True Leadership – Without The Corporate Mumbo-Jumbo! Tired of Following the Wrong Leaders? Maybe Stop Chasing Titles and Start Finding Purpose. Guess what? Leadership isn’t about lording it over others.

Table of Contents:

• Welcome: Welcoming Paragraph
• Opening Prayer: Prayer for Guidance
• Introduction to Scripture: Introduction to Today’s Passage
• The Events in the Scripture: The Request for Greatness
• The Scripture: Mark 10:35-45 (NIV)
• Intercessory Prayer: Prayer for Humility and Service
• Congregational Prayer Response: A Prayer of Reflection
• Sermon Title: “Want to Be Great? Start at the Bottom”
• Sermon Introduction: Introduction to the Passage
• Historical Context and Social Impact: The Bold Request and Its Meaning for Today
• Expository Sermon Outline
  • 1. The Misunderstanding of Greatness (Mark 10:35-37)
  • 2. The Call to Serve, Not to Be Served (Mark 10:38-41)
  • 3. Greatness Redefined (Mark 10:42-45)
• Bonus Conclusion and Prayer
  • Closing Thought
  • Congregational Prayer

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Paid Content Includes:

• Expalantion: Understanding Each Section & Learning from These Verses
• Personal Thoughts: What This Scripture Means for You & How this Scripture speak to your heart?
• Personal Commentary: Deepening Our Walk with God: See how these words draw us closer to God.
• Christian Discipleship: Following Jesus & Let this Scripture guide your steps as you follow Jesus.
• Spiritual Growth: Growing Spiritually & Discover how these verses help you grow in your faith.
• Ask yourself this question: How can you live out this Scripture in your daily life?

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Welcome: Welcoming Paragraph

Good morning, dear friends! It’s a joy to gather together today as a community, ready to open our hearts to God’s word. We come as we are—whether we’ve had a great week or a challenging one—knowing that God meets us with grace and understanding. Today, we’re going to dive into a powerful story from Mark’s gospel, a story that speaks to our desires and how we sometimes get it all mixed up. Let’s come with open hearts, ready to be guided by the One who knows our deepest needs.

Opening Prayer: Prayer for Guidance

Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble hearts, grateful for the gift of this day and the opportunity to gather as Your people. We ask for Your guidance as we open Your Word. Let it speak to us in ways that transform our hearts and minds. Help us to see past our own desires and instead seek Your will for our lives. Grant us wisdom, clarity, and a deep sense of Your love as we walk this journey of faith together. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Introduction to Scripture: Introduction to Today’s Passage

Today’s Scripture is one that might make us pause for a moment and reflect on our own ambitions and desires. It’s a story about two brothers, James and John, who ask Jesus for a seat of honor next to Him in glory. They had their eyes set on status and power, but as we’ll see, Jesus had a different idea of what greatness looks like. This passage challenges us to rethink what it means to lead, serve, and follow Christ. Let’s turn our attention now to the events of Mark 10:35-45.

The Events in the Scripture: The Request for Greatness

In this passage, we witness James and John coming to Jesus with a bold request—they wanted to sit at His right and left in glory. They sought positions of honor, not realizing that greatness in God’s kingdom doesn’t come from titles or power but from service. Jesus gently but firmly redirects their thinking, reminding them that His path is one of humility and sacrifice. He speaks of drinking from the same cup of suffering and walking the path of servant leadership, not power. In this moment, Jesus redefines what it means to be great in the kingdom of God.

The Scripture: Mark 10:35-45 (NIV)

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
39 “We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,
40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
42 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.
43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
45 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.”

Intercessory Prayer: Prayer for Humility and Service

Lord Jesus, You have shown us that true greatness lies in serving others, not in seeking power or recognition. We ask for Your strength to follow in Your footsteps, to lead with humility, and to serve those around us with love and compassion. Help us to release our need for control and to embrace a life of service, as You have called us to do. We lift up those who feel lost, frustrated, or burdened by the weight of their own ambitions. May they find peace in following Your example of humility and grace. In Your holy name, Amen.

