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December 28/29, 2013
Jason Meyer | Mark 10:32-52
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, 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.”
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?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 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?” 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, 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.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 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. 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. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
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. 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!” 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. 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.” 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.—Mark 10:32–52
It is time to start unveiling what your elders have been working hard at for almost six months now. There have been plenty of extra meetings, and I think an extra measure of a spirit of camaraderie and partnership.
IPOD is an acrostic for Irreducible Essential, Priority, Optional, and Do Not. There are a few layers to this process, and I want to look at the first level. We identified ten biblical essentials and then fourteen Bethlehem priorities. The ten biblical essentials are things that the Bible requires of all churches in order to be biblical.
The ten biblical essentials have a certain flow to them. We begin with the Bible. The first two are: (1) biblical doctrine and teaching, and (2) biblical leadership. We must believe and teach what the Bible teaches. Then we must have biblical leaders to ensure that the church is led the way the Bible says it should be led. The next two are upreach areas: (3) worship, and (4) prayer. The next five are areas of inreach: (5) congregational care, (6) edifying and equipping, (7) church discipline, (8) ordinances faithfully administered, and (9) stewardship of resources. The last one is outreach: (10) Great Commission Commitment.
The 14 priorities are ways that Bethlehem has chosen to carry out these 10 biblical essentials. They are also organized according to upreach, inreach, and outreach. Allow me to give an example of the difference between a biblical essential and a Bethlehem priority. Discipleship is not optional—it is a mandatory element of biblical churches. We have put it in the category of edifying and equipping. Bethlehem Baptist Church carries out this call in a specific way in that it has a seminary. Not every church has to have a seminary to be a biblical church, but some churches have specific ways that they carry out what the Bible commands. We feel a call from the Lord to practice discipleship and leadership development at the level of training pastors academically and vocationally.
You will hear much more about these categories in the days to come, but I bring it up now so that you can have an idea concerning where we are going. In January, it is a tradition at Bethlehem to have five topical sermons: (1) prayer, (2) word, (3) ethnic harmony, (4) sanctity of life, and (5) small groups. What I want you to see now at this point is that the first two are found in our biblical essentials category. The other three are all examples of Bethlehem priorities: ethnic harmony, sanctity of life, and small groups. In February, we will begin a series that casts vision for what the elders have seen from the Scriptures in this IPOD process. We start today with a key mark of all biblical Christians and all biblical churches: prayer. We will be looking at prayer from the Bible because the Bible is our source of authority in all things that we believe and teach. We will be looking at Mark 10:32-52. Let me try to paint the background picture that will help us see the setting.
This section in Mark starts with the healing of a blind man and ends with the healing of a blind man. The first healing was a two-stage healing; the second healing was a one step healing. Look at Mark 8:22-26:
And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
Why was this a two-stage healing? The answer is not that Jesus made a mistake. He is powerful enough to do it right the first time! He could have—but he didn’t? This healing is a parable. What do the two stages represent?
Usually we can answer such questions by just reading the next passage. Notice that Peter has been healed of blindness when he confesses Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 8:27-30), but it is only a partial healing because he refuses to allow the Messiah himself to define what a Messiah is (Mark 8:31-38). Peter rejects the category of a crucified Messiah. He stops following Jesus and steps in front of him.
This becomes a pattern in Mark 8-10. Three times Jesus announces that he is going to die, and then three times the disciples do something dumb to show that they are still blind, and then three times Jesus teaches on discipleship to correct their blindness.
We are going to look at an example of this in three weeks on Sanctity of Life Sunday when the father of the child says, “I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Notice the two-stage reality: faith and remaining unbelief and blindness. Jesus casts out the demon, and later when the disciples ask why they could not cast the demon out, Jesus says, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29).
The disciples are supposed to ask Jesus to remove their blindness, but they are so blind that they do not see their need and they fail to ask. Only those that see they are blind ask to have their blindness removed.
Let’s quickly look at the second passion prediction, blindness, and teaching on discipleship (Mark 9:30-37). Jesus predicts his death and resurrection (9:30-31), but the next verse shows their blindness: "But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him." Then he draws them out by asking them what they were discussing on the way. They were clearly talking about the wrong thing—they were not focusing on his death and resurrection and what it meant—they were arguing over which of them was the greatest (Mark 9:34). Jesus has to redefine greatness as servanthood for them, and he highlights their need to become like little children (9:35-37). I wish I had time to show you how the pattern continues, but I must hasten on to the end of the chapter to our text for today where we will see the climax of this conversation.
