This recording is from Christ Kingdom Church in Waterford Lakes, East Orlando. Visit us online at ChristKingdom.org for our calendar, driving directions, and more audio recordings. How many of you do a lot of flying at airplane? Raise your hand if you fly a lot. Okay, there's a handful of you that fly a lot. Well, I was reading this article about a guy named John who was flying and he's the top executive for his company, so he's flying all the time. In fact, as he was flying, you notice on this particular flight, there was just exceptional service going on. He was totally surprised by it not because that people aren't capable of doing that, but because in all his flights, he never had gotten service quite like this. I mean, it was phenomenal. He was getting extra attention. People were extra courteous. I'm talking about the flight attendants and the flight crew. He was amazed by it. In fact, he was so struck by it. At first, you think it's maybe just a particular stewardess or flight attendant or whatever, but then when he was seeing everybody doing it and he was hearing it and the voice on the captain allowed speaker, he, after a while, could not contain himself. He called a flight attendant over and just said, look, I do a lot of flying. And I have never received the kind of attitude, positive encouragement, you know, exceptional service as I have on this particular flight. I've got to ask, what's going on? What's the secret? Well, kind of the little twinkle in her eyes. She kind of leaned over and whispered in his ear. Well, you see the lady back in B-12 sitting and he kind of looked over his shoulder and he saw a lady back there sitting just like an ordinary lady. She said, she is the top executive supervisor for all the flight attendants for our airlines. She's on our plane. And then he understood. You know, there's lots of ladies that sit on airplanes. And there's lots of ladies that probably looked, in fact, he had seen this lady and had not thought anything different about her. But those that knew her and knew who she was and do the power that she had and knew the ability that she had and the position that she had were radically changed by it. Because she was slightly totally different to them that she was of this guy. Now, I want you to think about that because that's what these two apparently unrelated stories are all about here. Mark's not made a mistake. Mark's not going through here just giving you random stories about Jesus and saying, hey, Jesus is this argument with James and John. It's kind of silly. And there was this guy by man named Bartimaeus. There's not somehow just a randomness here. These are closely connected. In fact, the Holy Spirit who's inspired Mark to write this has got a very important message for us today. In fact, Jesus has these two events happen like this in his sovereignty to explain something very different about what one level of maturity discipleship looks like versus another. So as we look at this, what's a rather long reading this morning. I want to point out here that there are the key difference here. In fact, I want to really say right off the bat here, the key difference. This is the end of the sermon. I'm going to give it to you right at the beginning. The key difference in these two stories is how they saw Jesus and therefore how they saw themselves and it meant everything. How James and John saw Jesus had a direct connection and impact on how they lived and the choices they made and their perspective on life. They were interested in sitting and where they sat. It was particularly important to them. But in the next story about a guy named Bartimaeus. In fact, it's one of the only times that it's mentioned by name the person that's healed Bartimaeus had a very different objective. He had a very different view of who Jesus was and here was a guy that didn't care so much about where he sat. He wanted to see. So my question for you to think about this morning as we look at and compare and contrast these two stories is to honestly ask yourself a question. Are you more concerned about sitting or are you more concerned about seeing? Let's look at some of the key differences here in the text. See, for James and John, it was all about securing a seat of glory. But for Bartimaeus, it was all about seeing the glory of God, Jesus himself. As you look at some contrasting elements here and you can follow along, you might jot these down in a little bullet points there and you're outlining if you'd like to follow along. The first one I want you to look at is this one, the relational context. I want you to think about James and John and how they knew and related to Jesus. I want you to think about Bartimaeus and how he related to Jesus. Let's first look at James and John. James and John, they had been successful fishermen. If you think about it before, Jesus came on the scene. They were successful fishermen. I mean, fishermen was kind of an average job back then, but they were good at it. In fact, a little bit that we get from different parts of the gospels tell us that their father's ebony was doing pretty well because he had several boats. And we know that he was doing pretty well, not just because he had several other boats, but because he had also hired men. Not just his sons working for him, which would have been common, but he had hired men. He had a thriving business. James and John were thriving where they were before they even met Jesus in this. They were then