The Way Up Is the Way Down - Part 1

This podcast is made of animal Bibles and Christian media generosity acetyl as a nation today means great podcasts like this remain available to help people look to God daily. Please make sure that nations are these not on today send out all day when Jesus spoke of his disciples didn't understand the significance of 3000 years later Mindy got to go to the Jeremiah impacts one of Jesus's teachings on his coming death and resurrection and his followers then and now prompts in search of the Savior to introduce his message is down in our society today were so confused we highlight greatness in terms of achievement and money like this, we argue that Michael Jordan is greater than Lebron James because he has won more championships that Jeff Pazo's is greater than any long must because his company is worth more economy of heaven. Greatness is not measured by success, accumulation, or frame greatness in heaven is measured in service, especially in service that is humble and genuine. Many men and women may achieve a certain amount of greatness here on this earth but no one demonstrated greatness at a higher level than Jesus Christ. If a man wants to be great said the Lord Jesus, let him become the least among you talk about that servant leadership concept here in these next broadcast today and again on Monday and her Bible were in Mark chapter 10 and you can find your place.

There your study guide is the last chapter in the study guide. So be sure and look thereto right now here we are with this paradox.

If you will. The way up is the way now Mark chapter 10 the whole subject about who is the greatest is a subject that is as old as the world is not who is the greatest and what does it mean to be great. Most of us have a general idea of someone who is great if you had to be asked in your world, whatever world you live in the year in the industrial world of electronic world sales. You probably could list for five people that you think of the greatest and what you do, your Mount Rushmore for your particular vocation Bibles.

Today, the Lord Jesus Christ is going to take this whole issue greatness and turning on its head and tell us about greatness in a way that we've never heard of it before and it's good to come out of one of the most bizarre connection of episodes in the life of Jesus that you will ever remember you will never come back to get it not safe.

Oh my goodness, how could that be true if you follow along. Today you get a wonder at the beginning. Where is this going and what does this have to do with greatness.

But if you stay with me at the end you're going to see how the Lord took an opportunity that came out of the ranks of his disciples and used it to teach them and us. One of the most important lessons we will ever learn.

Now this begins in the 32nd verse of the 10th chapter, with Jesus predicting his death. The prediction of Jesus death we learn first of all that is leading his disciples.

They were on the road going up to Jerusalem and Jesus was going before them. By the way, if you want to know whether your leader not all you have to do is look over your shoulder and see if anybody's following no one following you. Guess what, you're not a leader Jesus and his disciples were headed toward Jerusalem and the crucifixion and were told that Jesus is out in front, leading his disciples teaching by his very example he's helping them know what leadership is all about.

We all know that leadership is more caught than taught you learn how to lead by watching others lead in Jesus is leading his disciples, but we also discover in the early verses of this passage that Jesus is brightening his disciple. It says in verse 32 and they were amazed and as they followed.

They were afraid the emotional state of the disciples as described by these two words amazed and afraid. In our English translations, we might say it like this, they were astonished they were filled with all they were filled with alarm. They were in wonder they were the days they were fearful and we are told why that was true, but we can sort of imagine it perhaps was in the way Jesus was speaking to them, perhaps in a more sober way that had been used to. Perhaps it was in the study and determine date of their Savior.

As he walked in front of them. The Bible says he said his face is a flip toward Calvary. He never ever lost view of his goal.

Whatever it was it was happening that day.

Disciples knew something was up and they were filled with anxiety and as they followed in wonder. They knew that there was something foreboding ahead of them and it's a reminder to us that discipleship is in a walk in the park is discipleship means if you walk with Jesus and follow Jesus. Jesus never walked around trouble. He walked to the middle of it here in the situation. Believe it or not, Jesus is going up to Jerusalem and he is leading his disciples up to Jerusalem to the cross of the following don't know what's going on, but the following. So now Jesus is going to tell them he's going to teach them. We have a bleeding is disciples frightening them and I was going to teach them teaching his disciples. Verse 33 and he took the 12 aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to him, behold, he said we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver them to the Gentiles, and they will mock him and discourage him and spit on him and kill him. And the third day he will rise again notes interesting to note that Jesus doesn't seek to quiet his disciples fears. If this speech is supposed to make them less fearful. It's a big failure because he's just the anti-by about 100% what they were afraid was going to happen isn't anything what Jesus tells it was going to happen. And by the time we are in this incident.

Here in chapter 10. Jesus has already predicted his death in the book of Mark on two other occasions. In fact, it's interesting to me, once will I run into people say Jesus never said he was going to die surely never said he was going to rise again from the dead. When anybody says that you know immediately. They haven't read the Bible because here the book of Mark chapter 8 chapter 9 chapter 10 right in the 30s in the verses.

Three times in a row. Jesus tells his disciples what could happen. Let's review Mark 831, he began to teach them the Son of Man must suffer many things be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. Mark chapter 8 Mark chapter 9 verse 31, 40 taught his disciples and said to them, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of men.

