Well, good morning church. The sound of life, beautiful life. It's good to be back. Thank you for Christian service to us during this last week Easter. It's good to be back in Mark's gospel for me this morning. This morning we'll be looking at Mark chapter 10 verses 35 through 45. I would encourage you to find your way there. Mark chapter 10, 35 and following. And if you have found your way there, would you join me as we stand together for the reading of God's holy, inerrant and infallible word. Verse 35, James and John, the two sons of Zebedee came up to Jesus saying, teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you. And here is the omniscient Jesus, and he says to them, tongue in cheek, what do you want me to do for you? And they said to him, grant that we may sit, one on your right and one on your left, in your glory. But Jesus said to them, you do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? And they said to him, we are able. And Jesus said to him, the cup that I drink you shall drink, and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on my right hand or on my left, this is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared. Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. Calling them to himself, Jesus said to them, you know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentile lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them, but it is not this way among you. But whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant. and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be a slave to 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." Let's pray together. Our God and our Father, we come to a relatively familiar passage, part of your word. one that we could read over and glean something from or not. And yet, Father, my sense is that this is so extraordinarily important. It is something that has been said over and over and over again. And yet we are so hard-hearted, so carnal, so fallen, that we don't seize its importance, much less do we obey its command. So God, this morning I would pray that the Holy Spirit, beginning with me, would allow your word to reach our hearts, to enter our minds, that it might gain control of how we are as people, who we are, how we live, how we treat others, and so forth. We do pray, Father, for the one who preaches his sins are many, hide him in the shadow of Christ, that we might hear Jesus, that we might see the truth. Again, we pray this morning we would not just be challenged by these words, but changed, truly changed. Not just confronted by these ideas, but conformed to the image of him who spoke them. And we commit ourselves to you, Father. In the matchless name of Jesus and all God's people said, amen. Please be seated. Let me point this out that immediately before the text I just read, we have Jesus making, as it were, the third announcement concerning his impending death. Our text we began at verse 35 in the preceding two verses, 33 through 34, Jesus talks about being delivered, being condemned to death, being mocked, being spit on, being scourged, being killed, being raised. And then we come to verse 35, James and John come to Jesus with a request. And what we must see is, as with the previous two announcements of his impending death, his disciples, including James and John, are untouched. They're unresponsive, they're indifferent, they're, as it were, impervious to what Jesus is saying. They just aren't affected by it at all. And here, their blindness, as we've seen in these final days of Jesus' life with them, really reaches new heights. New heights, as James and John approach Jesus, obviously untouched, completely untouched by what he has been saying, asking, they do, for a unique kind of privilege and power. Despite, verse 33, 34, being delivered to the chief priests and scribes, being condemned to death, handed over to Gentiles, being mocked and spit on, scourged and killed. They're impervious to it all. Rather, they come to Jesus, anticipating of all things that when Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, he will be inaugurated as king. They don't see Jesus on the way to crucifixion, they see Jesus on the way to exaltation. Not to pain, in their mind's eye, but to power. Not to thorns, but to a throne. Not to spit, but to splendor. Not to a cross, but to a crown. It's really rather amazing. And what might be the issue? Is it that they are not comprehending what Jesus is saying? Is it that they have engaged in what we might call selective hearing? Or is it simply spiritual blindness? Truth is, probably a little bit of all the above. I've titled this message, Greatness, colon, by self-promotion or self-denial. There is obviously a contrast in these verses, a contrast between Jesus on one hand and James and John on the other hand, or even all the disciples on the other hand. Jesus' greatness is in his self-denial, the willingness to give up his life. Where on the other hand, James and John, as well as the other disciples, their greatness is tempted through self-promotion, seeking seats of power and honor. And this is, please hear me, this is a lesson about the kingdom of God. This is how the kingdom of God operates. This is what the kingdom of God is like. This is what it is to live as part of the kingdom of God. Greatness in the kingdom of God is not self-promotion, but self-denial. In the kingdom of God, greatness is giving, not getting. Denial, not device. Serving, not seeking. Being last and willing to be last, and not first. Being low, not lofty. This kingdom of God principle is summed up, look at it in verse 43 and 44. Where Jesus says to those followers, to us, but it is not this way among you. Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. Greatness in the kingdom of God is not by self-promotion, but rather by self-denial. And listen, this principle, obviously, even in Mark's gospel, for the best of men, doesn't come easy. This principle of greatness by self-denial runs absolutely counterintuitive to our entire fallen world. This principle is a radical reversal of our entire world system. that we have all been fed on, ingrained on, witnessed, engaged in. And by the way, again, this principle must be important, because over and over, Jesus has been pressing this point. It seems to be, in some ways, the most dominant of all his teaching principles in Mark's Gospel. He uses all sorts of object lessons, meal situations, little children, over and over and over and over. Greatness in the kingdom of God is by self-denial. Where do I begin? Let me say that this principle, again, is so important that it is set before us in two ways. First, the exchange between Jesus and James and John, verse 35 through 41. But then again, it's also a second time reiterated as Jesus calls the entire group of disciples together where he teaches them the same thing in verses 42 through 45. It's a priority for him. If it matters to you what matters most to Jesus, this ought to matter to all of us. Where do I begin? Let me begin by pointing out that if you look at verse 35, Verse 35 contains two first and onlys. That is to say that two things in one verse appear only in verse 35. Uniquely, two things once in all the New Testament in verse 35. The first unique first and only is James and John. This is the only time in Mark's gospel where we have just James and John. That is to say, apart from Peter. And that is unique. And it is part of the main point. Who are James and John? They are part of Jesus' inner circle, which consisted of Peter, James, and John. Sometimes it included Andrew. These three, Peter, James, and John, are some of the first to be called to follow Jesus. We saw that in Mark chapter one, verses 16 and following. Peter, James, and John, these three are the only ones allowed to accompany Jesus to the synagogue official's house when Jesus raises his daughter in Mark five. Just three of them. These three, Peter, James, and John, are the only disciples to accompany Jesus to the Mount of Transfiguration. In Mark 13, we're not there. It will be Peter, James, and John, along with Andrew, who will question Jesus about the end of the age. In Mark 14, on the night when Jesus is arrested, Jesus will take only three with him, Peter, James, and John, as he begins to agonize over his passion in the Garden of Gethsemane. This is the inner circle. And all three of them, clearly, Peter, James, and John, all three of them sense Some level, unique privilege that has been extended to them by Jesus. But here, verse 35, it's not Peter, James, and John, it's just James and John. You will remember that James and John, those two who approached Jesus in verse 35, had already witnessed Peter being rebuked by Jesus. Jesus saying to Peter, get hence behind me, Satan. Think about it, clearly in their mind, they're one of the inner circle. And the door has been closed for one of them, leaving the two of them. And that's the way the depraved man works. Somebody's misfortune, they think, could be an opportunity for our fortune. When you think of James and John, what do you think of? What do you think of when you think of James and John? I'll tell you how John is usually portrayed as the exact opposite of how the New Testament. Typically, John is tender, sort of dove-eyes, got his head on Jesus' chest, just a soft guy. Not so. What do we know about James and John? We know that they are brothers. We know that they were both the sons of a man named Zebedee, both fishermen on the Galilee. And by the way, James is always listed before John. It's never John and James, it's always James and John. James is probably the older, more dominant of the two. But there's more to it than that. When all 12 disciples are listed by name in the New Testament, more often than not, James appears second only to Peter. Peter, then James, then John, then Andrew. Peter is always listed first, why? Because Peter was selected by Jesus to be the rock of the 12. But however, let me point this out to you, however, apart from Jesus' specific selection of Peter, I believe that James was the most natural leader of the 12. In Mark chapter three, verse 17, Jesus gives those two brothers, James and John, a nickname. He calls them Boanerges, sons of thunder. What does that mean? That means that these two brothers were hellions, explosive men, thunderous men. And I believe that James was the most explosive of the explosive brothers. I believe that James was uniquely passionate, zealous, aggressive, hard-nosed, courageous, bold. He was the most explosive of the sons of thunder. If you think of James and think of a bar fight, you want James on your side. Isn't it amazing? Isn't this amazing? In the early chapters of the book of Acts, when the church first started being attacked, the attackers, the first thing they did was capture both Peter and