READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l Have you ever made a request without knowing the extent of that request or what that request entails? That is exactly what James and John did when they approached Jesus. They made a request to be at the right and left hand of Jesus, in what was their misguided view of the Kingdom of God.
Lessons to learn:
1. Reject misguided ambitions (vs.35-37) by checking our motives:
The bold request made by James and John reflected their ambition to seek recognition, status and power. Such ambitions are also seen in our lives. Audaciously, the two approached Jesus in secret and sought His consent to their request even before they disclosed what they wanted. Blinded by ambition, do we also make such bold requests of the Lord? We need to check our motives in our requests. Is self or Christ the main motivation? Is a self-directed life pushing us to seek control and are our interests self-directed? Or is Christ at the centre of our lives where we yield ourselves to Him daily. It is not wrong to be ambitious, but those ambitions must be aligned with Christ’s sovereign will. Let us learn to surrender our ambitions to God.
2. Count the cost of discipleship (vs38-40) by embracing suffering & sacrifice:
The Lord asks James and John if they are able to drink of the cup and be baptised as He would be. The cup (Mark 14:36) of suffering is what one takes in and bears– the internal agony of hurt, pain and disappointment. The baptism of suffering (Luke 12:50) is when one is immersed in external affliction, persecution and rejection. The world rejects those who live for God. The disciples and early followers of Christ found this out as they faced persecution and even martyrdom. James became the first martyr while John suffered as he witnessed the death of Jesus and fellow disciples. The Lord had already described the cost of following Him (Mark 8:34-35). Are we willing to count the cost as we follow Christ? We may not suffer physically but can we sacrifice self by giving up our rights in small and big ways? “To ‘die’ means to lay it [our interests, reputation, rights, comfort, hopes, aspirations etc.] all down. The only way to gain your life is to give it up” (Nancy Leigh Demoss).
3. Follow the way of the Cross (vs. 42-45) by serving & loving others:
Greatness in the Kingdom of God is measured by the depth of our service. Jesus modelled servant leadership by washing His disciples’ feet. But much more than that, Jesus paid the ransom for us, the undeserved. He gave His life to redeem us (Heb. 10:10). The image of substitutional atonement is seen in a courtroom where the judge (God) declares us guilty of our sins and pronounces a death penalty. But the judge then gets up from his seat and comes down to where we are. He takes our place in facing the death penalty. This is the ultimate act of humility and service. In response, as His disciples, we are urged to value others more than ourselves (Phil 2:3-4). What practical steps can I take daily to encourage and add value to the lives of others?
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- What are your key take away lessons?
- What are your ambitions in life? How can you ensure that your motives are Christ-directed and not self-directed?
- What is a “cost” you have counted or had to overcome to be a follower of Jesus?
- Are there ways where you have suffered for Christ or you made sacrifices in your discipleship journey today?
- How are you following Jesus in the way of the Cross, are there practical ways you can love and serve others more in your discipleship journey?
