Mark 10:35-45 - The power of serving

James and John - also nicknamed the 'sons of thunder' (Mark 3:17) are as bold as ever, pretty much demanding that Jesus give them the most powerful positions in his kingdom.  They've completely missed the point...

Mark 10:35-45

Jesus' kingdom isn't about power - it's about serving.  James and John haven't figured it out yet.  Jesus has come to serve the world as only he can by dying in people's place and defeating death on their behalf so they (and we) might have forgiveness and friendship with God (John 3:16).  This is what Jesus' kingdom is built on.

Jesus knows the kind of death he's going to have to endure and this is what he's hinting at with the 'cup' and the 'baptism' he mentions.  Later on in Mark's account, we'll see Jesus faced with the cross and again using the image of the 'cup' to describe what lies ahead (Mark 14:36).  James and John don't really know what they're asking and yet Jesus knows that they too will end up facing death for trusting and following him (v39).

The anger of the rest of the disciples seems to demonstrate they too had missed the point.  Maybe they were all hoping for power too and were gutted that James and John had the audacity to ask for it first.  Jesus explains to them that his kingdom is about serving, not about power and if they want to follow him, they need to realise it.  He's not here to rule in power but to die in humility and humiliation to pay the price of humanity's rebellion against God (v45).

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Mark 10:32-34 - Monumental predictions!

It's Easter and nothing's a bigger deal than the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  If it's true, it changes everything about how we should relate to Jesus.

Mark 10:32-34

Jesus has predicted some of the specific details of his death and resurrection twice already (Mark 8:31, 9:30-31) and now he's talking about it for a third time.  Specific details.  Ahead of time.  On three occasions.  These are not the words of a normal man, or even a great man.  They are the words of God, who is quite capable of defeating death, planning it in advance and telling people about it so they will sit up and take notice.

We see two opposite reactions to Jesus in this passage: his followers are astonished whilst others are afraid.  When confronted with the reality of Jesus, these are the only two logical responses.  There was no-one hanging around Jesus at this point who was apathetic or mildly curious and anyone today who has these reactions to Jesus, simply hasn't explored the facts properly for themselves.

Have you explored and considered the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead?  And if you have, are you astonished or afraid?

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