CHILD-LIKE FAITH
Mark 10:13-16, 32-52
Please open your Bible to Mark 10. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 875 or 893.
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher explained it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah. The teacher asked, What if Jonah went to hell? The little girl replied, Then you ask him.”
Don’t you love the faith and honesty of children?
This morning’s passages are about faith and serving in humility. And the greatest examples Jesus could find of these crucial qualities were children. First:
Child-Like Faith is the only way to God
Mark 10:13 – “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them.”
[All the children who are willing come running down the aisles to Greg]
People were bringing young children to Jesus so that He would have personal contact with them: a touch. They felt that would give their children a special blessing for their futures. Of course, the disciples have to try and screw it up by telling the people: “Hey, what do you think you’re doing. Jesus is trying to teach here. Why are you bringing all these messy, snotty nosed brats to bother Him? Take them somewhere else.” They probably thought they were protecting Jesus in some way; but they had it all wrong. Once again they blew it! They didn’t understand what Jesus was all about.
Many people, unfortunately, see children like this as a nuisance. They think that if you take time out of other important things, that you are wasting your time. Some people might have been thinking, while the kids were coming down: “Hey, kids shouldn’t be running in church. They shouldn’t be loud. Where are there parents? But, that is not what Jesus thought of them. That is not what Jesus thinks of these children.
Mark 10:14 – “But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
Jesus was ticked off at the disciples’ reaction. Let them come to me, He said, and stop keeping them from me. What are you doing? They represent what the Kingdom of God is all about. He was not pronouncing, here, that all children are automatically saved and going to Heaven.
But, he was using these children to say how valuable they were. This is what the kingdom of God is all about. Do they something do things they shouldn’t do, and say things they shouldn’t say? Do they sometimes cause us a little stress? Yes. But, there is no greater example of faith and humility than a child; and there is no way you are getting to Heaven unless you become like one of these!
Before you go kids – will you come around me a little closer; and I would like to pray for you:
Prayer
Thanks kids – you are welcome to go. 4 and 5 year olds, follow Miss Renee out the side door; and then 1-3rd graders – you can follow them out as well.
In fact, what He says next is to show how these children are a great example to all of us.
Mark 10:15 – “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Here is His main point, as He accepted the children to come and said that it is children like this that receive the Kingdom of God. He is using the children as an example to say this: Do you want to go Heaven? Do you want to be with God someday, for eternity? There is one thing you must obtain in order to have eternal life.
You must have child-like faith in order to have eternal life.
It takes child like faith to believe in a God you cannot see. It takes child like faith to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, when the world around you doubts that message and says there is more than one way to Heaven. It takes child like faith to simply believe what the Bible says and then to apply it.
SO WHAT? Place your faith in Jesus Christ
There is a time in a child’s life, very early on, where he accepts what dad or mom has to say, without question. He may complain; but as far as the truth of the statement and fully believing that mom and dad know everything, there is no question. Once we grow up, we start to question everything, including our parents.
You cannot come to Christ unless you become, in faith, like a young child. Complete faith is believing that everything the Bible says about Jesus is true, even though you have not seen it with your own eyes. No matter how old you are, Jesus said you must come to Him like a child, in this way.
And just like those children, who freely received the blessing that Jesus was about to give them; so every person, in order to be saved, must receive the free gift of eternal life, offered by God, through Jesus Christ. You have to humble yourself. It is the person full of pride that thinks he can make it to Heaven on his own merit. It is the pride of the Pharisees to think you can get to God on by your good works. It is a child like faith that places all trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
And this continues for those of us who already have placed our faith in Christ. We must continually have faith that He knows what is best; even though our adult minds argue that point, and even though we cannot see how it will all work out.
Mark 10:16 – “And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.”
This was not a rented Santa Claus putting the child on the lap and asking for the list of presents that the pretend Santa Claus couldn’t provide. This is Jesus taking these children into His arms, loving them, touching them and blessing them. I don’t think it is just a coincidence that this passage about Jesus and children comes in Mark, just after the passage on divorce. Who is hurt more in split families than the children. And the Holy Spirit made sure that the very next thing we read about in the word of God, is how valued children are to God, even when we adults forget that sometimes.
Since James preached the next passage 2 weeks ago, we will skip ahead to very 32. There is another thing to recognize about child-like faith.
Child-Like Faith follows Christ, even through painful times.
If His disciples were going to follow Christ, they would have to do it with the attitude of a child, who trusts her parents enough to follow them wherever they go. Even if that means pain, discomfort and sorrow. Jesus was about to lead them into some difficult times of suffering; and they would need child-like faith to get them through.
