I Need A Change — DawnCheré Wilkerson

you have your bibles you can turn with me to mark chapter 10. we're going to start at verse 32 over really since the beginning of the year we've been studying one book of the bible we've been studying the book of mark and i've loved it as we've taken a close look at the life of jesus what he did and how it impacts our day-to-day and as you turn into mark chapter 10 i just want to tell you the thought that i'm bringing to you today it's simply this i need a change i need a change wherever you are sitting today or watching why don't you say that out loud i need a change let's pray together lord we know the only way that we can change is by the power of your spirit so right now change us change us as we study your life changes as we open up our hearts change us lord as we pursue you by the power of your spirit let us not be the same after day we love you we thank you and everybody said [Music] amen amen well really my goal today as we dive into mark chapter 10 is that we take some time to just spend a couple days with jesus what does a day in the life of jesus look like you know in order to get to know someone sometimes it's great just to follow someone around like you don't really catch the essence of who they are by just reading what they said you need to be like in their presence what is the day in the life of jesus like more is caught then taught and so today we're gonna hang with jesus if you're there in mark chapter 10 if you're not it'll be on the screen but hear me uh we're diving in we have tapped the lines we are listening in and peering closely at jesus and the people that are the dearest to him in mark chapter 10. and let me tell you these conversations are good they are really good it starts at verse 32 it says this they were on their way to jerusalem with jesus leading the way so he's ahead of the pack and the disciples were astonished while those who followed him were afraid again he took the twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him we're going up to jerusalem he said and the son of man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law they will condemn him to death we'll hand him over to the gentiles who will mock him and spit on him flog him and kill him three days later he will rise now this this is a heavy conversation i don't know if any of us have ever had as heavy of a conversation as jesus is having with his best friends that we read in mark chapter 10. jesus is leading the way on the path to jerusalem and he knows that as he makes his way to jerusalem that that's where he's going to give his life and while he doesn't share with the entire crowd he pulls his closest friends the 12 disciples he pulls them to the side and he shares with them what's going to happen this actually the third time that jesus prophesies to them that he's gonna give his life for the world but this third time that we just read jesus gets really specific like he starts to name things that he has not named before he says i'm gonna be mocked i'm gonna be spit on i am going to be flogged i'm going to be beaten i am going to die like i i am going to be murdered can you imagine having a friend tell you that this is a heavy conversation he's not talking about somebody else he's talking about himself how do you respond in a conversation like that what would your response be well the word of god doesn't tell us how we should respond instead it shows us how we shouldn't because verse 35 james and john two of jesus's closest friends in the inner circle of his life they react in a way that you would never dream or maybe you could verse 35 says then james and john the sons of zebedee came to him and said teacher we want you to do for us whatever we ask not really the response that you expect as you're pouring out your heart to those that you love and trust this reminds me of like the play that you play with your parents you know when you want to tell them something but you're afraid to get in trouble so it's the question before the question mom and dad i want to tell you something but before i do i want you to promise me you're not going to get upset so they've got a question before a question because that second question they want to get across the line and jesus just simply responds to them saying we want you to do whatever we ask by saying what do you want me to do for you verse 37 tells us that they reply let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in glory hard stop what i just told you i'm going to give my life that i'm going to be tortured that i'm going to be beaten i'm going to be mocked i'm going to actually be murdered and now you just want to talk about what significant place you're going to be in once i rise to glory james and john pull them aside they're having a private conversation and they're saying jesus want to be we want to be on your right and your left in your glory what does that even mean you're right near left well historically your right and your left were the chief places of honor so what they are saying is jesus as you're glorified we want to rise to prominence also and if you're wondering if maybe my guess of their motivations is wrong they end it with the statement we want to be in your glory how clear can you get can i tell you friends nobody gets to be in the glory of god nobody gets to stand in the glory of god it's his glory and his glory alone but james and john these brothers have completely missed the point of this conversation they're not looking at the price that jesus is about to pay instead they're looking at the position that they want to hold they're looking ahead going what's in this for me jesus is trying to prepare them for the trauma that they're going to experience but they are so blind and