The Servant's Mandate
Book of Mark Chapter 10
The time that the Lord Jesus had left upon this earth was growing short and He was making His last trip to Jerusalem.
What the Lord Jesus had come to do, to die for the sin of the entire world, was about to take place in a few short days and the world would never be the same.
We should understand that at this time, the Jews were praying for the coming of the Messiah.
They were tired of the dominance of Rome and the evil that had come to the Jews.
Under the Romans, the people felt that God could not wait much longer before He sent the Anointed One, the Messiah.
We have this same feeling today on the return of the Messiah.
The Messiah was the promised answer to all their problems!
Some men had come claiming to be the Messiah and many Jews had fallen into the trap believing them, when nothing in the Scriptures had said they were true.
These things had caused more problems with Rome.
Barabbas was one of those who had been an insurrectionist and was now in prison.
How did these Jews see the Messiah?
1) He would be the leader from the line of David who would free the Jewish state and establish Israel as an independent nation and lead Israel to become the greatest nation this world has ever known.
2) The Messiah would be the greatest military leader to have ever lived and would lead the armies of Israel to victory.
3) The Messiah would be that supernatural figure straight from Jehovah and bring righteousness to all the earth.
4) The Messiah would be the One who would bring peace to all of this world.
We can see that the Antichrist will have no problem convincing the people of the secular world that he is the true Messiah.
There should have been no doubt that this Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah because He had fulfilled the Scriptures associated with Him.
The name Jesus shows Him to be 100% man.
The name Christ (Messiah) shows Him to be 100% God.
In one person the anointed One of God the true Messiah.
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mar 14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
Mar 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Joh 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
Joh 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
Jesus Christ, is God's very own Son.
The promised Prophet:
Deu 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
The promised Priest:
Psa 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
The priest that lives forever.
His priesthood cannot be transmitted nor interrupted by death.
His priesthood is unchangeable.
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
The promised King:
2Sa 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
God said Jesus was His Son
Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
All the Gospels say that the Heavens opened with this message to the Lord Jesus.
All these things being, true plus the fact that the Lord Jesus had told all His disciples what would happen during this time in Jerusalem, we would expect those twelve men to be more serious about the role they would play in God's plan of salvation.
All these men could think of was that the Lord Jesus was about to free Israel and set up His kingdom upon this earth.
Two of the disciples, James, and John, with the help of their mother wanted to get the upper hand over the other disciples and they allowed their ambitions to take over good judgment.
Luk 9:46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
We see that the love of the Lord came second to personal ambition.
The Lord Jesus Christ must be first in our lives!
*****Mar 10:35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
The Lord Jesus Christ was just a few days from His death upon a nasty old cross, and He was faced with the foolish tactics of humans trying to outdo each other!
This is one of our greatest pitfalls.
We must understand that most of the time our desires will get in the way of our relationship with our Savior!
Desire means concupiscence and concupiscence means any improper or illicit desire; sensual appetite; especially, lustful desire or feeling; sensuality; lust.
We could also say that desire could mean our ambitions.
This sort of desire is sinful because our desire should be to be like the Lord Jesus Christ!
These two presented their desires to the Lord in secret because they thought they could get ahead of the others who they felt wanted the same thing, to be closest to the Lord Jesus when He was King of Israel.
Luk 9:46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
They even tried to take advantage by using the relationship of their mother to the Lord.
James and John came from a rich family.
Remember there were certain women who provided funds and support of this ministry of Christ Jesus.
One of those was their mother!
Luk 8:3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
John and James came from a family that were financially able to help the Lord Jesus Christ.
The ambitions of these two disciples of the Lord were sinful, because it came from their heart and we know the heart is deceitful.
It also caused them to use other people to fulfill their ambitions.
Notice their words: "we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.”
They tried to get the Lord Jesus to commit to their requests before they revealed what their request was all about.
They knew their desire might be sinful!
They were blinded by their own lust to be honored above the other disciples.
Many a Preacher today will not preach some truths because it might cause some well-off persons to contribute to their ministry or it may lead them to cease to give their support.
When we have a great desire to fulfill some ambition that we should not have, but are determined anyway, then it is sin!
Joh 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
Oba 1:3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
Oba 1:4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
The Lord Jesus, even though He knew what was in their hearts asked "what are you asking of Me".
*****Mar 10:36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?
Mar 10:37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
James and John fully believed that when Jesus reached Jerusalem, He was going to set up His promised Kingdom.
They wanted to be the top ministers of this new government of Christ.
What makes our ambitions to be good or bad?
It is the motive behind that ambition!
**They wanted Christ to prove that they were His favorite disciples.
We know that upon three occasions, the Lord had separated Peter, James, and John from the others so it seems they wanted to get ahead of Peter.
They felt like they were special, the inner circle of Christ's ministry, therefore they were due some recognition.
This is sinful pride and a great lesson for us all to learn.
When we feel like the Lord owes us something great for the work we do in His ministry, we should realize that He has already given us the greatest gift of all and it is salvation and an eternal home in Heaven.
What is the truth of God?
God is no respecter of persons!
Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
We also know that pride goes before destruction!
Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Pro 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Coming from a wealthy family did carry some weight with the rulers of that day, but not with the Lord Jesus Christ!
Wealth can make a person to be self-centered.
It can cause selfishness.
It can cause some to seek more attention than others.
It can cause some to expect more honor.
It can cause some to expect more favor to be shown to them.
But it can also cause some to be selective in using the Word of God!
Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
It would seem to others that they thought they were on the same level of importance as the Messiah.
These things are detrimental to the Church.
Church leaders who seek honor and recognition seldom help a church!
It is the same for anyone who wants to be on a level equal to Jesus Christ!
Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church and we are the body of Christ.