James. Peter was incarcerated. James was beheaded. James, the first disciple martyred, was killed immediately. They got rid of James immediately. James was seen by the opponents as a force to be reckoned with. Uniquely instrumental in the early church, powerful, undaunting, unintimidated, bold, I mentioned Luke chapter 9, 52 and following, where it says, Jesus sent messengers, the disciples, ahead of him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for him. But they, the Samaritans, did not receive him, Jesus, because he was heading towards Jerusalem. And listen to this, and when his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said to Jesus, Lord, Do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and to consume them? Doesn't that sound apostolic? You talk about peeling the saints off the stained glass window. Do you want us to command fire to come down and consume them? Where does this idea come from? Well, I think it's telling. It comes from 2 Kings 1, where Elijah commands fire to come down from heaven in order to consume Ahab's soldiers. And I think it's an indication of how James and John, maybe to a lesser degree, saw himself in themselves. Like modern day New Testament Elijahs of the Old Testament, a force to be reckoned with. Like Elijah, whose name means Yahweh is my God. Here is James, who like Elijah the old, is willing to stand against the prophets of Baal, bold, courageous, defiant. That's how he saw himself. The first to be martyred. And as they approach Jesus, they come as a team. Rather than acting individually, they approach Jesus as brothers. The approach is the two remaining unrebuked members of the inner circle. And most assuredly, at least in my mind's eye, if Jesus were to have granted their request, James would have sat at the right while John would have sat at the left because John knows you don't mess with James. I said that there were two first and onlys in verse 35. The first James and John without Peter, only here in Mark. But also uniquely in verse 35, we have a first and only word, which scholars refer to as a apex legomenon, only appears once in the New Testament. Look at verse 35. James and John, the two sons of Abedee, here it is, came up to Jesus. Came up. Pas paroumi, only appears here in the entire Greek New Testament. They came up, pas paroumi. And this word means more than the normal approach of someone to another. It actually carries sort of the idea of cornering Jesus. Almost, but not quite, the idea of accosting Jesus. button-holing Jesus. I.e., this is a rather aggressive, audacious, bold move on their part. This is in keeping with being sons of thunder. And you'll also notice that the request comes from them in sort of a twisted, roundabout way. Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you. That's a catch-22, isn't it? They are clearly aware of the audacity of this request. I mean, I don't know about you, it reminds me of my parenting days. My kids would want something really bad, first they would go to mom with the request. Mom would say, what, go ask your father? And then they would come to me, and the first thing out of their mouths wouldn't be the request, but rather, please say yes, please say yes, please say yes. And I knew immediately I was gonna say no. This is a portrait of the Sons of Thunder. Don't miss it. They buttonhole Jesus. Their request is unbelievable. There's no humility. There's no brokenness. They corner Jesus. They try to use a sneaky, sly, roundabout approach with Jesus. And then they get to it. What do you want? Grant that we may sit on your right hand and one on your left in your glory. This is outrageous, isn't it? Now stop, think about these two guys. Where have we been in Mark's gospel? They have confessed Jesus as God's Son, Caesarea Philippi. They have seen Jesus in His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. They know at some level that they are approaching the glorious transcendent Son of God, And as such, they come with this request, and if we made any kind of request to that same individual, we would call that what? A prayer request. I can't imagine praying in Jesus' name, saying, Lord, when you come in glory, would you allow me, John Jacobs, to sit at your right hand at your throne? Can you imagine that? Or maybe on a Wednesday night, do we have any prayer requests? Oh, Jerry Bedean, John, would you pray that when Jesus establishes kingdom that Elizabeth and I can sit at his right and left hand? Can't imagine it. Nobody in their sound mind would ever make a request, point, James and John did. The arrogance is palpable. And certainly this has got to be one of the most graphic displays of how completely unready the disciples are even at this point in the final journey. Even with all that they have seen and heard there is some serious disconnect concerning who Jesus is, who they are, what the kingdom is like. And certainly the principle that Jesus is driving home that greatness is not by self-promotion but by self-denial. Oh, and by the way, James and John are not alone. Verse 41 tells us that, hearing this, the 10 began to feel indignant with James and John. Again, ateo, outraged. They're outraged. The 10 are outraged. They're beyond anger. Why? Because they didn't think of this first, right? You get this. And they also perceive, as is rightly perceived, James and John are trying to get one up on them all. We're not a team, there's divisions and factions and people are all vying for favor, the ten are furious. I think it's worth pointing out that in this one single chapter, you have Jesus asking the same question twice. Verse 36 to James and John, look at it. What do you want me to do for you? And he also noticed in verse 51, to blind Bartimaeus, what do you want me to do for you? Twice, same question. What do you want me to do for you? Just in one chapter, Mark 10, we learn something about prayer request, don't we? Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't. Sometimes he can and sometimes he can't or even won't. Sometimes the request is appropriate, sometimes it isn't. Sometimes it's in the veil of God's will and sometimes, frankly, it's way outside the veil of God's will. James and John, what do you want me to do for you? Blind Bartimaeus, what do you want me to do for you? One he doesn't grant says he can't. one he does and wants to do. Remember, Jesus' point is that greatness in the kingdom of God is not self-promotion, it's by self-denial. And again, even for James and John, as with the 12, this principle does not come easy. Again, this lesson is given twice, once to James and John, once to the 12. Notice verse 42 and following. Calling them, the 12, to himself, Jesus said to them all. The audacious James and John and the incredulous 10 calling them all to himself, Jesus says to them, you know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentile lorded over them. and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you. Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant. Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be a slave to all. For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life a ransom for many." This is serious business, again. It has been a principle that has been taught and explained, taught and explained over and over. And over again, one that doesn't come easy for them and one that does not come easy for us. If I could just exegetically point out how we know this is a serious business issue with Jesus. Verse 42 begins with the phrase, calling them to himself. It is the verb proskaleo, And it is a verb that is used in Mark's gospel when Jesus wants to gather them together in order to tell them something extraordinarily important. This isn't just generalizations. This is a kingdom principle. Proscoletto is used, for instance, in Mark 3.23, where he calls them together to explain his exorcisms. that in his exorcisms what they're witnessing is actually with the coming of Jesus. Jesus is bound Satan. Satan is bound with the coming of Jesus and remains bound. He's tethered by God. Something that doesn't come easy. So he calls them together to tell them. You'll also see it in Mark 7, 14, when he calls them together, proskaleo, to tell them that that which goes into a man is not what defiles him, but that which precedes him. Here he is rebuking, as were the entire Jewish dietary law, something that doesn't come easy. So he calls them proskaleo together to explain to them this truth. You'll also see the same Verb used in Mark 8, 34, when he says to them, calls them together and says, if anybody wishes to come after me, he must take up his cross and deny himself and follow me. Again, something that doesn't come easy. He calls them together for serious business. This is the nature and character of the kingdom of God. Important instructions. And he makes this point by way of comparison between those who follow him in the entire Gentile world, between Christians and those who are recognized as the rulers of the world. Our whole world works in this system of greatness recognized by hierarchy. The first are the first, and the last are the last. That is universally true in our world, is it not? The first are the first, and the last are the last. Jesus said not so in the kingdom of God, it's just the opposite. The last are first, and the first are last. And what do you say to that, brother and sister? You say, yeah, sure, right, really? Revolutionary. Our entire world works this way. In politics, you got the first, you got the president, and on down. The military, joint chiefs, on down. Business, CEO, on down. Academics, dean, on down. Athletics, head coach, on down. Even in the family, the father on down. And in the marriage, I wanna say the wife on down, but I know I'm not supposed to. The husband on down. There's hierarchy everywhere. And even having said that, even those people, serve someone else. The president is supposed to serve the people. Somebody said Khan is the opposite of pro, therefore Congress must be the opposite of progress, right? Joint chiefs work for the Secretary of Defense, CEO works for shareholders, a dean works for the school board. Everybody has somebody above them. The first in our world universally are the first, and the last are the last. Not so, Jesus said, in the kingdom of God. Allow me to ask you a question. Who then is the most powerful person in our world? It's Jesus Christ. The King of kings, and what? Lord of lords. And Jesus became last. Colossians 115, he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. By him all things were created, both in heavens and earth, visible, invisible, thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities. All things have been created through him and for him. He, here it is, is before all things. The one who is before all things became a servant. Look at verse 45. Is this not the most powerful statement? We can read it, but grasp it. