To Follow Jesus Is to Serve Others

In one paragraph

Monday night's study moved through Mark 10, where Jesus predicts his death a third time and then corrects his disciples' ideas about greatness. The thread running through the whole passage is a single kingdom principle: to follow Jesus is to serve others. Pastor Blake traced that principle from the road to Jerusalem all the way to the cross and back out into everyday life. The passage opens with...

Read together

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 quoted at the opening as 'always be joyful, never stop praying, be thankful in all circumstances because this is God's will for us in Christ'
2. John 16:33 referenced as Jesus telling his disciples 'in this world you'll have many trials and sorrows, but take heart because I've overcome the world'
3. Hebrews 13:8 quoted between songs as 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever'
4. Mark 10:32-45 the main passage read and taught through, covering Jesus predicting his death and teaching on servant leadership
5. Philippians 2:6-11 quoted at length describing Jesus not clinging to equality with God, humbling himself to death, and being given the name above all names
6. Galatians 5:13-14 quoted at the close as a call not to use freedom for sinful nature but to serve one another in love, summed up in loving your neighbor as yourself

Talk about it

1. Jesus knew exactly what was waiting for Him in Jerusalem and still walked toward it willingly. What does that tell you about what He thought of you, and how does it affect the way you face hard things you can see coming?
2. The pastor pointed out that right after Jesus predicted His death a third time, James and John asked for the best seats in the kingdom. When have you caught yourself thinking about your own position or comfort at a moment when you probably should have been focused on something else?
3. Jesus told the disciples that whoever wants to be first must be the servant of everyone else. Florina shared that at the checkout line there are moments when serving feels completely natural and moments when everything in him wants to say no. What makes the difference for you between those two kinds of moments?
4. The pastor said Jesus does not ask His followers to do anything He did not first do Himself, and then pointed to Philippians where it says He did not cling to His divinity but took the humble position of a slave. Is there something you are clinging to right now that is getting in the way of serving the people around you?
5. Barbara made the point that there is joy in serving, but that people often resist being served because they assume there is an ulterior motive. Have you experienced either side of that, either holding back from letting someone serve you, or having your own offer to serve met with suspicion? What would it look like for this group to make it easier for one another to give and receive that kind of help?