focused on their self that their thinly mast ambition well it is fully exposed what does jesus do well he doesn't walk away he doesn't ignore them he doesn't tell them hey i'm choosing two other guys to walk with me because you obviously don't care about me instead jesus does what he does time and time again throughout the book of mark he discerns the heart he's always honest with us and he always will respond to you and jesus responds to them and simply says you don't know what you are asking in other words he's saying you have a superficial understanding you actually have no clue what you're walking into you think you know but you do not have any understanding every prophecy that i've given you you've misunderstood but james and john they think they know have you ever been in that situation where you think you know what's going on they're like no jesus we actually do know what's going on we've read about these prophecies since we were little boys we're headed to jerusalem you're going to establish your kingdom you're going to rise to glory and we want you to take your boys with you we've been with you since the beginning don't we deserve it shouldn't we be on the right and the left isn't it funny they completely forget about the patriarchs they completely forget about every other person that could actually deserve to be seated on the right and the left of jesus jesus says this he says can you drink the cup i drink or be baptized with the baptism i am baptized with and they immediately respond respond oh we can jesus said to them you will drink the cup i drink and be baptized with the baptism i am baptized with 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 now when he talks about the cup and the baptism in the old testament the cup could mean blessing but it also represented the wrath of god so jesus is he's talking about the suffering that he is about to experience and then when he's talking about the baptism he's talking about being baptized into the sin that was not a part of his nature that he is actually who knew no sin is going to become sin as a ransom for many but james and john they already think they know they're like oh yeah the cup of the passover we got it oh yeah the baptism of john we're in we got this yes yes and jesus is like you don't understand aren't you thankful that when you don't understand jesus keeps talking to you come on if you feel that today i'm so grateful that god does not give up on us he continues the conversation it's like you can feel the heart of jesus saying james and john you've been with me for years now but your flesh is still lying to you you're still susceptible you're still broken you're so focused on the things that don't really matter and then all of a sudden this side combo busts out and everybody finds out about it and we read in verse 41 when the ten heard about this the other ten disciples this is a vu crew these are men that had walked together for many years they had shared like rich preached last week some highs and some lows but when the ten heard about this they became indignant with james and with john and you go oh yeah they should they're doing their job as a vu crew they're getting them in line they're telling them guys we don't live with that kind of motivation you need to be empathizing with what jesus is about but friends we've missed it again because they are not indignant that james and john have the wrong motives they are indignant that james and john tried to call the spots of honor before they had the chance to all 12 of the disciples motives completely have missed the mark as they are all ticked off did you ever grow up i grew up with six kids in my family and did you ever grow up with that massive fight every time you went to the car for who got the front seat we would fight every single time we went to the front seat and what would you say how would you reserve your spot you'd say i called it no i called it no that's that's my spot all the disciples are angry because james and john tried to call it before they got to they're angry because somebody else is trying to one up them the insensitivity towards jesus is staggering can you imagine for a minute being jesus if you've ever been in a place where you have shared your heart with those that you love and that their only response is to look out for themselves you have a savior that empathizes with you jesus has no one to lean on but he still doesn't walk away from them instead he calls a family meeting it says that he calls all 12 of them to the to him he gathers them around in verse 42 and we get to listen on what he says he says you know 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 whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all jesus is saying something very clear to every single one of them he's not reprimanding reprimanding just james and john he's speaking to all of the young men that he leads and he's saying listen the people that you resent the people who are leading the the people who are lording over the gentiles the ones that you look down on and think that they have the wrong motivations that's you right now you look a lot like them right now and then he says this powerful statement that i absolutely love he says not so with you it reminds me of when i would come home as a kid and i'd spend a few days at a friend's house and i'd picked up a few cultural norms that my parents didn't agree with and it's like hey you're back at our house now and i understand that they talk to their parents that way not so with you i understand that they make fun of each other like that not so with you i understand that they have an attitude and they get to pout and they get to have that special tone but son daughter not so with you and i just feel in my heart