Christ in all, all for Christ.

Today, Jesus picks up where He left off with these Jewish leaders, and as we’ll see, He instigates the indignation needed for these leaders to take action against Him.This action will, in several days, result in His suffering and death and ultimately His resurrection, which we celebrate today.Before we get started, let’s remember that Jesus came in the full authority of God the Father, and He exercised His authority by going to the cross for sinners like us.But as we can see through the last several chapters, pride in the heart of man rejects this authority.And this pride becomes the very path to hypocrisy and lack of fruit, as we have seen from the Jewish leaders.The path to bear fruit, however, is full surrender, attachment, and dependence on the life of the tree, which is Christ.And as we will see today, the people of God are called to bear fruit and render it to God.Are you bearing fruit?One day, He will return to gather the harvest.And the only way we can bear fruit for His Kingdom ahead of His return is by fully surrendering to the authority He rightfully has.Mark’s aim this morning to His audience is to show that Christ came in full authority to suffer and die for the sake of His rightful fruit, which are those whom He has called unto Himself.And while the Jewish leaders thought they were removing authority from Him by getting rid of Him, He was actually stepping into His rightful place of authority through this very process.

This morning, our message highlights a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry—a significant shift as He enters Jerusalem. Until now, Jesus has kept His messianic identity private, focusing on teaching and healing without seeking fame. Even when Peter proclaimed Him as the Christ, Jesus instructed them not to share this revelation.Throughout His ministry, He avoided provoking the Jewish leaders while His popularity grew. We have followed His journey to Jerusalem, noted His teachings on humility and sacrificing for the Kingdom, as well as His acknowledgment of impending suffering.Now, as Jesus enters Jerusalem, He takes deliberate action to reveal His identity as the Messiah. This marks the beginning of the most important week in human history.[MAIN POINT]Today, we will witness Jesus as the initiator of prophecy, affirming His role as the Messiah. We’ll consider His royal entry into Jerusalem, the crowd’s superficial enthusiasm, and the hope we find in a Savior willing to die for us. On a Monday, Jesus received a king's welcome as He entered Jerusalem to shouts of praise, but by that Friday, He would be laid in a grave—His death cheered by those who had, just days earlier, welcomed Him with joy and called Him “Blessed.” Please stand as we read together: Mark 11:1-11.

Today, as we delve into the text, it’s clear that the disciples are still struggling to see. As Kevin likes to say, “bless their hearts”—but let’s remember to bless ours as well. Months ago, we explored the miracle of the blind man whose sight was restored in stages. This man was healed, but not instantly. Jesus first touched his eyes, and while his vision improved, he could only see blurry trees. After Jesus touched his eyes again, the man was able to see clearly.Since we know that Jesus does not make mistakes in performing miracles, Mark uses this instance as a representation of our spiritual journey toward transformation. Following this, Mark presents a series of prophecies from Christ to His disciples regarding His coming death and resurrection. Each prophecy faced some form of resistance and was corrected through Jesus's patient teaching. Mark then concludes this section with today’s miracle, which perfectly encapsulates what faith and dependence look like. It serves as a model for how we should approach and follow Christ. Given that Mark is often referred to as the Gospel of Discipleship, it’s no surprise that he uses the structure of his writing to demonstrate that Christ is worth following, even as our pride and self-focus often inhibit us from fully committing to Him. The title of today’s sermon is “Can You See?” This question underlies all of the conversations Jesus has been having with His disciples during this section. Can you see yet? Can you grasp what I am trying to show you? Jesus has been striving to help the disciples understand that spiritual blindness and sin are intertwined, and one must possess humble faith in Christ to truly see and be liberated from sin. The central message Mark aims to convey in our text this morning is the same one Jesus was trying to impart to His disciples: to be free from blindness and to follow Christ requires coming to the end of oneself and putting faith in Him. Friends, Jesus Christ is worth following!

