Jesus Came to Serve

December 20, 2023

Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, December 17, 2023.

Sermon text: Mark 10:35-45


In the Sutton household we celebrate birthdays and special occasions in big ways. For example, we don't just have birthdays, but we have birthday week! Meaning, there is anticipation built into the week leading up to the actual birthday celebration. It is anticipating the anticipated. We are actively anticipating something that we have already deemed important that is still in the future. That is what we are doing during ADVENT. Year after year we spend the better part of a month anticipating. We anticipate the celebration of the coming of Christ every year. This rhythm of life focuses our hearts and our minds on Jesus in a way that gives us a different perspective on the rest of life... readying us for the final actual return of Jesus Christ to earth to establish His reign and His rule forevermore!


A similar occasion is found in our text today. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, have been following Jesus with great intentionality, and as they begin to anticipate that it seems Jesus is soon to enter Jerusalem and establish His earthly kingship, they begin to anticipate the opportunities that this might afford them... what role they might play in His reigning and ruling...how they might be honored in this earthly Kingship of Jesus...


If Jesus stood before you right now and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”… How would you answer? What would be the first request to pop into your mind?


This actually happened to James and John. And their answer was revealing to say the least…

Mark 9:33-35 “ And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house with them he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”


In light of having just been told that the first must be last, James and John seem to double down and say, “You know what? It seems about time that the sons of Zebedee got some respect around here!” They are celebrating ADVENT by seeking their own self-interest! And the other disciples are indignant! “Hey, what makes you think one of us shouldn’t get the seat on the right and on the left?!”


I wish that I could sit here today and tell you that it is not possible to walk with the Jesus and still be full of pride and selfishness, but apparently it is… I wish that I could tell you that there’s no possible way that the Christmas season could be turned into a charade of professing Christians seeking their own self-interest, but apparently it is possible. But what is interesting is Jesus’ response…


1.) Jesus did not condemn their desire to be great.

You may have thought that Jesus would have said, “Being great is not your goal. Only God is great.” But he doesn’t. In fact, throughout Scripture God makes some men’s names great. This was part of the covenant with David, “I will make your name great.” So Jesus isn’t against greatness or the pursuit of it.


2.) Jesus redefines greatness.

Remember, the disciples are wrapped up in pride. “Where will I sit when Jesus is sitting on His throne?” To put it plainly, they want to be famous. They are defining greatness as the amount of power you might have or the position you might keep.

- CJ Mahaney: “Pride takes innumerable forms but has only one end: self-glorification.”

So Jesus gives his disciples a course correction. Sure, pursue greatness. But define greatness the right way… verses 42-44 “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.”

- He is speaking to them as a people… Holy… Set Apart…

- CJ Mahaney points out this significant reversal…

o Greatness defined by culture: “Individuals motivated by self-interest, self-indulgence, and a false sense of self-sufficiency pursue selfish ambition for the purpose of self-glorification.” o Greatness defined by Jesus: “Serving others for the glory of God.”


3.) Jesus came to serve.

v. 45 “FOR even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” If you have trouble finding the motivation to serve others, this is a wonderful passage to meditate on. Just staying within the context of Mark, these disciples are among very few to have gotten a first-hand insight into observing Jesus serving others… Among other things, they watched him heal a boy with an unclean spirit, lovingly comforting a father as he battled with his unbelief, then gently correcting the disciples for arguing over who is the greatest among them… then serving children… teaching about temptation… teaching about divorce… teaching about riches… again gently correcting the disciples in their wrong view of greatness… healing blind Bartimaeus… eventually ending up in the upper room with his disciples, taking the form of a servant and washing their feet… including the feet of one who would soon betray him…At this point, isn’t it fair to ask, “What else do you need?”

4.) Jesus came to die… giving his life as a ransom for many.

Without the death of Jesus, we cannot overcome our pride and selfishness. How does this ransom work? Who is paid? What is paid? Who is redeemed? ESV STUDY BIBLE: “The ransom of Christ’s life was paid to God the Father, who accepted it as just payment for the sins of many.”

- JUSTIFICATION: Your debt to God is forgiven and you are deemed righteous.

- SANCTIFICATION: You are being transformed into the image of Christ.

Forgiven and progressing… Donald English: “At the source of all Christian service in the world is the crucified and risen Lord who died to liberate us into such service.” How did Christ’s death, His life given as a ransom, impact James and John?

JAMES – Acts 12:1-3 “About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword, and when he saw that it

pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also…”

James was the first of the apostles to be martyred. What happened to take James from “I want tobe famous” TO serving others in Christ to the point where he gave his life? The RANSOM!

JOHN – 1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, that Christ laid down his life for us, and we ought

to lay down our lives for the brothers.”


John was the last of the apostles to die after suffering persecution and being banished to the island of Patmos. What happened to take John from “I want to be lifted up” TO “We ought to lay down our lives?” THE RANSOM!

The RANSOM frees us from the bondage to sin, self, and death. Once ransomed, you can be transformed… and the fight against sin is no longer futile or hopeless. James and John embraced this reality of who they now belong to….You don’t just need an example to follow. You need a Savior to ransom you!


Galatians 5:13 “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”


James and John experienced this. And then John becomes the one to give us the most detailed insight into what we are anticipating in ADVENT…


Revelation 5:9 “And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation…”


This is ADVENT! We are anticipating the one who has ransomed us… the One to whom we belong.


Discipleship Questions:

  1. How does our culture define greatness and what are some ways that it is pursued?
  2. How does Jesus redefine greatness?
  3. In what ways do you relate to James and John? How do you battle against entitlement and selfishness?
  4. What was the ransom paid? And to whom was it paid?
  5. How did the RANSOM change James and John?
  6. What are some ways that we can celebrate being ransomed this Advent?
  7. What are some ways we can challenge one another in the areas of serving others?
  8. Read Revelation 5 together. How do these verses help you to anticipate the return of Christ during this Advent season? 

Arm Yourselves

June 11, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?

I Believe That We Will Win

June 3, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?

Who Can Be Against Us?

May 27, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….
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