called, as we know, to be disciples of Jesus. Now this was a big time. This was a big deal. A rising rabbi. A rabbi that was beginning to show signs of miraculous powers. There were rumors that this guy might be the Messiah. Jesus goes on the mount and spends the evening in prayer and he comes back down. He picks just 12 to be his close followers. And James and John, oh yeah, they're on the list. They made the list with Jesus there. They were witnesses firsthand as some of Jesus' amazing miracles that he did. They were witnesses to his authoritative public teaching and even the private tutoring that went on. And Jesus would take his disciples around and he explained things in extra detail. They had access to that. They were part of the three elite disciples, which we already talked about this a few weeks ago. Remember when Jesus went on the mountaintop and he was transfigured, he was changed. He didn't take the 12. He took the three. Peter, James and John, they're part of that group. They're part of the group that came back down. And when the other nine couldn't cast out the demon, they were having trouble. Peter, James and John came down with Jesus. Take care of the situation. They were in that group. That was their understanding. That was a relational connection there with that. They were given special nicknames, even were told in other gospels. Simon is called Peter as one of the three in James and John called the sons of thunder. Sounds like some kind of wrestling team or something. I don't know. We don't know exactly why they were called sons of thunder. Many suspected it was because of their zealousness with it. But it was a good thing. Jesus didn't get people nicknames for bad reasons. They're called Simon Peter, rock. They're called James and John, sons of thunder. They're in a good place. They're in a good connection. They're in a good position. And they know that. And Jesus is what we were told in this text here. They're headed to Jerusalem by way of Jericho. They're going to Jerusalem though. You know what they're thinking deep down. You got to know it, right? They're thinking, oh, this is it. Jesus is going to step up and take the position that God had prepared for them all along here. This is going to be the time. And so, as you can guess, if there was going to be a time to talk privately to Jesus about the future, their status. Their seats. That was a time. Ironically, though they saw Jesus every day, they didn't really see who he was. They were concerned about where they were going to sit. Now, contrast that with a guy named Bartimaus. And you got to put yourself in his shoes or you just look at it and read the text and you go, okay, he's a blind guy. But it's a big deal. Well, there's a lot of big deal if you put yourself more into his shoes. You know, a blind person, especially at this time and day, even a day for us, it's very difficult. Nobody would hear or think that anybody who's blind has a light handicap. We would say that's a severe handicap. That changes everything. Well, you can't imagine what it was like 2,000 years ago before there was Braille. Before they were seeing eye dogs, before they were even walking canes like we have them today. And before people even cared like they did today, 2,000 years ago is a different world. He's at the bottom of the social food chain. He's defined by his handicap. Oh, there's Bartimaus. Oh, there's the blind guy. He's an outcast. See, when you're blind in that day, you can't work. You can't contribute to society. In fact, you're kind of a burden on society. People got to take care of you. People got to walk by and go, oh gosh. All right, this guy's begging once again for alms. It's kind of a nuisance. A guy like Bartimaus. He's alone. His only means of providing for himself. The only thing he can do is beg. You know, if a man's employment like today has anything to do with our identity and how we feel as men and our self-esteem. Can you imagine how guy like Bartimaus felt? Was there even any self-esteem left after he'd been living with blindness, after he'd been treated this way so long day in and day out as if he was left to a lifestyle of a begging. Bartimaus has little, if anything, of self-worth. Even what he is doing, we're told in the story. Even when he's begging, even when he's doing what he does best, the only thing he can do, he's told, shhh. Bartimaus, you're making a scene. Shut up. People around him are trying to hush him away. The one thing he can do in the midst of this story. He's not James and John, is he? There's no doubt we have that he had probably heard about Jesus. The news about Jesus had been spreading anyway. Just a few miracles already started the process, but Jesus was doing miracle after miracle. He was making strange teachings for people. He was speaking with authority and boldness and people, the word was spreading. But to people who all they can really do is here. Can you imagine, for him to hear the news of this guy that heals the leper, this guy that heals the death, this guy who has fed the 5,000, this guy who cast out demons, this guy who has raised the dead. Oh, he heard. You know he had to hear. And you know he had to be strategic that day to put himself on the side, the main road leaving, going to and fro from Jericho. Because there was one chance to meet Jesus in the big city of Jericho. It would be difficult. But on the road, he knew he had to catch him coming or going. He was going to catch him. That's