Read Mark 10:35-45
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Him and said, "Teacher, we want You to do something for us if we ask You." 36 "What do you want Me to do for you?" He asked them. 37 They answered Him, "Allow us to sit at Your right and at Your left in Your glory." 38 But Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" 39 "We are able," they told Him. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with. 40 But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to give; instead, it is for those it has been prepared for." 41 When the [other] 10 [disciples] heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them over and said to them, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and their men of high positions exercise power over them. 43 But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life -a ransom for many."
What does it mean to be great? Nearly everyone desires to be great, and that desire is good - we should not desire failure or mediocrity. For the Christian, Jesus has set out a definition for greatness that is contrary to human nature, but expresses something very important about God and our relationship to Him.
Jesus teaches here in Mark Chapter 10 Verses 35-45 that Christians and Christian leaders specifically are not to model their leadership after that which is found in the world at large. Certainly many of us grapple with the desire so openly exhibited by James and John to share in the glory meant solely for our Lord. Encouragement and affirmation are a natural and healthy part of the life of the church. Paul instructed us to honor one another (Romans 12:10), and that through Christ, we as believers would receive glory (Romans 2:6-10) However God is the only one worthy of receiving ultimate glory - worship, so when we seek it for ourselves, it amounts to no less than sin. This idea can be traced throughout the Scriptures from the very first sentence of Genesis ("In the beginning God..."), through to the restoration of all things to worshipping God in Revelation. What is so remarkable is that Jesus places Himself, God incarnate, in the position of servant - and teaches here explicitly that this is how greatness in the Kingdom of God is to be defined.
It fascinates that the brothers (who in Matthew's account take their mother to petition Jesus), are so unashamed about their desire for glory. Yet when I read their words, I hear my own sinfulness. We of course would never come right out and ask God for it, yet we desire to have our ministries succeed, to be "great". But to what end? That we might receive glory? I have found out the condition of my own heart on this issue when I do not receive credit from those around me for a success or an idea.
In Jesus' response to the brothers he informs them that their request has been made inappropriately. He then asks them if they are able to endure what He is to endure which He refers to using the symbolisms of the cup and baptism. They reply that they are able which he affirms. The best way to understand this is that the cup and the baptism refer to persecutions and trials in the general sense (which all of us as Christians will surely face). James and John here clearly display their continued lack of understanding for the depth of Jesus' words regarding His impending suffering with their reply.
In verse 41, we see the obvious disunity this request causes among disciples. While it is unclear whether the indignation of the other ten is motivated by righteousness or envy of the brothers having gotten to Jesus first, the unity of the group hangs in the balance. Jesus however, uses this situation as a teaching opportunity, calling the twelve to Him. He lays the groundwork for His teaching by mentioning the leadership style of those in power in the world. The word used describes subduing and bringing under subjection by fear and force (which is one of many forms of manipulation sometimes seen in the church). This understanding of greatness as power which is held by the world would not have been lost on the disciples, whose nation had been brutally occupied for generations.
Now Jesus enters into the revolutionary ethic that is to govern us as Christians today. The standards of greatness understood by the world are here reversed putting the label of what is great on descriptions of what is most intensely humble: the act of servant-hood. The terms used refer most essentially to those whose are focused on the interests and desires of others more so than their own. One commentator writes "This is a shocking affirmation, and it is puzzling to know how utmost servant hood can be linked with being first or great" . Paul, who often identifies himself as a bondservant of Christ, fleshes the concept out deeper both in Philippians Chapter 2 verses 3 and 4 (valuing others more highly than yourself and looking out for the interests of others) and also in Ephesians Chapter 5 verse 12 (submission to one another).
Verse 45 acts as the climax to the passage tying the instruction that servitude is greatness to His own redemptive mission on earth. It is remarkable in some sense that God's incarnation was not as an earthly ruler whose every desire was fulfilled by underlings, but that He would be the servant. This verse is so dynamic as to tie together the entire passage. He not only places Himself as the primary example of servant-hood as greatness, but He connects His sacrificial atonement with servant-hood and His impending passion with atonement.
This teaching is to be tied to two contexts of meaning and application for today. First, the Christian is to serve; not merely in function but in spirit. Just as Paul later unpacks, here Jesus instructs believers to highly view others' interests and to meet their needs. This will lead to greatness in the eyes of God as the example here set forth by Jesus through His incarnation in the humble form of His own creation and His redemptive death on the cross. The manifestation of the principal of service acts as a witness to those outside of Christ and as the character of the life of the Church and works to assure that God is the object of all worship and the receiver of all glory. For the Christian leader, the concept is simple though the application of it is more difficult. Just as worldly authorities use their power to accumulate more power, the temptation to "lord over" those whose care has been entrusted to you is very real. This is especially true in situations where the submissiveness to all of Ephesians 5:21 is not actively in practice or when there is a disagreement in vision or some other issue. One thing that is certainly to be applied to the Christian leader is the model of Jesus as serving to the point of death. If His sacrifice is the model for both the lay Christian and the Christian leader, the Church will find their time spent accomplishing the purpose for which we have been called: to fill the earth with the proper worship of God.
Application Point 1) God is to be the recipient of ultimate glory in the life of the church though we should in fact give honor to those two whom honor is due.
Application Point 2) The only proper motive for life and ministry is that God would receive glory and be worshipped by the nations.
Application Point 3) Seeking glory for ourselves not only dishonors God (sin), but dis-unifies and destroys.
Application Point 4) Christian leadership is to be characterized by the attitude of a servant, as modeled by Christ's incarnation in the world and redemptive death on the cross.
Group Discussion Question 1) What are some ways that our team models servant-hood well?
Group Discussion Question 2) What are some situations in which your motive for serving has been tested? What did you learn?
Group Discussion Question 3) How can we as a team model servant-hood better with each other and to the church at large?
