The Request

Mark 10:35-45

INTRO:
Good morning church. A British evangelist, Dr. George C. Morgan had 4 sons and they were all preachers. The story is told of someone visiting the whole family one day as they were all gathered in the drawing room. In conversation the visitor turned to Howard, one of the sons, and asked him: "Howard, who is the greatest preacher in your family?" Howard had a great admiration for his father and he looked straight across at him and then without a moment’s hesitation he answered, "Mother."

I’m sure we all enjoyed Mark’s lesson last week. He brought up some good thoughts and as usual he got me thinking. Open your Bibles this morning to the 10th chapter of the gospel of Mark.

First look at Mark 10:33-34 “33. "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered 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.''”

That sets the stage and now let’s read our text for today Mark 10:35-37 – “35. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.'' 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.''”[NKJV]

Then skipping down to Mark 10:41 – “And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.”[NKJV]

Human ambition is a fact. We do not all have the same degree of ambition, but in all of us there is to some extent a desire for advancement, and perhaps a desire for recognition. Add to that the fact that the desire for “more” is something that is characteristic from the lowliest to the highest. When ambition exists in any sort of “closed system”, it can become a divisive thing. This can be seen in job situations. It can be seen in sports teams. It can be seen in club settings, and, yes, it can even be found within the Lord’s church. As Mark said last week in his lesson the Bible does not condemn ambition. It encourages us to strive for excellence. But when ambition is uncontrolled, or when it selfishly fuels our ego, it is not good.

Lest I am misunderstood, I want to stress that being ambitious, in and of itself is not wrong or sinful. I’m not saying that, but ambition must always be tempered by other qualities.

When I was working as a manager if I had an employee whose ambition was to do the best possible job, I considered that person very valuable. On the other hand someone whose ambition was to find a job that allowed them to warm a chair all day listening to their favorite music… not so much. Unfortunately for the person with little ambition they probably would not even get in the door.

I have heard it said that ambition in life usually progresses through the following stages: to be like Dad... to be famous... to be a millionaire... to make enough to pay the bills... to hang on long enough to retire.

Our text presents us with a situation fraught with peril for the twelve. Ambition has reared its head and has been discovered by those who are being “left out” of the request that is made. The situation involves a request that is made by two brothers, James and John.

I. THE REQUEST OF JAMES AND JOHN - Mark 10:37 clearly sets out their request - “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”

A. Let’s start with what these two men must have believed. They have referred here to - “Your glory”. Matthew in his account of this request says it was made by Salome (sal-uh-may), the mother of James and John. In Matthew 20:21, a parallel passage, we read “… Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” Mark’s gospel is more direct and shorter then Matthew in descriptions, so for me if the request came directly from the Apostles or via their mother it is not an issue. It is still a request to secure for these two a ranking place in the Kingdom that is to come.

1. What is it that these brothers are asking? What these brothers are requesting is that they be given the greatest places within the kingdom.
2. This tells us one shining thing about them—bewildered as they might be at this point, they still believed in Jesus. It is amazing that they could still connect glory with the Galilean carpenter who had incurred the enmity and the bitter opposition of the orthodox religious leaders. There is amazing confidence and loyalty here. James and John might not understand at this point, but their hearts were in the right place. They never doubted Jesus' ultimate triumph.
3. Yet, it is equally evident that they are still concluding that Jesus is soon going to ascend an earthly throne. They think in terms of an earthly kingdom like those with which they were familiar.
4. In Luke 18:34, a passage very closely akin to what we’re reading here. Jesus is teaching them about what will happen in Jerusalem and at verse 34 the writer observes, “But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.” It was not hidden in that Jesus did not want them to understand. It was hidden because of their reluctance to accept it.

B. It is a favor that they ask as the result of a relationship.

1. They do not grasp at this time all the things that are going on and they really do not understand the ramifications of what they are requesting, but they make the request nevertheless, because of a close relationship they have with Jesus.
2. We know that James and John were part of a kind of inner circle among the apostles. In Matthew 17:1 we see that along with Peter, James and John went with Jesus onto the mount of transfiguration. In Matthew 26:37 we find the same three went with Jesus further into the garden in the hour of prayer.
3. Beyond that, there is every indication in scripture that James and John are the first cousins of Jesus.
4. They see themselves as having a very favored earthly relationship. Out of this favored relationship comes this request. It’s almost like children, They’re asking “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” Have you had any of your children do this to you? “I want you to say yes to whatever I ask you.” “We just want you to agree to do what we want you to do.” Of course, Jesus doesn’t do that, does He? He wants to know; “What do you want Me to do for you?”

