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2007 Mark’s Gospel Lecture 28

THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SERVE

Mark 10:32-45
Key Verse 45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life
as a ransom for many.”
Last week Jesus taught the way to eternal life to a rich young man. It is to find oneself as
helpless sinner before God and humbly seek and receive His forgiveness and imitate Jesus with
his new life until he enters the heavenly kingdom.
In today’s passage, Jesus predicts his death for the third time. Jesus’ also teaches about
the greatness in serving. May God help us to accept Jesus’ teaching so that we may live as truly
great man and woman before God.
I. Jesus again predicts his death (32-34)
Look at verse 32a. “They were on their way up to Jerusalem…” This was Jesus’ final
journey to Jerusalem. At this Passover he was going there to be the Paschal Lamb to die for
sinners’ forgiveness. His heart and his foot steps must have been very heavy. But how was Jesus’
attitude? Verse 32b says, “with Jesus leading the way…” The way to Jerusalem was hard for
Jesus because the heavy cross was waiting for him. Still, Jesus was pressing on toward
Jerusalem in obedience to God’s will. He was leading the way to Jerusalem like the leader of the
Republic Day parade. On the other hand the disciples were astonished while those who followed
him were afraid (32c).
Why were the disciples astonished and the followers afraid? It was because they did not
know what was going to happen. They sensed an unusual boldness in Jesus and expected that
Jesus would fight with the Roman soldiers to take over as the king. They also feared that the
religious leaders might create new problems for Jesus and for them. But whatever their fear may
be, they neither tried to know about it from Jesus nor they were ready for the up-coming events.
On the other hand Jesus knew what was going to happen and he was well prepared for it, so he
was leading them with confidence.
Now let us see how did Jesus help the disciples to prepare themselves? Look at verses
32c-34. “Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ‘We
are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and
teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who
will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.’” This was
the third time Jesus predicted about his death and resurrection. The first time Jesus predicted
about it soon after Peter’s confession of faith, “You are the Christ.” Another time he spoke about
it after his transfiguration. And though this was the third time, he was not angry at the disciples’
failure to listen to him. Especially at this time, Jesus also mentioned about his being handed over
to the Romans and their mocking, spitting and flogging him. Why did Jesus tell his disciples
about these upcoming events repeatedly? Jesus predicted his suffering, death and resurrection
repeatedly so that when he was handed over to the Gentiles to be crucified, his disciples might
not lose heart but believe what they had been told. Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection are
the core of the gospel. Soon after man’s fall in the Garden of Eden, God promised to send the
Messiah who would crush Satan’s head (Gen 3:15). God reminded his promises through his
prophets time and again. Many servants of God lived and died with hope of the coming Messiah
and fulfillment of God’s plan for world salvation. Now Jesus came and he was about to fulfill all
prophesies concerning the Messiah. Therefore, not only the disciples but anyone who accepts the
gospel truth can receive God’s salvation grace and live a new life. We are living in a time when
Jesus already fulfilled the requirements for our salvation through his suffering, death on the
cross and resurrection. We might reject or ignore this precious gospel like the young disciples.
But when we believe Jesus’ death on the cross for my sins and his resurrection we can possess
God’s wonderful grace of salvation personally. May God help us to accept this gospel in our
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heart in faith and eager expectation today. Jesus also told the disciples about his death and
resurrection repeatedly in the hope that his disciples might be witnesses of his death and
resurrection to the ends of the earth. Sometimes we feel difficulty in telling about Jesus’
suffering and death on the cross to our sheep with the idea that they might feel burdensome in
following Jesus and living by faith. But here we learn from Jesus that we must teach suffering
also because it is the truth of the gospel.
II. The Request of James and John (35-45)
Look at verse 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.’” James and John were two of Jesus’ top
disciples. They had been with Jesus up on the mountain of transfiguration and had seen Jesus
conversing with Moses and Elijah. From that time they took seriously that Jesus had come to
fulfill God’s promise concerning the Messiah. They heard Jesus’ repeated teaching regarding the
suffering of the Son of Man. But they only understood that Jesus was about to enter his glory.
They couldn’t hide their desire from Jesus anymore. Moreover when they thought of Peter who
was their strong competitor, they thought they should confirm the best positions before Peter
would ask Jesus. So they asked Jesus to grant them whatever they wanted. They were totally
insensitive to Jesus’ upcoming suffering and death. Their request was worse than that of the
prodigal son, who asked for his father’s inheritance even before the father had died.
What was Jesus’ response to their request? Look at verse 36. "What do you want me to
do for you?" he asked. Jesus did not rebuke the disciples for their unspiritual request. Jesus
understood their inner selfish and ambitious desires. Jesus also used this as another opportunity
to plant the gospel truth. So he asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Look at verse 37. “They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left
in your glory.’” The left and right seats of Jesus in Jesus’ glory refer to the most powerful
positions in Jesus’ messianic kingdom. They believed that Jesus would be king as soon as he
arrived in Jerusalem and that they would be members of his royal council. We can say that they
had a strong political ambition and a burning desire to be recognized as the number one among
the people. They had a burning desire to be great.