Mark 10:32 – “And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, …”
They are on their way to Jerusalem, which is going to play a key role in Jesus’ final days. He is walking ahead of them, as was the custom for a Rabbi, leading his students along the way. Mark mentions it here, giving this decision by Jesus some significance. We don’t have record other places that Jesus did this. In fact, He seemed to make it a point of not being considered above His followers. However, because of their response: amazement and fear – we can assume they knew something was up.
Jesus was taking the position of leadership, and was going to lead them into some dangerous territory. I think this would be like a field general who announces to his troops where they are headed and he leads the way into battle. And the men following are amazed and scared out of their minds: “What is he doing? What is going to happen to me?” The followers of Christ were about to find out what God’s plan was for Jesus; and they were going to be first hand witnesses of that plan being carried out. Jesus speaks about Himself in:
Mark 10:33, 34 – “saying, See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
Does this sound at all familiar to you? It was not long ago, back in chapter 8, that Jesus began to reveal to his disciples, what God’s plan was for Him - that this plan included suffering and dying and rising again.Mark 8:31-33 – “And he began to teach them that the son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
When Jesus originally gave this plan, the disciples hated it, and the vocal leader of the group, Peter, took Jesus aside and actually rebuked the God-man for His plan. Their plan was that Jesus would set up His Kingdom right then and there. They would be a part of this glorious triumph over the Roman Government and they would reign with Him victoriously. This whole plan of suffering and dying did not sound like a good one to them.
Jesus rebuked Peter by saying that to oppose God’s plan and try to replace it with man’s plan is actually the voice of Satan: “Get behind me Satan!” So, here Jesus is, sometime later, rehearsing this plan again. And this time, we have no response from the disciples – probably a good idea!
Jesus said, again using the title Son of Man, to refer to Himself, here is what will take place: We are going to all go to Jerusalem and this is what will happen to me:
· I will be betrayed (into the hands of the Jewish leaders)
· I will be condemned to die (at the hands of the Romans)
· Before being killed, I will be mocked, spat on and flogged
· I will rise again!
What should have been their response, do you think?
SO WHAT? Accept God’s plan and follow Christ wherever He leads
One Sunday in March, a Sunday school teacher decided she would find out what her class knew about Easter, which was coming up soon. She was a little saddened when she heard the first boy say: “Easter is when all the family comes to the house, we eat a big turkey and then watch football.” The teacher suggested he might be thinking of Thanksgiving.
Then a little girl took her turn: Easter is the day when you come down the stairs in the morning and see the beautiful presents under the tree. Now, the teacher was getting discouraged. After explaining that the little girl was thinking about Christmas, she chanced it by calling on one more little boy. She was then encouraged when he said:
“Easter is the time when Jesus was crucified and buried.” The teacher was now getting excited, until the boy continued: “And then He comes out of the grave, and if He sees His shadow we have six more weeks of winter.”
So much for that excitement! Kids are great. No, they don’t always understand the finer details of theology and the Bible. They sometimes get mixed up when they are trying to explain things they learned in class. But, what is admirable about children; and one reason Jesus used them as a great example is that they are willing to believe what they are told.Yes, there comes a time when they start to question. But, there is that great age of the younger children, when they believe what their parents tell them. They accept it as fact and they accept it as what life must be.
That is how the disciples were to respond. They were to listen to Jesus explain the plan, and then prepare themselves, not only to see it happen, but to be players in it. The indication was that the disciples were to walk through this with Him. Child like faith says: Ok – that is how it is going to be? Then, let’s go.
The fact is, that God has called many of us to suffer in different ways. Some of you are suffering through an incredible physical crisis; even the prospect of coming death. Some of you are going through pain and suffering in relationships or finances or some other key area of life. Following Christ is not easy; and part of following Him is knowing that He will lead you through some rough waters, in order to glorify Himself and make you what you need to be for Him. Accept that in child-like faith. Jesus is sharing with His followers that this is not about personal comfort and glory.
So, it is very interesting, then, to note the very next thing Mark includes in the text:
Mark 10:35,36 – “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. And he said to them, What do you want me to do for you?”
Now, keep in mind what we just read: Jesus shared with His followers where they were going and what was going to happen to Him. So, at some point, two of His closest disciples come up to Him and asked for a favor. Notice, they called him teacher. They recognized he was the one in charge and had the authority. They wanted Him to use His authority on their behalf. I wonder what they are going to ask for? After Jesus told them His plan and what was coming, I’m sure they were going to be sensitive to that; and see how they could serve Him, right? WRONG!
