Hosanna! Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord! (Mark 11:1-11)

 

Hosanna! Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord! (Mark 11:1-11)

What is the good news of great joy that will be for all the people? The angel from heaven said it was that today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11). We encounter good news, both great and small. There are joys like graduation, finding a job, promotion, marriage, childbirth, health, and travel. Nevertheless, it is true that there is an empty corner in the heart.

In Mark 11:1-11, Jesus entered Jerusalem for the Passover festival. The people shouted and cheered, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" Jesus came to die on the cross soon to fulfill the will of the heavenly Father and to save this world from sin and death with his blood.

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem (Mark 21:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19)

1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'"

4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go (Mark 11:1-6).

Mark 11-16 are a record of the last week (eight days) of the Lord's life, from when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the Passover, died on the cross, and rose again. Mark devotes more than one-third of the total volume to this final week out of Jesus' three and a half years of earthly ministry, and other gospels are similar. This reflects that Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection are the core of Christ's ministry.

Jesus knew in advance that this Passover was the last festival he would spend on this earth (Luke 22:16, 18). That means that now, as God's time came, he was to be sacrificed as the Passover lamb as the Christ. This day was predetermined, scheduled, and planned by God before the ages began (1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 5:6). Jesus was incarnated on this earth in obedience to his heavenly Father's will, and he also obeyed even to the point of bearing the cross and sacrificing himself (Philippians 2:6-8).

And Jesus prepared a colt in advance that had never been ridden before, in order to fulfill the prophecy of the prophet Zechariah. He sent two of his disciples and commanded them to bring the colt. The disciples obeyed, went as Jesus said, saw the colt tied there, and brought it.

9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth (Zechariah 9:9-10).

Entering as the King of Israel

Jesus is the Lord of heaven and earth and the Creator. Jesus is the owner of all things. Jesus came as King. However, his kingship is different from the kings of this world. The kings of this world rule over, oppress, and crush people with armies and police power. They control people arbitrarily, treat them roughly, exploit them, and habitually oppress them (Matthew 20:25; Mark 10:42).

However, Jesus rules with humility and righteousness. Jesus is gentle and humble in heart, so anyone who comes to him finds rest for their souls (Matthew 11:29). The Jewish leaders loaded the people with heavy burdens of the law, while they themselves were guilty of hypocrisy by not lifting a finger (Matthew 23:4). But Jesus gives anyone who comes to him the gift of freedom, rest, and peace through the truth of the blood of the cross.

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).

In fact, Jesus is majestic and is in honor, glory, and power, as transfigured on the mountain (Mark 9:2). When God descended on Mount Sinai amidst thunder, lightning, thick clouds, and the trumpet blasts of the archangels, Moses and the people were afraid and trembled (Exodus 19:16). If Jesus were to reveal his appearance as the Creator, no one could stand before him (Isaiah 6:5).

However, Jesus came riding on a colt as a humble King to save this world that had fallen under sin. Although Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, he hung on the cross like a criminal in our place, and became as someone who was nothing (Philippians 2:7). To obtain the treasure (Israel) and the pearl (the church) that God the Father prepared before the ages, Jesus sold all that he had (gave up his life) and bought them with that price (Matthew 13:44-46; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Therefore, now is the year of the Lord’s favor (Isaiah 61:2). The Spirit of the Lord God descended upon his Son, Christ, anointed him, and made him the Lord of salvation. Jesus preached the beautiful gospel to the poor, healed the brokenhearted, and proclaimed freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18-19). Jesus opened this passage in the synagogue at Nazareth, read it, and proclaimed that the word had been fulfilled in their ears (Luke 4:21). He grants eternal life to anyone who accepts the grace and love of God who sent Christ, at any time (John 3:16).

However, Jesus, who ascended into heaven, will come again (Acts 1:11). At this time, Jesus will come as the Judge of all, separating, judging, and condemning those who are stubborn and do not believe. This day is the day of glorious victory where God's righteousness and justice stand upright and vindicate all who believe. He will remove all sorrow and pain and crown them with the oil of joy.

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor (Isaiah 61:2-3).

