Jesus taught his disciples that true greatness is shown by serving

In this passage, there are at least four essential qualities of servant leaders are given to us by Jesus’ interaction with His disciples. Jesus is The Divine Example of Servant Leadership.

(1)  COURAGEOUS v.32-34

Mark 10:32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem…

Jesus knows His mission and is resolute in fulfilling it. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem, He knows why He is going, proven by His words to His disciples. To be courageous, one must:

UNDERSTAND THE MISSION – One is not courageous just to be courageous, one is courageous for something. What is our mission? (Eph. 2:10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  We’re on assignment from God – step out in bold obedience. Our courage is the manifestation of our understanding from God that we’re on assignment from Him.

HAVE A FIRM RESOLVE – Obedience to God empowers courage. Jesus obeyed: He had a firm resolve to obey. Obedience to God invites the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that we can live courageously in the face of cultural opposition for His glory; we don’t run from opposition, we face it head on, confidently, because we have a firm resolve for obedience to the King.

(2) PATIENT (v.35-37)

Mark 10:35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

Despite the repeated jockeying from His disciples and their continued surges of pride, Jesus patiently disciples them.  James and John saw themselves as the leaders among the disciples and they wanted their positions to be made permanent. They were selfishly asking for three things. Preeminence because they wanted the glory and honor that came from being elevated to a throne, Proximity they wanted to be close to Jesus in the Kingdom, and Power because they wanted to have positions of great authority in the coming kingdom.

Jesus had just finished telling the disciples that He is going to Jerusalem, to be betrayed, rejected, and killed (v. 33-34). All they can think about is being elevated to preeminence, improving proximity, and having power. Jesus is so, so patient with His disciples in their incredible hour of ugly selfish pride. Servant leaders are PATIENT.

(3) COMPASSIONATE (v.38-41, 42-45)

Mark 10:36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”

James and John will suffer as followers of Christ. Jesus knows this but they don’t. He is patient because He is compassionate. Jesus responds to their request by telling them that they have no idea what they are asking for, and He confronts them by asking them if they are willing and able to experience all that He is about to endure (v.39). They tell Him that they can, but they don’t have a clue about what awaits Jesus. Jesus is on His way to Calvary – He is about to experience the undiluted wrath of Almighty God against sin and sinners. Jesus is resolutely going up to Jerusalem to die – this is an act of compassion.

He is willing to die for them, who are more concerned with preeminence, proximity, and power than with the crushing impact of the Father’s wrath upon the Son.  The Lord was compassionate in withholding information from them; Jesus prophesied about their future—James and John would suffer persecution just as He would. He doesn’t tell them they’ll die – nor the specifics of what they will experience; It was compassionate to not tell. Jesus handled the brothers’ bold and untimely request graciously and turned it into a lesson in humility for all the disciples. What compassion; teaching despite the horror of what awaits Him.

(4) SACRIFICIAL (v.42-45)

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The world has their pathway to greatness: clamor, climb, claw. The world’s way is driven by pride. The kingdom way is selfless, serving – sacrificial. Jesus came to serve, not be served. Jesus calls the disciples together for some group therapy – none of His disciples understood the true nature of servant leadership. The disciples had very worldly examples of selfish leadership – Herodians, Herod, Herod Antipas, Caesar, Pilot, Pharisees. Worldly “Great” Leaders are served, they seek glory, and then bask in that glory. Jesus is telling them that in the kingdom of God, it doesn’t happen this way. It can’t be this way with you. It is DIFFERENT!

The Son of Man “…came not to be served but to serve,”   Certainly, Jesus will be served and worshipped: that is appropriate for the ruler of the universe. But His mission 2,000 years ago, as He made this last great journey to Jerusalem to willingly die – He was SACRIFICALLY SERVING.

The world has quantifiable metrics for measuring greatness, but real greatness is found in Jesus: The Suffering Servant of all. Jesus goes to Jerusalem to give His life as a ransom for many (His life instead of ours), a righteous man on behalf of sinners, that we would live for Him who died for us and for the many He served by his death. The greatest One of all became servant of all, so that we might become servants and be great – great in serving – as He did. This is Servant Leadership.

(Mark 10:43)  But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,