Three Kingdom Principles: Suffering, Service, and Spiritual Sight

Summary

Mark 10:32–52 reveals three Kingdom principles: suffering leads to glory, service leads to greatness, and sight leads to following Jesus. Jesus pressed forward through suffering with joy in view, taught that true greatness is found in serving others, and healed blind Bartimaeus, whose restored sight led him to follow Christ immediately. True discipleship embraces cost, humility, and spiritual vision.

Suffering Leads to Glory

Mark 10:32-52 teaches basic Kingdom principles. The first is that suffering leads to glory. Since Jesus is God, as He headed toward Jerusalem, He knew the suffering awaiting Him there.

Since He is also fully human, He must have felt tremendous stress. How would you like to know all the pain and suffering the future holds? I am sure you are glad you do not.

In His humanity, Jesus must have viewed the resurrection as a dim light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Yet, that light sustained Him.

Following Despite the Cost

It kept Him walking doggedly toward His goal. He would live with the consequences of going to Jerusalem.

Do the consequences of following Jesus scare you and keep you uncommitted? If you are a disciple of Jesus, sometimes you will stand like a mule in a hailstorm and take it.

That is what Jesus did. You have been called to follow His steps (1 Peter 2:21).

Focusing on Joy Beyond Pain

Jesus endured the cross with His eyes fixed on the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). He focused more on the gain than the pain. For both Jesus and you, suffering leads to glory.

Service Leads to Greatness

A second Kingdom principle is that service leads to greatness. Suppose you have just told your son you will die soon. His first words are, “Dad, may I have the keys to the car to take Susan to the movies?”

After Jesus announced the suffering ahead, James and John asked Him for the keys to the Kingdom. They wanted to be big shots in His organization.

Redefining True Greatness

Does a desire for recognition and praise from others motivate your ministry? Jesus used the opportunity to instruct the disciples about greatness in the Kingdom.

He reminded them about greatness in the Gentile world. The coins Herod Philip struck showed the head and name of the reigning emperor and the inscription: “He who deserves adoration.”

Jesus said that among His followers, the greatest leaders are the best servants. His servants are always employed!

The greatest Christians do not always have upfront positions. Visiting someone in the hospital is as important as preaching a sermon.

Although Jesus was Lord of the Universe, He came to serve. That is what His followers still do.

Sight Leads to Following Jesus

A third Kingdom principle is that sight leads to following Jesus. Jesus passed through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem.

Blind Bartimaeus sat beside the road, his outer garment spread out to receive alms. Like a scratched record, he repeated, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47 NIV).

Jesus summoned him. Bartimaeus asked Jesus to restore his sight. Jesus said, “Your faith has healed you” (Mark 10:52 NIV). Immediately, he could see.

His first recorded action was to follow Jesus. He needed physical and spiritual sight and the wholeness only Jesus could bring.

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