Congregational Prayer Response: A Prayer of Reflection

Dear Lord, we acknowledge that we often seek glory in the wrong places, just as James and John did. Help us to shift our focus from pursuing power to embracing the call to serve. May we find strength in Your example, knowing that true greatness comes from giving ourselves for the sake of others. Guide us as we seek to live out Your will in our daily lives. Amen.

Sermon Title: “Want to Be Great? Start at the Bottom”

Sermon Introduction: Introduction to the Passage

Today’s passage from Mark 10:35-45 is one that challenges us in our walk with Jesus. It’s about two brothers who wanted the best seats in heaven, but Jesus turned their idea of greatness upside down. As Christians, we often think about how to grow spiritually, how to become more like Christ. But sometimes, like James and John, we can get it wrong. Let’s take a deeper look at what Jesus says about true greatness in God’s kingdom.

Historical Context and Social Impact: The Bold Request and Its Meaning for Today

In this story, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, asked Jesus for positions of honor. In their time, sitting at the right or left of a king was a big deal—it meant power and respect. But Jesus responded by explaining that His kingdom doesn’t work like that. Greatness isn’t about power; it’s about service. This message was radical back then, and it still is today. In our world, people often seek control, status, or recognition, but Jesus teaches us that spiritual growth comes from serving others, not from being in charge.

Expository Sermon Outline

1. The Misunderstanding of Greatness (Mark 10:35-37)

• Engaging Introduction: James and John came to Jesus with a bold request. They wanted to be important, to sit at His right and left in glory. But they didn’t understand what true greatness looked like in the kingdom of God.
• Exposition: Their request shows that even those closest to Jesus can misunderstand His mission. They thought following Jesus meant power, but Jesus had a different plan—one that involved humility and sacrifice.
• Application: How often do we, like James and John, think that following Jesus will give us status or recognition? Jesus calls us to a path of service, not self-glory.

2. The Call to Serve, Not to Be Served (Mark 10:38-41)

• Engaging Introduction: Jesus’ response to James and John was direct: “You don’t know what you are asking.” He told them that following Him meant drinking from a cup of suffering, not ruling from a throne.
• Exposition: Jesus wanted them to understand that true discipleship involves sacrifice. It’s about being willing to serve others, even when it’s hard. Jesus Himself walked the path of suffering and service.
• Application: Are we willing to serve others, even when it’s inconvenient or painful? Spiritual growth means putting others first, just like Jesus did.

3. Greatness Redefined (Mark 10:42-45)

• Engaging Introduction: When the other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were upset. But Jesus used this moment to teach them all a lesson about true greatness.
• Exposition: Jesus explained that the world’s idea of greatness—being in control, having power over others—isn’t how things work in God’s kingdom. Instead, whoever wants to be great must be a servant. Jesus modeled this by giving His life as a ransom for many.
• Application: Jesus flips the script on what we think greatness is. Spiritual growth isn’t about rising to the top; it’s about lowering ourselves in service to others. Who can we serve today?

Conclusion and Prayer 

Closing Thought

Jesus calls us to a life of service, not to seek glory or power. James and John misunderstood what it meant to follow Jesus, but through this passage, we see that true greatness comes from humbling ourselves and serving others. Let us grow in our discipleship by following Jesus’ example.

Congregational Prayer

Dear Lord, help us to understand that greatness in Your kingdom isn’t about power but about serving others. Give us the strength to follow Jesus’ example, to serve with humility, and to grow closer to You in the process. Amen. 

Need Help With Your Sermon?

Paid Content Includes:

• Expalantion: Understanding Each Section & Learning from These Verses
• Personal Thoughts: What This Scripture Means for You & How this Scripture speak to your heart?
• Personal Commentary: Deepening Our Walk with God: See how these words draw us closer to God.
• Christian Discipleship: Following Jesus & Let this Scripture guide your steps as you follow Jesus.
• Spiritual Growth: Growing Spiritually & Discover how these verses help you grow in your faith.
• Ask yourself this question: How can you live out this Scripture in your daily life?

Purchase this Complete Service: Only: $4.99

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