Be Inspired by Jesus’ Example To Do Whatever It Takes

There are main events in our lives that take lots of our attention.  Among the top events are getting a job, moving into your house, and getting married.  You put tons of energy into these events to make them successful.  For those of you looking forward to getting married, and for those of us who are married, you know the effort it takes.  The furniture has been arranged into the new home, wedding gifts are opened and used, or unwrapped and returned to the department store for something else. And now after about a month the newlyweds are all set. So, she looks at him with those big, beautiful eyes and says, “Honey, do you love me enough to go to the mall with me this Sunday afternoon instead of watching the football game?”  He pauses, thinks and asks in return: “Do you love me enough to crawl under the car with me next time I change the oil?”  And you know what?  It wouldn’t surprise me in their vibrant, new, Christian love to answer, “Yes” to each other.  That’s what love does.  It does whatever it takes. It says, “Yes, I will step out of my comfort zone, out of what I WANT, and I will put your needs before my own…..because I love you.  Love is not content with going halfway, half committed, or halfhearted, or even seeking negotiation.  Love does whatever it takes to put the people they love before themselves.

Today you heard the Apostle Paul say, “I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” While this could be applied to marriage, in context St. Paul was not talking about marriage, but about doing whatever it takes to love someone. He was talking about the Christian love that reaches out to others who do not have the joy and peace of forgiveness and the promise of heaven on their hearts like we do. He was talking about loving others enough to bring Jesus to them. This begs the question to each of us.  Are we willing to leave our comfort zone, to leave our own preferences and traditions on the back burner in order to lead someone to Christ? Oh, the challenge before us today as a congregation and as God’s children.  And I would look at each of you and proclaim, “I do believe that each of you does love somebody so much that you do want them to have Jesus in their lives.”  Therefore, may the Holy Spirit inspire us all through the Word of God before us today to selfless sacrifices and

Be Inspired By Jesus’ Example To Do Whatever It Takes!

Not with Selfish Lives

I’m sure all of us have had a person we looked up to or wanted to follow. How many students have enjoyed a special person sitting in their classroom as a role model to inspire them.  Others have been inspired by movie stars. Young football players in Texas might pick Dak Prescot, or hockey lovers might pick Mike Modano, or a baseball player like Pudge Rodriguez and Nolan Ryan. However, over time the shining role models of yesterday have come and gone.  Some have even had their reputations tarnished such as Pete Rose.  

We have learned from Scripture some excellent role models with solid Christian character: Abraham, Moses, Joseph of the Old Testament and Joseph of the New Testament, along with Peter, Matthew, Mary, Lydia—to name a few. Today John Mark in his gospel places before us the best role model of all others—Jesus. Peter wrote to Christians and reminded them follow Jesus’ example. Now remember, these Christians were living during a time of great persecution.  They had their property and businesses destroyed, and were even removed from their homes because they followed Jesus.  Yet, Peter wrote to them,

“But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps”

1 Peter 2:20-21

Jesus suffered the most at the hands of sinful people, yet he remained humble.  So, we are encouraged to remain humble remembering Christ’s suffering for us.  As faithful follows of Jesus we ought to expect suffering in our lives because of the sinful world.  Knowing this we also know how much we need help!

When you are in need of help, recall a wonderful promise that our Savior made to his disciples and to us!

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”

John 15:7

Perhaps James and John were recalling this promise from Jesus when they came with their request! “³⁵ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him and said, “Teacher, we wish that you would do for us whatever we ask.”  Perhaps you have done the same thing, praying for a special request or blessing because you know God has invited you to do so.  And we hear our gracious Lord’s reply, “³⁶ He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” Our Lord is always willing to hear the prayers of his people and answer our prayers according to his will, and for what is best for us.

So what about the request of James and John? We notice their request is not based on God’s Word resting on their hearts, but another motive:

“³⁷ They said to him, “Promise that we may sit, one at your right and one at your left, in your glory.”

Far from humility and seeking to bring glory to God, their request is coated with selfishness.  Remember these are Jesus’ disciples.  They have already heard about Jesus’ kingdom and about a future place being prepared for them.  But, they wanted more than that. They wanted positions of honor and glory. Jesus’ reply would cause them to pause and think about what they had asked, “³⁸ But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.” You see, the disciples did not yet realize all that still had to happen. There would be incredibly difficult days ahead as Jesus walked the path of suffering to the cross for our salvation.

Jesus still had to suffer and die on the cross. After his ascension the disciples would receive the command to go and proclaim the gospel. They would preach, but they would face persecution.  So Jesus answers them,

“Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am going to be baptized with?” 

We understand what Jesus was talking about. Jesus prayed in Gethsemane so earnestly that the sweat falls from his face as great drops of blood, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). This cup of suffering—receiving the eternal wrath of God and experiencing hell on the cross—is what Jesus is talking about. Would they be willing to drink such a cup? Would they be willing to experience a baptism of death? Jesus wanted them to think long and hard. If they were going to humbly follow Jesus’ example and Do Whatever It Takes, they would abandon their Selfish Lives and drink the cup of suffering and endure the baptism of death.  James and John gave their answer: “³⁹ We can,” they replied.”