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Service that would take him to the cross, service to the point of becoming a ransom, the price to set the captive free. And again, Jesus in his condescension was not heralded, he wasn't applauded, he didn't become rich, he didn't become famous, he wasn't admired, he wasn't praised. In fact, all the opposites were true of his servant life, but he served to the point of death. And in so doing, the world didn't recognize any of that. None of it. I often think of this poem that I read many, many years ago by Ruth Harnes-Calkin. It's called, I Wonder. It goes like this. She writes, you know, Lord, how I serve you with great emotional fervor in the limelight. You know how eagerly I speak for you at the women's club. You know how I effervesce when I promote a fellowship group. You know my genuine enthusiasm at the Bible study. But how would I react, I wonder, if he pointed to a basin of water and asked me to wash the calloused feet of a bent and wrinkled old woman? Day after day, year after year, in a room where nobody saw and nobody knew, I wonder. You see, The kind of service that the kingdom of God calls us to really demands death. From all of us, death. Christ may not in particular call me or you to death via crucifixion or call us to death via martyrdom, but nonetheless, greatness in the kingdom of God demands death. Death to our fallen self, death to our Adamic nature, death to our self-centeredness and self-importance, self-acknowledgement, need for significance, rank, standing, status, prominence, wealth, whatever. As I pondered this, I don't know if anybody's ever thought this, but I wonder, If greatness in the kingdom of God that involves self-denial and death has any relationship to or between James and John's request to sit at the right and left of Jesus, and then later two thieves that are crucified to the right and left of Jesus. Could it be that those crucified thieves at his right and at his left really became a picture of greatness in the kingdom of God? Being crucified along with the Savior. Dying with the Savior. Humiliated with the Savior. Greatness in the kingdom of God. This morning, I'd like to close by asking you to turn with me, if you would, to Philippians chapter two. This section is familiar. I've turned to it often, and probably because as I get older, this text has really become a God-given charge to the whole of my life. I keep going there because I've not achieved it. I keep going there because I know it's supposed to be. I keep going there to be reminded. I keep going there because I long for its truths to be realized in the whole of my life. Philippians chapter two, beginning of verse one. Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if there is any affection and compassion, i.e., Paul is saying there, listen, if Christ and Christianity mean anything to you, make my joy complete. Being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, United in the spirit intent on one purpose. Do nothing. Do nothing. Out of selfishness or empty conceit. But with humility of mind, regard one another as more important than yourselves. With humility of mind, regard one another as more important than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own interests, but also for the interests of others. How so? Verse five, have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus. That is to say that Christ Jesus, verse three, never did anything out of selfishness or empty conceit. That Christ Jesus operated entirely in humility of mind, regarding others more important than themselves. That Christ Jesus, verse four, didn't merely look out for his own interests, but the interests of others. Verse five, have this attitude in yourselves, which is also in Christ Jesus, who although he existed in the form of God, there it is, and did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, that is clung to, But he'd emptied himself, taking the form of a bondservant, being made in the likeness of men, being found in the appearance of man. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. And then comes the glory. And then comes greatness in the kingdom of God. For this reason, God highly exalted him, bestowed on him a name that's above every name, the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, those in heaven, earth, under the earth, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God. Greatness in the kingdom of God, have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus. The greatest one in all the universe, the first became last. And that is what greatness in the kingdom of God looks like. A moment, if I might, on Philippians 2. The verses I just read have been identified by many scholars as one of the earliest, if not the earliest, Christological hymn sung by the very earliest of Christians. A hymn of confession of faith as well as admission of sin and striving. The hymn really is probably pre-Pauline. That is, it was composed by Christians even before Paul's conversion. We know that because it contains a uniquely large number of words that don't appear anywhere else in Paul's epistles. They're not Pauline. This is not a Pauline epistle. And throughout this hymn that calls us to recognize Christ and emulate him in our lives, it's a poem. And as you know, in our study of Psalms, the use of