January 6, 2012 – Read the Word on Worship
James & John Make Their Pitch and Strike Out from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.
Jesus did not choose His disciples because they were more qualified or more compassionate than others. Human nature has not changed over the years and the gospel has not eliminated pride and selfish ambition from the people of God. You will still find people in the church put meeting their ego needs before meeting their obligations as a disciple. Somewhere along the way, we have taken the cross out of discipleship and replaced it with a purpose that meets material and egotistical needs and thus produces fruit of selfishness and materialism in the church.
The church cannot thrive when the people in the pews are competing with one another for positions of power. Too often we look to the world of business for role models when we should be looking to Jesus. The life and teaching of Jesus Christ turns the world’s understanding of what is great on its head. The greatest work ever done was accomplished by One who gave His life for others. It is not as the world judges great things but through self-dying service that greatness is recognized by God. Only those who give of themselves for others will be recognized by God as great in His Kingdom.
Join us tomorrow as we explore Mark 10 verses 32-52 and See”James & John Make Their Pitch and Strike Out”.
Word On Worship – January 6, 2012 Download / Print
Mark 10:35-38
“James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “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?” They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”
Once again the disciples are competing for first place, looking for ways to outmaneuver their brothers for power and advantage. They are interested in dominion not humility and service. They want a Messiah who is beyond suffering and will offer them their heart’s desires. But no one can understand Jesus Christ without understanding His suffering and the cross. It is the cross that distinguishes Jesus as Messiah and ours as disciples. To know Jesus as Messiah is to accept Him as One who dies for others and accept that destiny for ourselves.
Jesus did not choose His disciples because they were more qualified or more compassionate than others. Human nature has not changed over the years and the gospel has not eliminated pride and selfish ambition from the people of God. You will still find people in the church put meeting their ego needs before meeting their obligations as a disciple. Somewhere along the way, we have taken the cross out of discipleship and replaced it with a purpose that meets material and egotistical needs and thus produces fruit of selfishness and materialism in the church.
The church cannot thrive when the people in the pews are competing with one another for positions of power. Too often we look to the world of business for role models when we should be looking to Jesus. The life and teaching of Jesus Christ turns the world’s understanding of what is great on its head. The greatest work ever done was accomplished by One who gave His life for others. It is not as the world judges great things but through self-dying service that greatness is recognized by God. Only those who give of themselves for others will be recognized by God as great in His Kingdom.
We cannot forget that Jesus holds Himself up as the example to be followed. He does not explain atonement as much as He shows the disciples the way of atoning life. The only way the disciples, and ourselves as well, can live up to the demands of Jesus is to realize He has gone before us, broken through and cleared the way for others to follow. We can either look to Jesus as our example, or James and John. Hopefully, looking at James and John in this passage will be like looking in a mirror where we see the reflection of our own selfish and foolish thoughts.