What do you want me to do for you?

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Jesus is with his apostles.He is telling them about his upcoming suffering and death in Jerusalem. What James and John say next is unbelievable.

Here Jesus tells them about his upcoming death:

Mar 10:32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,

Mar 10:33 [Saying], Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:

Mar 10:34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

This is very sad news.Even with the part about rising from the dead, most people would be grief stricken over predicted suffering and death.But James and John are in the “greedy for glory” mode.There are no words of comfort for their friend and Lord, Jesus.It is all about them, and what they want:

Mar 10:35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we want that thou should do for us whatsoever we shall desire.

Mar 10:36 And he [Jesus] said unto them, What would you want me to do for you?

Mar 10:37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

They see Jesus as someone who is there to do what they want, and give them all their desires for glory.Isn’t this a bit selfish?

There are appropriate, caring responses to messages about pain, suffering and death.This did not happen here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This is how Jesus answers them.He is very patient.He is referring to the cup of suffering:

Mar 10:38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

Mar 10:39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

Mar 10:40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared.

Here Jesus explains that glory is not his to give.This indicates it is the Father who grants this.But, Jesus is also indicating that there is no glory without the suffering he is about to go through.

The drinking of the cup represents the suffering, and the baptism represents the death.

Glory is not a cheap commodity.We are not given this without the ultimate price being paid – our lives.As some say, no pain, no gain.

The minimum requirements:

1.Suffering for our faith

2.dying to the flesh. Or this could mean physical death as well.

Many believers want the joy, and the glory, but they do not want the pain.

They want everything now.They are selfish and prideful, and want to be “little gods,” or as good as God, in the eyes of others.They want “power.”

Fleshly glory is ugly, and narcissic.

There is no reason to seek any glory on this earth. We are not here to satisfy ourselves with prideful ambitions.We are here to seek God only, and seek to love and serve Him, in mercy and humility.

We are here to give God all the glory…… not man, and not ourselves.

That is the point.