where Bartimaeus is. You see ironically, even though he has never seen Jesus yet, he has a better understanding of who Jesus is than even Jesus' own disciples. See, for Bartimaeus, it's really about seeing so that he can follow Jesus. So my question for you this morning is, what's it about for you? Another thing to contrast is they approach to Jesus. James and John and Bartimaeus have very different approaches to Jesus. James and John were told in the story, or we know from the context, so they have easy access. Shoot. They're with Jesus. They're walking with them. They're living with the guy. They're eating with them where he lays his head. They're laying their head where he's going and doing things they're doing. When even some of the other 9 disciples aren't going, they're going. They have easy access to Jesus. In fact, we probably can assume from this context that they have a semi-private opportunity to talk to Jesus and making this request to sit at his left and sit at his right. One, because we're told that it's kind of later that the other disciples chime in or hear about what's going on. They're getting this even this little private context, this private meeting, which probably happened from different times. Jesus would have time whether it was going to fetch water or whether it was walking a little different way or going in a path, but they have that opportunity there. Interestingly, for some reason, another Peter is deliberately left out of the loop. The three had always been kind of set apart. But somewhere along the way, somebody on the road to Jerusalem, James and John were thinking, all right, if Jesus is sitting, if Jesus is in power, if Jesus is running, he's got a left and a right. He doesn't have a front and back. He's going to have people sitting. Does he? They were not really good at math, but they were good enough to know. Peter, James and John, left and right. Somebody's got to go. Get rid of Peter and he'll beat James and John. He'll be you and me, left and right. You know that was going on with that. Now, of course, Peter, probably being the right guy that he was, came a long way, was picking up on this. And he probably said, you know what, guys, this is the second unmannedly thing you've done. You know, to come and keep me out of the loop, to kind of kick me out of our little group here. And of course, to which they said, well, what was the first unmannedly thing we did? And Peter would have said, well, read Matthew 20. Because in Matthew 20's account of this, there was something else they did, kind of, unmannedly in this. What happened? Oh, it just wasn't James and John talking to Jesus, was it? Matthew 20 gives us a little different information about the story. Additional information. It's Mama James and John that come along the medial. James and John brought their mother along. Or she just took her spot and assumed that she would come along with them. You get the picture here of the attitude of what's going on here with this. It's maneuvering. It's all about where you're going to sit. It's all about where they're going to be in the glory rankings with Jesus. That's how they approach Jesus. That's the sense. That's the attitude that you get here. They come and they call them teacher and structure. Not any special reverent title at that particular place because they are on an agenda. And Jesus is just part of the agenda for them. Now contrast that approach to Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus does not have easy access to anybody. He's going to have to help. He's going to have to be guided to go see anybody that he wants to see. Much less Jesus. Bartimaeus can't even find Jesus on his own, which is probably again why he positioned himself out on the road. Bartimaeus must position himself and he needs to try to catch Jesus to come by and hopes that he might catch Jesus. You know what? And then what Bartimaeus must do next? What he probably does best about anything else? And probably true today people that you know they're blind. They have incredible sense of hearing. When one senses silence, the other senses have to rally around to pick up for it. And hearing is usually the one that takes Trump. If you lose your eyesight and Bartimaeus is very good at listening. And you can imagine him seeing on the side of the road going, all right, there's a sound of dogs running around maybe and little children moving as they pass by and horses and buggy is going on the road. And he's listening. Is there anybody that he might say the name Jesus often a distance? Is there a herd of people coming that seem extra excited because there's somebody special with them. If it is, is it this guy named Jesus? He is listening intently. There's no question he had to be on the side of the road waiting hoping that Jesus will come by somewhere along the way we know from the story that he hears. Verse 47 says he heard that Jesus was coming and when he hears that Jesus is coming, he lets it all out. There is no reservation because Jesus is his only hope. He's got nothing else here. There's no chance. There's been no report of anybody being restored from blindness except when this guy named Jesus has come on the scene. This is it. This is his opportunity. And you know that Jesus must be much more than just some kind of witch doctor on the scene. Jesus is speaking and carrying power that only the Messiah would have and hence he uses the title, Jesus son of David, which was an Old Testament