Mark 10: Pick Up Your Cross Not Your Status

Pastor Brandon explores Mark 10, challenging us to embrace Jesus' call to pick up our cross rather than pursuing status, examining how this transformative principle upends our understanding of greatness.

• Jesus addresses divorce, emphasizing marriage as a sacred commitment rather than a casual arrangement
• Children are welcomed by Jesus as models of kingdom citizenship, demonstrating the humility needed to receive God's kingdom
• The rich young ruler walks away sad because he cannot let go of his possessions to follow Jesus
• Jesus teaches that wealth can be a significant barrier to entering God's kingdom
• James and John's request for positions of honor reveals how status-seeking infected even the disciples
• Jesus redefines leadership: "Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all"
• The healing of blind Bartimaeus demonstrates Jesus' compassion for those society marginalizes
• Service to others rather than self-promotion is the path to joy and fulfillment
• When we approach each day looking to serve rather than be served, we find opportunities everywhere

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Chapters

• 0:48 Introduction: Pick Up Your Cross
• 4:38 Jesus on Marriage and Divorce
• 6:59 Jesus Welcomes the Children
• 7:28 The Rich Young Ruler's Question
• 10:02 The First Shall Be Last
• 11:43 Jesus Predicts His Death
• 12:00 James and John's Request
• 13:53 Healing Blind Bartimaeus
• 15:57 Closing Thoughts on Servanthood

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:24

Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon. Today, mark, chapter 10, and today's title is Pick Up your Cross, not your Status. Pick up your cross, not your status. I wonder what it would look like if we walked through life with a big old cross. You ever seen this before?

Speaker 1: 0:46

I have been going down the road before driving down the road and I would see someone who's walking down the road and they've got a cross and they've got two little wheels on the long part down there so it can go along behind them and they're just walking with their cross as a mission of reminding people about Jesus. I think it's cool, I think it's awesome, I think that's an amazing thing for them. In my mind, I wonder what would it look like as Christians if we literally walked around with a cross. First of all, we would never be able to go up and down stairs because that would be so hard, but at the same time, it would be a constant reminder of what that is and it would really give us a moment to think about things before we dip. I will be very honest with you and tell you that when we are going through these chapters, so much is covered in one chapter. It is hard to come up with one unifying idea. And this one, though, I think there are two or three times where Jesus just challenges us what are you living for? It's time to follow a cross, not try to pick up a status. We're getting all that in just a moment. So make sure you get your Bibles out, get your coffee ready, all the good things, but also don't forget to take just a moment to make sure to subscribe to YouTube channel and the podcast. Make sure you leave us a five-star review on the podcast. Make sure you're also going to the Bible Breakdown discussion on Facebook, because we have an amazing team doing a wonderful job and you can get all that information at thebiblebreakdowncom. And one of the things that we don't talk about all the time is if you would like to receive a text message every day with the links to the YouTube channel and the podcast and the updated links every single day, you can text RLCBIBLE to 94000, and we will send that to you every day. And for some people, they like that because it's a daily reminder, because they get up in the morning, they look at their phone and immediately boom, there's a text message that reminds them. Oh yeah, today I'm going to get into God's work, so it's really good, really helpful, and I look forward to joining you in that.

Speaker 1: 2:39

Well, as we are continuing to march through the gospel of Mark, one of the things we've been talking about is this is the gospel of action, and so we call it the gospel in motion. Jesus is constantly moving forward. It's like he's in a hurry, even though he's not moving forward from place to place to place. It is the shortest gospel and he just continually is saying all these different amazing things. Well, today he's going to go from controversy to controversy and just really reminding people. We've got to keep the main thing. The main thing we have to make sure that we are picking up our cross, not looking to be a status symbol, and that's important because, as much as we don't like to talk about it, there are certain environments where it is a status symbol to be considered religious. But you know, it's not a status symbol to be a true Christian, because a true Christian causes us to stand against some of the things of culture. I've noticed in my own world, kind of walking around, that if I tell someone I'm religious, they're like oh yeah, me too. But if I say I'm a Christian, immediately they're like yeah, me too. They're not so certain because they understand that with that comes an identity that they're not so sure if they want. Well, jesus is going to help us kind of grapple with this today and we're going to see how he just kind of helps us dig in on this idea of what it means to pick up our cross, not necessarily try to pick up a status. Okay, here we go. Chapter 10, verse 1. Let's bring on the controversy. Here we go. Chapter 10, verse 1. Let's bring on the controversy. Here we go.

