A Life of Surrender – Mark 10:32-45

Sermon Text: Mark 10:32-45

Sermon Video

Outline

Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others (32-34)

Following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness (35-37)

Following Jesus requires us to suffer (38-41)

Following Jesus requires us to serve others (42-45)

Sermon Notes

Jesus is on his way to the cross and he is calling his disciples and the crowds to follow him.

What does it look like to follow Jesus by surrendering to him and serving others?

Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others (32-34)

32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “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. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

This is the third time that Jesus has told his disciples of his impending arrest, death, and resurrection.

Mark 8-10 is the largest text in the New Testament on discipleship. In each chapter,

• Jesus predicts his death and resurrection (Mark 8:31-32, 9:30-31, 10:32-34).
• The disciples respond in a foolish way (Mark 8:32-33, 9:32-34, 10:35-41).
• Jesus gives a lesson on discipleship, service, and true greatness (Mark 8:34-38, 9:35-37, 10:42-45).

Jesus knew what was going to happen to him and he still went to Jerusalem. He loved and served us even when he knew it would cost him his life.

Though none of us can die a substitutionary death on a cross like Jesus, we are all called to sacrifice for others.

• Are you willing to make sacrifices so that other people can hear the gospel?
• Are you willing to give of your time to help someone grow in Christ?
• Are you willing to serve others?
• Does your life have a kingdom focus?

If we are going to impact our community for Christ, then we must be willing to sacrifice for the good of others.

Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others. Second, following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness.

Following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness (35-37)

35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”

The way of the world is self-exaltation. Look at James and John’s demands.
• 35 – “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”
• 37 – “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory”

James and John are showing their human nature. Like James and John, we love ourselves and we want others to love and honor us as well. Many of us think way too highly of ourselves. Isn’t it true that we tend to see the faults of others while overlooking many of the same faults in ourselves?

James and John also seem to have already forgotten Jesus’ teaching on what true greatness looks like (see Mark 9:35):

Mark 9:35
“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

While Jesus is talking about all that he is about to give, the disciples are consumed with what they can get. Looking at James and John is like looking in the mirror. We can see our own selfishness, and Mark hopes that we can see how foolish we look.

James and John are making demands of Jesus, the Lord of all creation. When we are self-centered, we are just like James and John.

If you are going to please Jesus with your life, then you must learn to put off selfishness. You must learn to put off selfishness in your marriage. You must learn to put off selfishness within your church family. You must put off selfishness in order to reach the lost.

James and John know Jesus is headed for glory (v. 37), but they don’t have a clue how the glory would come.

Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others. Following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness. Third, following Jesus requires us to suffer.

Following Jesus requires us to suffer (38-41)

38 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?” 39 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, 40 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.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.

Jesus’ path to glory was paved with suffering. Read verse 38 above. Jesus says, “You don’t know what you’re asking…”

John and James were very quick to want the benefits of God’s kingdom, but they have not counted the costs of participating in it.

Jesus asks them two questions:

• “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?”
• “Are you able to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?

Jesus compares His coming suffering and death to drinking a cup and experiencing a baptism. What does He mean by this?

Drinking a cup with someone speaks of sharing in that person’s fate. The cup that Jesus is referring to here is that of God’s wrath. Later, we will see Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane. As he prayed to the Father, he spoke these words: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).

When Jesus speaks of His coming baptism, it means that his coming suffering and death were all consuming. Just as baptism is by immersion, Jesus was immersed in the destiny that God had planned for Him. Jesus’ suffering and death were all consuming and he was immersed in his mission.

Luke 12:50
I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!

James and John respond that they are able, but their quick response makes it clear that they did not understand what Jesus meant. However, Jesus knows that indeed one day each of them will suffer for the sake of Jesus and His gospel.

• James was the first apostle to be martyred (Acts 12:1-2).
• John was exiled to the island of Patmos (Rev 1).

James and John had failed to see that the pathway to glory is paved with suffering. Before we receive the crown of life, we must be willing to drink the cup of suffering and be immersed in living for Christ. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul noted that believers are not called simply to believe in Jesus, but should also be willing to suffer for his sake.

Phil 1:29
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

Do we really think that we can follow Jesus and not suffer? Do we think that revitalizing a church will be easy? Do we think we won’t be rejected by others or be persecuted? Do we really think that we won’t be hated for the sake of Jesus

“The early church was married to poverty, prisons, and persecutions. Today, ‘the church’ is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity.”

Leonard Ravenhill

The other disciples were indignant at James and John (v. 41). James and John’s selfish request had strained the unity of the group. Isn’t that what selfishness does? When we seek after power and position at the expense of those around us, others will be indignant at us.

Following Jesus requires us to sacrifice for others. Following Jesus requires us to put off selfishness. Following Jesus requires us to suffer. Finally, following Jesus requires us to serve others.

Following Jesus requires us to serve others (42-45)

42 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. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus says that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and that they exercise authority over them (v. 42). People in the world want more power, more position, more fame, and more influence. In the world, the more important you are, the more people you have that serve you.

But Jesus says, “it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (v. 43).

Once again, Jesus has changed the scorecard. The world says that power and authority are to be desired, but Jesus says if you want to be great you must be a servant.

If service is beneath you, then leadership is beyond you.

Think about this in marriage. Men, if you make marriage all about you, then your wife isn’t going to submit to your leadership.

If you’re the boss at work but you’re always making demands but never willing to help, you are not going to be effective.

Jesus says it’s not even enough to be like a servant but you must become like a slave (v. 44). In biblical times, slaves had very little rights and were taken for granted by those that they served.

Who are you more like? Are you more like the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22) and James and John? Are you seeking to exalt yourself or you a servant that is willing to pour out your life for others and to be taken for granted like a slave?

Verse 45 is the key verse of Mark’s Gospel. Mark 1:15 is Jesus’ message. Mark 10:45 is Jesus’ mission.

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The reason that service is preeminent in the kingdom of God is because it grows out of a love for one’s neighbor. Service is love made tangible.^[1]James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 326. If we refuse to serve others it is because we don’t love others. If we don’t love others, then we do not love God.

Jesus has told us his disciples that he is going to Jerusalem and that he will die. Now he tells them why. He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Conclusion

Jesus combines the “Son of Man” title from Daniel 7 with the “ransom for many” language from Isaiah 53.

Daniel 7:13-14
13 “I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

Isaiah 53:12c
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.

This is the Jesus we follow! He came to earth as a baby. He died as a sacrifice for sinners. And one day, he will return as a warrior to mete out God’s judgment. After the final judgment, Jesus will rule his kingdom forever and ever. He will have an everlasting dominion.

That’s the amazing truth of the gospel, that Jesus, the Son of God, became the Son of Man in order to pay the penalty for sin. We needed a ransom for our sin because we had all gladly and willfully sold ourselves into the bondage of slavery to sin. Jesus saves us from God’s wrath and gives us the victory over sin, death, and hell.

By paying the ransom for our sins, Jesus made it possible for the children of man to become the children of God.

Jesus, the Son of God, and the Son of Man, gave His life as a ransom for many.

We respond in repentance and faith. After we come to Christ, we follow Jesus by

• sacrificing for others (32-34)
• putting off selfishness (35-37)
• suffering for his sake (38-41)
• serving others (42-45)

If we’re honest, many of us have a wrong view of Christianity. We think that Christianity is punching a ticket to heaven. In truth, Christianity is following Jesus, laying down our lives in service to the King who laid down his life for us.

Will we believe the philosophy of the world that life is all about us or will we give ourselves away in service to Jesus, his Gospel, his church, and a lost and dying world?