C. I mentioned this earlier and it is interesting. Was it their mother, or was it they who made the request?

1. In Matthew’s gospel it seems that it is their mother Salome (sal-uh-may), who makes the request. Mathew 20:20.
2. Perhaps Salome is the one who made the actual request. After all, a mother wants the best for her children. It may be the request was made at the behest of her sons, James and John, who perhaps believe that Jesus will give greater weight to their request if it comes from His aunt, their mother, the sister of Mary.
3. This same logic is used today by some religious people to suggest that prayer to others can intercede for us. That is not what is taught in the Bible. Jesus is our intercessor. Hebrews 7:25 – “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.” and Romans 8:34 – “It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
4. Strange as it may seem to us, I want to be sure that I commend again the confidence and the loyalty of James and John. Their loyalty was well placed, perhaps for a misunderstood cause, but we commend them for their loyalty to the Lord.
5. That brings us to what I call a draught line: The Ignorance of James and John.

II. THE IGNORANCE OF JAMES AND JOHN

A. We go on and read in Mark10:38 – “But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Can you drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

1. They asked for this favor in ignorance of the nature of God’s Kingdom. That is very evident.
2. Furthermore, they were ignorant of the events that were going to transpire which would be cataclysmic… overwhelming events.
3. Jesus refers to the cup and the baptism. These are descriptive words for experiences one is going to have which are so serious and so heavy that they overwhelm.
4. I’d like you to turn in your bibles to Matthew 26:37-39. In verse 37 we see that Peter, James and John went with Jesus further into the garden of Gethsemane “and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.”
5. Listen as we read of the weight, the seriousness, the heaviness of this cup that Jesus is about to drink, this baptism with which He is about to be baptized. “38. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.'' 39. He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.''” Descriptive words.
6. We know that in the text of the New Testament baptism usually means an immersion in water, but baptism has a more general meaning than that, something that overwhelms. You hear in the military of “baptism by fire”. Thayer’s first definition is: Baptism is used topically of calamities and afflictions with which one is quite overwhelmed: Mark 10:38; Matthew 20:22f ; Luke 12:50. Indeed, in water when one is immersed, the water overwhelms. Here Jesus refers to something that is going to overwhelm.
7. It’s true that they do not understand what they are asking. Jesus says; “Can you drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” “And they said to Him, "We can.''”
8. They don’t really realize YET what is going to happen.

B. Jesus acknowledged that they would experience the “cup” and “baptism”. “And 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;”

1. Now I’d like us to look at what happens to James in Acts 12:1-2 – “1. Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.” James was killed by Herod. I’m not sure how much time passed after Jesus told them that they would drink the cup and be baptized with the baptism with which He was baptized, but this event takes place and James was killed for his faith.
2. In Revelation 1:9 we discover that John, who apparently died a natural death, was exiled to the Isle of Patmos, and he says his exile is for the Word of God. He is in exile. He is drinking the cup. He is being baptized with the baptism which is an overwhelming experience because of his faith, for the testimony which he held.
3. At the time of their request, these two men did not seem to have a concept of, no idea of the cup of which they would later be drinking. We’re confident that we can drink the cup. We can experience the overwhelming experience that you’re going to experience.
4. They didn’t know what they were saying. They didn’t know of what they were speaking. That was something that was out there in the future.

C. We come now in Mark’s gospel to Mark 10:40 where Jesus says, “"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.''”

1. There is similar language to this is in chapter 20 of Matthew’s gospel, verse 23, (Matthew 20:23) – “So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; 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 by My Father.''”. In other words what Jesus said is… privilege in the kingdom of God is not based on favor and friendship.
2. James and John are seeing things from the worldly point of view. They see things as if in the manner of political appointments, favors that are handed out by those who are rich and famous to those who are their friends and relatives. Don’t we see a lot of that in our world today?
3. Jesus said that’s not the way it is in the kingdom of God. Our future blessing in the kingdom of God rests upon our relationship with the Father and how we pursue that relationship. He says: It shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

III. NIPPING THE PROBLEM IN THE BUD

A. Here’s the problem—selfish human ambition—and Jesus has to nip this problem in the bud. Let’s come back to verse 41 in Mark 10: “when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.” The ambition of James & John threatened apostolic unity.