Speaker 1: 4:11

Then Jesus left Capernaum and went down to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. Once again, crowds gathered around him and, as usual, he was teaching them. Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife? Ba-ba-bam, you know, there we go. Jesus answered them with another question what did Moses say in the law about divorce? Well, he permitted it. They replied. He said if a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce, you can send her away. But Jesus responded he wrote this command only as a concession to your hard hearts.

Speaker 1: 4:45

But God made them male and female from the beginning of creation. This explains why a man leaves his father and his mother and is joined to his wife and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together. Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought that subject up again and they told him Well, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.

Speaker 1: 5:20

Now pause, I know that can create a lot of difficulty, because in our culture it's just all over the place. On one end we have this idea where we think we get married only for love and so the moment I don't love you, I can just go, so we don't think about the commitment like that. But then we have other people who it's just, it's kind of touchy, right. It's like well, wait a minute, I wasn't a divorce. What's the problem here? You know, and will God forgive me? All that Jesus is talking about. The idea is is to think of marriage as sacred. Back during this time they had gotten so lax with the idea of marriage and divorce that literally for almost any reason at all. There were some reports that the Pharisees would even quote unquote grant divorce over the fact that the wife burned the dinner. I mean literally as silly as that kind of stuff, and you just get divorced. And so what Jesus is is he is bringing marriage back to a place of hey, this is a holy commitment you made to one another before God, so don't let it lightly be dissolved. Now there are reasons for and grounds for divorce, but what Jesus is saying is make sure those grounds aren't who burned dinner. Make sure that they are massive and you go into it gravely. And so that's what he's doing there. Verse 13,.

Speaker 1: 6:35

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. The disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw this happening, he was angry with his disciples and he said to them let the little children come to me, don't stop them. The kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children, and I tell you the truth anyone who doesn't receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it. Then he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on their heads and he blessed them.

Speaker 1: 7:04

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down and said Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Why do you call me good? Jesus asked. Only God is truly good. It's almost like he's challenging him. It's like wait a minute, god is good. You're calling me God. You're calling me God. You're calling me good. What are you saying here? But then he keeps going. He says but to answer your question, you know the commandments you must not murder, you must not commit adultery, you must not steal, you must not testify falsely, you must not cheat anyone, you must honor your father and mother. Teacher, the man replied I've obeyed all these commands since I was young. Looking at him, jesus felt genuine love for him. There is still one thing you haven't done, he said Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. At this, the man's face fell and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Speaker 1: 8:02

Jesus looked around and said to the disciples how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. This amazed them. But Jesus said again dear children, it is very hard to enter the kingdom of God. In fact, it is easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Disciples were astounded Then. Who in the world can be saved? They asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said Humanly speaking, it is impossible, but not with God. Everything is possible with God.

Speaker 1: 8:34

Then Peter began to speak up. We have given up everything to follow you. He said yes. Jesus replied and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters, or mother or father or children or property for my sake and for the good news will receive now and in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and property, all along along with excuse me persecution. Let me say that again because it's very important. He says you will receive a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and property, along with excuse me persecution. Let me say that again because it's very important. He says you will receive a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and property, along with persecution, and in the world to come that person will have eternal life. The many who are the greatest now will be the least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.

Speaker 1: 9:23

They were now on their way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them, and the disciples were filled with awe and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. Listen, he said we are going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of man will be betrayed, but to the leading priest and teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.

Speaker 1: 9:56

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. Teacher, we want you to do us a favor. What is your request, he asked? They replied when you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left. But Jesus said to them you don't know what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering? I am about to drink. Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering. I am about to drink. Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with? Oh yes, they replied. We are able. Jesus told them you will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering, but I have no right to say who will sit on my right and on my left. God, his Father, has prepared those places for those ones he has chosen.