We will take it in four parts: (1) Passion Prediction (10:32-34), (2) Blindness: Prayer to be Seen (10:35-41), (3) Discipleship: Desire to Serve (10:42-45), (4) Blindess Healed: Prayer to See (10:46-52)
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, 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.”
The setting matters because the first words of background highlight the fact that they are on the road (v. 32). Mark goes further so that the reader can’t miss it: “going up to Jerusalem” (v. 32). The disciples marvel because Jesus is leading the way (v. 32). He is the only one that knows what is going to happen, and he is a man on a mission. He will not swerve to the left or the right.
Jesus initiates the discussion—he does not wait to be asked. He is going to be delivered over to the Jewish leaders. He will be sentenced to death and delivered over to the Gentiles (10:33). Jesus goes further—there will be mocking, spitting, flogging, killing, and then rising (v. 34). How would you respond if someone you loved just told you about this kind of brutality that was about to take place? Let us see what the disciples did.
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?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 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?” 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, 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.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.
James and John finally reach the point where they ask for something. They show the full extent of their blindness when they ask to be seen. You need to see Jesus’ question because it will be important later: “What do you want me to do for you?”
They ask to be seen next to him in the places of honor—on his right and on his left “in his glory.” I am not sure what is greater at this point—their arrogance or their ignorance. He corrects their blindness when he clarifies that they do not know what are asking for. They do not understand his cup or his baptism. In fact, if the reader keeps reading, he or she will catch the irony here. They think that the right and the left will be places of honor when he comes to Jerusalem, but he will be crucified with two thieves—one on his right and one on his left. They literally do not understand the cross, and their question shows it.
Their arrogance and self-reliance come back into the picture when they say, “We are able” (v. 39). Jesus shows that they are asking for more than they know and their future holds far more than they know. They will drink from his cup, and they will receive his baptism (v. 39). Jesus’ answer also shows his reliance upon the plan of his heavenly father: “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” (v. 40). The Son only wants to submit to the Father’s plan.
The other ten disciples are indignant at the arrogance of James and John, but this response is an irony in and of itself because this has been an ongoing argument about who is going to be the greatest (9:34).
This kind of blindness has been ongoing the whole journey to Jerusalem. Imagine if my wife said to me, "Jason, sit down. I have some distressing news to share with you. I had a routine physical today and they found an aggressive cancer that is at an advanced stage. I may only have a few months to live."
Imagine me responding this way, “Wow, I wasn’t expecting that. Now let me tell you about my day. That prayer sermon was one of my favorite sermons. It might have been one of the greatest sermons I ever preached.” My response would show a stunning lack of awareness for what my wife just shared with me. She would say, “Did you hear me? I said I am going to die.” Earth to disciples! Jesus said he is going to be murdered! They are too wrapped up in their self-centered thoughts of greatness. Jesus now seeks to correct their blindness.
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. 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. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus’ response highlights the worldly nature of the disciples. The rulers of the Gentiles (those who are considered so!) lord it over others and exercise authority. They show their greatness by overpowering others with authority and forcing people to serve them (v. 42).
The disciples of Christ should be different. The greatest of all is the servant of all. Look at how antithetical heaven’s scale of greatness is compared to the world’s scale. Heaven gives first place to the person to whom the world gives the last place. Is it any wonder that the world mocks Jesus and his servanthood?
Jesus tells the disciples this point in order to teach them more about himself. This greatness can be seen in two senses: what he gives (the greatest gift—his infinitely precious life), to whom he gives it (his enemies), and what it secures (it purchases eternal life—the infinite debt is paid by the giving up of his infinitely precious life). The Son of Man came to serve, not to be served. He will serve and love his enemies by giving himself. Serving is giving; being served is grabbing and taking. He serves even his enemies and pays for their sins (10:45). Jesus dies for a world that will mock him, flog him, spit on him, and kill him. Amazing love! What patience from the Son of God to bumbling disciples that are wrapped up with themselves. They need to see his greatness and their weakness. That prepares the way for the next object lesson.
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. 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!” 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. 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.” 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.
Bartimaeus was a blind beggar. He was very aware of his need. There was no façade of self-reliance. He was further ahead because he knew how desperately needy we all are. He had the gift of awareness of weakness. There was nothing to help him conjure up the façade of self-reliance and strength. Here was weakness in its simple and unadorned dress. Bartimaeus had what Tim Keller calls a “naked faith.” He cried out to Jesus when others thought he would just be a bother. That is a common theme in Mark. The disciples think that children will bother Jesus and he would not give them the time of day. It is simply the other way around. We are the ones that look down on others that we think are weak. That is not the way Jesus sees the world.