They will kill him, and after he is killed he will rise again the third day and they did not understand the saying and they were afraid to ask him about each time his disciples misunderstood the meaning of Jesus words they really thought he was talking about somehow setting up his future kingdom. They thought this was Israel's return to power in the end the bondage to roll what Christ was telling them was that he would be suffering and he would offer himself as a sacrifice he was not going to do any political maneuvering was going to give himself as a ransom for them. Of the three statements of Jesus concerning his impending death and resurrection. The one we have here in our text today. Chapter 10 is the most detailed in the first two predictions. Jesus told his disciples what would happen in the third announcement he told them where it would happen. Jesus death he said will occur in Jerusalem in chapter 8, Jesus tells his disciples the chief priests and the scribes will rejected, but here in chapter 10. He adds that these Jewish leaders will condemn him to death, and the legal term indicates that he will be tried and executed within the criminal justice system and Mark adds that the Gentiles are to be a part of this as well. So in the total sweep of the three passion predictions. Every person is implicated in the death of Christ and by the way, were involved in that to do you not know because we have participated in the death of Jesus because Jesus died for us of the major differences between chapter 8 and nine and chapter 10 is the attention that Jesus draws to the suffering he's going to undergo in chapter 8 and nine. Jesus simply says he'll be killed, but here in chapter 10, he tells us he's going to be condemned, betrayed, mock scourge, spit upon, and then kill. In fact, Mark and his passage here in the 10th chapter really gives us the outline of the passion week for the Lord Jesus, I can put it down and broke her statements. First of all, we started with the Germans were going up to Jerusalem that he said is going to be betrayed, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes. Of course that's about Judas. And then there's the indictment, and they will condemn him to death, and the conviction and deliver him to the Gentiles, and the crucifixion and they will mock him and scourge him and spit on him and kill him. And then there's the resurrection and the third day he will rise again from the dead. Don't just often just a moment and process what we just talked about this often think about this for moment, the Lord Jesus is walking up to Jerusalem. He's with his disciples there afraid and instead of comforting them. He lays out what's going to happen.

The brutality of his crucifixion. The ultimate death of their leader and I want you this for a moment to think about this.

What would you have said after Jesus told you that what would you say oh no you can't do that what Peter said far from you, Lord, you can do this. Maybe I should have a meeting to look will go back to Jericho.

This is not going to happen what you read what happened and James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus saying teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask and he said to them, what do you want me to do and they said to him, grant us that we may sit, one on your right hand on the other on your left in your glory. Can you believe that that is absolutely the most inappropriate response to what Jesus it's almost like they didn't even hear him talking Jesus is telling them that he's going to give his life is going utilized on their behalf and they go right past that and bring up this ignorant request. This is a scene full of irony. It is ironic that Jesus is talking about what he was going to give to them and all I can think about is what can they get out of it is obvious that Jesus warnings about his death and resurrection cannot reach their hearts in second announcement Jesus disciples responded by arguing among themselves over who was greatest in his first announcement, Peter argued with Jesus himself about it and now here it is. Third announcement of his impending death. Two of the key disciples go to Jesus and try to get in front of the line for a place of prominence in what they believe is going to be his coming kingdom and it's evident that even though Jesus gives them all of the story about his suffering and scourging and death. They are still looking at the kingdom in terms of having it reestablish so that they can get out from under the bondage of Rome and they believe that Jesus is going to set up his kingdom when he gets to Jerusalem and ignorant response and request some people say this is nothing other than a power-play disciples power-play. Whatever we know it is a grotesquely inappropriate request. Their desire to sit at the right hand at the left have demonstrated that they had no idea what Jesus was about to do and how it was good to affect them. Some people have suggested that James and John jumped into this because Peter was a part of the inner circle and they knew they didn't get ahead of him.

He would be there before they could get their they were saying. Basically Jesus when you take power. We like the top two positions in your cabinet and Matthew tells us something even more bizarre. Listen to this.

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons kneeling down and asking something from him and he said to her what you wish and she said to him, grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right hand and the other on the left in your kingdom.