that some of you that needs to be your statement this week as the world tries to dangle ambition in front of you as the world tries to tell you that you need to climb the ladder of success i feel like you need to speak to your spirit not so with you not so with you we live a counter counter-cultural life we are kingdom minded and jesus is waking them up saying my path is not like everyone else's path you're not climbing a ladder it's not a ladder this is a cross that you will bear this is not a stepping stone this is a grave where you will die to your flesh you're not trying to stand out above everybody else you're trying to kneel down we are servants of all if you want to be great you've got to learn how to serve and when the world tries to tell you the lies of how you'll succeed how you'll be great how you make a name for yourself how you'll be respected how you make an imprint in history you allow the words of jesus christ to reverberate in your soul whether you're in the highs or the lows not so with you there is another path and it is the pathway of the servant greatness is servanthood and then jesus gets to probably the key verse of this entire book the book of mark could be summed up in this scripture verse 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 you know people get hung up on this word serve they feel like it's demeaning they feel like it's something that someone is forcing on them that jesus wasn't forced to do anything jesus says i'm giving my life as a ransom to many and calling yourself a servant leader as you follow jesus christ is not being forced into any path of servitude but rather it is choosing willingly and joyfully to model the lifestyle of your savior who willingly served who chose to give his life away while everyone else is trying to see what they can take servant leadership is what can i give what can i give what can i give what can i give what are you giving in this season friends because your life of following jesus is marked by a life that is committed to giving not taking to releasing not holding on what am i giving servant leadership well it is a place of authority i think of my role as a parent god has given me my children so that i can serve them i am in a place of authority in their life and yet i serve them i have more understanding than them and yet i serve them i have more resources than them and yet i serve them and it is my joy to serve them and no matter how greatly i serve them the seeds of service that i sow into their life it does not dictate the final place that they land in life no that is decided by them and them alone but my decision my commitment is no matter what i will continue to serve and friends as followers of jesus we have this same commitment that yes god's placed you in places of authority but you're still to serve yes god has given you wisdom to lead but you're still to serve yes god has empowered you with resources and with the foresight and the knowledge to take people to places that they've never been but as you lead understand that just like jesus you lead as you serve i'm serving jesus makes it clear this isn't just what i'm calling you to this is who i am i'm a man of action you want to know where the action is the action is found in serving but then jesus continues on the journey because his day isn't over so let's dive right back in where we left off at verse 46 because there's even more to find as we study the life of jesus so jesus is walking and verse 46 tells us then they came to jericho as jesus and his disciples together with a large crowd were leaving the city a blind man bartimaeus which means son of timaeus was sitting by the roadside begging when he heard that it was jesus of nazareth he began to shout jesus son of david have mercy on me many rebuked him and they silenced him but he shouted all the more son of david have mercy on me jesus stopped and said call him so they called to the blind man cheer up on your feet he's calling you throwing his cloak aside bartimaeus jumps to his feet and he comes to jesus and jesus says to him what do you want me to do for him for you the blind man said rabbi i want to see go said jesus your faith has healed you immediately he received his sight and followed jesus along the road now jericho is 18 miles outside of jerusalem so you can imagine how the pressure and the tension is mounting they're only 18 miles away from the city where jesus is going to give his life jesus is on a mission the bible tells us the story we just read he's leaving the city he's on his way out he has a flight to catch he has a itinerary that he needs to stay on he's leaving the city when all the sudden he starts to hear these cries from a man named bartimaeus bartimaeus is on the side of the road and he's a beggar and he's blind literally because of his ailment and his loss of sight his life has been marginalized his life has been sidelined his life has been pushed to the side of the road that everyone else is so freely able to travel and here jesus is and you may think well he's too busy he's on a mission to get to jerusalem but the bible tells us that jesus isn't too busy the crowd's too busy we know that in the book of mark the thing that uh portrays the crowd best is that the crowd is actually uh a way of blocking people from getting to jesus and they do exactly that here the man is crying out for mercy and they rebuke him and silence him but i love the determination of this man i love that them rebuking him and telling them telling him to be quiet only makes him shout louder the bible says he begins to shout louder in verse 49 it gets my heart because it says this it says jesus stopped do you know that jesus will stop in his tracks when you call on his name do you know that jesus is not worn