And Jesus, knowing all things, agrees with their answer.

“Jesus told them, “You will drink the cup that I am going to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am going to be baptized with. ⁴⁰ But to sit at my right or at my left is not for me to give; rather, these places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

The Book of Acts (12:2,3) tells about James being put to death by Herod. John spent the end of his life on the island of Patmos separated from the church. Both drank the cup of suffering and were baptized into Jesus’ death even though they originally wanted glory in their selfish living.  Praise be to God!  They did Abandon Their Selfish Lives Inspired By Jesus’ Example To Do Whatever It Takes to share Jesus’ love and salvation with others.

Appl: Are we any less selfish than James and John?  How often don’t we fall into the philosophy of this world to watch out for ourselves, take care of ourselves, and step on whoever gets in our way? Are we following Jesus’ example of humility when we justify ourselves, accuse others of unjust judging and think we’re above everyone else?  So, St Paul gives this warning,

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you”

Romans 12:3 

Instead of thinking how important we are in this world, how people ought to treat us with respect, or how we ought to be on Jesus’ right or left, let us remember that if it weren’t for the grace of God we would be lost and condemned creatures.  While we can strive To Do Whatever It Takes  Jesus is our substitute who did humble himself perfectly in our place.  It is Jesus’ humble actions for us that forgive us and strengthen us to Abandon our Selfish Lives and Do Whatever It Takes from thankful hearts to make Selfless Sacrifices for others.  Someone (Pastor Joel a few weeks ago) recently said, “The reason Paul called himself the ‘worst of sinners’ is because I wasn’t born yet.”  Dear Christian Friends, let us empty our selfish hearts and Be Inspired By Jesus’ Example of Selfless Sacrifice to humbly follow him

With a Life of Service!

Following the example of Jesus’ humility I think we would call the request of James and John a bad request, but it was a good thing that Jesus could use this as an opportunity to teachthem and us. “⁴¹ When the ten heard this, they were angry with James and John.” The other disciples were upset. I wonder why? Maybe they were upset that they hadn’t thought of it first!  Or maybe upset that James and John would have the gall to ask for such a thing.  Or maybe they remembered that James and John had a good life as fishermen, had left it all behind to follow Jesus, and now maybe they wanted some of that good life back again. It is clear that none of these men had hearts and lives of service.

“⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.”

The disciples understood this chain of command.  The local soldier listened to his centurion, the centurion listened to the governor, and the governor listen to Caesar.  They understood the authority and how the Gentiles (Romans) used it. But, then Jesus says,

“ ⁴³ But that is not the way it is to be among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave of all.”

Jesus calls them to be different.  And now James and John probably regretted their request for the great ones would be the servants, no, the slaves of all! How their heads must have spun, for how can a slave ever hope to be first?  Jesus explains,

“ 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.”

The answer to a life of service hinged on the word, “ransom.”  You know ransom means to “buy back.” The disciples didn’t know the full implications of this word, but they would very soon. They would see Jesus hanging on the cross and his life offered for theirs as payment for the curse of all their sins. They were going to hear Jesus say, “It is finished!”  The Holy Spirit would lead them to an understanding and a faith in Jesus’ life of a ransom for theirs!  Jesus was the greatest of Selfless Sacrifice as he humbled himself to be the slave for all the people of the world, and in doing so he became our great and glorious Savior!

Appl: Because Jesus offered his life of service for us, we are forgiven! Most all of us here have grown up believing that Jesus Christ is our ransom and that has changed our lives. At our baptism our sins were washed away and God changed our lives from serving Satan to serving the Lord!  No longer will we spend an eternity in hell, but we are heirs of heaven!  Yes, we have been given places of honor and glory in heaven, even being called kings by the Lord himself!  Realizing who we were, realizing what we once deserved and how Jesus offered his Life of Service to save us,  changes us.  St. John learned his lesson well. In his Revelation he said they,

“…fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power”

Revelation 4:10-11

Jesus’ example of humble service inspires us with hearts full of thanks. We are motivated by the greatest role model we could ever have.  He will never fail us. He will always love us.  He will take us to heaven some day! St. Paul is talking to Titus about such Christians when he wrote,

“[Jesus] gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good”

Titus 2:14

Let St. Paul’s words be speaking about us!  Eager to do what is good, anxious to live our lives in humble service to others, not for personal gain, but to the glory of God and eternal benefit of Jesus’ people.

We all know that major events happen in our lives.  Marriage is one of those events.  After the honeymoon is over, it takes work to keep love alive.  If you aren’t married yet, look for a vibrant, Christian spouse.  If you’ve been married a long time, you might like to refresh for yourself what it means to be a vibrant, Christian spouse that will Do Whatever It Takes to share your love.   May all of us be eager, vibrant, Self Sacrificing Christians for our neighbor, willing to do whatever it takes, to step away from our selfish Lives, and live with a humble attitude to share Jesus’ love with our friends, relatives, acquaintance and neighbors.  Amen!