Hosanna! Blessed Is He

7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve (Mark 11:7-11).

The people gathered in Jerusalem saw Jesus coming on a colt, welcomed him enthusiastically, received him as King, and cheered. They raised their voices, "Hosanna" (Save us!), "Blessed is he," expressing their respect and obedience to the King. They welcomed Jesus as the Savior who comes in the name of the Lord. They also considered that the kingdom of their father David was coming through Christ.

How did they react like this? Jesus spent three Passovers in Jerusalem during his public ministry. However, people were quiet during the first two times, but it was completely different when he entered Jerusalem for the third, that is, the last time. It cannot be seen that Jesus prepared this in advance.

People witnessed and experienced the ministry of Jesus Christ during the past three and a half years. He proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom, taught, healed various diseases, cast out demons, and performed signs and wonders. The rumors about Jesus spread to the whole village, and wherever the Lord went, people formed crowds. In the hearts of the people, they considered Jesus of Nazareth to be John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the prophets (Mark 8:28).

Israel Longed for the Messiah

After the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon in the 6th century B.C., Israel had a burning desire for the Lord of salvation. Seventy years of Babylonian captivity passed, and some returned to Jerusalem to rebuild a small temple; in the 1st century A.D., a second temple was built by Herod. In Jesus' time, the Temple stood in Jerusalem, but the people groaned under heavy taxes and oppression under Roman colonial rule.

After Judah was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, there was no king. After the return from exile, Judah was ruled by governors like Zerubbabel. Judah rebuilt its walls and temple, but it was controlled, interfered with, and oppressed by surrounding powers, becoming a battlefield for great powers. Following Babylon, the Persian and Greek empires ruled the Mediterranean coast, and in the 1st century, this entire region was placed under the grip of the Roman Empire.

Therefore, Israel eagerly longed for a Savior who would raise up a powerful and strong nation like the kingdom of King David. Every time a great leader appeared, they expected and welcomed them to build a kingdom like King David's. However, seeing that there was nothing Jesus of Nazareth could not do, they expected Him to be the Messiah sent by God and enthusiastically welcomed Him.

The Law and the Prophets are full of prophecies that the Messiah would come and liberate His people from the oppression and bondage of the Gentiles (Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9:6, 61:1-2, 42:1-4; Zechariah 9:9). The names "Messiah" or "Christ" do not appear in the Old Testament. However, He is described as a Branch (Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5), Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), the Anointed One (Daniel 9:25), Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), the Ruler from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-14).

The Suffering Servant Christ Will Come

Furthermore, God’s Messiah is described as a suffering servant. God chooses His servant, in whom His soul delights, gives him His Holy Spirit, and he will bring forth justice to the nations (Isaiah 42:1-4). Also, God formed him from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to the LORD, to gather Israel to Him, and makes him a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:1-6).

Above all, God’s Christ, in order to suffer as a servant and obey the Father even to death, was subjected to shame, beating, spitting, and was despised, rejected, and forsaken (Isaiah 50:4-11, 52:13-53:12). God’s Christ grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him (Isaiah 53:2). This is the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was arrested, interrogated, sentenced to death, hung on a cross on Golgotha, and suffered.

At that time, the people gathered in Jerusalem enthusiastically welcomed Jesus of Nazareth, expecting that the kingdom of David would soon be established. However, the sad fact is that after a few days had passed, after Jesus had been condemned by religious leaders as deserving of the death penalty, their attitudes suddenly changed and they shouted to crucify Jesus (Matthew 27:22; Mark 15:13-14; Luke 23:21-23). Instead, they asked for the murderer Barabbas to be released.

What is the problem? The Messiah they anticipated was a king with mighty power. This is a false gospel. They wanted a Messiah who would suppress Rome, establish Israel as the sole superpower, and command the world, not a Messiah who would die a miserable death on the cross. Even Jesus' disciples found it very difficult to accept the suffering servant Christ in this respect. However, through Jesus, who rose again on the third day from among the dead, they accepted the suffering Christ prophesied by the Law and the Prophets and spread the gospel of salvation of the 1st century to the whole earth.

