Sunday, October 20 2024
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Mark 10:35-45
AI Contemporary Version:
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to do something for us—whatever we ask.” Jesus responded, “What do you want me to do for you?” They replied, “When you come into your glory, let one of us sit at your right hand and the other at your left.”
Jesus answered, “You don’t really know what you’re asking. Are you able to endure the suffering I’m about to face, or go through what I will go through?” They confidently said, “Yes, we are able.” Jesus told them, “You will indeed share in my suffering, but the positions of honor you ask for aren’t mine to give. Those are reserved for the ones God has chosen.”
When the other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are leaders in the world use their power to control and dominate others, acting like tyrants. But it shouldn’t be like that with you. If you want to be great, you must be willing to serve others. If you want to be first, you must be the servant of all. Even the Son of Man didn’t come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
AI Generated Sermon:
Sermon: "The Baptism of Power and Service"
Grace and peace to you, my friends, from God who is the source of all grace, and from Jesus, our Teacher and Savior. Amen.
James and John were always eager to ask the big questions, weren’t they? They were ambitious, passionate, and a little bit presumptuous. So, in today’s reading, they come to Jesus and make a bold request: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” And Jesus, ever patient, says, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Now, I know what you're thinking. They're probably asking for something good—maybe they want to know how to be better disciples, how to love more, how to serve others. But no. James and John ask for glory. They want to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand when he comes into his glory. They want to be top dogs. They want power. They want recognition.
You can almost hear the echo of their request: “When you win, let us win with you. When you’re honored, let us be honored beside you.”
But here’s the thing: Jesus sees right through their ambition. He knows exactly what they’re asking—and it’s not what they think it is. Jesus responds, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
And James and John, as eager as ever, respond confidently, “Yes, we are able.” But in that moment, Jesus is pointing them toward something much deeper than they realize. He’s not just talking about power or glory. He’s talking about a baptism—an experience that will require everything from them.
Now, this might seem like a strange word choice. When we think about baptism, we typically think about water, the washing away of sin, and the new life that begins through the Spirit. But in this conversation with James and John, Jesus is using baptism in a different sense. He’s not talking about the baptism that happens in a river. He’s talking about the “baptism” of suffering—the “baptism” of the cross.
You see, baptism in the Gospels is not just a nice ritual. It’s an action that is performed on you, something that you cannot do for yourself. It’s a washing, a plunging into something bigger than you, something that transforms you. And for Jesus, that “baptism” is the suffering he will endure, the passion he will face, the death he will die on the cross.
And that’s where James and John miss the point. They want the glory of Jesus without the cost of it. They want the recognition without the sacrifice. But Jesus tells them: “You will drink the cup, and you will be baptized with the baptism I undergo.” The cross isn’t optional; it’s the way through to true life. If they want to follow Jesus, they must be willing to share in that suffering.
This is where it gets really interesting. Because after this exchange, the other disciples are furious with James and John. They’re angry—not because James and John are wrong, but because they beat them to the punch. “Why do they get to ask for the glory?” they wonder. “What about us?” It’s human nature, isn’t it? We all want to be first. We all want to be noticed. We all want to be the one who is honored.
And so Jesus calls them all together and offers a radical redefinition of greatness. He says, “You know that among the Gentiles, those who are recognized as rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it’s not to be that way among you. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.”
This is the heart of the gospel message: the power that Jesus offers is not the power of domination or control. It’s not the power of being on top and looking down on others. It’s the power of serving, the power of giving, the power of lifting others up instead of pushing them down. True greatness, in God’s economy, looks very different from the world’s.
And then Jesus drops the most startling statement of all: “For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The word "ransom" is a powerful one. It speaks of sacrifice, of paying a price, of giving up something of value for the sake of someone else. And here, Jesus is saying that his very life—his suffering, his death—will be the ransom that sets us free. He doesn’t ask us to serve him in the way the world asks to be served; instead, he serves us by giving everything he has for us.
