Followership – Selfless Sacrifice

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Followership - Selfless Sacrifice

Followership – Selfless Sacrifice is the third sermon in our series on being a follower of Jesus.  I want to take you to the portion of the text where Jesus lays bare his soul and tells the disciples that he will die for the sins of the world in the worst possible way.  James and John see an opening for their ambitions.

Can You Drink The Cup?

James and John had their eyes pointed on the glory that awaits.  They want to reserve their “in” with Jesus now.  Instead of glory Jesus offers them the cup – which talks about suffering, and baptism – not with water.  The baptism that Jesus was about to go through was death.  These two did experience suffering and death.  James was martyred by Herod.  John would be the last of the Twelve alive – as he was left to rot on a Roman prison island.

As for you, God is all for you having a day off, for you to rest.  God is not in favor of blind ambition that seeks to fulfill self at the expense of everything.

  • This is usually what goes wrong in a marriage – why can’t I be happy – doesn’t God promise me happiness? Actually no, he promises you suffering and death.  Marriage is a huge about of work, but it’s worth it.
  • In my job, why shouldn’t I be respected, promoted? You most likely will be treated unfairly on the job and in class, children – yet work and school are blessings.
  • Ambition caused problems among the disciples – it also causes troubles in churches. For all the times that we failed, we should be lost forever.  Jesus doesn’t call James and John out on being ungrateful – he doesn’t do that for us either.

Back to servant school

  1. Check your ambition at the door
  2. All the tests are pass/fail

I gave you a pop quiz to start the sermon – now I want to share with you how the final exam will work.  You may have heard about pass/fail before.  There isn’t a grade assigned in the class – you either make it or you don’t.  Jesus’ pass/fail test for us is a little different.  All of us, including myself have failed the test.  We’ve failed to live the perfect life God commands.  Yet because of Jesus you will receive a passing grade.  Jesus lived perfectly in your place and then died the death you deserved.  Jesus says, 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Jesus gave his life for you.

Want to hear more?  Watch this week’s message taken from Mark 10, Followership – Selfless Sacrifice.

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