Amen!

July 12, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Teacher, I Want To See (Mark 10:46-52)

Teacher, I Want To See (Mark 10:46-52)

God rests (Genesis 2:2-3). The way to enter God's rest is to open one's spiritual eyes. It is to open the eyes of the heart to see, realize, believe, and obey, knowing the fact that God is alive and the love of the cross through which He sent His Son. This is truly seeing. Believing is seeing. Through faith, one sees the kingdom of God, and through obedience, one continues to open their spiritual eyes.

In Mark 10:46-52, Jesus caused a blind beggar to see. The compassionate Jesus showed mercy to the blind beggar who was seeking mercy, blessed his faith, and gave him the blessing of opening his eyes to see and follow Christ.

Jesus, Son Of David, Have Mercy On Me!

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:46-47)

Jericho was the first city that Israel, led by Joshua, surrounded for seven days and brought down (Joshua 6). As Jesus came to this earth as the Christ, now facing His final entry into Jerusalem, He walked the path that His ancestors had walked. Entering the promised land means entering the rest that God has covenanted.

However, this is a shadow of God fulfilling His covenant. God promised Abraham that He would give him this land (Genesis 15:18). However, God's promise is perfectly fulfilled through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:8). Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was to receive the baptism of death on behalf of the sins of this world. God looks at the blood of Christ and grants eternal life and rest to everyone who believes (1 Peter 2:24).

Believing Is Seeing

Bartimaeus, who was blind and a beggar, heard that Jesus of Nazareth was coming. Bartimaeus means son of Timaeus. He was an anonymous beggar and a blind man who could not see. He called Jesus of Nazareth, "Jesus, Son of David." And he cried out, "Have mercy on me." The Son of David means God’s Christ (Matthew 1:1). Although he could not see, he believed that Jesus was the Christ sent by God, the Messiah of Israel.

The author, Mark, compares this blind beggar with Jesus’ disciples. Although the disciples saw Jesus with their physical eyes, their spiritual eyes were veiled, and they did not know the Christ of suffering. When Jesus repeatedly told them that He would suffer at the hands of the elders and chief priests, be killed, and rise again, they did not understand and were afraid to ask. Instead, they expected Jesus to receive glory and establish an earthly Messianic kingdom, and their concern was about who was the greatest and who would occupy the seats at His right and left (Mark 9:34, 10:37).

However, the blind beggar pleaded, "Have mercy on me." He acknowledged his own condition of not being able to see and came to the Lord Jesus Christ to beg. He admitted the fact that he could not see without God’s merciful grace. Above all, he believed in and welcomed Jesus of Nazareth from Galilee as God’s Christ. He was blind in the flesh, but he saw the kingdom of God with the eyes of his spirit. He was a person who was poor in spirit.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3).

You Cannot See God With The Eyes Of This World

The prophet Isaiah prophesied long ago: They will see but not perceive, and hear but not understand (Isaiah 6:9-10). Then, Isaiah asked God, "For how long?" The LORD God answered him, "Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged" (Isaiah 6:11-12).

This teaches us that what is in this world cannot save. What is in this world will decay, perish, and disappear (1 Peter 1:4). How can something that will disappear and perish save? What is in this world refers to everything good to look at and worth boasting about, including wealth and high positions. Therefore, what is in this world is not an object of dependence.

Furthermore, this world is under the power of sin that does not acknowledge God and opposes Him. The world not only tolerates hating, comparing, envying, slandering, harming, lying, deceiving, and murdering, but also says that those who do such things are righteous (Romans 1:29-32). This world is ruled by the devil, the prince of the power of the air. The devil is a murderer, a liar, and the father of lies (John 8:44). Therefore, the apostle John warned not to love this world.

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:15-17).

Believing And Obeying Jesus Is Seeing

However, God left a holy seed as a stump in this land (Isaiah 6:13). The holy seed refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who rely on and love this world will perish, but those who believe in and obey the Lord Jesus Christ will receive eternal life. Jesus Christ gave up His own life to save this world.