Mark 10:37 – “And they said to him, Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
They simply could not shake this idea from their minds. They didn’t want to think about the suffering and dying part. They wanted to think about the glory part. And hopefully, that kingdom glory would happen sooner than later. And instead of focusing on Christ, the focus became about them.
They knew the idea of a kingdom. The king would sit on the royal throne, with the highest seats of honor on his right and left. That is the favor they wanted. That is what their hearts and minds were set on.
Jesus reminds them that the glory comes after the suffering; just as he told them would happen to Him:
Mark 10:38 – “Jesus said to them, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
What in the world is He talking about? He asked them if they were able to drink the cup He would drink. Traditionally, as a royal banquet custom, the king would hand a cup to his guests. This would serve as a metaphor for life and experience. Jesus was asking them if they could go through the same experiences he will go through: the suffering He has already mentioned.
He asked them if they were able to be baptized with the same baptism He was baptized with. And He wasn’t talking about His water baptism. The word used for baptism here means to be fully submerged. In this case, being fully submerged in suffering. Notice their answer in verse 39:
Mark 10:39 – “And they said to him, We are able. And Jesus said to them, The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized”
Jesus knew what would take place in their futures. There would be suffering and physical death. We know from Acts 12:2 that James suffered as the first apostle to be martyred. Later, in Revelation 1:9, we know the John went through much suffering and persecution in His service for the Lord. But, it would not happen as they originally thought. Jesus continued:
Mark 10:40 – “But to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
Jesus is going to focus them on what they should be thinking about, instead of personal glory. The seats of the kingdom will be taken care of by God. They needed to be concerned about their own heart attitudes and have child-like faith as it related to the future kingdom and God’s control over it.
Well, at least it was only 2 of the disciples that were struggling with self-importance, right? WRONG! The other ten were thinking the same exact thing:
Mark 10:41 – “And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.”
Who do James and John think they are? We are just as or more deserving than they are – of the two highest seats of the kingdom. Yeah – we have served Jesus just as much as they have. They were not upset with James and John because they were confronting them with pride. They were upset because they had not thought of it first. They acted offended, but they were ticked off because James and John asked for the greatest seats; and they felt it should be them.
Mark 10:42 - “And Jesus called them to him and said to them, you know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.”
This is the way of the world, Jesus said. Those with authority use it to show power over their subordinates. They are in charge and everybody knows it. The most important thing is to be known as the greatest and to have power over other people – status, position, and power. Jesus had something very different in mind.
Child-Like Faith serves
A child is not there to rule his parents, but to serve the family as directed by his parents. Those living in child-like faith are not looking to be in control of everyone and served by everyone; but to serve others – humbly. Jesus contrasts that worldly view of authority with Christ’s view of servanthood:
Mark 10:43,44 – “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”
Wow – this is different thinking! This is not the way the world thinks. It is not even the way churches normally see things. Did you hear what Jesus just said? I’m sure the disciples were cleaning the wax out of their ears. Were they hearing Jesus correctly? Did He just say that if they wanted to be great, they had to become a servant? And did he say, that if you wanted to be first, you had to become a slave?
Yep. That’s exactly what He said. You must become a house servant. You become a bond-slave. James and John had wanted to be the greatest. So did the other ten. Jesus said: O.k – be the greatest – in my kingdom. My kingdom, however, looks different than any other you have ever seen. In my kingdom, the way you become the greatest is to serve others. And then Jesus uses Himself as the greatest example of that:
Mark 10:45 – “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
From the moment that Jesus took the lead in walking ahead of them to Jerusalem, He was going to teach them what it means to humbly submit to the will of God, even when that will includes incredible suffering and pain. Jesus said: I am here, not to be served by others, but to serve others. Not only that, I will serve them in the greatest possible way: I will give my life. He keeps reminding them: this is why I am here. This is what I am going to do.
SO WHAT? Humbly give of yourself for the benefit of others.
This is connected to child-like faith in that humility is a must. A young child humbly submits to authority (at least they are supposed to!) If you want to be what God has called you to be, you must have that same humility. That allows you to serve, demonstrating child-like faith – humbly submitting to Jesus’ example of serving others. What might this look like in the everyday opportunities for humility and service?
