Redeemed for Service
“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.””
- Mark 10:43-45 NKJV
The main idea of this post is clearly stated in the text above. But to better appreciate this truth we should study its context. I would like to begin with verse 32 of the tenth chapter of Mark.
Mark 10:32 is grammatically awkward. It is clear that Jesus is going up to Jerusalem. What is not clear is who was amazed and who was afraid. Commentators are much divided as to whether Mark intended to depict one or two groups (the disciples and some other pilgrims who were in the same party). When we read Mark 3:22 and 7:1 we notice that in the gospel according to Mark Jerusalem symbolizes opposition to Jesus. So when Mark pictured Jesus as resolutely pressing toward His goal, as deliberately going to his death. This steadfast determination on the part of Jesus produced both astonishment and fear. (James A. Brooks, Mark, vol. 23, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 166.)
This is not the first time that Jesus speaks about His death.
31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
- Mark 8:31-33 NKJV31 For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” 32 But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.
- Mark 9:31-32 NKJV
Each time Jesus mentions His death His disciples struggle. They are confused by what He says but also don’t ask which makes me wonder if perhaps they were afraid of what it meant and preferred to try to explain it away in their own minds.
Let’s spend a bit more time in Mark 9. Right after Mark finishes describing how the disciples were afraid to ask Jesus about what He meant when He talked about His death and resurrection (verses 31-32) Mark describes Jesus addressing a dispute His disciples had among themselves on the road to Capernaum about who would be the greatest. Jesus then explains to them the values of His kingdom in the following words.
And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
- Mark 9:35-37 NKJV
I hear Jesus’ words and wonder if He also had difficulties finding volunteers for the children’s Sabbath school… (this is a joke because we tend to struggle with this in churches here in the US)
With this in mind let us turn to Mark 10:32-34.
32 Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
- Mark 10:32-34 NKJV
This is now the third time Jesus refers to His death and resurrection. If His disciples were open to the truth Jesus was sharing they would have avoided a lot of heartaches, and they would have been better prepared for what would soon take place. But the disciples were not truly listening, they were not open to the possibility that God might be doing something that was in opposition to their human understanding, plans and expectations.
We read these texts and struggle to understand how the disciples could miss such a clear and explicit statement from Jesus. We feel like we would never make a similar mistake. We would never misunderstand a very clear statement from Jesus, right? We would never try to find complex ways to make it mean something else or be symbolic in some way and mean anything except what Jesus seems to be clearly saying.
I am so glad we don’t have those struggles because we should have no problem with the next thing that Jesus says.
But before we get there, let’s see what the disciples are up to. Jesus just talked about being betrayed, condemned, scourged, mocked, spit on, and killed. Meanwhile James and John (and likely their mom as well cf Matthew 20:20) approach Jesus with a peculiar request.
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
- Mark 10:35 NKJV
James and John want Jesus to agree before they even ask. They sound like children. Imagine if you were Jesus. You know you will soon die a horrible death and this group of followers will be responsible to continue the work of proclaiming the gospel to the entire world. And they are here asking to be given whatever they ask for.
Is it possible to follow Jesus for years while expecting God to do for you whatever you ask? Is it possible to follow God while expecting our kingdom to come and our will to be done? Could this blind us to what God is actually doing? To God’s plan for our lives?
But Jesus humors them,
36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
- Mark 10:36-37 NKJV
“James and John apparently expected Jesus to establish his kingdom and enter into his glory when he reached Jerusalem. They wanted a prominent place in the messianic, earthly kingdom. Though they recognized Jesus as the Messiah, they completely misunderstood the nature of the kingdom Jesus came to establish.” (James A. Brooks, Mark, vol. 23, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 168.)
Jesus is talking about sacrifice, and the disciples are asking for glory. Jesus is talking about how He will suffer, sacrificing His life to save the whole world, and all James and John are concerned about is being second and third in power in Jesus’ glory.
Jesus is preaching sacrifice and His followers are asking for glory. Jesus is focused on sacrificing Himself for the salvation of others and His followers are asking for prestige.
Do you notice a disconnect? Do you think this might get in the way of others understanding Jesus? When His followers are concerned with things that did not concern Him?
38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
39 They said to Him, “We are able.”
So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
- Mark 10:38-39 NKJV
Do we ever promise things to God that we have no power to do? Do we ever overestimate our faith and dedication? Sure, they talk a big game now, but shortly after this, they will abandon Jesus in His hour of greatest need. But Jesus knew that eventually, they would die for Him, and they would finally grasp the power of the gospel. But their actions could never purchase a position in the kingdom of heaven. That’s not how the kingdom of heaven works.
The other disciples heard this and became upset so Jesus took the opportunity to explain to them what the path to greatness in the kingdom of God looks like.
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
- Mark 10:41-45 NKJV (bold mine)
Jesus’ own loss of life for the sake of others not only embodies this new scale of values but also offers the disciples a model to follow. (R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2002), 415.)
Do we understand what Jesus is saying here? Or do we seek some convoluted way of explaining it away? Perhaps it is verses like this that caused Mark Twain to exclaim
“It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it’s the parts that I do understand.”
Are willing to acknowledge Jesus’ teaching that in the kingdom the way to glory is sacrifice, service, and suffering? Do we understand that in the kingdom exaltation involves lowliness? (James A. Brooks, 168.)
Jesus did not identify the kind of service he performed but affirmed that his life was characterized by a servant attitude and by actually performing many kinds of service and ministry. By so affirming he set himself before the disciples as an example to follow—something that often has been forgotten by his followers. (Brooks, 171)
Jesus reverses the natural expectations of society and characterizes leadership by service to others. Jesus’ teaching shows discipleship as a self-denying, self-risking, self-giving part of lowly service for the redemption of the world. (Donald English, The Message of Mark: The Mystery of Faith, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992), 182.)
We are not (mostly!) as crass as the disciples in jockeying for seats of power in the kingdom, but by much more subtle behaviour we show how little we grasp what it means to be disciples of a crucified Lord who gave his life as a ransom for many (45).
- Donald English, The Message of Mark: The Mystery of Faith, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992), 183.
As long as we think of ourselves and what is due to us from others it will be impossible for us to do our work of saving souls. When Christ takes possession of our hearts we shall no longer make the narrow circle of self the center of our thoughts and of our attentions.
What a wonderful reverence for human life Jesus expressed in His life mission! He stood not among the people as a king, demanding attention, reverence, service, but as one who wished to serve, to uplift humanity. He said He had not come to be ministered unto but to minister.… Wherever Christ saw a human being, He saw one who needed human sympathy. Many of us are willing to serve particular ones—those whom we honor—but the very ones to whom Christ would make us a blessing if we were not so cold-hearted, so unkind and selfish, we pass by as unworthy of our notice.…
- Ellen Gould White, Our High Calling (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1961), 176.
The values of the kingdom of God are revolutionary.
Christ’s followers have been redeemed for service. Our Lord teaches that the true object of life is ministry. Christ Himself was a worker, and to all His followers He gives the law of service—service to God and to their fellow men. Here Christ has presented to the world a higher conception of life than they had ever known. By living to minister for others, man is brought into connection with Christ. The law of service becomes the connecting link which binds us to God and to our fellow men.
- Ellen Gould White, Christ’s Object Lessons (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1900), 326.
It seems to me that certain theological truths will not be fully grasped until we begin to live out the mission that Jesus calls us to. We experience a stronger and healthier connection to God and one another as we begin to live our lives as Jesus lived His.
Ask God today, right now, in what ways is He calling you to serve, and who is He calling you to serve?
What is keeping you from living out your calling?
