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Pursuing Jesus In The Gospel Of Mark
Clarifying His Purpose
Mark 10:32-52

Introduction: A Lonely Road

Leadership is often a long and lonely road. Whether it is in the sports arena or on the stage of world politics or in the home where godliness is the goal, the one who takes the lead can be sure of being second-guessed and maybe even ridiculed.

Sportswriters play Monday morning quarterback when the coach’s move backfires

Political pundits criticize positions taken but rarely offer another option

Family members protest stands taken against the popular cultural flow

The greatest leader in history is Jesus Christ. Whoever is in second place is so far back that it’s not even a contest. As Jesus moves toward what will be the dramatic confrontation resulting in His crucifixion and resurrection, He demonstrates His leadership by clarifying His purpose for His disciples. His thoughts are not so much about what is going to happen to Him, but what it will mean for His disciples.

Jesus Clarifies His Purpose To Die (vv. 32-34)

When we began our pursuit of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel, I mentioned one reason why Mark is my favorite account of Jesus’ life is his ability to paint a vivid scene with just a few words. This is one of those places.

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.

Mark 10:32 NIV

As Jesus leads the way to Jerusalem, there is something unusual about Him that causes those with Him to be astonished and afraid. Maybe it was the purpose of His step or the intensity in His eyes. Whatever it is, this isn’t the way it usually is. In doing this, Jesus demonstrates three essential characteristics of leadership.

Leadership Risks Being Alone And Ahead Of The Crowd

One approach to leadership theory divides leaders into two types.

Transformational Leader: Possesses an all-consuming vision to which he calls his followers and a charismatic personality by which he leads them

Transactional Leader: Identifies the goals of the group and develops the means to achieve them

Neither leadership style is right all the time. In crisis, people look for a transformational leader to deliver them. During less stress filled times, people seek a transactional leader to develop them. Leaders who can do both are few and far between. Jesus could and He did.

As Jesus moves toward the showdown in Jerusalem He walks alone, ahead of the rest of the disciples and the now always present crowd. Jesus is focused and determined as He moves toward Jerusalem.

Leadership Sets The Tone Of Courage In The Midst Of Fear

As Jesus strides toward Jerusalem, two emotions sweep through the accompanying crowd.

The Disciples Are Astonished

The disciples experienced the mixed emotion of astonishment or amazement that arises out of two contradictory feelings—admiration and fear. As those who knew Jesus best, they may have seen dread mixed with joy on His face. Jesus has talked with them about what lies ahead. They know just enough to know they don’t know enough.

The Crowd Is Fearful

The rest of the crowd sees something that fills them with panic. They are scared to death—and the only thing they have to go on is that feeling.

Jesus displays the resolve to move both groups along the road. Moving at the front of the parade, He displays the strength and determination to do the will of God. What would keep us from moving forward to join Jesus? The answer is fear—either by itself or mixed with admiration. If we desire courage like Jesus, it means we must also possess a single-minded determination to do the will of God.

Those of us serving on the Vision Ease Task Force can identify with both segments of the crowd following Jesus. There are times when we are astonished at what God may do through this venture. Then, there are times when we are just plain scared to death. What has been exciting, is seeing each and every person on that team committed to discovering and fulfilling the will of God. Hopefully, we will set the tone of courage so we can honestly and openly consider the call of God.

Leadership Accepts The Responsibility For Living With The Consequences For Decisions

Courage is required because leaders are people who have a realistic understanding of the issues and the implications growing out of them and are still willing to take the risk of being out front.

Lyndon Johnson was president at another time with another war than the one now being waged in Iraq. He once told Billy Graham, “Billy, there comes a time when you have to stand like a donkey in a hailstorm and take it.” Whether you agree with a position or not, a president must make decisions and live with the consequences.

Jesus knows the consequences of the storm waiting ahead for Him and for His followers. Jesus takes the disciples aside and tells them the reason for his astonishing resolve as He tells them for a third time what is ahead—this time filling in all the details of how He will be betrayed, condemned by the Jewish ruling council, stand before a Roman court, subjected to incredible torture, crucified and resurrected.