messianic entitlement for the Messiah. Not teacher. Can we have a talk with you like these guys? It was Jesus son of David have mercy upon me that I might see. Teacher, we'd like to talk about the seating arrangement in your glory, in your kingdom. Do you see the difference? You experience the difference a little bit more here as you put yourself in the story. All the more so he's rebuked. We're told by those around him. He's making a scene. Now I don't care whether or not you know people are not none of us like it when people make a scene. Whether it's a movie theater, if it's at somebody's wedding service, you know if you're there out to dinner somewhere you don't want anybody to make a scene and Bartimaus is making a scene in his approach to Jesus. He's not showing much reverence for the public around him, although he's showing the most reverence to Jesus himself and how he's approaching him. See for Bartimaus it was all about seeing Jesus. But what's it about for you this morning? If you ask yourself that question honestly, let's look at Jesus reply for just a second. You know it's interesting. One of the things that immediately marks these two stories together is Jesus reply. Jesus replied to both of them is what do you want me to do for you? He says exactly that to James and John in the question of sitting and he says exactly that to Bartimaus in the question of seeing what do you want me to do for you? Very different contexts, very different situations, very different approaches. One answer from Jesus. What do you want me to do for you? You know we've already talked about this in the past weeks. Whenever Jesus asks a question it's not because he doesn't know the answer, right? He's omniscient, he's God, he reads people's minds. He asks a question because he wants to expose what's in the person's heart. He wants him to look a little deeper. He wants him to lay more of their cards in the table, not so he can see, but so they can see what's really behind that. I like what commentator James Edwards says about this. He says I quote the answer to this question, the question that Jesus is asking reveals whether it's God's glory or one's own glory that we're after. And I want to propose to you this morning, the answer to that question for you will reveal whether it's God's glory or your own glory that you're really after. And that's why it's so important to ask that question. After the question is asked and the after Jesus replies and get and ask them, they come with their question for Jesus. What do James and John say? James and John come and say, Lord, and we know with mom also, grain it to us. In fact, they ask him first, say yes to this question before we even ask you. All right, is this, I mean, I think about the level of maturity there with that. All right, you know, those of us who are parents know what level of maturity that is. How many times have your kids come and said, mom, mom, dad, dad, you know, promise me, will you promise me something? And of course, we, you know, all you have to do is have one child before you learn that you must be carefully answer that question. Right? You must be careful with that. That's what they're doing. That's the level of maturity here on this Lord. We've got a question for you. Promise us you're going to answer it. You're going to help us here. You're going to work with us here before we even ask you. You know, James and John are thinking, look, you know, nobody else I think has asked Jesus this question. Jesus is a very fair, just guy. You know, if it's a question of who asked first, whoo. Mark is up. We're ready. We're first in line. Okay? And we even got mom, you know, extra resources here to help us out. So they're asking Jesus, hey, you know, promise us you're going to answer this question here. Permit to us that one of us would sit on your right. One of us would sit on your left and your kingdom and your glory. That's a question. That's come. That's presented. Their burden, their desire is who's going to sit there? Who's going to be with that? And no, I want you to one thing that you want to notice about this, by the way, is how they do it. You know, because it was very convicting to me to realize how they approach Jesus. You know, in the question of saying, hey, can we sit on your left? We can sit on your right. They were very indirectly flattering Jesus and saying, Jesus, dude, you're in the middle. It's your spot. We know you're in the middle. We know you should be there. We're on your team. We're your followers. Do you hear the indirect flattery in there on that? But Jesus, wherever you're sitting, there's going to be a leftist going to be right. Somebody's got to sit there. And who better than James and John? Just ask mom. Right? You know, one of the things that's interesting about that. Now, the quote, I love this particular quote here, again from James Edwards. He says, how easily worship and discipleship are blended with self-interest or worse, self-interest is masked as worship and discipline. I wonder how often is our worship of God more flattery to try to persuade God to do what we want in our life versus worshiping for just who he is? I wonder how much of the time we're worshiping him with a mindset of where we're going to sit more than worshiping him to see him as Bartimaeus' hope and desire was with that. See, he was about sitting for James and John when they asked the question, but what does Bartimaeus ask to look at him? He says, rabbi, I