Category: Uncategorized

Mark 10:46
We don’t always get the names of those that Jesus heals. So, why do we get some of them? There are various reasons. For one thing, God used humans to write the Bible and allowed them to rely on their memory at times. The gospel writers would not have thought to record the name of someone until after the miracle. They may have forgotten it by then. Or, in some cases the disciples would know the person or remember their name for some reason. Also, some names were mentioned for effect. As in this case, the mentioning of the name tells us that this person was well-known in Jericho. Another possibility, which seems likely in this case as well, is that names are recorded when persons become a part of the fellowship of the disciples.

Heavenly Father, you have given us all that we need in your Word. But, we fail to see what is there. Lord, let us realize that your truth is meant to be our guide. Thank you for your Holy Spirit! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:45
Jesus, who is the second person of the Trinity, came to this earth specifically to minister. His mission here was to give his life for us. If he  did that, we must also be servants to others as a servant of him.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Christ! Without him we could have no hope for the future. You have made it possible in Christ for us to be your representatives to the world. You are worthy of the praise! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:44
The highest position in Christ is to be the place of greatest service. This world thinks of greatness in different terms because the world does not consider Almighty God. With the reality of God in the picture, service to him is the measure of greatness. And, the greatest service to him is to serve his creation by his pleasure. Jesus has ministered, and he expects the same from his disciples.

Heavenly Father, help us to understand our position before you. You are not looking for our greatness, but our loyalty. So many are consumed with thier own power, but forget it is nothing to you. They fail to realize that you are all that matters. Service to you is the only greatness possible. Thank you for your love for us! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:43
The great ones are ministers. Jesus changes the whole idea of leadership and greatness. The great will serve the lesser. Does this mean the leaders are just meant to cater to every whim of others? What exactly is in view here?
2 Corinthians 4:5 gives us a clear answer on this. The great are to serve for Jesus’ sake. Basically, service to others is service to Christ. In some cases this may apply to more mundane service, whereas in others it speaks of a more generic attitude of service. For instance, Christians will serve family members, close friends, those in their ministry area, etc on a very basic level. This means doing things as ordinary as assisting with chores. For others, who are part of the broader group one is associated with, would be served on a more general level. This means things like teaching, encouraging, teaming in prayer, working together in ministry, etc.

Heavenly Father, thank you for those we stand shoulder to shoulder with as we serve your will. When we learn to serve others for the sake of Christ, it makes us much better. You always help us to be a blessing to others. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:42
This is how it goes for most of the world. Now, in many cases, leaders will claim to be servants. But, without serving Christ, this is just an act for the benefit of constituents.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us a better example in Christ. Your leading is so helpful because you don’t leave gaps. You spell it all out for us. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:41
The ten heard it. Really? Who told them? Well, we don’t know, but the following verses would indicate that Jesus spilled the beans. Or, at least, he led the ten to find out from James and John.
Now, their consternation is understandable, from a human point of view. But it was no more excusable than the event itself. It revealed that the other disciples had similar dreams of glory for themselves.

Heavenly Father, make us masters of humility! Only then will we understand Jesus. He is the One to look to and emulate. He is the One to follow. He is the One to love. All praise to him! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:40
Jesus did not mean to say that he had no business discussing this, or that he had no part in the matter. But, within the Trinity there is some difference of roles. It would be wrong to say that God the Father came to earth to die for sinners. Yet, the Father is in no way less involved or interested in this process.
In the same way, Jesus would not give these positions to those that the Father had not intended. This does not in any way minimize Jesus’ part or interest in the rewarding of the faithful. It just means that was not in the plan.

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much! You have given to us what you would have us to enjoy. We will not, even in eternity, find cause to complain or be dissatisfied. Your blessings are always just what we need. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:39
Now we could easily say that James and John had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. But, I would advise against that. These men definitely had an inkling of what this would mean given they had at this point spent some years following the Lord. They understood some of the sacrifice that this would entail.
However, I think it’s safe to say that they did not understand completely all that would be involved. This will always be the case, though. We will never know all of the details going into our future with Christ. Thus, we will have to, just as James and John, move forward by faith, and not by sight.

Heavenly Father, give us boldness. We need to rely on you. We must be willing to take risks, knowing that with you it’s not really a risk. We need to boldly follow where you lead. Thank you for challenging us to do more. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:38
We generally don’t know exactly what we are asking for. We have trouble knowing what we want. This is because we don’t know everything. James and John knew that they wanted to throw in with Christ all the way. But at this time they were only thinking of the glory that might deserve, and not the sacrifice.
Jesus, on the other hand, does not have this problem. He knows what he wants. And he knows what we need, and what we really would want if we knew to want it. He asked this question here to help James and John understand what they really should be thinking.

Heavenly Father, thank you for always working for our good. You are so kind to us. You love us genuinely. Thank you! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.

Mark 10:37
Don’t miss what they were asking for here. To sit on either hand of the Lord would mean quite a bit. This would be the places of honor reserved only for those who would have the position to go with it. It would make them close to the Lord in glory. It is a big request, to say the least!

Heavenly Father, thank you for being so wonderful. You deserve all of the glory. Help us not to forget that as we seek to promote ourselves. You are the Almighty Creator, and we are just your creations. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise you, Amen.