1. The feelings expressed by the ten apostles isn’t all that unnatural! A request has been made of Jesus. Somehow it becomes known to the other ten.
2. Perhaps there’s a lesson in that. It doesn’t matter how secret you believe the confidence you have shared may be, confidences have a way of being known, have a way of getting out and becoming hurtful to people. In this situation that’s what happened. The ten apostles who are not part of this request are hurt.
3. They’re upset, and I think we can understand why. Among the apostles neither explicitly nor implicitly was there a difference in rank. Never was it mentioned anywhere, as far as ranking was concerned. Did they have different responsibilities and roles? Yes, that happened, but as far as rank no one of them was more important than the other.
4. James and John, though they may have been the physical kin of Jesus, were not more important at this time or in the kingdom than Peter and Andrew and Phillip and the others. The situation is a threat to apostolic unity and Jesus must do something about it.

B. Jesus took immediate, appropriate action to defuse the situation.

1. We are now looking at Mark 10:42 – "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.”" He calls the twelve and begins to solve the problem by describing the situation in the real world. You know what goes on in the world He says. People who are considered to be great have power and authority and they exercise the power and authority over others. You know how that works.
2. Then He says in Mark 10:43-44 – “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.” The world has a standard, but Jesus lays down the standard for greatness in the kingdom.

i. He says: Those who are great are those who become servants of all—willing servants.
ii. Those who are going to be considered great are those who serve others. There is no place in His kingdom for power, position and pride!

C. Jesus makes one final argument. Mark 10:45 –

1. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Not only is the world view not to be the view in the kingdom, there’s not to be in the kingdom a desire for position and power growing out of pride. Not only that, even I the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Savior, I did not come to be served. I came, He says, to minister to others.
2. In John’s gospel we read in chapter 13, verse 13 through 15, verses that so clearly illustrate this lesson, the washing of the apostles’ feet. Jesus says: “13. "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14. "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15. "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”
3. Again, it’s difficult for our modern, western minds to comprehend the significance of some of these things, but we must understand that in that time when one came into a house, servants would come and wash the person’s feet. He was walking in some serious dust and his feet were dirty. It was one of the marks of hospitality for him to have his feet washed by one of the servants of the house.
4. On this occasion the Bible says that Jesus took off His outer robes, girded Himself with a towel, and begins to wash the feet of the apostles. This is the thing that we need to hear: I your Lord and Master did not come to be served. I came to serve. I came to minister. I may be Lord and Master, but I am not too good, I am not too important, to kneel to the most menial task, the washing of the feet of my disciples.
5. He adds in this final argument that He came to give His life a ransom for many. There is in that statement without doubt, His reference to His own death. His subsitiutionary death.
6. In your Bibles you might want to turn to a very familiar passage in the book of First Peter where we are currently studying. 1 Peter 2:24 – Peter writes this of Jesus; “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed.” Then in 1 Peter 3:18 – Peter says; “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,”. He came to give His life a ransom for many.

CONCLUSION:
Our human nature can at times become a problem even within the Lord’s church.
Human ambition has no place among the saints of God. Zeal for the kingdom however does have a place. Repeatedly, over and over again, Jesus teaches what’s real, great and good—to please and serve others. That’s the nature of life within the kingdom.

We’re going to sing the song which was announced a while ago and as we sing if there are those present needing to take this opportunity to publically make known needs in their lives, you may step into the aisle and make your way to the front and let us know that need.

If you need the prayers of brothers and sisters, we would be glad to pray with you.
If you’ve never been baptized into Christ, your life in the kingdom has not yet begun and you need to do that.
Come believing, penitent, confessing the name of Christ, submitting yourself in loving obedience to the commandment of Jesus Christ and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin. You can do that today.
Whatever the need, we invite you to come.

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Reference sermon, Cecil A. Hutson, 06 April 2008