Kim – [holds up remote control] “I want to be the greatest. I’m giving up the remote control to Tim for tonight!” [take the remote and go sit down]
Isabella – [carrying laundry basket] “I want to be the greatest. I’m going to help mom with the laundry.” [take the laundry basket out the side door by the organ and piano, take it to dad’s office, and then return to your seat in the worship center]
Andy – [hold up the duster] “I want to be the greatest; so I’m going to do a little dusting.” [ dust off the pulpit, piano and organ – just a little on the top of each on your way out – you can place the duster in the hallway for me to get later]
Steve – [hold up a bottle of water] “I want to be the greatest; so I will give water to those who are thirsty” [hand out water to a few people on your way back to your seat]
Do you want to be the greatest – in God’s eyes? Then humbly serve for the benefit of others – just like Jesus Christ.
There is one more event we need to take notice of this morning, and consider one more thing about the faith of a child:
Child-Like Faith believes that Jesus changes lives completely
This kind of faith is not just about small, incidental things. It is about major things. It includes the physical issues, emotional and spiritual. The man we are about to meet in this passage had to have this child-like faith to believe he could be healed.
Mark 10:46 – “And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.”
This was a common sight near Jericho, the residents of which were considered fairly wealthy in that day. As Jesus and a large crowd were going out of the city, a blind man, who was begging for money, was there on the side of the road.
Mark 10:47,48 – “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
It was the disciples who rebuked the parents for bringing all the little children to Jesus. Now, the crowd rebukes the blind man for crying out for mercy. He had heard that Jesus was there; and it is evident that he had heard what kind of healing power Jesus had. In fact, by what the blind man said, he knew some other important things about Jesus Christ.
He cried out: “Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me!” The people around Him said: “Shut up! Jesus has more important things to do than to pay attention to you.” Or, they may have even opposed the very words he was saying. But that didn’t stop him: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” His persistence and his words say a lot about this man: Bartimaeus.
Commentators Walvoord and Zuck write that when Bartimaeus used the phrase “Son of David” for Jesus, “it designated the Messiah as David’s Descendant and became a recognized title of the Messiah-King.”
Although blind, his spiritual eyes were wide open, as he recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. This blind man demonstrated child-like faith.
Mark 10:49,50 – “And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, saying to him, Take heart. Get up; he is calling you. And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.”
Jesus used this opportunity to teach the crowd and His disciples, that just like the children, this man as not to be ignored, but encouraged to come to Jesus. This blind beggar was worth Jesus’ time. Yes, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to accomplish God’s will; but this pause in His journey was also an important part of the plan.
The crowd encouraged Bartimaeus to get up- Jesus was calling for Him. He didn’t have to hear that a second time. He threw of his outer cloak, sprang to his feet and found his way to Jesus. This was the moment he had been waiting for – hoping for – praying for.
Mark 10:51 – “And Jesus said to him, What do you want me to do for you? And the blind man said to him, Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”
Jesus wanted him to voice, out loud, a demonstration of his faith in what Jesus could do. Bartimaeus called Him Rabbi, meaning My Lord, My Master. This was another demonstration of his faith. He said: I want you to restore my sight.
Mark 10:52 – “And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has made you well. And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”
Jesus made it clear – that by what this man said and did, he had demonstrated faith in who Jesus was and in what He could do. Because of that, Jesus said: Your faith has made you well. And as Mark likes to write: Immediately, he recovered his sight and began to follow Jesus.
What a great picture of what happens spiritually! You may be around church, you may be around Jesus. You may even talk about believing. But, until you place your faith solely on Christ for salvation, you are still spiritually blind. And once He gives you spiritual sight, you are to immediately follow His ways.
A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.” The teacher paused and said, “but no one knows what God looks like.” Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, “They will in a minute!”
We love the faith of children. This is what our lives are to be like. You may not be able to see God; but as I live out selfless, humble, Child-like faith through service, you get a pretty good picture of who Christ is.
Mark 10:13-16, 32-52
Please open your Bible to Mark 10. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 875 or 893.
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher explained it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah. The teacher asked, What if Jonah went to hell? The little girl replied, Then you ask him.”
Don’t you love the faith and honesty of children?
This morning’s passages are about faith and serving in humility. And the greatest examples Jesus could find of these crucial qualities were children. First:
Child-Like Faith is the only way to God
Mark 10:13 – “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them.”
[All the children who are willing come running down the aisles to Greg]
People were bringing young children to Jesus so that He would have personal contact with them: a touch. They felt that would give their children a special blessing for their futures. Of course, the disciples have to try and screw it up by telling the people: “Hey, what do you think you’re doing. Jesus is trying to teach here. Why are you bringing all these messy, snotty nosed brats to bother Him? Take them somewhere else.” They probably thought they were protecting Jesus in some way; but they had it all wrong. Once again they blew it! They didn’t understand what Jesus was all about.
