Listen Up!

Mark 10:32-45 (NKJV)

32 Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:

33 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;

34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."

36 And He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

37 They said to Him, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory."

38 But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

39 They said to Him, "We are able." So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;

40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared."

41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.

42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of 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."

Verse 32- Jesus Was Going Before Them-These words are intentional, this shows determination, He is headed to Jerusalem the final time before His death!!

He is leading and this was an unusually, Because He always walked with crowd, but now because of this one action, they could sense something was different! (They were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid)

He was leading like a military leader, leading his army into battle!

Now, where is God leading you?

Is God leading you or are you trying to lead God?

The path maybe dark, but remember His is leading!!

Doesn’t matter the diagnoses is, remember He is leading!!

Jesus pulls his disciples to the side, He wants to make sure that they understand what is going to happen on this trip to Jerusalem, because this was not going to be any ordinary, trip to Jerusalem.

Jesus begins to tell His disciples what is going to happen to Him, matter of fact this is the 3rd time He has told them, in very short period of time!

We know that saying something 3 times not only shows the importance of it, but it helps the listener to remember!

Saying something three times draws attention to the one saying it….momma, momma, Momma!

Not sure if this approach, works on men?

Verse 35-Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask."

Now Jesus, has just got thru explaining to the disciples what is fixing to happen, He is trying to prepare them for this event, it would benefit them to be paying attention!

The truth of the matter is two of them are not, they have their own agenda!!

First of all, Jesus is pouring out His heart to them (Don’t forget He knows exactly what is fixing to happen) and it would be nice if His disciples would have been listening so at least they could have encouraged and comforted Jesus as He prepares to enter Jerusalem!!

Second of all, if they would have been paying attention they would have been more prepared for what is fixing to happen, maybe they wouldn’t have been so distraught, so fearful, if they had listened and realized that God had a plan, and by the way it wasn’t the one they had!!!

I’m afraid in church all around this country of ours, that this kind of thing happens time and time again!!

That God is speaking, either thru the Sunday School lesson, thru a devotional, thru a hymn, thru the message, or some other way, and we have people sitting in church, who are not listening, they have their own agenda, it’s all about what they want, and nothing about what God wants!!