Over the past few weeks and months, we’ve observed how Mark uses this middle section of the gospel—while the disciples are on the road to the cross—to highlight Jesus’ teachings about the upside-down kingdom. Jesus is guiding both His disciples and us from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight. He demonstrates what it means to “deny oneself” and “take up one’s cross and follow Him.” He explains that the first shall be last and the last shall be first, emphasizing that it is better to serve than to be served.Bless their hearts, the disciples just aren’t grasping these concepts. In Mark 8:31, when Jesus first informs them about His impending death and resurrection (very plainly, by the way), Peter rebukes Him. Then, in Mark 9:32, after Jesus speaks about His death and resurrection for a second time, the disciples still do not understand and are afraid to ask questions. Instead, they immediately start arguing among themselves about who is the greatest.This morning, as we examine the disciples’ response to Jesus’ third prophecy about His death and resurrection, we see that they remain uninterested and focused on other things. We shouldn’t be too hard on the disciples, as Jesus’ teachings are revolutionary. He stands in stark contrast to the Jewish understanding of the kingdom and offers teachings that reflect the opposite of worldly wisdom. In the world, one is often expected to self-promote and step on others to “get ahead” or achieve success—even when pursuing what is considered “good.”As we unpack the text this morning, I pray that we are encouraged to align our hearts with God’s will:That we seek to serve instead of being served;That we put to death the sin in our lives so that we may walk by the Spirit;That we focus on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, instead of our own exaltation or reward

The Gospel of Mark is filled with action and moves at a fast pace. Mark intentionally guides the audience alongside Jesus and the disciples as they travel from place to place, engage in conversations, witness healings, and discover profound truths.Jesus is constantly on the move—doing, speaking, teaching, healing, and leading! The disciples, in turn, react, question, and learn, though they always follow His lead.There’s a palpable energy in the Gospel of Mark. As we progress through the text, the tension increases, raising the stakes as we approach the climactic event of the cross—the pivotal moment upon which all eternity hinges.Adam and Eve were promised this moment. The patriarchs anticipated it, and the prophets foretold it. Now, we find ourselves on the brink of redemption, with the kingdom of God at hand.You can truly feel this urgency as you read the text.Today's sermon is titled "The Leadership of the Suffering Servant." While we will also explore the reactions to Jesus and learn how to apply these lessons to our lives, our main focus will be on Jesus as our leader, our teacher, and the author and perfecter of our faith!

As we turn to today's passage, it’s important to note the two significant interactions Jesus had just before. In the first interaction, while teaching the crowd, parents were bringing their children to Him for blessings. The disciples, however, tried to send them away. Jesus rebuked the disciples, teaching them that children exemplify the subjects of His Kingdom. Children are inherently dependent and full of trust, believing that those who care for them will provide for their every need.This message set the stage for the second interaction. A rich ruler approached Jesus as He was about to leave. This man, a Jew striving for holiness and righteousness before God, revealed that his self-reliance and self-righteousness had led to the accumulation of great possessions that ultimately captured his heart, taking the place of God. Despite showing humility by running to and kneeling before Jesus in search of eternal life, he could not let go of the kingdom he had built for himself to enter the Kingdom that Jesus was offering. The prospect of relinquishing what he had acquired was too overwhelming, and he went away disheartened. To enter the Kingdom of God, one must submit to the authority of Christ, demonstrating a child-like dependence and reliance on Him rather than on oneself. This morning, Mark encourages us to recognize that receiving and functioning within the Kingdom of God is only possible through God’s grace. And, receiving entry to this Kingdom brings significant implications for those who choose to enter.

The disciples have been following Jesus for over two years now. They have left everything behind to follow Him, completely trusting that He is the Messiah. However, their understanding of the Messiah is one of a Roman conqueror, rather than a sacrificial lamb. They believed that following this Roman-conqueror Messiah would grant them a favorable position in the Kingdom, where status, power, and authority would be within their grasp.If we take a step back, we can see that the disciples share much in common with the man we will focus on in this morning’s text. They are zealous for what is right, eager to do good, and want to be part of the Kingdom they think Jesus has come to establish. However, there is something deeply rooted in their hearts that needs to be addressed.Jesus has been working to help them understand that, like the Rich Ruler in this morning’s text, they too have an obstacle in truly seeing what it means to follow Him. Following Jesus requires a full surrender to the authority He has demonstrated as the Son of God and the King of the Kingdom. It means being humbly dependent and fully reliant on Him, much like a child, as we learned last week. It also entails laying down the things that we cling to so tightly. For the disciples, this was their desire for titles and positions; for the man we will discuss this morning, it was his earthly possessions.We can find the foundation for the standard that Jesus set in Mark 8:34-38, where He states that anyone who wishes to follow Him must be willing to take up their cross, surrender everything, and follow in His footsteps. We must remember that Jesus used these situations to teach His disciples and the people about what it means to follow Him.The author of the Gospel, regardless of who it may be, arranged these events in a specific order to help the reader understand what it means for them to follow Jesus as well. Through these teachings, Jesus has been demonstrating how difficult this is for both the disciples and the Rich Ruler. To follow Christ means that nothing else can take precedence over Him; if anything else is in focus, it can become a form of idol worship.This is the upside-down kingdom of God.