Many people, unfortunately, see children like this as a nuisance. They think that if you take time out of other important things, that you are wasting your time. Some people might have been thinking, while the kids were coming down: “Hey, kids shouldn’t be running in church. They shouldn’t be loud. Where are there parents? But, that is not what Jesus thought of them. That is not what Jesus thinks of these children.
Mark 10:14 – “But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”
Jesus was ticked off at the disciples’ reaction. Let them come to me, He said, and stop keeping them from me. What are you doing? They represent what the Kingdom of God is all about. He was not pronouncing, here, that all children are automatically saved and going to Heaven.
But, he was using these children to say how valuable they were. This is what the kingdom of God is all about. Do they something do things they shouldn’t do, and say things they shouldn’t say? Do they sometimes cause us a little stress? Yes. But, there is no greater example of faith and humility than a child; and there is no way you are getting to Heaven unless you become like one of these!
Before you go kids – will you come around me a little closer; and I would like to pray for you:
Prayer
Thanks kids – you are welcome to go. 4 and 5 year olds, follow Miss Renee out the side door; and then 1-3rd graders – you can follow them out as well.
In fact, what He says next is to show how these children are a great example to all of us.
Mark 10:15 – “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Here is His main point, as He accepted the children to come and said that it is children like this that receive the Kingdom of God. He is using the children as an example to say this: Do you want to go Heaven? Do you want to be with God someday, for eternity? There is one thing you must obtain in order to have eternal life.
You must have child-like faith in order to have eternal life.
It takes child like faith to believe in a God you cannot see. It takes child like faith to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, when the world around you doubts that message and says there is more than one way to Heaven. It takes child like faith to simply believe what the Bible says and then to apply it.
SO WHAT? Place your faith in Jesus Christ
There is a time in a child’s life, very early on, where he accepts what dad or mom has to say, without question. He may complain; but as far as the truth of the statement and fully believing that mom and dad know everything, there is no question. Once we grow up, we start to question everything, including our parents.
You cannot come to Christ unless you become, in faith, like a young child. Complete faith is believing that everything the Bible says about Jesus is true, even though you have not seen it with your own eyes. No matter how old you are, Jesus said you must come to Him like a child, in this way.
And just like those children, who freely received the blessing that Jesus was about to give them; so every person, in order to be saved, must receive the free gift of eternal life, offered by God, through Jesus Christ. You have to humble yourself. It is the person full of pride that thinks he can make it to Heaven on his own merit. It is the pride of the Pharisees to think you can get to God on by your good works. It is a child like faith that places all trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
And this continues for those of us who already have placed our faith in Christ. We must continually have faith that He knows what is best; even though our adult minds argue that point, and even though we cannot see how it will all work out.
Mark 10:16 – “And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.”
This was not a rented Santa Claus putting the child on the lap and asking for the list of presents that the pretend Santa Claus couldn’t provide. This is Jesus taking these children into His arms, loving them, touching them and blessing them. I don’t think it is just a coincidence that this passage about Jesus and children comes in Mark, just after the passage on divorce. Who is hurt more in split families than the children. And the Holy Spirit made sure that the very next thing we read about in the word of God, is how valued children are to God, even when we adults forget that sometimes.
Since James preached the next passage 2 weeks ago, we will skip ahead to very 32. There is another thing to recognize about child-like faith.
Child-Like Faith follows Christ, even through painful times.
If His disciples were going to follow Christ, they would have to do it with the attitude of a child, who trusts her parents enough to follow them wherever they go. Even if that means pain, discomfort and sorrow. Jesus was about to lead them into some difficult times of suffering; and they would need child-like faith to get them through.
Mark 10:32 – “And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, …”
They are on their way to Jerusalem, which is going to play a key role in Jesus’ final days. He is walking ahead of them, as was the custom for a Rabbi, leading his students along the way. Mark mentions it here, giving this decision by Jesus some significance. We don’t have record other places that Jesus did this. In fact, He seemed to make it a point of not being considered above His followers. However, because of their response: amazement and fear – we can assume they knew something was up.
