http://bible.com/events/15837262
Our most powerful stance is not wanting power.
Mark 10:35-45
35Then 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.
37They 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 cupI 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,40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42Jesus 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. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For 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 Observations About This Text
- We all want power
- Give James and John credit. They had the guts to say what some of us only think: “Lord, we want power! Do whatever we say.”
- Instead of power, we can insert the words “control” or “independence”
- There is never enough power
- Just like most everything else in our lives…we want more
- Beneath it all, we are desperate for significance, influence, authority
- For Jesus, power is inverted
- Our view of power is centered on control, but the kingdom of God is centered around service (Mark 10:43-45)
- Greatness (power) was not reducing others to your service, but reducing yourself to their service
- For Jesus, power is found in dependence, humility, and weakness
Mark 8:34-35
“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
As we come to the end of this series…the question is the same
-Is He enough for you?
-Is His power enough for you?
-His way?
-Can you trust Him enough to believe that you don’t have to scrape and claw for more?
Our most powerful stance is not wanting power.
Other texts for further study:
2 Peter 1:3-4
3His divine powerhas given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of himwho called usby his own glory and goodness.4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Matthew 23:1-11
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:2“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.3So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.4They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.5“Everything they do is done for people to see:They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garmentslong;6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;7they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.8“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.9And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father,and he is in heaven.10Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.11The greatest among you will be your servant.12For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.