Humanity and Christianity

Mark 10:32–52

 

I. Our Human Condition

And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Mark 10:32a

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” Mark 3:22

Jesus says, 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” Mark 10:33-34

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.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Mark 10:35-37

Self-interest chokes the progress of love.

II. What Jesus Christ Came to Do

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

Jesus’ Mission Stated Negatively—Why Didn’t He Come?

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,  John 3:17a

If you think that God is interested in condemning you, then you haven’t understood the Gospel.

The Son of Man did not come to be served. Mark 10:45

Jesus’ Mission Stated Positively—Why Did He Come?

The objective of Jesus in coming into the world was not to demand something from you, but to accomplish something for you.

by giving his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

Word Study of Ransom

Hostage

Slaves

Offenders Against God, Under the Sentence of Death

among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Ephesians 2:3