Jesus was taking the position of leadership, and was going to lead them into some dangerous territory. I think this would be like a field general who announces to his troops where they are headed and he leads the way into battle. And the men following are amazed and scared out of their minds: “What is he doing? What is going to happen to me?” The followers of Christ were about to find out what God’s plan was for Jesus; and they were going to be first hand witnesses of that plan being carried out. Jesus speaks about Himself in:
Mark 10:33, 34 – “saying, See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”
Does this sound at all familiar to you? It was not long ago, back in chapter 8, that Jesus began to reveal to his disciples, what God’s plan was for Him - that this plan included suffering and dying and rising again.Mark 8:31-33 – “And he began to teach them that the son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
When Jesus originally gave this plan, the disciples hated it, and the vocal leader of the group, Peter, took Jesus aside and actually rebuked the God-man for His plan. Their plan was that Jesus would set up His Kingdom right then and there. They would be a part of this glorious triumph over the Roman Government and they would reign with Him victoriously. This whole plan of suffering and dying did not sound like a good one to them.
Jesus rebuked Peter by saying that to oppose God’s plan and try to replace it with man’s plan is actually the voice of Satan: “Get behind me Satan!” So, here Jesus is, sometime later, rehearsing this plan again. And this time, we have no response from the disciples – probably a good idea!
Jesus said, again using the title Son of Man, to refer to Himself, here is what will take place: We are going to all go to Jerusalem and this is what will happen to me:
· I will be betrayed (into the hands of the Jewish leaders)
· I will be condemned to die (at the hands of the Romans)
· Before being killed, I will be mocked, spat on and flogged
· I will rise again!
What should have been their response, do you think?
SO WHAT? Accept God’s plan and follow Christ wherever He leads
One Sunday in March, a Sunday school teacher decided she would find out what her class knew about Easter, which was coming up soon. She was a little saddened when she heard the first boy say: “Easter is when all the family comes to the house, we eat a big turkey and then watch football.” The teacher suggested he might be thinking of Thanksgiving.
Then a little girl took her turn: Easter is the day when you come down the stairs in the morning and see the beautiful presents under the tree. Now, the teacher was getting discouraged. After explaining that the little girl was thinking about Christmas, she chanced it by calling on one more little boy. She was then encouraged when he said:
“Easter is the time when Jesus was crucified and buried.” The teacher was now getting excited, until the boy continued: “And then He comes out of the grave, and if He sees His shadow we have six more weeks of winter.”
So much for that excitement! Kids are great. No, they don’t always understand the finer details of theology and the Bible. They sometimes get mixed up when they are trying to explain things they learned in class. But, what is admirable about children; and one reason Jesus used them as a great example is that they are willing to believe what they are told.Yes, there comes a time when they start to question. But, there is that great age of the younger children, when they believe what their parents tell them. They accept it as fact and they accept it as what life must be.
That is how the disciples were to respond. They were to listen to Jesus explain the plan, and then prepare themselves, not only to see it happen, but to be players in it. The indication was that the disciples were to walk through this with Him. Child like faith says: Ok – that is how it is going to be? Then, let’s go.
The fact is, that God has called many of us to suffer in different ways. Some of you are suffering through an incredible physical crisis; even the prospect of coming death. Some of you are going through pain and suffering in relationships or finances or some other key area of life. Following Christ is not easy; and part of following Him is knowing that He will lead you through some rough waters, in order to glorify Himself and make you what you need to be for Him. Accept that in child-like faith. Jesus is sharing with His followers that this is not about personal comfort and glory.
So, it is very interesting, then, to note the very next thing Mark includes in the text:
Mark 10:35,36 – “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. And he said to them, What do you want me to do for you?”
Now, keep in mind what we just read: Jesus shared with His followers where they were going and what was going to happen to Him. So, at some point, two of His closest disciples come up to Him and asked for a favor. Notice, they called him teacher. They recognized he was the one in charge and had the authority. They wanted Him to use His authority on their behalf. I wonder what they are going to ask for? After Jesus told them His plan and what was coming, I’m sure they were going to be sensitive to that; and see how they could serve Him, right? WRONG!
Mark 10:37 – “And they said to him, Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
They simply could not shake this idea from their minds. They didn’t want to think about the suffering and dying part. They wanted to think about the glory part. And hopefully, that kingdom glory would happen sooner than later. And instead of focusing on Christ, the focus became about them.
They knew the idea of a kingdom. The king would sit on the royal throne, with the highest seats of honor on his right and left. That is the favor they wanted. That is what their hearts and minds were set on.