out by your prayers that he is not tired of hearing you call on his name and pour your heart out to him that no matter how many times you have reached out to him you are not an interruption a lot of times we say jesus loves interruptions make no mistake friend your life is not an interruption to the god that created you you in no way are an interruption to the plans and the purposes of god in fact you are an integral part of what he wants to do in and through the earth through his love you're not an interruption jesus stops he stops and he responds he says call him and and the crowd is so fickle right i mean it wears me out because the crowd that was rebuking him and telling him to be quiet is now like chastising i'm like get up get up be happy come on they say cheer up to him can you imagine like they say cheer up get there and the bible tells us that bartimaeus who has his cloak which is probably what he gathered what people would give him money as they pass by he throws his cloak to the side not even caring he's so intent on getting to jesus and he runs to jesus and when he gets to jesus jesus looks at him and he says what do you want me to do for you and the blind man says rabbi i want to see the particular translation of rabbi is raboni and it's the only place that this translation is used except for when mary magdalene is talking to jesus and it is a place of high honor and authority when he says rabbi he's actually saying master or he is saying lord you know what i love about jesus is that jesus doesn't just like call him and then without a word put his hands on him heal him and i gotta go here we go 18 miles instead jesus wants to have a conversation with you jesus doesn't just speak healing but he allows this man in his pain and his loss to verbalize what he needs jesus gives the man back his dignity he says i didn't just come here to talk to you i came to talk with you i came to have a conversation i want to know what's on your heart and i want to ask you the question what do you want me to do for you this is a personal conversation bartimaeus is not a project to be completed are you honest with your need today [Music] is there a need in your life that maybe you've never actually allowed god the access to bartimaeus asked for his sight back he had spent his life since he had lost his sight begging you better believe he didn't ask everyone passing by to heal him this was a different request he had asked for money he had asked for provision he had asked for food but because he believed that jesus was master and lord his asked changed as he came into the presence of jesus and instead of asking for just a temporary fix he said jesus i want you to get to the root of the problem i want you to heal me from the inside out do you trust jesus to heal you today do you trust jesus with your pain do you trust jesus with your trauma do you trust jesus with your secrets because jesus is not just here for a temporary fix or to meet your daily needs like anyone else can but when you come into his presence you stand before the one that can permanently change your situation do you trust him today do you trust him today jesus says go your faith has healed you immediately he received a sight and he decides to follow jesus along the road immediately he doesn't just get healed but he decides to follow see that's what food church is all about we're all about having a moment of surrender but then deciding okay now i'm going gonna take step after step of surrender for the rest of my life today is growth track step three you should not miss out you were created to serve you were created to continue to evolve into who god has called you to be but it takes you deciding to follow this man bartimaeus he leaves jericho and he decides to follow jesus he will never be the same again no we just read two really different stories and you may go what what's the point okay don tree we got it a life in the day of jesus he's he's talking to people he's reprimanding people he's encouraging people he's healing people yeah these are two very different stories but they have one thing in common that maybe you missed see jesus asked james and john the exact same question that he asks bartimaeus verbatim there's not one word that is different between the question that he asks those that he is the closest to his two best friends two disciples who had been with him for years and the man that he just met as he is leaving town on a mission about to give his life jesus comes with the same question of service to both of these men what does he say he says what do you want me to do for you the question is the same but the responses couldn't be more different as bartimaeus acts asks in faith james and john they're asking with the desire for fame bartimaeus asks and then wants to follow jesus james and john they're looking for a place to just sit and be honored see one wanted sight the others they just wanted to be seen bartimaeus asks for restoration the brothers two of jesus's closest friends they just want elevation but bartimaeus displays the heart of a true disciple because they both asked him teach they both called him teacher but only one had a legitimate request [Music] restoration jesus restore me restoration may seem like a shallow easy request unless you're someone who has lost something that is dear to you because if you've ever lost something that is dear to you you know that there's nothing like having that which you've lost restored having that that you once held given back to you bartimaeus asks jesus would you restore my sight and mark is trying to show us the irony [Music] that jesus is serving both of these men asking the same exact question but blind bartimaeus the man who just met jesus looks more like a follower of jesus