Why does man want to be number one? Why does man want to be great? Man wants to
be great because God made man in his own image to be great and honorable. Therefore, man
must have the desire to be great and honorable. When man has the desire to be great and
honorable, he can study well, work hard and overcome himself and sinful peer pressure. In order
to be great and honorable everyone must pay a cost.
What cost did James and John need to pay to be great? Look at verse 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?" They thought they knew very well about their request. But Jesus
said that they did not know what they were asking. It was because they did not know the cost of
being great. The cup indicates a symbol of suffering and trouble in the Old Testament. Likewise
baptism, being immersed under water, indicates death. What are Jesus’ cup and baptism? When
Jesus came to the earth, he had been given the most difficult cup to drink. It was to suffer much
to offer his life for the sin of the world. Jesus committed no sin to suffer so much. But he had to
suffer in order to save sinners from God’s righteous judgment by taking their punishment upon
himself. Jesus had to make a decision to drink this cup. He struggled in prayer until he could
confess, “Not my will but yours be done.” Jesus told James and John, “The way to glory is by
drinking the cup the Father gives you.”
Jesus also said, “Can you be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” Jesus
baptism was his death on the cross. Jesus had to give up all hopes in this world in order fulfill
God’s purpose for him. Romans 6:3-4 says, “Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through
baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the
Father, we too may live a new life.” James and John had to be totally remade as God’s servants
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through drinking Jesus’ cup and being baptized with Jesus’ baptism. They were ready to do
anything if only they could obtain the honor of sitting at the right and left side of Jesus in his
glory. So they told Jesus, “Sure, we can!” (39a)
What did Jesus answer? Look at verses 39b-40. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the
cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 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." Jesus
assured James and John that they would drink Jesus’ cup and be baptized with Jesus’ baptism as
his disciples. Although they were still immature in their faith and hope, Jesus had great hope on
them. He had painted their future in the canvass of the powerful and sacrificial apostles in Acts.
Later, James would be the first martyr among the disciples and John would be probably the last.
However they would live and die for serving the gospel as the cup God had given them. Jesus
also told them that even if they pay the price for being great, it was up to God to whom he would
give those honorable seats. What can we learn here? We learn here that God is Sovereign. He
has given us each a cup and for us God has prepared a glorious reward. But that is not the reason
for our serving him. Our service must come from deep trust and confidence in God who gave us
our cup and also a new birth through baptism in Christ. May God help us to escape political
ways of thinking and serve God with pure hearts, entrusting our futures into God’s hands.
What was the response of the ten when they heard about James’ and John’s request?
Look at verse 41. When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
The other disciples were also just the same. They too wanted to claim the seats of glory. They
were ready to suffer for Jesus’ kingdom. But they were not ready to submit to God’s will for
their lives.
III. Jesus taught the principle of a servant (42-45)
How might be Jesus' heart when he saw his disciples competing to grab power like
worldly people? He might have experienced desperation that his three years' spiritual training
for the disciples was in vain. But Jesus did not give up and told them the spiritual view of value
which the disciples must have.
How did Jesus help them? Look at verses 42-44. "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. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great
among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." Jesus
identified the disciples' ambition to exercise power and authority over others. In short they
wanted to be served. Jesus compared such a life with the rulers of the Gentiles. The godless
world focuses on the benefits of position. A person's privileges are decided according to how
many subordinates he has to serve him. Even a gatekeeper's power is great. So if he does not
allow, nobody can enter a house or an office.
But it was not to be the case for the disciples. Jesus said, “Not so with you.” This means
that Jesus' disciples should be different from the view of value of worldly people. In what point
of view should they be different? In this world people think that those who sit on higher position
and command and are served are the great. But in spiritual world those who humble themselves
like servants and serve others are the great. In this world people think that those who have title
or high social position are great. But in spiritual world to be great has no relationship with title
or high social position. Jesus taught the importance of character itself than possession by saying
"servant" and "slave of all." Truly great men are those whose self-centered inner character to be
served and respected and recognized by others is changed and who serve others. These kinds of
peoples’ concern is changed from themselves to others. They want to serve other coworkers and
even other coworkers' sheep. The parameter of greatness is how many people one can serve and
how much deep and wide character one has. In fact when we look at God's servants in the Old
Testament we find a picture of what Jesus was hoping for his disciples. God's very purpose of
establishing a nation of His people through Abraham’s descendants was to serve others, even the
Gentiles, as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Moses gave up his privileges as a prince of
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Egypt to serve the people of God in leading them to the Promised Land. He served the Israelites
by being a Bible teacher and Law giver for them. In the process he bore their slave mentality and
sin sickness time and again. Joseph in Genesis, Joshua, David all were great servants of God
because of their humble serving and God exalted them for this. Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be
great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." A
slave has no right to give his opinion to his master. He must only obey absolutely.