In this moment, Jesus is inviting us into a new kind of power, a new kind of leadership, a new kind of life. It’s a life that is shaped by humility, by sacrifice, by service to others. It’s not about getting to the top; it’s about being willing to walk with others in the valley.
Now, we might look at James and John and shake our heads—“Oh, you foolish boys! Don’t you get it?” But how often do we find ourselves just like them, wanting the glory without the cost? How often do we look at others with envy, wondering why we’re not getting the recognition or the power we think we deserve? How often do we want the rewards without the sacrifice?
But Jesus invites us to something better. He invites us to take part in the suffering and the service that lead to true greatness. The greatness that Jesus offers is not about winning or being in control. It’s about giving up control. It’s about loving when it’s hard. It’s about serving when it’s inconvenient. It’s about living for others, just as Jesus lived for us.
And here’s the good news: we don’t do this alone. Just as Jesus underwent a baptism of suffering and gave his life for us, he sends us his Spirit to empower us to serve, to love, and to give. This is the power of the cross—the power that turns the world’s understanding of greatness upside down.
So, my friends, as we follow Jesus, let us ask ourselves: What does true greatness look like in my life? Am I willing to serve? Am I willing to give? Am I willing to walk with others, especially the poor, the oppressed, the suffering? And when I face challenges, am I ready to take up my own “baptism”—to walk through the hard things knowing that God is with me?
Jesus’ invitation is clear: "If you want to be great, be the servant of all." And in that service, we discover the true power of God’s kingdom. The world may not see it as greatness, but in the eyes of God, it is the way of life.
May we have the courage to follow Jesus on this path, and to share in the baptism of his suffering, that we might also share in the glory of his resurrection.
Amen.
AI Generated Children’s Sermon Ideas:
1. "The Upside-Down Kingdom"
Object: A crown or a toy scepter, something that symbolizes power and authority.
Sermon:
“Good morning, kids! I brought something with me today: this crown (or scepter). What do you think this represents? (Let children respond.) That’s right, it represents a king or queen—someone who is in charge, who has a lot of power, and tells others what to do.
Now, think about what it means to be a king or queen. People usually think it means you get everything you want, right? People bow down to you, give you gifts, and you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. It’s all about being in charge.
Well, in today’s Bible story, James and John wanted to sit next to Jesus, kind of like being the most important people next to a king. They thought following Jesus would mean being powerful and important. But Jesus told them something really surprising. He said, ‘If you want to be great, you need to serve others. The greatest person is the one who helps, who loves, who cares for others.’
That’s a bit like the opposite of what we usually think about greatness, isn’t it? Jesus said that to be great in God’s kingdom, you don’t have to wear a crown or tell people what to do. Instead, you help others, you love them, and you put others first. Jesus came to serve, not to be served, and that’s what makes Him great!
So, the next time you think about what it means to be great, remember Jesus’ words: greatness isn’t about being the boss or being in charge. It’s about loving and serving others. Who can you help this week to show them what God’s greatness looks like?”
2. "Serving Others is Like Helping Jesus"
Object: A large pitcher of water and several empty cups.
Sermon:
“Good morning, friends! Today I have something to show you. (Hold up the pitcher of water.) What do we use a pitcher for? That’s right—it's to pour water into cups! So, let’s imagine that you’re at a big party with lots of people, and someone comes by and needs a drink of water. What would you do? (Allow responses.) You’d help them, right? You’d take the pitcher and pour them a drink.
Now, Jesus told his disciples that if they want to be great, they shouldn’t think about getting served, but about serving others. He said that anyone who wants to be first should be the servant of all. That means helping others, even when we don’t have to. It means pouring out kindness, love, and care just like we’re pouring water into a cup.
Let’s think about how we can serve others, just like Jesus served us. You could help a friend with their homework, or help your mom and dad with a chore at home. Every time you serve someone, you’re doing what Jesus would do. And do you know what? That makes you a little bit like Jesus! When we serve others, we’re showing God’s love in action.
Remember, Jesus didn’t come to be served, He came to serve. And we can be like Jesus by serving others with love and kindness. So, who can we serve today? How can we pour out kindness, just like this water?”