want to see. Now, unless you're reading the New American standard or one of these different translations, most of them translate it rabbi, the actual word is a different word than the typical word for rabbi. It's rabbi, a rabbi knew, rabbi knew, used as an address to prayer for God. The typical rabbi word or phrase was used to say rabbi, one who is a teacher, one who is a teacher with respected position, and it was one that you would use often. The word he uses here is actually one that was only used in prayer to God, very different than James and John as Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus is showing his cards up front. He's already said, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, and now he's talking to him as if he's praying. He is showing the level of respect that Jesus is God in this context. And his answer has as much faith as what he's asking to Jesus to do for him in the midst of this. He comes humble, he comes desperate, he comes needing every response, desiring rescue and healing so that he can follow in faith, very different than desiring position so they can take part in God's glory, versus worship the one who is the very image of God, who is glory. So he was about seeing for Bartimaeus, but what is it for you this morning? Is it about sitting? It's about seeing. Ask yourself that question. Well look at Jesus' answer. In fact, rather than just talk about it, I want to read it beginning in verse 38. Listen to how Jesus responds first to James and John. You don't know what you're asking. Jesus said, can you drink the cup, I drink, or be baptized with the baptism I'm baptized with? We can, they answer. Jesus said to them, you will drink the cup, I drink, and be baptized with the baptism I'm baptized with, but to sit at my right or to sit at my left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom it has been prepared. When the ten heard this or heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, you know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles, Lord it over them. And their high officials exercise authority over them, not so with you, instead, whoever wants to become great among, you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be first must 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. You know, a fight's about to break out here with the disciples. All right, Peter's had enough. Peter's been humiliated in the process. The other nine are still feeling humiliated from the story before. They couldn't cast out the demon. And now they're all rallied around. Jesus has to say, look, time out, huddle up, team. And he has to pull them in together. He has to give them a half-time talk to say, look, you got to understand here what's going on. What you're looking for, what you're all desiring, what this idea of where you're going to sit, you don't really know what you're asking. In fact, the only two in Jesus, one of his greatest places of glory and honor, especially in light of us, the place where Jesus would be in just a matter of days would be hanging on across. And who would be on his left and right? Not as followers. Two thieves. One would have taken his own life already. Maybe at this point, ten are hiding somewhere, fearing their own lives. And one has been guilted in to take care of Jesus' mother somehow in this process, probably shaking at the foot of the cross going, when this might pull out a sword on me. But here's Mary. She needs somebody. He's obligated. He's guilty to be there. He doesn't know what's going on. He's at the foot. He's not at Jesus' left or right. Is he? Jesus said, you don't know what you're asking. And then he goes on to say, you don't know what my mission is all about. Remember we said the first part, the first chapter's one through nine in Mark was about who Jesus was. Chapters 10 through the end through 16 is about what Jesus is coming to do. Jesus already told him, this was the very time that Jesus told them just right before this passage where he said, look, the son of man is coming to Jerusalem to suffer to be hung on a cross. To die, to rise again from the dead. And after every single time Jesus tells them about what his mission is, we have one of these stories where the disciples are arguing about who's greatest or who's going to sit on the left or sit on the right. They have no understanding of what his mission is. They don't know what they're asking. He was about sitting for James and John in the rest of the disciples at this point. Jesus is clarifying this for them. In fact, some scholars have said that they believe that actually verse 45 in this passage is actually the key verse in the entire book of Mark. When Jesus said, 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. Jesus is saying, look, I've already left my seat in heaven to come here to earth and I'm not just going to come and become a man and walk in your shoes and just show you how you should live. I'm going to come and I'm going to be condemned in your place and hung on a tree and cursed so that by faith your curse could be placed on me. Your punishment for your sin could be placed on me and the glory and the righteousness that I so rightly have and deserve can be given to you. That's Jesus' journey. For Bartimaeus, Jesus' answer is much shorter. Let me read in verse 52. Remember Bartimaeus? He said, Lord, I want to see. Jesus says, go. Say, Jesus, your faith has healed you. Immediately you receive His sight and follow