Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Greg & Rhonda, Colin & Laura, Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Why

Intro: Want to get these kids a head start in life - why not baptize them into the name of NHL OHL and Minor Hockey Leage - ie $5 bill… It’s play off time - and 5 daysof the week…; Or maybe academic head start - jump start - 3R’s so many educational choices ; regular life kind of person - life, liberty, pursuit of happiness = American Dream.

In so many ways, child centered homes - alwayws comparing, feeling guilty, what they were, how ell behave, what sucess they have!

Try to provide everything: instant gratification, best holidays, live for fun and comfort and liesure…

Intro: Want to get these kids a head start in life - whynot baptize them into the anmeofthe NHL< OHL and Minor Hockey Leage - ie $5 bill… It’s play off time - and 5 daysof the week…; Or maybe academic headstart - jump start - 3R’s so many educaitonal choices ; regular life kind of person - life, liberty, pursuit of hoappiness = Aercian Dream = child centred homes - hardly work, instant gratitifation, best holidays, live for fun and comfort and liesure…

James and John no push overs, niether was their mother Salome.

Family wealthy enough hirded servants for their fish boats.

Mother in Luke we read - bleiveing jesus bringing ot the Amrecain dream, but the Jewish dream - kngdom of gloryon earthnow - no more suffering, politica power, mitliary material rches… influence.

What do we and our youth ‘immerse’ ourselves in?

= want the best for your kids… for yourself- realize Mark’s gospel is with Peter’s preaching - climax is their failure and confusion, like Peter

= want the best for your kids… for yourself- realize Mark’s gospel is with Peter’s preaching - climax is their failure and confusion, like Peter

= want the best for your kids… for yourself- realize Mark’s gospel is with Peter’s preaching - climax is their failure and confusion, like Peter

Application: what is the kingdom of me I am looking for, living for…

A) Jesus’ Cross is a Wrench in the Works in ‘Kingdom of Me’

3 predictions in Mark, these events are not made up, historical realities, Mark testifying Jesus self-awareness -sharing so you won’t think life is just about Kingdom of Me - happnestance, .. Sovereign over circumstances, can’t understand it without the Cross and Resurrection

First prediction 8:31-33 comes only when the Apostles finally really recognize who Jesus is by faith - see He is the Christ, World Saviour, Son of David, yet also Son of God.

And right way Jesus teaches them of the suffering of the Christ, that most missed in the OT.

And Christ coupled with this teaching: Wow we feel this intuitively - gain whole world - lose soul … save life lose it - get most in the world but feel so empty , incomplete … but some how lose it for jesus, gospel = find ne wlife…

Second prediction, now after realize Christ, taking them further North.

Probably first Mount Hermon - not only see He is the Christ but see Christ in His glory -Mt of Transfiguration.

Galilee Capernaum Map- so absorbed in whose most important, who gets glory - and listen to his prediction this time: 9:30-31; and the teaching that went along with it Do you get that getting the new life, getting Jesus and the gospel - not about become in the greatest - And look at this big symbolic act jesus does with teaching of his death, and about who really gets Christ and new life in Him: He stands a little child in the middle of the circle.

Picture yourself in that circle - takes that little toddler into his arms - and remember children least position in that soceity… And look at his words:

Of course God is present in Jesus in special way, but God is also one Father who sent His Son to us, and Jesus is revealing God to us in fullest way - so to receive Jesus is to receive God.

And what does it mean to receive these children in Jesu name this morning?

It means to receive Jesus, to receive the One who sent Him? Are we, have you?

Turn now to the third prediction: Now well on their way, made it to Judea, but specific predictions, going to Jerusalem predicting excactly how he’s going to die.

They are bewildered but now in Mark comes the third and final prediction.

But look what comes right before it: The disciples had been pushing babies away with their parents… we got big kingdom of glory stuff going on here.

Just listen to jesus words:

And jesus takes them into his arms and blesses them and lays his hands on them.