Jesus reminds them that the glory comes after the suffering; just as he told them would happen to Him:
Mark 10:38 – “Jesus said to them, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
What in the world is He talking about? He asked them if they were able to drink the cup He would drink. Traditionally, as a royal banquet custom, the king would hand a cup to his guests. This would serve as a metaphor for life and experience. Jesus was asking them if they could go through the same experiences he will go through: the suffering He has already mentioned.
He asked them if they were able to be baptized with the same baptism He was baptized with. And He wasn’t talking about His water baptism. The word used for baptism here means to be fully submerged. In this case, being fully submerged in suffering. Notice their answer in verse 39:
Mark 10:39 – “And they said to him, We are able. And Jesus said to them, The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized”
Jesus knew what would take place in their futures. There would be suffering and physical death. We know from Acts 12:2 that James suffered as the first apostle to be martyred. Later, in Revelation 1:9, we know the John went through much suffering and persecution in His service for the Lord. But, it would not happen as they originally thought. Jesus continued:
Mark 10:40 – “But to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
Jesus is going to focus them on what they should be thinking about, instead of personal glory. The seats of the kingdom will be taken care of by God. They needed to be concerned about their own heart attitudes and have child-like faith as it related to the future kingdom and God’s control over it.
Well, at least it was only 2 of the disciples that were struggling with self-importance, right? WRONG! The other ten were thinking the same exact thing:
Mark 10:41 – “And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.”
Who do James and John think they are? We are just as or more deserving than they are – of the two highest seats of the kingdom. Yeah – we have served Jesus just as much as they have. They were not upset with James and John because they were confronting them with pride. They were upset because they had not thought of it first. They acted offended, but they were ticked off because James and John asked for the greatest seats; and they felt it should be them.
Mark 10:42 - “And Jesus called them to him and said to them, you know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.”
This is the way of the world, Jesus said. Those with authority use it to show power over their subordinates. They are in charge and everybody knows it. The most important thing is to be known as the greatest and to have power over other people – status, position, and power. Jesus had something very different in mind.
Child-Like Faith serves
A child is not there to rule his parents, but to serve the family as directed by his parents. Those living in child-like faith are not looking to be in control of everyone and served by everyone; but to serve others – humbly. Jesus contrasts that worldly view of authority with Christ’s view of servanthood:
Mark 10:43,44 – “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”
Wow – this is different thinking! This is not the way the world thinks. It is not even the way churches normally see things. Did you hear what Jesus just said? I’m sure the disciples were cleaning the wax out of their ears. Were they hearing Jesus correctly? Did He just say that if they wanted to be great, they had to become a servant? And did he say, that if you wanted to be first, you had to become a slave?
Yep. That’s exactly what He said. You must become a house servant. You become a bond-slave. James and John had wanted to be the greatest. So did the other ten. Jesus said: O.k – be the greatest – in my kingdom. My kingdom, however, looks different than any other you have ever seen. In my kingdom, the way you become the greatest is to serve others. And then Jesus uses Himself as the greatest example of that:
Mark 10:45 – “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
From the moment that Jesus took the lead in walking ahead of them to Jerusalem, He was going to teach them what it means to humbly submit to the will of God, even when that will includes incredible suffering and pain. Jesus said: I am here, not to be served by others, but to serve others. Not only that, I will serve them in the greatest possible way: I will give my life. He keeps reminding them: this is why I am here. This is what I am going to do.
SO WHAT? Humbly give of yourself for the benefit of others.
This is connected to child-like faith in that humility is a must. A young child humbly submits to authority (at least they are supposed to!) If you want to be what God has called you to be, you must have that same humility. That allows you to serve, demonstrating child-like faith – humbly submitting to Jesus’ example of serving others. What might this look like in the everyday opportunities for humility and service?
Kim – [holds up remote control] “I want to be the greatest. I’m giving up the remote control to Tim for tonight!” [take the remote and go sit down]
Isabella – [carrying laundry basket] “I want to be the greatest. I’m going to help mom with the laundry.” [take the laundry basket out the side door by the organ and piano, take it to dad’s office, and then return to your seat in the worship center]
Andy – [hold up the duster] “I want to be the greatest; so I’m going to do a little dusting.” [ dust off the pulpit, piano and organ – just a little on the top of each on your way out – you can place the duster in the hallway for me to get later]
Steve – [hold up a bottle of water] “I want to be the greatest; so I will give water to those who are thirsty” [hand out water to a few people on your way back to your seat]
Do you want to be the greatest – in God’s eyes? Then humbly serve for the benefit of others – just like Jesus Christ.