Jesus along the road. The word for healed there is so zone of Greek and also going to be pronounced saved. Your faith has healed you not just physically but it saved you spiritually. Go, forgiven, go seeing because your desire is to see me the follow me. And we're told that he goes and he follows Jesus. His goal wasn't just to receive sight. His goal was to receive sight so that he could follow Jesus and he does. And he follows Him. See, it was about seeing for Bartimaeus, but what's it about for you this morning? The last thing I want to look at is the goal very briefly. James and John are following not seeing their need for rescue. You get that? They're following Jesus not seeing their need for rescue. Bartimaeus is following because he has been rescued. You see the vast difference. Now we know James and John are going to come to the understanding that Bartimaeus already has at some point. We know that through the death and crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we know that when the outpouring of Holy Spirit comes, we know that James and John will share in fact, James is going to be the first martyr as we know or as history recounts for Jesus in that. We know they're going to come around. We know that John's going to exalt for Jesus and he's going to give us the book of Revelation. We know that they're going to come around and see Jesus for we as they know they're going to see how silly the question of where I'm going to sit is versus can I see Jesus? Bartimaeus, those are already there. Bartimaeus is the model disciple of these stories. And Jesus, gently and lovingly is trying to show that to as well they're following him. He's trying to show them the difference in the midst of that and why they're following because there's a very different reason why each of them are following. See for James and John, it's about sitting for Bartimaeus, it's about seeing. So let's wrap up now with the key going back to where we started. Here's the key difference and here's what I want you to really think about. How you see Jesus will directly affect how you see yourself and where you're at in your maturity and following Jesus. How you see Jesus has everything to do with how you see yourself and has everything to do with why you would or are following Jesus. See for James and John, they saw Jesus as a political leader. They saw Jesus as a ticket to fame and glory. They saw Jesus as someone for them to partner with somebody that was they were in a lock arms with and make things right in in Jerusalem. Restore Israel to its power. Kick these nasty Romans out of here and rewrite some Old Testament history but with our names in the book. That's what they thought. But Jesus made it clear to them, he was there to serve them. He was there to become a ransom for many. He was there to be, yes, the son of David, but is sitting on a throne that's not here on earth but in heaven and rules over earth. Bartimaus saw Jesus very differently, didn't he? He saw Jesus as the Messiah, even before the other disciples were catching on. He saw Jesus as a rescuer and a hope for physical and spiritual healing. He saw Jesus as someone to worship not someone to partner with in the same way. It's not a worship. Bartimaus wanted to see so he could serve. See, it was enough for Bartimaus to experience his healing. It wasn't enough for an experienced healing of his physical blindness. He wanted healing of a spiritual blindness. He wanted the power to follow Jesus. He needed no other agenda. He would never be the same. Not just because he could see, he would never be the same because he had met Jesus from that point forward. It would be his delight to serve the God who became man, who had rescued him. And so that's why he's on the road. So ask yourself, what's it all about for you this morning? Is Jesus really just a way for you to position yourself to make life a little easier, a little bit better? To help you in your marriage, to help you in your finances, to get you that job, to help you find that mate, to give you a little bit more peace, to help you sleep a little better at night. Or is Jesus someone that shows you God the Father, someone that shows you who glory and what glory is? Is Jesus who you want to see so you can follow Him because He is King of kings. He is Lord of Lords. The answer to that question is the key in the story. And I promise you it's where His Holy Spirit is leading you now to respond. It's what He was teaching James and John. What He was even teaching Bartimaeus. And Jesus is teaching you me now for all those who have ears to hear and all those who have eyes to see. Let's pray. God has asked that you would in your power reveal and remind us God of your truth, remind us of your power. Remind us of our great need for you. God would you come and would you give us eyes to see and ears to hear. God would you come and would you set us free. God from the tyranny of our own self, glory and self desire and self-centeredness, God to live as you created us to. For the God who created the heavens and the earth, for the God who left us thrown to come to earth, for the God who is manual, for the God who takes our weaknesses to show His strength. So God, show your strength this morning. Prepare our hearts now as we come to your table in just a moment. God, make your grace be as amazing now as it's ever been. And maybe for some of us, we will experience and taste it for the first time. Come to faith, come to follow you.