The two boys got their mother involved. You know this is a story that often is told out of its context. The story of Jesus being asked about the right hand and the left but you cannot take this out of context and understand it. Jesus is just told them that he is going to die in their behalf, and they're all about who gets to sit next to the king when he comes into his power said part of the story is that Jesus had spent the last months of his life with these men. Modeling what a servant looks like, how he acted. Somehow they had missed it all. The request represented the attitude of the world when it comes to getting ahead their goals, power and influence next to the throne they sought they coveted it. They wanted and they went after it, how disappointed Jesus must've been ever taught class for your life into it. You get all done and somebody asked the question of you that makes you realize they haven't heard one word that you said this, Jesus was going through. How could you, how could you miss this. How could you blow this such a big way were really critical. James and John mean they were his disciples when have we not all done similar things Robert Raines wrote some free verse that I thought was so good it was worth sharing with you today. He said I am like James and John. Lord I size up other people in terms of what they can do for me how they can further my program, feed my ego satisfy my needs. Give me strategic advantage, I exploit people, ostensibly for your sake really for my own Lord I turn to you to get the inside track and obtain special favors your direction for my schemes. Your power for my projects. Your sanction for my ambitions and your blank check for whatever I want. I am like James and John, Lord, change me. I am like James and John and ancient culture a seat at the right hand of someone who was important was the seat of honor, the seat of the left would be reserved for someone who was an intimate friend. If you have been walking through Jerusalem even to this day you see a rabbi walking through there and he has his disciples the most important disciple will walk a little bit behind him to his right and the second will walk a little bit behind into his left and the rabbi or the teacher will be in the middle in the value system of Jesus glory was reserved for those who endured suffering, not those who got to the right hand first. Jesus knew who was one day very soon going to be his right hand in his left hand. You know that was to thieves hanging on crosses right beside Jesus question to his disciples is about to open up their understanding just a wee bit. Notice his response to them in verse 38 Jesus said that you do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with and they said to him, we are able. Oh my goodness. 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 Jesus response to James and John's ignorant self-serving request with the question of his own, he says, are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I baptized with his using symbolic language here the cup is a metaphor for suffering and baptism is a metaphor for being plunged into the midst of calamity. Jesus will not be sprinkled with a bit of suffering is going to be submerged in it and is asking these two disciples, are you ready to be submerged in the suffering to sit at my right hand in my left from our perspective, we know that the question is really a rhetorical question with an expected answer. I would have to say Lord we cannot do what only you can do, but the brothers declare that they can accomplish what Jesus accomplished in their pride in their arrogance and at this point we are surprised that Jesus is okay. You will then and they didn't take it you know that James was the first martyr of the disciples he read about his execution in the 12th chapter of the book of acts, and John was the last of the disciples to die on the Isle of Patmos is in exile for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The bookends of the disciples. Jesus, as you will you will drink of my cup of suffering and you will be baptized in the baptism of my sufferings, and then Jesus adds one note, he says, but to sit on my right hand in my left hand is not mine to give. And if you go to Matthew chapter 20 you discover why four Matthew 20 we read, you will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand in my left hand is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my father, Jesus is the father has an assigned this to me he's holding this prerogative in his own hands and it's the father's decision as to who will sit at the right hand and the left now is pause for a moment to realize where we are in the story Jesus has predicted his death disciples of ask a stupid question. And Jesus is going to take these two things, and bring them together in one of the great teaching moments of his career. Notice the paradox of Jesus Dr. in verse 41, first of all, we learned that when the other disciples heard what was going on they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. Now please understand this, they were displeased with James and John because they had come to grips with the fact that they had done a very evil thing they were displeased with James and John, because James and John got there before they could. That's why they were displeased words they thought James and John were rushing to the front of the line and they were going to be left behind. And so the Bible says Jesus called all of them together. Jesus called all his disciples together and he's going to tell them about true greatness. Verse 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.

Jesus first of all, takes a look at the common understanding greatness greatness. He says the way the world looks out it is based upon how far up the hierarchy of responsibility and prominence. One can climb. Jesus is the pagan path to greatness comes through domination and controlling other people having authority over others, but he says the Christian path to greatness is different Christian path to greatness comes through service and self-sacrifice.

People are not on the receiving end of service but on the giving end of service in the kingdom of God.

It was the Lord Jesus who said, according to acts 2035. It is more blessed to give than to receive. And that is an absolute truth and any of you have ever tried it out, you know that's true. More blessed to give than to receive.

So on this day after Thanksgiving. Once you commit yourself a note to being a servant find ways to help others don't always be sitting back waiting for somebody to do something good for you do something good for someone else and you will discover, it will come back to you over and over again a double blessing if you will, I hope you will give it a try find out that God's word is true will take a break for the weekend and we have one more lesson in this series and that it will be finishing up what we discussed today, the way up is the way down. That's Monday here on Turning Point and then we get into the month of December and were going to devote the entire month to the teaching of the message of Christmas line. The Nativity is the discussion in our first lesson on Tuesday of next week will be why did Jesus become a man answering questions about Christmas on Turning Point during the month of December now.

Have a great weekend I'll see you here on Monday for the next edition. The message you just heard originated from Shadow Mountain Community Church with Dr. David Jeremiah serves as senior pastor does not have Turning Point TG spiritually strong right to Turning Point for the eye, 38, San Diego, CA 92163 or visit our website at David Jeremiah.old/writing your copy of the Bible Jesus in every book in the Bible for gift of any amount purchased the Jeremiah study Bible and the English standard version. The new international version and the new King James version filled with hopeful nuts and articles by Dr. Jeremiah visit David Jeremiah.old/radio data on Gary who is Monday as we conclude this series in search of the Savior Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah taking time to listen to all