"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."

Mark 10:33-34 NIV

Jesus provides two new facts about what will happen.

He will be transferred to a Roman court

For a Jew there was no greater humiliation than to be rejected by his own people and humiliated by Gentiles.

He will be tortured

Never underestimate what happens during the crucifixion and the fact Jesus knows it is coming. He will be mocked as a king, spit on as a dog and scourged as a criminal.

Leaders have to live with the consequences of their decisions. It is far easier to suffer the personal consequences than it is to absorb the pain suffered by others. Do we really know what it is like for a president to send troops, knowing some of them will die? All kinds of people can question that decision intellectually, but only the very few who have weighed the same deadly serious decision understand emotionally.

Jesus Clarifies His Purpose To Serve (vv. 35-45)

For a third time the disciples follow up Jesus’ prophecy of what will happen in Jerusalem with an inappropriate response. The first time Peter rebuked Jesus. The second time the disciples debated who was the most important disciple and then John pointed out how someone from outside their number was delivering people from demonic influence. This time James and John, with some active encouragement from their mother, approach Jesus with a request.

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.

Mark 10:35-36 NIV

We have to agree that James and John have guts. It’s a request filled with arrogant presumption that is exceeded only by the indignant anger of the remaining ten disciples. They are essentially asking Jesus, “Who’s your favorite?” Behind the question is the desire to protect their position and power. Jesus could have come down on them and come down on them hard, but the question provides an opportunity to teach them about the true greatness contained in serving. Let’s look at three standards of greatness.

The Standard Of Rank

The disciples have all been promised thrones in the kingdom. The brothers make a request based on the Jewish standard of rank.

"Arrange it," they said, "so that we will be awarded the highest places of honor in your glory—one of us at your right, the other at your left."

Mark 10:37 Message

The request assumes the brothers would each be satisfied with either side, but everyone knew the right side was most favored. They risked the danger of fighting over which of them would have the highest honor.

When greatness is defined by rank, it opens the door for all sorts of disputes. People become concerned about who has the biggest office, closest parking place or most important title. Jesus doesn’t dispute over using the standard of rank in God’s kingdom but He does radically redefine it.

But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

Mark 10:38-40 NLT

We would say today, “Be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it.” The truth is: Positions in God’s kingdom will be assigned by the Father based on participation in the suffering and death of Jesus. Whoever receives this position will certainly deserve it.

The Standard Of Power

When the other disciples realize the power play that has taken place, they are angry. In the Biblical game of Survivor they have been outwitted and outplayed, but they hope not outlasted. The power struggle has the potential to tear apart everything Jesus has done to build a cohesive, unified team. Let’s not be so naïve as to assume we are not susceptible to the same jealousy. Jesus speaks right to the heart of the issue.

So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.

Mark 10:42 NLT

Jesus tells them they are going at it all wrong and they need to stop it.

Measuring greatness by power still corrupts. Those who have power try to protect it. Those who don’t have power try to get it. Whether it’s on the international stage of politics, the intimate level of the family or the spiritual realm of the church, using power to measure greatness means ambition will rule and jealousy will reign. That’s never good.

The Standard Of Servanthood

Jesus rejects rank and power as standards for greatness and replaces them with serving. Serving is really too mild of a concept. In the practice of that day, servants were slaves. The road to greatness requires the willingness to sacrifice all personal rights and privileges. Jesus ties it together with one grand, soaring, summary statement.

But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:43-45 NLT

During our just completed trip to The Bahamas I tried one day to hold the door for two of the employees at The Atlantis Hotel. As they approached I said, “Please allow me to serve you today.” They said, “Oh no, it is our pleasure to serve you.” I replied, “Please, allow me the honor.” And there they stood refusing to move. It was Minnesota Nice versus the gracious hospitality of The Bahamas. As the guest I finally relented because, above all else, they said they were to take no guest for granted.