The first eight chapters of Mark establish Christ’s authority, while the last eight chapters illustrate how that authority is challenged as He endures suffering all the way to the cross. So, what serves as the bridge between these two sections? How does one recognize Christ’s authority and then suddenly prepare to follow Him on a path that leads directly to suffering? This is where we find ourselves in the text this morning. The bridge, which we have been examining, is complete and utter dependence on Christ, who is the only one capable of faithfully enduring suffering to save us. Let us never forget how dependent we must be on Christ. He is both our Savior and Sustainer. In these passages, Mark shows us that complete humility is the only way to follow the suffering Son and to receive His saving grace. In a few weeks, we will explore the story of blind Bartimaeus, who perfectly exemplifies what full surrender looks like from a position of complete humility and dependence. We will witness how he turns around and follows Christ. Today, we will begin to unpack the upside-down Kingdom of God, better understanding both the posture of entry into the Kingdom and the community of the Kingdom.We will find encouragement in knowing that Christ is both the saving grace needed for entry and the sustaining power of the community once we have entered.

Last week, we heard a strong warning from Jesus about avoiding sin and not misleading others. We concluded with a charge to be like salt, which was essential in the days before refrigeration for preserving food. However, the warning is that when salt loses its saltiness—meaning it becomes tainted or contaminated by the introduction of other minerals or chemicals—it is no longer useful. Salt that has lost its saltiness is tossed out and trampled on.Another command from Jesus that we heard was to "be at peace with one another." This was both a charge and a challenge, not only to the prideful, self-seeking disciples who were arguing about who among them was the greatest, but also a reminder and a command for us: we must not allow pride or self-serving motives to hinder the work of the gospel.After leaving Capernaum, where we concluded that part of His ministry, Jesus and the disciples traveled toward Judea for about six months. This interval is not detailed in Mark but is included in the accounts of both Luke and John.Once again, while teaching, Jesus was confronted and challenged by the Pharisees, who sought to discredit Him because He threatened their authority and power. What we will see is the natural human desire to retain control and resist submitting all things to God. Furthermore, we will observe that disobedience—specifically regarding divorce—is a symptom of humanity's fallen nature. This disobedience stems from a desire to exert control and is deeply rooted in our own ego and self-exaltation. Divorce occurs when individuals fail to die to self.

This week, we are continuing our walk with Jesus through the book of Mark. I have been meditating on this text for several weeks, and to be honest, it has been a uniquely humbling experience. If you will bear with me for just a moment, I would like to zoom out and remind us all about the scope and purpose of Mark’s Gospel.In Chapter 1, verse 1, Mark states, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” From this, we understand that the purpose of Mark’s Gospel is to share the good news of Jesus, the Messiah and the Son of God.This statement carries significant weight. The story of Jesus is good news—indeed, the very best news. Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. He fulfills God’s covenant with Abraham, faithfully adheres to the law that Adam could not keep, and justifies His people before a holy and righteous God.Mark is writing primarily to:1. Establish who Jesus is (the Son of God and the Messiah).2. Explain why He came (to serve and redeem us from our sinful state).3. Exhort us to believe (because He is our only hope).In Chapter 1, verse 11, we hear God speaking audibly from heaven during Jesus’ baptism: “You are my beloved Son; with you, I am well pleased.” Mark then spends more than eight chapters demonstrating Jesus’ authority over all things. This authority is confirmed in Matthew 28:18-20 when Jesus gives what is known as the Great Commission: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…”The culmination of this authority is seen on the Mount of Transfiguration, where God speaks audibly again in Chapter 9, verse 7: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” God commands us to listen to the words of Jesus—even when those words may be challenging to understand.Now, let’s zoom in a bit. In the middle section of Mark, where we find ourselves this morning, Jesus is intensely discipling His disciples. This section is intriguingly bracketed by two healings of blind men: the blind man in Bethsaida, who experiences incremental healing, and blind Bartimaeus in Chapter 10.Jesus is guiding the disciples from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight. As He does so, He is also taking them “on the way” (in the Greek, “en te hodo”) to the cross. These two concepts are not mutually exclusive. Taking up our cross and following Jesus is essential for our spiritual eyes to be opened, and it is the only appropriate response for those who trust Him.As we focus a little more closely, Jesus foretells His death and resurrection for a second time in Chapter 9, verses 30-32. The disciples do not understand and are afraid to ask. Oh Saints, don’t be afraid to ask!As they journey from Caesarea Philippi to Capernaum, they arrive at “the house” (perhaps it was Peter’s house) in verse 33. The disciples are arguing about who is the greatest. Jesus begins to teach and correct them, saying, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Following Jesus is not about power, status, or reputation. We must be willing to lay down our lives as He did for us.In verse 38, John mentions another person, outside of their group, who is casting out demons and how he tried to stop him. Jesus corrects John, saying, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us.”It is within the context of these two corrections that we come to our passage this morning. It is the same conversation, so let’s keep that in mind as we read together…

