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? 

Everything We Need

July 29, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:3-4 We have everything we need for a godly life. Sentence has: 68 words 9 prepositional phrases 5 dependent clauses God called us. “By His divine power” The word here is summon Like Lazarus, come forth. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. By revealing Christ to us. “Through the knowledge of Him” Side note, ambiguity: The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We need to note that this comes to us by grace, but also that we have a part to play here. Effort is not a 4 letter word. You have no excuse for: Pornography- You have everything you need. Substance Abuse- You have everything you need. Pride- You have everything you need Laziness- You have everything you need Anger- You have everything you need. Prayer and Scripture Reading- You have everything you need. Evangelism- You have everything you need. He’ll go on to mention supplementing He has given us what we need for godliness now, and He promises us even greater things to come. We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature 2 Pe 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature Unusual word… The “divine nature” (Theos) appears only here and in Acts where Paul addresses the Areopagus an odd work choice and would have appealed to his pagan readers. Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. Redefining what it means to become like God. Christ shared in our nature that we might share in His. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. In 1:3, it’s through the knowledge of Christ that we are called to Him. Here, we see that a fuller revelation of Christ will conform us even more fully into His likeness. How so? Purity Immortality Restoration to Eden Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, We have everything we need for a godly life. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. Purity Immortality Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable.’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. Discipleship Questions: 2 Peter 1:3 says we’ve been given everything we need for life and godliness… Do you find that verse encouraging, challenging or both? Are there any areas of your walk where you struggle to believe that you already have everything you need for success? Do you ever make excuses to yourself or others for a lack of godliness? If yes, explain. How much work does it take to live as a Christian? What does it mean that we will be “partakers in the divine nature”?

The Genuine Gospel

July 21, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, July 20, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:1-2  Peter is warning us about counterfeit teaching and false teachers The genuine gospel came from Jesus through His apostles —servant (humility and honor) —apostle (called, unique, sent) The genuine gospel is just as precious to us today —received and believed “How does someone become a Christian? One person might say, ‘Because I believe,’ and another, ‘Because God chose me.’ According to Peter, both ways of stating it are correct. On the one hand, we believe. It is a fundamental definition of a Christian that he or she is a ‘believe-er’; that he or she ‘has faith’ But Peter also knows that it is not our feeble faith that holds us close to God. It is God who does all the holding, and that is the reality behind the word received.” —R. C. Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter & Jude The genuine gospel is centered on the person and work of Jesus —God —Savior —Christ —Lord “This fourfold description of Jesus is important because it puts him at the focal point of human history. As God, he guarantees that his words and his works cannot be replaced or revoked; as Christ, he fulfills all the Old Testament promises; as Savior, he died on the cross for our salvation in the past, present and future; and as Lord he claims the right to our individual love and obedience—notice how Peter calls him our Lord.” —R. C. Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter & Jude The genuine gospel transforms us as we grow in knowledge of Jesus —grace and peace multiplied Discipleship Questions: Why is false teaching so dangerous? How does remembering and focusing on the true gospel help us stand against false teaching? In what ways is the gospel just as precious to us as it was to the apostles? How do you relate to Jesus as God, Savior, Christ, and Lord? What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Him?

The God of All Grace

July 16, 2025
Notes from Zach Snow's sermon on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 5:8-14 Why is the lion roaring? Wouldn’t it be a better strategy to be quiet…subtle…sneaky, in an attempt to “devour” Christians? I think that Peter, led by the Holy Spirit, was very intentional with his description here of the devil being a roaring lion. Went into a rabbit hole on a lion's roar…there are some spiritual applications to these: Can reach up to 114 decibels…almost as loud as a jet engine taking off They roar for social reasons (territory, create bonds, locate other members of their pride) as well as for purposes of intimidation. One of the primary purposes of the lion's roar is to strike fear in the heart of their prey. The lion will always start with a psychological advantage Fear, anxiety, depression, anger, hatred - these things can absolutely paralyse you spiritually The lion is not necessarily trying to kill you, but to destroy your faith Prayer: Be sober-minded - Have a clear and self disciplined mind - Titus 2 Exercise self control in thoughts, words, and action this is the 3rd time Peter has said this to us in 1 Peter - 1:13, 4:7 - it’s a call to remain alert and focused Being sober-minded means waging war against the things that are detrimental to the mind: fear, hatred, anxiety, depression, anger I believe these are specific things the enemy uses to derail our mental health and cause us to take our guard down Be watchful - this is the same word that Jesus used in the garden before he was arrested and crucified - this is a call to pray Prayers for others - Eph. 6:18 - Ephesians 6:18 - [18] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Prayers for yourself - James 1:5 - 5 j If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. So here’s the question… Do you believe in prayer? How much do you trust that God can do the things that you are not able to do? Do you trust God with the big stuff AND the small stuff? Discipleship Questions: 1.) In your personal life, what does being sober minded and watchful look like to you? 2.) Who are the people who help you stand firm in your faith the most? 3.) As a CG look at each of the points of the Theology of Suffering and find Scripture to support each one of those statements: God is ALWAYS good God is ALWAYS enough God will ALWAYS love you 4.) Discuss ways that the God of all grace has restored, confirmed, strengthened, and established you.
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