A Request Jesus Couldnt Grant

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A Request Jesus Couldnt Grant

• Introduction
• In our prayers we sometimes request something of
  God which He cannot grant to us.
• a. Not necessarily because it is beyond His
  power to do so, but
• b. Because it is not according to the will of
  God, 1 John 514 Now this is the
  confidence that we have in Him, that if we
  ask anything according to His will, He
  hears us.

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2. We might ask God to save an individual without
his believing in Jesus, but such would not be in
harmony with the revealed will of God, John
824 Therefore I said to you that you will
die in your sins for if you do not believe that
I am He, you will die in your sins.

• 3. Two of Jesus disciples, James and John, once
  made a request of Jesus which He could not
  grant to them.
• a. What they wanted was not according to the
  will of God.

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b. It was Gods will that what they wanted for
themselves was reserved for someone else.

• 4. Mark 1035-40 Then James and John, the sons
  of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, Teacher, we
  want You to do for us whatever we ask. And He
  said to them, What do you want Me to do for
  you? They said to Him, Grant us that we may
  sit, one on Your right hand and the other on
  Your left, in Your glory. But Jesus said to
  them, You do not know what you ask. Are you
  able to drink the cup that I drink, and be
  baptized with the baptism that I am baptized
  with? They said

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To Him, We are able. So Jesus said to
them, You will indeed drink the cup that I
drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with
you will be baptized but to sit on My right
hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it
is for those for whom it is prepared.

• a. James and John were asking for a privilege
  which would favor them over the other dis-
  ciples.
• b. As a result, the other disciples, hearing of
  the request, were greatly displeased with
  them.

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c. Jesus had just mentioned to them that when
they were to arrive in Jerusalem He would be
betrayed, condemned to die, delivered up to
the Romans for that purpose, mocked,
scourged, spat upon and then killed.

• d. But He added that on the third day He would
  be raised from the dead.
• e. James and John were, no doubt, expecting
  that, in His resurrection, He would finally
  come into His kingdom.
• (1) They were expecting, however, a ma-
  terial, physical kingdom.

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(2) And that, in such a kingdom, Jesus
would lead the Jews in a revolt against
the Romans, drive them out of Pales- tine,
and restore the sovereignty of the Jewish
state.

• (3) And, at such a glorious moment, when
  Jesus would be seated on Davids throne
  in Jerusalem, they wanted to bask in His
  glory by being seated, one on the right
  and the other on the left hand of Jesus.
• (4) Note the phrase, in Your glory.

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f. James and John were badly mistaken about
the nature of Jesus kingdom and about His
glory.

• What Was Jesus Talking About?
• When was Jesus glorified?
• Several answers might be given
• a. At His birth, Luke 214
• b. At His baptism, Luke 222
• c. At His transfiguration, Matt. 171,2
• d. At His ascension into heaven, Acts 19-11 --

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3. But, especially, when He died on the cross.

• a. John 1216,23 His disciples did not
  under- stand these things at first but when
  Jesus was glorified, then they remembered
  that these things were written about
  Him and that they had done these things to
  Him But
• Jesus answered them, saying, The hour has
  come that the Son of Man should be
  glorified.
• b. John 1331 So, when he had gone out,
  Jesus said, Now the Son of Man is glorified,
  and God is glorified in Him.

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c. Heb. 29 But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels, for the
suffering of death crowned with glory and
honor, that He, by he grace of God, might
taste of death for everyone.

• 4. Now, notice Jesus answer to the request of
  James and John You do not know what you ask.
  Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and
  be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized
  with? (Mark 1038)
• a. What was Jesus talking about?

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b. His reference was to his death on the cross
in which He would be immersed (baptized) in
terrible pain and suffering.

• c. They did not realize they were asking to be
  crucified with Jesus at His right and left
  hand.
• d. Jesus could not grant them that privilege
  in His glory (death), but promised them that
  they ultimately would also be immersed in
  such suffering.
• e. Jesus could not grant to them this
  privilege because it was reserved for
  someone else.

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f. Notice the words of Jesus but to sit on My
right hand and on My left is not Mine to
give, but it is for those for whom it is
prepared (Mark 1040).

• 5. Now, notice what Mark tells us in Mark 1527
  With Him they also crucified two robbers, one
  on His right and the other on His left.
• a. In His death Jesus was glorified, and two
  thieves were crucified with Him, one on His
  right hand and one on His left.
• b. The two thieves were those for whom it has
  been prepared (Mark 1040).

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c. Had James and John known what being on
the left and right hand of Jesus in His glory,
they would not have asked for it!

• 6. Now, lets notice what Jesus said You know
  that those who are considered rulers over the
  Gen- tiles lord it over them, and their great
  ones exer- cise authority over them. Yet it shall
  not be so among you but whoever desires to
  become great among you shall be your servant.
  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be
  slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not
  come to be served, but to serve, and to give His
  life a ransom for many (Mark 1042-45).

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a. This was a rebuke to James and John for
wanting to obtain glory in the wrong way.

• b. They wanted the kind of glory that civil
  rulers in high places have.
• c. Real glory, however, is not received by being
  in positions of honor or power.
• d. But it is received as the consequence of a
  life of service and sacrifice.
• (1) Jesus did not come to be served.
• (2) But He came to serve and to offer His
  life as a sacrifice for many.

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7. If we wish to have real glory with Jesus it
will have to be on the basis of our service and
sacrifice.

• a. Notice what Jesus said in Mark 834-36
  Whoever desires to come after Me, let him
  deny himself, and take up his cross, and
  follow Me. For whoever desires to save his
  life lose it, but whoever loses his life for My
  sake and the gospels will save it. For what
  will it profit a man if he gains the whole
  world, and loses his own soul?
• b. Saving life now is achieving glory by power
  and position.

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c. Losing life is for a person to devote his
life to service and sacrifice, so that he
will have glory with Jesus in heaven.

• d. A person who chooses to have his glory now
  by power and position will lose everything in
  the end its a poor bargain!

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8. A life of service and sacrifice, which is what
disci- pleship is all about, is described in
three ways

• a. Self-denial, Gal. 220 I have been
  crucified with Christ it is no longer I who
  live, but Christ lives in me and the life
  which I now live in the flesh I live by
  faith in the Son of God who loved me and
  gave Himself for me.
• b. Cross-bearing (the willingness to endure the
  problems and difficulties in life that come
  upon us because we have chosen to follow
  Jesus).
• (1) It is a cross we are to take up.

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(2) It is also a cross we can put down by
ending our service to Jesus.

• c. Following the Leader, John 1226 If anyone
  serves Me, let him follow Me and where I
  am, there My servant will be also.
• 9. Jesus called on James and John to follow Him
  all the way to the cross.
• a. In his efforts to harass the church, King
  Herod put James to death, Acts 121,2.
• b. John was exiled to the island of Patmos for
  the word of God and the testimony of Jesus,
  Rev. 19.

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10. We, too, are called on to follow Jesus in a
life of service and sacrifice in order that we
may participate in His glory in heaven.

• a. Have you followed Jesus in your obedience to
  the gospel? He wants you to
• (1) Believe in Him as the Son of God
• (2) Repent of all your sins
• (3) Confess Him before men
• (4) Be baptized for the remission your sins.
• b. Are you following Jesus in a life of service
  and sacrifice?