To provide context, this morning, Jesus has just shared His second prophecy of His death and resurrection as the disciples were traveling back to the region of Galilee. On their way to Capernaum, the disciples began to argue over who was the greatest in the Kingdom, clearly failing to understand what kind of King Jesus is and what type of Kingdom He came to establish.Upon arriving in Capernaum, Jesus addressed their conversation, recognizing an opportunity to teach rather than rebuke them. As we learned last week, the pride in their hearts was evident, preventing them from fully perceiving Jesus as the true Messiah. He came to conquer sin, not the Romans. He came to claim an eternal Kingdom, not an earthly one. He came to die sacrificially, not to overthrow someone on a throne.The pride that was rooted in the disciples' hearts was manifested in two key ways last week, prompting Jesus to teach them about humility. His teaching revealed the paradox of His Kingdom, where the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Humility is the direct response to pride because it shifts our focus away from ourselves. Numerous scriptures call us to humble ourselves before the Lord, and in doing so, He shapes and exalts us. Matthew 23:12 states, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” To humble oneself is an active process; it’s not about passively waiting to be humbled but about intentionally pursuing humility and eliminating pride from our lives. When we are out of focus, God becomes the center, allowing His refining work in us to begin. Our hearts become more open to receiving what He is trying to teach us.This morning’s text continues the conversation Jesus was having with the disciples that we studied last week. Pride reveals itself in many forms, and this transition from blindness to sight takes various shapes for the disciples—and for us—to understand how deeply we need to be humbled.Often, we associate pride solely with arrogance or a boastful attitude, leading us to think, “I’m not arrogant or boastful, so I don’t struggle with pride.” However, what Jesus has been striving to make the disciples understand through these teaching moments is that the symptoms of pride are all related to a common root issue.It’s clear that pride manifests differently in everyone. One can exhibit passive pride, while another might express it through anger. Some may argue, reflecting their pride, whereas others may elevate their understanding of truth above that of others. Additionally, as we will uncover today, creating distinctions or exclusivity within the true body of Christ among believers can also stem from pride.

Since Mark chapter 8, we have been exploring the second section of the Gospel of Mark, which is framed by two miracles where blindness is healed. The first miracle features a blind man who is healed in phases, symbolizing the gradual journey from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight.Mark illustrates that this journey takes time, influenced by our own pride, which hinders us from recognizing who Christ truly is, as well as the Lord's gracious patience in revealing Himself to us. Leading up to today’s passage, Peter has been open with us, exposing his prideful heart and demonstrating how Christ calls us to lay down our pride in order to see Him clearly.Mark’s account emphasizes that Jesus is the Son of God, and recognizing this truth demands a response. The response Jesus seeks from us, as we will see today, is humility. Yet, we often fall short in our response. We tend to place ourselves in the center of focus and must humbly step aside so that Christ can be the primary focus.As the Psalmist says in Psalm 25:9: "He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble His way." By removing ourselves from the spotlight and adopting a humble posture towards the Lord, we allow Him to take the focus, and in doing so, He teaches and leads us in His way.In this journey from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight in the middle of Mark, there are three distinct sections. Each section includes Jesus predicting His death and resurrection, followed by teachings that address the revelations occurring in the hearts of the disciples. Jesus declares that He is the Son of God who has come to die, and in all three instances, the disciples expose the sin in their hearts that obstructs their understanding of what Jesus is trying to convey. In each case, this sin causes them to focus on themselves rather than on Christ.In His patience, Jesus continues to teach them lessons that directly address the sinful attitudes they reveal.