Then v.32 his 3rd prediction.

And what teaching follows - our text: What is that teaching?

James and John - seeking kingdom of me of glory in this world - come asking for seats on the right and the left in a kingdom of glory.

Understand they saw Jesus to Jerusalem as th Messiah coming into power and glory - not as Jesus had just told them to offer himself as a sacrifice, to be become the sacrifice at the centre of the world, to rise again - beginning the new creation!

What is jesus wrench in the works?

- Life isn’t first of all about your seats of glory - about your prominence and all your great efforts and accomplishments your privilege and possessions, status.

No what is life all about - its what this baptism of your s and mine signifies.

James and John saw Jesus going to Jerusalem to enter glory and they say we want positions like that too, baptize our life and our plans with success and riches and power.

Jesus says, that’s not what life is about.

You will ultimately lose it if that’s what your pursing.

Big sigh of relief parents, not about having best behaved toddlers, not about making it with house white picket fence, not about kids in 101 teams lesson, programs… Life is about sharing in jesus cup and being immersed in what jesus was immersed in! which centre on drinking Jesus cup and being baptized with Jesus baptism!

which centre on drinking Jesus cup and being baptized wtih Jesus baptism!

Key Truth: We are baptized into Jesus Christ’s death & resurrection

Baptized into this story, this, journey, this reality!

So that is the first lesson - there is a wrench in the works of your life and mine, and Torryn and Brinley’s - goes against the grain of our fallen human nature and of the world they grow up in - Do you recognize that wrench in your life and mine, - do you recognize - remember how fragile saw life as a gift - received Rosalyn and Keziah… Remember feeling in hospital or when you were in car accident before Brinley was born.

B. Jesus’ Kingdom isn’t about worldly success but the Cross

B. LIfe is not about our kgindoms but about Christ’s which he gives by sharing His Cup and his Baptism

Now if its kind of a nasty surprise to realize life in kingdom of self, possession, accomplishments, in this wrold without Christ - ends up with death and even worse wrath of God, - that he who striving to hold on to so much life and stuff in this world - misses out on true life.

There is no question Jesus expects the answer to his question to be no.

They can’t - and therfore they can’t get real glory taht way!

Here is a wonderful surprise in Mark.

You’ve got jesus going to the Cross to die for them and for this world - and these two spoiled brats ar arguing abbout best seats in some poltical kingdom .

It would be like - and you are arguing over.

Ever feel that way with someone in this world - arguing over , meanwhile someone else giving up life for real freedom over seas.

Multiply that by a thousand and you get the irony of this passage.

And you would expect Jesus to harshly dont’ you get it - kneckle heads - and he does say taht about - their seat question 38a and he answers it defintively in

that’s what they didn’t get, the only throne that jesus would rule from in this world was going to be a Cross, and teh only crown one of thorns, and the to who would be beside him as who ruled by suffering lvoe from the Cross - be one theif put faith and received eternal life and with him in paradise - sins forgvien life renconilced and the other who mocked and stands a symbol of those who pass them by and remain condemned in thier sins and udner the curse and wrath of God! His cup andbaptism are completely unique voluntary suffering, and he will show the path to glory is though the sufferin gof the Crosss!

But ehre is the wonderful surprise jesus goes on to ask, another two questions and they are questions livng Sasviour of the world asks of Brinely and Torryn and you and me as well:

To grant who is on the rightand the left is for God the Father’s determination, but to give the life that comes from his cup and from his bpatism - taht is for all who by faith will be united to Christ.

That is for Christ to give.

Jesus cup and his baptism words used to describe His Cross and HIs Dath in Jerusaelm.

And he and he alone can drink that cup:

And though John and James don’t really get it, yet - have faith in the is Jesus and what he is doing And look at their answer: and Look at jesus accepting their answer!

To grant who is on the rightand the left is for God the Father’s determination, but to give the life that comes from his cup and from his bpatism - taht is for all who by faith will be united to Christ.

