The Servant and His Example | Mark 10:32-45
Sermon Summary
We come again to Mark chapter 10, where Jesus presses forward on a journey that will end in Jerusalem, in suffering, and ultimately in glory. He has done much along the way—teaching, healing, and inviting people into a new kind of discipleship. Over and over, He has emphasized that to follow Him is to embrace a path of humility and servanthood. Yet, as we’ll see in our passage, even those closest to Jesus struggle to grasp what this truly means. They long for greatness but misread what greatness is. May the Holy Spirit shape our hearts as we consider our Lord’s call to lay aside self-serving ambitions and follow Him on a path of humility, even if it includes sacrifice.
The Predicted Suffering of Christ
In Mark 10:32–34, Jesus and the disciples are headed southward toward Jerusalem. It’s a decisive moment: Jesus strides ahead, and the disciples follow behind, both amazed and afraid. Though Mark doesn’t fully explain this blend of wonder and fear, it’s likely because they sense something monumental is about to unfold. After all, Jesus has alluded to His coming death more than once already.
In verse 33, He spells it out again, with more detail this time: “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests… they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles.” He envisions mockery, scourging, spitting, and finally killing. No vagueness remains—He describes the crucifixion’s bitter reality, setting His face toward what must happen.
But Jesus doesn’t stop with death. Mark 10:34 concludes, “and the third day he shall rise again.” Although the disciples struggle to take this in, Jesus firmly asserts His coming resurrection. The cross won’t be the final word. He came precisely to accomplish salvation for sinners, and He knows every step that lies before Him. This underscores a truth we must never forget: The heart of Christianity isn’t just a moral code or a system of ethics; it’s a crucified and risen Savior. As the apostle Paul says, “If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain.” That our Lord both died and rose again is the bedrock of genuine hope.
Jesus’ predictions also hint that suffering is integral to discipleship. If our Lord endured rejection and pain, we, too, can expect that following Him may lead us down a path of hardship. He is not sugarcoating the Christian life; rather, He prepares us so we won’t be caught off guard. Though it may be daunting, the promise of resurrection and victory transforms our perspective—no suffering in Christ is meaningless, and no death has the final say.
The Selfish Ambition of the Disciples
You might assume that having heard such stark predictions of Jesus’ suffering, the disciples would adopt a humble tone. Yet the next scene reveals James and John making a startling request (Mark 10:35–37). They come to Jesus privately (Matthew’s Gospel adds that their mother is also involved) and say, “Master, we want You to do for us whatever we desire.” Immediately, there’s an air of presumption. Jesus, graciously, replies, “What would you that I should do for you?”
They ask for seats at Jesus’ right and left hand “in Your glory”—the two prime spots of honor and authority. On the surface, it’s breathtakingly bold, even distasteful: as Jesus heads to His sacrificial death, James and John jostle for positions of power. Clearly, they haven’t absorbed the costliness of what Jesus just described. Still, let’s remember they do have faith that Jesus will reign in glory; they see Him as Messiah. Yet their focus is me-centered, revealing a very human desire for prominence.
What’s more, once the other disciples hear about James and John’s request, they become indignant (verse 41). You can almost feel the tension. Everyone is upset, not purely out of righteous indignation, but likely because they, too, wanted that honor. It’s an ugly moment of envy and rivalry. Jesus warned them about bickering over “who’s the greatest” before, but it reemerges here. They want to be recognized as top-tier disciples, missing the very heart of Jesus’ mission.
Like James and John, we can slip into that mindset, wishing to leverage spiritual standing or ministry accomplishments for personal status. Whether it’s a subtle craving to appear more devout than fellow believers or an attitude that sees ourselves as more deserving of God’s favor, it all stems from the same root: selfish ambition. But as Jesus is about to show them, greatness in His kingdom runs on an entirely different track.
The Servant’s Example of Greatness
In verses 42–44, Jesus sets the record straight. He points to the Gentiles—Rome in particular—who exercise lordship from positions of power. Then He firmly states, “It shall not be so among you.” His followers shouldn’t mimic the world’s hierarchy of dominance, where the strong crush the weak. Instead, Jesus holds up a new standard:
“Whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister.”
