been setting
your mind on the things of man
and not the things of God?
Have you been taking
instead of giving?
If Jesus were standing here right now,
would He say,
come follow me, brother.
Come follow me, sister.
Come.
Time to turn from that.
In your marriage,
would you ask your self-sacrificial king
how you've been insisting
on your own way in your marriage?
Are you being heavy-handed, wife?
Are you being heavy-handed, husband?
Are you domineering?
Are you threatening?
Are you bowing up
to get your way?
That's not the way of the kingdom.
Confess to your king
and to your spouse
the error of your ways.
But I would urge you,
whether you're a husband or wife,
begin to think
out of a Christ-like heart of giving,
what is one specific
and concrete step you can take
to be Christ-like to your spouse?
Can I be candid with you
in one way I'm trying to do that?
I'm trying to cook.
Jenny's working.
She's a kindergarten teacher.
I'm trying to cook,
which means I warm up frozen pizzas.
But the idea here is
I want to serve my wife.
I know what she's going through.
Parenting.
Are you being overbearing
in your parenting?
Are you parenting by force,
out of the flesh,
harshness, threat,
domineering, heavy-handed?
It's not the way of the kingdom.
Confess what your king shows you
with gladness.
It's his kindness to you.
And ask your children
as they are able
to forgive you.
As they're able to understand.
And I would just encourage you
find one or two ways
that you can be specific
and concrete
in being a giver
to your children.
Give yourself.
Give time.
Give your ears.
Listen well.
The workplace.
In your workplace,
are you treating people
like everybody else
in your workplace
is treating people?
Are you jockeying for position
like everybody else
is jockeying for position?
Are you being harsh
or heavy-handed?
Are you being manipulative?
Are you trying to get
what you can
when you can
like everybody else?
Well, I would invite you
to open yourself
to your king.
open your work life
to your king.
Ask him to show you
areas where
you are not living out
the kingdom ethic
in your workplace.
And you might say,
well, that's never going to fly.
It doesn't matter.
This is your king.
And
his way is the right way.
The good way.
The kingdom way.
So confess your sin.
Now you're going to need
to probably ask the question,
what does it look like
for me to live out my role
at my workplace
as a citizen
of his kingdom?
That is
very fruitful thinking.
The question is,
do you need to ask
anybody at work
to forgive you
for being harsh?
Finally,
my brother elders,
pastors,
deacons,
leaders of Christ
the King Church,
just hear Jesus' words.
Just hear them
in verse 43.
This domineering way,
it shall not be so among you.
that's not the way
we roll.
We follow our king
and we lead
out of the same heart
as our king.
Servants.
Slaves of all.
There are two types
of people
populating the planet today.
The ransomed of Jesus
and everybody else.
And as the ransomed
of Jesus,
we value
what he says
is kingdom greatness.
It's not in the taking
from others,
but it's in the giving
to others,
just as he gave himself
for us.
We can't shed our blood
for people and save them.
Only he can.
But we can take
our cues from him
and be like him,
serving others.
Don't be a typical taker.
Be more and more
a Christ-like giver.
And the difference,
of course,
is Jesus.
Fix your eyes
on him
who gave himself
for you
so that we could
give ourselves
for others.
Let's pray.
Lord Jesus,
help us.
Help us.
We struggle
with harshness
and being domineering.
We struggle
with insisting
on our own way
and you died
to rescue us
daily from that.
God,
would you use
our church?
Would you pour out
your grace upon us?
And would you
make us
a kingdom blessing
in our city
that we would
stand out
more and more
simply in the way
we treat others?
God,
thank you so much.
Lord Jesus,
thank you so much
that you are a
gentle and lowly king.
We look forward
to your return.
It's your name we pray.
Amen.