And though John and James don’t really get it, yet - have faith in the is Jesus and what he is doing And look at their answer: and Look at jesus accepting their answer!

And though John and James don’t really get it, yet - have faith in the is Jesus and what he is doing And look at their answer: and Look at jesus accepting their answer!

Jesus cup and baptism maybe unique, but Jesus is calling out to you and I, to take the Cross and what He accomplished there and have a real participation by faith in what he did!

“To share someone’s cup = to share someone's fate or destiny.”

We will be one with you Jesus!

Your life, my life, Rosalyn and Keziah’s , Torryn and Brinley’s life it all depends on being united with Christ’s cup and His baptism.

And Jesus when he sees any answering in faith as Jame sand John did - surprisingly doesn’t say - you don’t get my cup and bapstim, - says - yes you are untied to it!

What does it mean?

C. Accept the Meaning of the Cross by Understanding the Cup & Baptism

And here we must be careful and clear to first understand Jesus unique cup and baptism before we jump to our own, because our cup and our baptism will only be any good insofar as they are connected to His. ie.

Imagine you are going on a trip overseas imopratn business - transact it have in your possession greatest treasure - checking your bags - passport and papers - lets you youhave Her majesty the Queen, Even a letter stating treasure - And the border gaurd look at you - picks up pohone something wrong - queen has been captured, Common Wealth overthrowon - now opossession of eveil axis of enemies -Your papers, only as good as Name and Seal of that Queen, Queen falls you fall.

THink of what a relief to Candaians - in coutnry where seize happens - get into the conulate -They in that protected area - like on Queens soil, like Queen hereslf is there - ablosltuel security!

Well that is the frist way you must knwo Jesus cup and bpatism - becauseit must become your own, you ust become so united to his cup and bHis baptism that you are represented in them!

i.

The Cup

- LIft up a cup of victory .

All life and experience handed out by God as he reaches out his hand.

This can be good.

But it also can be bad.

Like in our language we would say - it’s a bitter pill .

Look at

When Jesus Christ went every night into the Gadren of Gethsemane, wrestling in prayer - because as we see on the last night, when his prayer recorded -w restling Father this cup of judgment of the nations, the whoel world’s sins - - no other way to save but for me to drink it for them.

Think of judgment day, wrath punishment , fulness of justice neted out for evety wrong on every sinner lifek you and me - all concentrated into one cup - take this cup from me -in human nature - liek you turning away from cup of bile - shudder at full concentration of hell Of course James and John neigther undertand nor could they really be able to ddrink that cup!

Christ alone could take that cup and not only be able to withstand it after drinking it to the dreggs and sufering the full consequences of the hell our sins deserve - but he alone truly huamna nd truly God - because o his inncence , his perfect righteouness could rise again having earned the full cup of God’s blessing!

And this is the mystery of the text: when Jesus says you don’t know what you are asking, and then asks them: This cup, this baptism which I am in the process of drinking - taking on the suffering and the sin and punishment of the world - beating death at its’ own game, wrestling victory out of Satan’s hand this present cup - you could never drink - but I will for you!

That was the wonder - turned cup of the curse for him, into a cup of blessing for us: So he says just before he goes tot he Cross: This cup ois the New Covenant of blessing and grace, and favour and victory andcelebration in my blood!

The cup which we bless is it not a participation in the blood of Christ.

The cup extended by a king at a banquet to his guests, is how we come to share in it and it is overflowing.

Outward water baptism is an entrance into coomunity of Christ’s grace, the church, one time intiation.

Not magical - doesn’t work that inward grace that the outward sign rpesrents automiatcally or without faith.

ou and I congretgation together with these parents - knwo what this \baptism o\and this cup represent - ledge our eves to show her !

ii.

The Baptism

There is also a baptism unique to Christ that we also must understand and put our faith in!

Waht did Jesus mean buy asking the baptism with I am baptized are you able to be baptized with it?