“Whosoever of you will be the chiefest shall be servant of all.”
In other words, if you aim to be “great” for God, be ready to serve others. And if you aspire to be “first” in God’s eyes, become “servant (bondslave) of all.” Jesus uses two slightly different terms: the first (translated “minister”) suggests caring action and helping with needs, while the second (“servant of all,” the Greek word doulos) implies absolute surrender to the Master’s will. That is greatness—pouring out one’s life for others, humbly and sacrificially.
This isn’t just a random principle; it flows from who Jesus is and what He’s about to do. Hence Mark 10:45, arguably the high point of the entire Gospel of Mark: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” If the ultimate King stepped into our world not to be served but to serve, how much more should we adopt the same posture?
Jesus highlights two profound realities here:
He came—this was voluntary. The King of heaven didn’t “accidentally” end up on earth. He intentionally humbled Himself, taking on flesh, walking dusty roads with sinful people.
He gave—not money, not mere time, but “His life a ransom for many.” That word “ransom” underscores He paid the price for our redemption. We, in bondage to sin, are freed because He gave Himself in our place.
That is the scandalous core of the gospel: a divine Servant-King whose path to glory ran through the cross. It’s not about lording authority over others or grasping for the best seat; it’s about love so radical it stoops to wash feet, break bread for traitors, and die in shame so others can live in glory. As His followers, we are called to reflect that posture of servanthood. We aren’t here to boast of achievements or elbow our way into higher positions. We’re here to bless, encourage, give, and serve—whatever the cost.
Reflection
When we hold up these stories of Mark 10 side by side—Jesus solemnly predicting His own suffering and James and John clamoring for honor—they can feel like night and day. Yet how often do we live out a similar contrast? One minute, we sing about the cross and Jesus’ sacrifice; the next, we’re jockeying for status or recognition in our relationships. Perhaps we’re not so different from these disciples.
So how do we take Jesus’ words about servanthood to heart in a practical sense?
Embrace the Cross-Shaped Path of Discipleship. Jesus repeatedly announces His approaching death not just as a fact, but as a model. To follow Him means taking up our own cross, saying no to self-centered dreams that overshadow the gospel mission. There’s no place in God’s kingdom for vain bragging or stepping on others to gain prominence.
Assess Our Ambitions Honestly. Like James and John, we might believe deeply in Jesus yet keep a quiet longing for personal glory. The question to ask ourselves: Am I content to serve unseen, to invest in others’ good, even if no one applauds? The world praises self-promotion, but Jesus praises humility.
Serve in a Way That Costs Us Something. There’s a huge difference between occasional gestures of help and an entire mindset of servanthood. Jesus speaks of a life that truly belongs to God—a bondslave’s heart. That might mean giving our time and energy to people who can’t “pay us back.” It might mean stepping into messy ministries behind the scenes. It might mean forgiving injuries or bearing with others’ weaknesses. The cost can feel real, but so is the joy of reflecting Jesus’ self-giving love.
Look to Christ as Our Model and Motivation. Verse 45 reminds us that we don’t muster servanthood in our own power. We look to the One who ransomed us. He didn’t try to outrank the Father or parade His status as the Son of God; He willingly emptied Himself. The more we taste the wonder of Christ’s sacrificial love, the freer we become to step off our pedestals and love others in tangible ways.
Far from draining us of fulfillment, this life of humble service opens the door to genuine greatness in the eyes of God. Ironically, the road to eternal honor is paved with acts of hidden kindness, quiet forgiveness, and steadfast loyalty to God’s will. If you’re feeling disillusioned by worldly competition or exhausted by measuring up, hear Jesus’ words: “It shall not be so among you.” Let Him reorder your vision of what it means to be great. Let Him anchor your heart in the cross, that symbol of utter humility turned into victory.
Ultimately, Christ’s call is to die to ourselves and rise to a new kind of greatness—one that invests in others and exalts Him alone. May we take this to heart, both as individuals and as a church family, that we might serve each other and our surrounding world with the same spirit Jesus had when He said, “I came not to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.” May that be our aspiration in every corner of our lives.