Following the example of Jesus, dying to oneself and disappearing is the way to open one's spiritual eyes. Although Jesus is the Creator who is equal to God, He emptied Himself, took the form of a servant, and became nothing by hanging on the cross and dying. Jesus taught that if anyone wants to come after Him, they must deny themselves (Mark 8:34). Here, "self" refers to the old man in Adam who opposes God.

Just as we are redeemed from sin through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, our old man under sin must die. This is because a person trapped under sin does not submit to God but opposes Him. Fully submitting to God is the way to salvation. Then, God opens the windows of heaven and pours out spiritual and holy blessings. He pours them out like a spring of water that gushes forth forever.

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

People Rebuke The Blind Man

48 Many rebuked him and asked him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” (Mark 10:48-49)

People rebuked the blind man because they thought he was a hindrance to Jesus’ schedule. This world treats poor and weak people harshly. This world has a strong tendency to evaluate people by their economic value. However, Jesus said that welcoming one such child is welcoming Christ himself (Mark 9:37). Also, Jesus said that if you give even a cup of water to one of these little ones, there will be a reward in heaven for it (Mark 9:41).

In fact, no one can stand before God, and no one is worthy of receiving grace (Eph. 2:8). Humans have fallen under sin, and every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart is only evil all the time from childhood (Gen. 6:5, 8:21). God called Abraham by unilateral grace and made him the father of the covenant (Gen. 12:2-3). As promised, God saved his descendants from the abuse and oppression of the King of Egypt through Moses and led them to the promised land. However, they eventually wanted to establish a human king. At this time, God spoke through Samuel.

7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.” (1 Sam. 8:7-8).

The circumstances and appearance of Israel represent all people. They experienced the Almighty God who was with them, crossing the Red Sea and the Jordan River like dry land after God’s plagues fell on the land of Egypt, eating manna that fell from heaven for forty years in the wilderness, and providing the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. The walls of Jericho fell, and they drove out the Canaanites and took possession of the land (Josh. 6:20). Nevertheless, Israel forsook God and repeatedly acted rebelliously by following idols (Judg. 2:11).

Call Him

However, the man shouted all the more and begged the Lord Jesus. Jesus heard the man’s plea and answered, “Call him.” God answers anyone who comes to him and asks for mercy. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matt. 5:4).

God heard the groaning of his people who had been trapped in the bondage of slavery in Egypt for four hundred years (Ex. 2:24). God brings about justice for those who are wronged quickly (Luke 18:8). In this world, it seems that the wicked and arrogant prosper, and that evil rules over good (Ps. 73:3-9). It is not so at all. God is holy and good forever. There is nothing that can deceive God’s flaming eyes. God judges everything with justice and truth (Ps. 73:17-19).

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you (Matt. 7:7).

Your Faith Has Healed You

50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road (Mark 10:50-52).

The disciples did not know what they truly wanted. However, this blind man knew that what he wanted was to see. This refers not only to opening physical eyes to see this world, but also to opening spiritual eyes. He wanted to escape from the darkness of not being able to see and to see clearly.

Jesus blessed his faith, and he saw clearly and followed the Lord. Although he was a blind beggar, he believed that Jesus, who came as the Son of David, was the Christ. He came before Jesus and begged, “Have mercy on me.” Jesus does not look at the outward appearance, but looks into the heart. He saw the desire in his heart to wait for God’s Messiah. For he recognized Jesus Christ, whom God had sent, with the eyes of faith and came before him.

It is not easy for a blind man to find his way. However, the spiritual eyes of faith go beyond physical obstacles. Seeing with the flesh is not everything. Seeing by faith is everything. We come to the Lord Jesus Christ daily by faith and seek mercy. We were bought by Christ with the price of his blood (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The merciful God bestows boundless mercy on those who seek mercy.

Amen!

July 5, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

The Son Of Man Did Not Come To Be Served, But To Serve (Mark 10:32-45)

 

The Son Of Man Did Not Come To Be Served, But To Serve (Mark 10:32-45)

Who is wise and great? The standards of this world and the kingdom of heaven are not the same. In the kingdom of heaven, he who humbles himself and serves as servant is the great one and the first. Jesus took on the sins of this world and endured shame, sorrow, pain, and contempt. However, the wisdom of this world does not understand the cross of Jesus and deems it foolish.