That’s exactly the attitude Jesus wants us to display. Consider this reality: Those who are remembered as great never made greatness the primary goal. Whether it’s Albert Schweitzer, Mother Theresa or Billy Graham, those who are great sacrificed self to serve. They took no one for granted. Jesus took no one for granted. He came to serve the needs of others and to give His life as a ransom for many. Greatness is not the goal to be desired by the individual but the result to be acknowledged by others. Honor God by serving others and leave the results to Him.

Jesus Clarifies His Purpose To Heal (vv. 46-52)

The healing of the blind beggar named Bartimaeus is the last healing reported by Mark. It comes as they are leaving Jericho for the final part of the trip to Jerusalem. They are interrupted by one voice that cuts through the noise that goes with a large crowd.

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Mark 10:46-47 NIV

Those who are near the beggar scold him and try to keep him quiet.

Bartimaeus may be blind by he sees something no one else sees.

Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Mark 10:48 NIV

This is the first time anyone calls Jesus the Son of David. It may not be intentional, but he introduces Jesus to Jerusalem as the prelude to the triumphal entry of Palm Sunday. The citizens of Jerusalem claimed David as their father and recognized that one of David’s descendents would be Messiah. As the promised Messiah, Jesus issues…

A Call To Faith

With everything that lies ahead Jesus stops. He stops for one man with a need.

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

Mark 10:49-50 NIV

We need to put ourselves in Bartimaeus’ place. Being blind, he has been reduced to begging just to scrape together enough to survive. He is told to cheer up. He has probably heard empty assurances like this before, urging him to keep his chin up. This time it’s different. Out of all the people in the crowd, he is the one person Jesus invites to come to Him. There is good reason to cheer up, so he jumps up and comes to Jesus where we see…

The Result Of Faith

Jesus meets him with a question.

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.

Mark 10:51 NIV

Stop and think about this question. It’s the second time He asks it. He asked it first when James and John had asked Jesus, “Teacher, we want you to do whatever we ask.” They had then plunged ahead with their presumptuous request to be granted the seats of greatest honor and power. He asks it again of Bartimaeus, whose answer cuts to the core.

The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

Mark 10:51 NIV

The disciples came to Jesus filled with selfish ambition. The blind man came with humble faith. What’s the difference?

Ambition begs for wants while faith asks for needs.

Bartimaeus needed his sight. James and John lusted for prestige.

You need to know that when you come humbly to Jesus, He waits to hear your answer to the question, “What do you want me to do for you?” It’s not an empty question because He can help.

"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Mark 10:52 NIV

One more person helped and Jesus is back on the road with a beggar who has become a follower and joined the band of pilgrims as a living, seeing and walking demonstration of Jesus—the one who came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

Conclusion: What Do You Want Jesus To Do For You?

Jesus is in the business of changing lives for those who come to Him by faith with their needs. That means you have to check your ego at the door. It’s not about you and what you would like, but about a good and caring God who would love to display His grace and mercy in you.

Multiple generations of Americans have had their imaginations stirred by the classic movie The Wizard Of Oz. Dorothy and her friends follow the yellow brick road toward Emerald City through perils placed in their way by the Wicked Witch of the West who wants the magical red slippers that once belonged to her sister. They risk the dangers because they each have a special request they long to bring to the great and mighty Wizard of Oz. The Scarecrow wants a brain, the Tin Man wants a heart and the Cowardly Lion wants courage. Dorothy only wants a way back home to Kansas with her little dog Toto. Sadly, the wizard doesn’t really have the ability to help, but he offers them symbols that draw out the attributes that were always there. Finally, in trying to help Dorothy, the wizard is swept away in a balloon from his kingdom.

Unlike the supposed wizard, Jesus has the ability to help. You may not be ready to answer Jesus’ question today. If not, tell God the time and place where you plan to meet with Him in prayer. If you are ready, you only need to answer Jesus’ invitation to come to Him and answer His question to you, “What do you want me to do for you?”