What is the truth? Some will be the heart of the Church and some the mind of the Church, but some will also have to be the rear end of the church and most of us will be the feet of the Church, and the Lord honors them all exactly the same, except for the true Preacher.
The Lord Jesus informed James and John that they did not really understand what they were asking Him.
*****Mar 10:38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
The Lord Jesus pulled no punches and asked these two disciples, "can you go through the things and suffer through the things I am about to go through"?
Can you drink the cup of agony?
**That cup refers to what we can take and bear ourselves.
That cup means drinking the bitterness of agony of trials and the pain and the suffering of those trials, and the disappointment the Lord Jesus Christ has in us, if we have not been saved.
How much suffering can we take until we say, “that's enough”?
This is more than just outward suffering and it includes inward suffering which is many times worst.
**That baptism Jesus refers to, is the suffering that Jesus felt that happened to Him on the outside of His body.
Isa_52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
When we truly live for Jesus Christ and witness for Him, we are saying we accept that we must go through these things and some of us may become martyrs.
Jesus Christ demands all that we have and all that we are, if we are to carry His message of salvation to this world!
We must live so differently from this world we live in, that this world sees us as different, even peculiar!
We must live for God rather than live for ourselves!
What do we know? James the brother John was the first Apostle to die just because he accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and witnessed for Him.
His death had nothing to do with what he was doing with his brother on this day.
Over time, all the others but John, the brother of James, suffered their death just because they refused to stop preaching the Gospel!
John lived to be around one hundred years old and we do not know just how he died.
John suffered in ways the others did not.
John witnessed the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ.
John lived through the murder and the deaths of all the other Apostles.
John lived a long life of banishment and exile.
The Lord Jesus warned them that these things could happen to them.
*****Mar 10:39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
Mar 10:40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
Have you noticed that every time we elect a new president that when that person gets in office, the first thing he does is fire all those from the previous administration that he is able to and put in place those who have supported him, who have donated to him, and those who think the same as he thinks.
These are acts of favor!
The Lord Jesus firmly says that this is not the way His kingdom will be!
Jesus says, "it is not mine to give".
Jesus did say that someone would sit on His right and on His left!
Jesus did say these things would be given to those for whom it is prepared.
The part of Jesus in the flesh could not know who these persons would be.
The Jesus part that is God certainly knew who these persons would be.
We can see that God is preparing to bestow such an honor on some persons that may seem to be above others!
Some say these points toward degrees of glory in Heaven.
Some say this will take place in the time of the Millennial Kingdom.
We should understand that there will be some places of agony in Hell much worse than other places in Hell.
Jesus Christ is the Giver of life and the Giver of eternal life, but He never gives by way of favoring one above another.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
How are we to run in this race for the prizes of Heaven?
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What I know is, that everyone who is saved from the wrath of God, has a mansion prepared for them in Heaven and I believe they all will be the same and will be covered with the beautifulness of Heaven.
These are things we are not to worry about, but as Paul says by the Holy Spirit, just get in the race and do what the Lord has called upon us to do.
We must be sure to be in the will of God for our lives!
Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Jesus also said that some of those who came first will be last and some of those who came last would be first.
Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Mat 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
The main thing is, let us not let our ambitions get in the way of our serving the Lord!
By this time, the other ten disciples found out what was going on with James and John.
*****Mar 10:41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.
We may not know how these others found out how this thing was going, but when they did, it certainly caused problems with the disciples.
We do know that James and John came from a family that lived in a better social position than most of the rest and they were well aware of how things worked in government and religious circles, so rightly so these men were upset.
Anger was aroused.
Tempers flared.
Arguments became inflamed.
The Church of Jesus Christ was in jeopardy because of petty issues that should not have taken place, but we are all humans with our sin nature intact.
What did the Lord Jesus do? He gathered them all together to settle this issue at once.
*****Mar 10:42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
Mar 10:43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
Mar 10:44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
First, the Lord Jesus did not find fault with ambition and He does not today.
We need some part of ambition in our service to the Lord.
Jesus did not find fault with power or authority.
What Jesus condemned, is the way leaders and tyrants use this power today, such as we see in our own government.
The way judges are selected, the way officers of government are selected, is what caused the Lord Jesus to condemn this practice.
Let us call this the principles of lordship.
These things are done simply to show that they have the power to do this to us.
It really came out in the period of Covid 19.
This government would take all our freedoms away, if we allowed these things to continue.
They do not have this freedom according to our Constitution and we must stand against them.
The truth is, if people are left to themselves, the systems that they will construct will be centralized and monarchical.
There will be those who think of themselves as lords over the people.
There will be those who think they are dukes or equivalent.
There will be that one who thinks of himself as king.
We see this every day in our own nation!
The Lord Jesus says the Church, the people of God, will not operate this way.
Jesus said ambition is good when it does not seek to rule and exercise authority.
Jesus says that true ambition is not desiring the chief positions.
It is not self-centered.
It is not selfish.
It is not worldly minded.
The closer we are to be like our Lord Jesus, the greater a witness we can become.
The better we are at being obedient to the Word of God, the greater we will become.
The more we look for people who need help to be saved, the greater we will become.
The greatest, are those who witness for the Lord Jesus Christ.
The chieftest, are those who are the servants of God!
To be the greatest person is to be the greatest servant.
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
To be the greatest, is to walk in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ!
*****Mar 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
The greatest example of ambition in the Bible for the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ, who would not rest until He faced the cross for us.
Isa_50:7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
Jesus faced humiliation far above what we can understand.
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
The Lord Jesus secured His kingdom by becoming a servant to those who would follow Him.
The Lord Jesus became the ransom that God required for our sin!
2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
If we have a great ambition, then let that ambition to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ and to walk in His ways.
Besides for me, I am like the Psalmist.
Psa_84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Amen