parallelisms, the Jews weren't concerned with rhyme, they weren't concerned with rhythms, they were concerned with parallelisms. And there are lines, three-line stanzas. Literally, it reads something like this, who in the form of God existing, one, not an advantage considered, two, his being equal with God, three. But nothing made himself one in the form of a servant taking two in likeness of men becoming three. Humbling self and obedience one, obedient to death two, even death on the cross three. It is a call. And it's not a hymn around entertainment, musical composition, emotion, cultural vibes. It is a hymn that really dives deep into Orthodox Christology. Who is Jesus Christ? And then the hymn turns to the Christian's response, the only proper Christian response to Orthodox Christology. If you understand Christ rightly, how can one respond? There's only one way, and that is to follow him, to emulate him, to embrace his understanding of greatness. It is a hymn that calls us all as Christians from the various beginning of the faith, the church, before Paul, to emulate the emptying of Christ. Again, as I get older, I got a sense that when I get to heaven, it's really what's gonna have mattered in my life. Some scholars say that this hymn that we just read, Philippians 2, for and following, was actually constructed by early Christians from John's gospel particularly John's account of Jesus, here it is, washing the disciples' feet. That Paul is quoting a hymn that even earlier Christians than himself had composed around John's account of Jesus condescending, the first becoming solo, as to wash these proud, arrogant men's feet. In John 13 verse 4, knowing that he had come from God, Jesus raised from the table and laid aside his garments. The hymn tells us, Philippians 2, that from his position of eternal preexistent equality with God, Jesus, as it were, laid aside the garments of invisible glory and came as a servant. In John's account of the washing, Jesus clothes himself with a towel. Philippians 2 tells us that Jesus clothed himself with humanity. In John's account of the washing, Jesus performs a menial task, the task of a slave to serve others. In Philippians 2, Jesus takes on the form of a slave to serve others. In John 13, when Jesus finishes washing their feet, he redresses in his original attire. Philippians 2 tells us that after his work on earth was finished, he returned to the visible glory with the Father that he had before the earth was. In John 13, the washing, Jesus resumes his place at the table which he had temporarily departed. Philippians 2, Jesus returns to the place that he had temporarily departed at the right hand of God. In John 13, Jesus concludes the washing of the feet with this. He says, you address me as teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. In Philippians 2, the creed, the hymn says this, for every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is what? John 13, Jesus gives them an example to follow. as I have done to you due to others. And here in this hymn Philippians 2, Paul uses Christ's example for us to follow. Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus. Again, over and over, over and over, over and over, greatness in the kingdom of God is not by self-promotion, but abject self-denial. Despite the world where the first is the first and the last is the last, it is not so for you. It is not so for you in the kingdom of God. Let's pray together. Fathers, we bow our heads before you. We bow our heads and our hearts before our Lord. You are our God and Savior and King. And you have called us to follow you. You have called us, Lord, to take up our crosses, to deny ourselves, and to follow you. Follow everything about you. Father, we're so far from being like you. We're so far from being like your son. This principle doesn't come easy. Some small way, Father, we're glad that your word tells us that it didn't even come easy for the 12, because it doesn't come easy for us. And yet, Lord, we know that it matters. It matters a lot. Help us, Father, to learn humility, self-denial, Help us, Father, to wean ourselves off of the principles of this world, off of the examples of this world, the hierarchies of the world, the status consciousness of this world. We desire nothing more than to be like Jesus and to hear one day, of all things, our good and faithful slave. Welcome, thou good and faithful slave. Again, we ask, Father, that your word would have its way in our hearts and in our lives. Help us not to leave here without the truth with us, but to leave here with it and have it implanted that it might do its perfect work in each and every one of us. We are vapors. One day we will all go. It'll be sooner than we could possibly imagine, and then will come the judgment. And you plead with us in Mark's gospel as Christians, the principle of greatness by self-denial over and over and over again. Be with us, help us by the power of your spirit to fulfill and obey what Christ is commanding, the 12 and then us. And we pray these things in Jesus' name and all God's people said, amen. Would you join me as we stand together for God's benediction to his people, My brothers and sisters, may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace. Amen. ♪ Praise God for a new day begun ♪ Praise Him, all creatures, here we come. Praise Him, our Amen we hold. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.