Bartimaeus’ faith saw obstacles as things to be overcome, not things to overwhelm. He had a singular focus because he had a singular hope: only Jesus can help. Oh, how much we can learn from Bartimaeus when it comes to prayer. Prayer flows from a desperate heart that has focused on Jesus as its only hope and only source of help. This is no generic cry of faith because he calls on Jesus as son of David (10:48). He looks to Jesus as king. The blind beggar has eyes that are spiritually open when much of the crowd is actually spiritually blind.
Jesus calls for Bartimaeus. He asks him, “What do you want me to do for you?” Remember that phrase from two scenes ago? The disciples asked him the same question. But this time, instead of asking to be seen, Bartimaeus asks to see.
Jesus had mercy on Bartimaeus, and his eyes were opened. Bartimaeus models what true discipleship is in three ways: (1) he gets Jesus’ identity right (Son of David), (2) he gets his own identity right (weak and in need of mercy), (3) he leaves all that he has (his cloak) and follows Jesus (on the road to Jerusalem—the Calvary road).
Application
Pray that we would have eyes opened to see the glory of Christ—his true identity. So much is at stake here. Seeing Christ is a healing balm for a disciple of Christ. He is our strength and our salvation. We don’t have to be strong if he is strong. We don’t have to save ourselves if he has accomplished an eternal salvation. Unbelief keeps us from embracing the cross. It really is that free. He is our ransom, and the price has been paid in full. Salvation has no payment plans.
We exist to worship Christ as all-sufficient and all-satisfying and supreme over all. The life of prayer for a follower of Christ is primarily asking to see more of Christ and his cross. Christ defines the identity of a follower of Christ. That is our next application point.
We are spiritual beggars who had nothing but received everything. We glory in his strength. It is hard to follow Christ if you do not see him as he is in his glorious authority and power and all-sufficient salvation. It is hard to rest in him if you fail to see how complete the payment is. It is hard to trust him in times of trouble if you fail to see how sovereign he is and how for you he is. When other paths look more appealing than the Calvary road, how will you follow if you take your eyes off of him? How can you take up your cross and follow him if you have not seen him take up his cross for your salvation? He made it possible so that you can follow him.
When we fail to see Christ and our identity in him, it is easy to start living for false identities. We will either live from our identity in Christ (finished), or we will live for false identities that we always have to build and that are never complete because they are so flimsy and fickle. Without eyes to see our Savior and his cross as our focus, it is easy to slip into a worldly mindset that values self-promotion and grabbing and cultivating the façade of strength. The cross is a necessary corrective for our pride and spiritual blindness. Blindness to the way that Christ gave himself and came not to be served but to serve will hinder our ability to think and live in a Christlike way. If we have eyes to see who Christ is and who we are, our lives will show two things: (1) we will refuse to be possessed by our possessions so we can be givers, and (2) we will reject selfishness so we can pursue love for others.
Refuse to believe the lie that abundance of life consists in the abundance of your possessions. Do not make your life an attempt to get. Nothing runs more counter to the cross than that kind of lifestyle. Luke 12:15 shows what a perennial problem this is:
And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Mark 8:34-37 warns us about trying to define our own lives, call the shots, and be our own Saviors:
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?"
What keeps you from praying to see more of Christ? The prayerless life is a prideful life that trusts our own sense of direction and our resourcefulness to make the things happen that we want to happen. If Christ is not your focus, something else will be? What is your alternative focus and alternate source of strength and success? Does your definition of the abundant life resemble the things of the world or the things of God (Mark 8:33)?
Our self-centeredness could cause us to pray in such a way that we only think of ourselves and our problems. Remember that the most loving thing that you can pray is to see more of Christ. Here is why: there is a connection between seeing Christ and showing Christ. That is why we are going to close with the song “Show Us Christ.” Show us more of Christ so we can have more of him and show more of him.
Closing Song: "Show us Christ"
Be careful how you respond now. Will your response fall prey to more self-reliance? Don’t lean on your own understanding—trust and pray. Don’t make yourself the subject. Make God the subject—God, show us your Son. Open our eyes. We will stumble, and we will lose our way without him. The assumption that you can hold it all together is what makes your prayer life fall apart at the seams. Let this be the defining prayer that marks our lives and unites our church this year.