In Mark 10:32-45, Jesus taught for the third time about His suffering and resurrection. James and John, the brothers, asked to obtain a seat in the Lord's kingdom. They did not know what they were asking. God had already known and prepared before the creation of the world who would sit in the glory, honor, and majesty of His kingdom. To accomplish this, Jesus came as a servant to serve sinners and received the punishment of death. Through His blood, everyone who believes receives forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Jesus Predicts His Death And Resurrection (Mark 10:32-34) (Mt 20:17-19; Lk 18:31-34)

32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:32-34)

Jesus was now on the way to Jerusalem to bear the cross. The disciples intuitively sensed the danger lying before Jesus. The Jews were already plotting to kill Jesus and looking for an opportunity to arrest Him. The disciples had witnessed several times that the Jews did not hide their hostile feelings toward Jesus and opposed Him openly.

Jesus, too, could not have been unaware of this fact. Jesus publicly rebuked the hypocrisy, ignorance, and corruption of the Jews (Mt 23:13-36; Lk 11:37-54). They tested Jesus, seeking to capture and kill Him, and they watched and threatened Him regarding His healing on the Sabbath (Mk 10:2-12; Mt 12:2). They demanded that Jesus show them a sign from heaven (Mt 16:1-4).

However, Jesus continued to shine the light of truth and spoke with the love, joy, and peace of God. He answered their obvious testing questions with truth and knocked on their hardened hearts (Mk 2:27, 7:6, 10:5). He urged them to respond to the light of God the Father's truth, open their hearts, and accept God's love.

The disciples were afraid. It seemed as though a physical conflict with the Jews could break out at any moment. However, Jesus instead spoke of how He would suffer at the hands of the Jews, be handed over to the Gentiles to receive the punishment of the cross, and rise again after three days. Jesus taught very specifically about the suffering He would receive.

Although at that time the disciples were afraid even to ask and did not understand, after Jesus suffered and was resurrected, they realized the truth and accepted the suffering Christ. That is why Jesus continued to teach the disciples the truth. Above all, He taught them repeatedly about the suffering of the cross, even though the disciples were afraid and uncomfortable even hearing about it.

Jesus came to this earth for this very purpose. This was the will of God the Father to save this world (Isa 53:10). This work is to save people who have fallen under sin by being sacrificed on the cross as the Lamb of God. Because there is no work more important than this, Jesus did not spare His own life and willingly gave it up (Ro 5:8).

The Request of James and John (Mark 10:35-45)

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. (Mark 10:35-39a)

The disciples wanted to occupy a great position in the Lord's kingdom, at any cost of sacrifice. Having sensed that the Lord's kingdom was imminent, the disciples openly revealed the wishes they had been harboring deep in their hearts until now. However, when James and John made the first move, the other disciples were indignant that they had missed the opportunity (Mk 10:41).

What the disciples wanted was to sit in the seat of His glory once Jesus' kingdom was established after driving out Rome. As Jesus pointed out, they did not know what it meant that they were asking for. In their ignorance, they were confident that they could drink the cup Jesus drank and be baptized with the baptism He was baptized with.

Although the disciples were powerless, without financial means, and unknown at the time, they expected that if they occupied a position in Jesus' kingdom someday, they would gain power, wealth, and fame. Their wishes were far from the purpose for which Jesus came to this earth. They were shortsighted and worldly. Even though their bodies were with Jesus, their thoughts and expectations were in an entirely different place.

James and John had been with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration not long ago when He was transformed into the image of the glory of God (Mark 9:2-3). The glory they wanted was one that Jesus would achieve on this earth by His power, without going through the death of the cross. To obtain this, they thought a conflict was inevitable, whether with Jewish leaders or with Rome. They mistakenly understood the cup and baptism Jesus spoke of as meaning that, and said they could do it.