Then what does it mean to serve others? Firstly, serving means having concern on others.
Every human being has some problem or suffering to be solved. Serving him or her means
actively participate and solve his or her suffering. Secondly, spiritually speaking, serving means
to save souls. In a word serving is helping one to find salvation of his soul through the word of
truth. It means to help one soul to come back to God who is the owner of his life. It is to help
people to have spiritual desire and to help to solve inner problems such as lust, pride and
ambition, etc. through the word of truth. It sounds noble but it is not easy. The tendency of a
sinner is to reject the gospel by all possible ways. But when we humbly serve with sacrifices of
time and energy and material for one soul without giving up, he can get salvation grace and live
a new life. Therefore, in God's eyes a person who saves souls is truly great. Daniel 12:3 says,
"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to
righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." How blessed we are when we serve our precious
coworkers, sheep and even our nation so that God's kingdom may come to them! We can be
truly great by accepting God's will for soul saving through our serving life.
Look at verse 45. Jesus not only spoke but showed his own good example for the
disciples to imitate. "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 deserves to be honored because he is the Son of God.
All glory and honor belong to Jesus. He deserves to be served by all. But even the Son of Man
did not come to be served but to serve. In order to serve sinners, he lived as a shepherd and a
friend of all kinds of needy people. While on earth, Jesus served sinners, healing the sick,
preaching the kingdom of God and training his twelve disciples. But Jesus did not stop with
serving sinners. Verse 45b says, "...and to give his life as a ransom for many." The word
"ransom" is used for the price to be paid in order to buy a slave to set him free. Ever since the
fall of the first man Adam, no one was able to free themselves from the grip of their sinful nature
and take hold of God's kingdom. No one could help anyone else, but all were condemned and
drowning in the sea of sin and death. But Jesus did not think that men were hopeless. Jesus
believed that all men could be saved if he dies as a ransom sacrifice for the sin of the world.
Jesus' love for sinners and his obedience to God's world salvation work strengthened him even
to die on the cross as a ransom sacrifice for our sins. This event made Jesus truly great and
different from all others. Philippians 2:8-9 says, "And being found in appearance as a man, he
humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted
him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name."
Because of Jesus' sacrifice we could get new lives. This is the fruit of Jesus' serving. This
is also the principle of God's redemptive ministry. Where there is soul saving ministry,
somebody is sacrificing himself and serving others without being recognized by others quietly.
Nobody recognizes him but he is truly great before God. We love our lives and our dreams. We
have desire for worldly fame and wealth too. We have self-respect and desire to be served by
others. But when we sacrifice these things and humble down ourselves and serve others, surely
many fruit of life-saving will be born.
Mother Sarah Barry was the daughter of a rich American parents. They called him the
princess of Mississippi. But when she realized God’s love for her and for mankind, she left the
comfort of wealth and pleasure and went to a poor war torn country Korea to serve the gospel.
There she met Dr Samuel Lee and started the UBF ministry of teaching Bible and raising
spiritual leaders among campus intellectuals. She served college and university students like her
sons and daughters and even offered her marriage dream to Jesus for serving the campus souls
and remained unmarried. Because of her sacrifice God blessed UBF ministry to be a movement
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of spiritual revival through soul saving and leadership among campus students in more than 87
countries of the world. We are the fruits of her servantship and sacrifice. In our time, she leaves
a true example of soul-saving through sacrifice after Jesus’ image.
Many of us have the desire to be great man and woman of God and save many souls.
Today Jesus tells us what is required of us: servantship and sacrifice. When I check my own
heart and life, I have the desire to be called a great servant of God, even in this year by raising
five JNU sheep and one disciple and completion of my PhD. But contrary to my desires to be
great, I seriously lack the character of true of greatness that are servantship and sacrifice. Even
giving up my morning sleep to pray for others is so difficult. Before I could think of serving
others my heart is already occupied with the self-centered desires of my life, my career, my
family, my health, my pleasures and so on. So if I did something for God, it was out of the
leftovers after fulfilling my own self-centered priorities. But through the meditation of this
message I realized that if God should use my life, I must learn servantship and sacrifice my life
following Jesus’ example. I repent of my deep-rooted self-centeredness and pray that God may
change me to be a sacrificial servant of God whom God can use for his soul-saving work when I
serve coworkers and sheep through sacrifice. Practically as I spend most of my time in the
Center, I decided to welcome coworkers with a smile and prepare a spiritual environment.
In conclusion, Jesus took the punishment of our sin and died on the cross to save us and
give us a new life as God’s servants that is truly great and honorable in God’s sight. God uses
those who sacrifice themselves for soul-saving following Jesus’ example and makes them truly
great. May God make each of us his life-giving servants of God for our friends, our sheep,
coworkers and this country.