Speaker 1: 10:44

When the other ten disciples heard what James and John asked, they were indignant. In other words, they's a furious. So Jesus called them together and said you know that rulers in this world lorded over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those who are under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be your leader among you, they must be your servant. Whoever wants to be first among you, they must be a slave of everyone else. For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Speaker 1: 11:19

When they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus, son of Timnus, was sitting beside the road when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, be quiet. Many of the people yelled at him, but he only shouted the louder Son of David, have mercy on me. When Jesus heard him, he stopped and he said tell him to come here. So they called the blind man cheer up, come on, he's calling you.

Speaker 1: 11:52

Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up and came to Jesus. What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked my rabbi. The blind man said I want to see. Jesus said to him go. Wow, I love it. I love it so much. And I love again, notice how he says your faith has healed you. In other words, he's not saying that you were strong enough. He was saying you put your faith in the right place. Go, be healed. I love that so much. But remember the title was pick up your cross, not your status.

Speaker 1: 12:29

And I love how Jesus he talks about the idea of we live in a world that is upside down because of the fall, that it's upside down, that to get ahead you got to step on people To be first you must be the greatest. All this kind of stuff. Jesus takes this upside down world and turns it right side up by saying actually, if you want to be greatest in the kingdom of God, you must be willing to serve the most. You must be put yourself as the least. That's how you become the greatest. And that only sounds counterintuitive to us because we are used to the rules and the systems of this world, not according to the systems of the kingdom of heaven. And so what Jesus is saying is the people that I want to put in leadership are the ones who only see it as an extension to serve even more, the people who say I want to get higher up the ladder so I can be in charge, I can be better. That's not who he's looking for. He's looking for people that says you know what? I want to climb this ladder because that means I can serve more and more people. Those are the people that Jesus is looking for.

Speaker 1: 13:33

And if you disagree, then notice what he says in verse 45. He says even the son of man came not to be served but to serve others. And to Lord of lords, the one who earned, deserves, has a right to the highest throne in all. Creation came and made himself the servant of all. Here's my question for you today. What would it look like today? And if you're listening to this in the evening? What would it look like tomorrow If you took the posture of every environment I walk into?

Speaker 1: 14:11

I want to think about how I can serve somebody else. How can I be like Jesus in this room? The question, you know the remember the old school thing of WWJD what would Jesus do? Well, according to this scripture, what Jesus would do is he would walk into every environment trying to see who he could serve, not who could serve him. Now that looks very different. A lot of context.

Speaker 1: 14:31

So let me give you some examples. As a husband in a home, how can I serve my family by leading them closer to God today, for children? How can I serve my family by doing what's expected of me, by bringing joy to the environment, whatever you think you can do when it comes to going to a restaurant, how can I serve the person who is serving me with a kind attitude and bring light to their day, to a co-worker? How can I serve them by doing what's expected of me showing up on time and in some way finding a way to bring encouragement and bring up the topic of God today? But you do it as an act of service to others. Can I tell you, just like you ever heard the phrase if you go into the world looking for friends, you'll find very few. If you go into the world looking to be a friend, you will find friends everywhere. Can I tell you, I have noticed in my own life, and maybe you have too. I have noticed that if I go into my world looking for joy, if I go looking for something to make me happy, then many times I'm disappointed. But if I go into my world that day looking to be a servant, looking to make somebody else's day, bring a smile to somebody else's face, it is amazing that joy is everywhere, even in what is sometimes a dark and lonely and difficult world. You go looking to be a difference maker, you will find opportunities everywhere. Give it a try today. Let me know down in the comments how it goes.

Speaker 1: 15:58

Let's pray, god. Thank you so much for today. Thank you, god, that you are with us in all things. I pray Holy Spirit. Today you'll open our eyes to see opportunities to make a difference, not so that we can be served, but so we can serve others. And by that worship your name. We're thankful for you. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Amen, what God's Word says in Mark, chapter 8, verse 34,. It says if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. We have a God worth following. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow. For Mark, chapter 11.