You Will Drink The Cup I Drink

Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. (Mark 10:39b-41)

Jesus knew that the disciples did not know what they were saying. However, He told them in advance that they would in the future drink the cup of the cross and receive the baptism of death of Jesus Christ. In fact, James was the first among the disciples to be martyred, and according to tradition, John was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil and was exiled to the island of Patmos (Ac 12:2; Rev 1:9). The disciples, including the two brothers, suffered much for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, heavenly rewards will be given according to God's sovereignty, as prepared (Jn 14:2-3). It is not something obtained by asking Jesus. God had already prepared the heavenly rewards even before they asked (Eph 1:3-5). Anyone who follows the Lord's path of the cross and obeys receives the crown of life.

Of course, salvation is not reached by works. It is reached only by faith. According to the gift of faith that God has sent down from heaven, one responds to the words of the Lord's commandments and obeys. Abraham received God's promise, responded, left his native land and his father's house, and lived in the strange land of Canaan (Ge 12:1-2). He was declared righteous by faith in God's promise (Ge 15:1-6). He became the father of faith, reaching salvation through faith.

God Who Foreknew And Chose Before The Creation Of The World

God foreknew those whom He chose before the creation of the world (Rom 8:29; Eph 1:4). Paul said that He set him apart from his mother’s womb and called him by His grace (Gal 1:15). Jeremiah testified that before He formed him in the womb He knew him, before he was born He set him apart, and He appointed him as a prophet to the nations (Jer 1:5).

How can we know God’s foreknowledge and choosing? It is by having faith, being thankful for the forgiving love of the cross of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and responding in obedience. It is loving your brother as yourself, just as Jesus’ new commandment says. It is continually loving God’s word and enjoying His grace. It is not placing hope in earthly things, but holding onto the hope of the kingdom of heaven.

This is because, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father has redeemed all the sins of those He foreknew, justified them, and also glorified them with Christ (Rom 8:30). The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is the power that atones for all the sins of those who come with faith (1 Cor 1:18).

29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (Rom 8:29-30).

How is this possible? Here, being chosen, called, justified, and glorified are all used in the past tense. This is because the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, suffered before the creation of the world. Because salvation is obtained only by the grace of Christ’s precious blood, God was pleased to sacrifice His Son (Isa 53:10).

Saving through the blood of Jesus Christ is God’s wisdom. Worldly wisdom hates the cross of Christ and considers it foolish (1 Cor 1:23). This worldly wisdom cannot know or understand this mystery. Therefore, they crucified Jesus (1 Cor 2:8). For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18).

Whoever Wants To Become Great Must Be A Servant

42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:42-45).

The disciples were not yet in a position of glory, but they dreamed of the day when they would sit in that position and rule and govern people. However, Jesus said that this is what Gentile rulers do—using the authority and power God gave them not for justice and righteousness, but for their own benefit, ruling over people at their own will (John 19:11). Human history clearly shows this fact.

This breeds conflict, fighting, and slaughter. People constantly argue and fight over who gets to take more. The kingdom of heaven is not like that. Instead, whoever wants to become great must be a servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. The standards of this world and the standards of the kingdom of heaven are completely different.

Jesus is that example. He laid aside His heavenly glory, honor, majesty, and power, took the form of a servant, became incarnate, and humbled Himself and became obedient to God the Father—even to death (Phil 2:6-8). Although Jesus is the Son of God, He did not come to receive glory and service. Rather, He served everyone, and by sacrificing His own life, He became the channel of salvation.

Then, God raised the Son, who was buried in the tomb, from the dead on the third day, seated Him at the highest throne in heaven, and made Him King of kings and Lord of lords (Phil 2:9-11). Jesus had no reason to receive death, but to save us from sin and the power of death and to enable us to obtain eternal life, He gave His own life as a ransom sacrifice for many.

Therefore, we follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, loving, forgiving, reconciling, and accepting one another, and instead humbling ourselves to become servants in the attitude of a slave. This means dying on the cross with Christ. It is bearing pain, suffering, shame, and insult. If we do this, God will raise us up again with Christ, seat us with the Lord at the highest throne in heaven, and bless us to rule over all things.

Amen!

June 28, 2026

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2026, David Lee Ministries ©2026 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.