April 29th, 2012
MP3 Audio
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Do a "Handstand" in Your Thinking (Mark 10:32-45)
A. About glory
1) Jesus' death and resurrection is predicted again (32-34)
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." (32-34)
2) What it means to drink Jesus' cup (35-40)
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." (35-40)
B. The identity we should be aiming for
1) A servant of all (41-44)
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (41-44)
2) Like Jesus Christ (45)
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (45)
So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt 6:31-33)
Summary
Jesus' values often appear to be the opposite of what the world values. From the world's perspective, Jesus' values don't make a lot of sense. The world encourages us to be number one, to be the biggest, and to be noticed. If we are striving for those things in our lives, we cannot have peace and happiness. Becoming Jesus' disciple means that we need to "do a handstand" with regard to our thinking and to change our perspective in significant ways. In doing so, we find that Jesus' way of thinking is how we were actually created to think.
For Discussion
1) How was the disciples' idea of glory different than that of Jesus?
2) Why did Jesus come into this world?
A. About glory
1) Jesus' death and resurrection is predicted again (32-34)
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. "We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." (32-34)
2) What it means to drink Jesus' cup (35-40)
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." (35-40)
B. The identity we should be aiming for
1) A servant of all (41-44)
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (41-44)
2) Like Jesus Christ (45)
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (45)
So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt 6:31-33)
Summary
Jesus' values often appear to be the opposite of what the world values. From the world's perspective, Jesus' values don't make a lot of sense. The world encourages us to be number one, to be the biggest, and to be noticed. If we are striving for those things in our lives, we cannot have peace and happiness. Becoming Jesus' disciple means that we need to "do a handstand" with regard to our thinking and to change our perspective in significant ways. In doing so, we find that Jesus' way of thinking is how we were actually created to think.
For Discussion
1) How was the disciples' idea of glory different than that of Jesus?
2) Why did Jesus come into this world?