Have you ever felt exasperated?Have you ever had something explained to you multiple times and you just don’t get it?Throughout our study of Mark, we have seen Jesus performing miracles: numerous healings, driving out demons, calming storms, walking on water in the midst of a storm, feeding thousands of people on two different occasions and the disciples were there for all of it.The paradigm shift that the disciples were witnessing was totally different from what they were expecting. They thought a military warrior would come and overthrow the Roman government and place the Israelites in earthly power.But when Jesus came the first time, he didn’t come with a sword. Jesus told them again and again that He must die. He showed them again and again that He came to serve, not to have servants or take a mighty throne (yet).And again and again we read that the life-altering, no eternity-altering, impact of Christ’s coming still hadn’t clicked with them.Last week Jared taught on the Transfiguration.Remember that in the previous chapter, when Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter responded, “You are the Christ.”He proclaimed with his mouth the deity of the man he was following. Then in the next paragraph, Jesus plainly and clearly told the disciples of His coming death and resurrection. He wasn’t being mysterious or guarded in His speech here. Mark 8:32 plainly says that he spoke plainly. And yet Peter rebuked Him.Then on the Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples again missed the mark. When Peter and James and John were on the mountain and saw Elijah and Moses, they were terrified and speechless. Finally Peter speaks up saying it is good they are there and wanted to build three tents, effectively placing Elijah and Moses on level ground with Jesus, whom he had already proclaimed as the Christ.Then Jesus again explains to the three of them the prophecies that must be fulfilled and had already been fulfilled - again plainly revealing to them that he in fact is the Christ. And they head back down the mountain.Which brings us to this morning’s text: Mark 9:14-29.

Have you ever found yourself on the receiving end of someone trying to help you see what you cannot perceive? If you're married, you likely understand this experience well, as your spouse has probably been trying to help you see certain things for years that you still struggle to grasp. When you finally do come to understand these things, you may look back and think, "Oh, that makes sense." What causes this lack of understanding? In many cases, it is pride that blinds us. The only way to recognize our pride is to gain a change of perspective. It’s often easier to see things clearly when you are looking at them from the other side. For those attempting to help someone else see differently, this is a labor of love, often done for the other person's benefit. In the passage we’ll discuss today, Jesus is again trying to help His disciples gain clarity. Although they have declared Him to be the Messiah, they still seem confused about what that truly means. Jesus has made attempts to clarify this multiple times before, but today He will reveal something they could hardly imagine. He will give them a Glimpse of His glory to help them see from a different perspective.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer powerfully stated, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him to come and die.” This profound quote captures the essence of today's pivotal passage from Mark's Gospel, which sits at the very center of the narrative. The intentional placement of Peter's confession, his subsequent correction of Jesus concerning His suffering, and this passage reveals Mark's deliberate structure. Mark's Gospel is strategically divided into three primary sections: major sections. The first is Jesus displaying His undeniable authority. The second is Jesus revealing His purpose. The third is Jesus fulfilling His purpose, leading inevitably to the cross. Today’s passage signifies a critical transition from recognizing Christ’s true identity to fully committing to following Him on the path to the cross. Previously, we examined the story of the blind man who experienced progressive healing, illustrating our journey from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight. Initially, the disciples found it challenging to perceive Jesus for who He truly is, often hindered by their own pride. They acknowledged Him as the Christ but failed to grasp His divine mission of suffering rather than a political conquest over Rome. Today, Jesus clarifies what it means to fully surrender to the purposes of God. This teaching resonates so strongly that it is echoed in nearly identical accounts by Matthew and Luke, underscoring its significance. This truth breaks down our pride, fosters true humility, and enhances our understanding of who Christ is. Ultimately, those who are called by Christ are invited to come and die, that is the death of our pride, reflecting our total dependence on Him and our commitment to His purpose.