There is one more event we need to take notice of this morning, and consider one more thing about the faith of a child:
Child-Like Faith believes that Jesus changes lives completely
This kind of faith is not just about small, incidental things. It is about major things. It includes the physical issues, emotional and spiritual. The man we are about to meet in this passage had to have this child-like faith to believe he could be healed.
Mark 10:46 – “And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.”
This was a common sight near Jericho, the residents of which were considered fairly wealthy in that day. As Jesus and a large crowd were going out of the city, a blind man, who was begging for money, was there on the side of the road.
Mark 10:47,48 – “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
It was the disciples who rebuked the parents for bringing all the little children to Jesus. Now, the crowd rebukes the blind man for crying out for mercy. He had heard that Jesus was there; and it is evident that he had heard what kind of healing power Jesus had. In fact, by what the blind man said, he knew some other important things about Jesus Christ.
He cried out: “Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me!” The people around Him said: “Shut up! Jesus has more important things to do than to pay attention to you.” Or, they may have even opposed the very words he was saying. But that didn’t stop him: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” His persistence and his words say a lot about this man: Bartimaeus.
Commentators Walvoord and Zuck write that when Bartimaeus used the phrase “Son of David” for Jesus, “it designated the Messiah as David’s Descendant and became a recognized title of the Messiah-King.”
Although blind, his spiritual eyes were wide open, as he recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. This blind man demonstrated child-like faith.
Mark 10:49,50 – “And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, saying to him, Take heart. Get up; he is calling you. And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.”
Jesus used this opportunity to teach the crowd and His disciples, that just like the children, this man as not to be ignored, but encouraged to come to Jesus. This blind beggar was worth Jesus’ time. Yes, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to accomplish God’s will; but this pause in His journey was also an important part of the plan.
The crowd encouraged Bartimaeus to get up- Jesus was calling for Him. He didn’t have to hear that a second time. He threw of his outer cloak, sprang to his feet and found his way to Jesus. This was the moment he had been waiting for – hoping for – praying for.
Mark 10:51 – “And Jesus said to him, What do you want me to do for you? And the blind man said to him, Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”
Jesus wanted him to voice, out loud, a demonstration of his faith in what Jesus could do. Bartimaeus called Him Rabbi, meaning My Lord, My Master. This was another demonstration of his faith. He said: I want you to restore my sight.
Mark 10:52 – “And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has made you well. And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”
Jesus made it clear – that by what this man said and did, he had demonstrated faith in who Jesus was and in what He could do. Because of that, Jesus said: Your faith has made you well. And as Mark likes to write: Immediately, he recovered his sight and began to follow Jesus.
What a great picture of what happens spiritually! You may be around church, you may be around Jesus. You may even talk about believing. But, until you place your faith solely on Christ for salvation, you are still spiritually blind. And once He gives you spiritual sight, you are to immediately follow His ways.
A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, “I’m drawing God.” The teacher paused and said, “but no one knows what God looks like.” Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, “They will in a minute!”
We love the faith of children. This is what our lives are to be like. You may not be able to see God; but as I live out selfless, humble, Child-like faith through service, you get a pretty good picture of who Christ is.
SO WHAT? Believe that God can change you
Please note I did not say: Believe that God will change your circumstances. He might; but He might not. That is not his goal – to make your life more comfortable. God is about changing you – to make your more like Him. Whether you have a physical blindness or a spiritual blindness, He is out to make sure that your weakness becomes a spiritual strength, bringing you closer to Him and bringing Him all the glory.
Please note I did not say: Believe that God will change your circumstances. He might; but He might not. That is not his goal – to make your life more comfortable. God is about changing you – to make your more like Him. Whether you have a physical blindness or a spiritual blindness, He is out to make sure that your weakness becomes a spiritual strength, bringing you closer to Him and bringing Him all the glory.
He may choose to change your tough circumstances and take away your pain; but He may choose to transform you through the suffering. Child-like faith can accept that the pain you are going through, in any area of life, is there for God’s purposes; and you can trust Him.
I struggle with this kind of faith on a daily basis. Perhaps you do too. I must continually, daily, hourly, give my circumstances to God, re-commit my faith and trust in what He is doing; and ask Him to do what He needs to do. I don’t want to be a hindrance to that work. I want to be a humble, willing participant.
I struggle with this kind of faith on a daily basis. Perhaps you do too. I must continually, daily, hourly, give my circumstances to God, re-commit my faith and trust in what He is doing; and ask Him to do what He needs to do. I don’t want to be a hindrance to that work. I want to be a humble, willing participant.
Let me just encourage you to silently pray that way right now.
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