than his own disciples because of the motivation of the heart bartimaeus doesn't have eyesight but because of his faith he has insight and friends that's what you and i that we desire more than anything anybody can look through the eyes of the natural and try to gather the accolades that the world says will make you feel like you've accomplished something that no we need something deeper we need insight to know where the broken places in my life that actually need healing where the spots in my heart that need the touch of a savior change me not my position change me i want to ask you today what is your response when jesus asks you the same question he asked them what do you want me to do for you [Music] is it about your position or is it about your person is it about what's going on externally and where you want to go and what you want to do and what you want to accomplish or is the cry of your heart god change me change me restore me heal me from the inside out god i don't want to be elevated i want to be restored by the power of your spirit now your answer reveals a lot your answer to jesus's question what do you want me to do for you well it reveals a lot and friends you don't have to go home and think about it really long just take inventory of your latest prayers just take an inventory of what you've been asking god for god i really want this god i really want that or is it lord search me search my heart and change me from the inside out where is ambition taking over and all you want to do is get ahead when jesus is going no the path to follow me it starts from within is it about a position or is it about your person you know james and john they could have asked for anything when jesus said what do you want me to do for you they could have said jesus what you just described to us about you being mocked and beaten and being murdered in front of us we're afraid how do we handle this how do we deal this they could have said jesus we have an anger problem can can you heal us from this jesus we're apprehensive about the future jesus we feel this competitive edge with our brothers why do we feel this way god we don't want to compete i want to support i want to encourage lord can you change me can you change me they could have asked for anything but position was what they were focused on when you walk into church or you get more concerned with what people think about you or what jesus wants to change within you when when you're serving are you serving so that your life can be changed from the inside out are you serving so that others can see you serve and so that you can feel better about yourself because of what you've done where does your ambition lie in this thing called discipleship because our ambition has to die day after day at the cross of jesus if we want to truly be like him is it a position or a person is your prayer lord i want to be there or is it lord i want to be who you've called me to be change me i think about my mom a lot when i think about position or change your person because i grew up with my mom answering almost every altar call she's the pastor but we were at the altar every sunday she set an example for me and empowered me to know that for the rest of my life i will be responding to the call of change from the presence of god that at any given moment it's not about maintaining a position but it's about jesus i want to be like you if there's anything in my life that needs to be restored if my first love has been lost restore if my purity has been lost restore it if my integrity has been lost restore it if my spirit of excellence has been lost lord restore it god only you can do it change my person i don't want to change your position some people are obsessed with wanting a change in the eyes of the natural the first thing we think is a change of location a change of position but really what god wants to do is he wants to change you god give me understanding we read about a conversation between who is known as the wisest man in the world and god himself god literally kind of says the same thing that jesus says to james and john and blind bartimaeus god comes to solomon in a dream and says ask and i'll give it ask can you imagine hearing the voice of god tell you that and solomon could have asked for anything he could have asked lord we're a small nation we need reinforcements can you give us you know angelic provision and protection he could have asked lord we need more money so that our nation can prosper and so that those who are destitute so they can have what they need instead he asked god not for a position but for his person said god i need understanding so that i can judge your people i need discernment and first kings 4 29 tells us that god gave solomon wisdom and very great insight as a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore god was honored by his request and because solomon was more committed to god changing him then changing his position god said not only will i change you but i'll give you everything else that you need i'll provide for everything else seek ye first the kingdom of god and all these things will be added to you come on if you believe it today [Music] there should be a pushback anytime you sense that the change you need is a position or a title there should be a push back why do we come to a place in our lives following jesus where all of a sudden we think that the change isn't about us anymore but more about just pushing ourselves forward how do we in following jesus come to a place where we don't realize that we are going to be changed and restored for the rest of our life and the whole point of us being on earth right here is so that we can be molded by the hands of god following jesus this is not some seniority contest jesus is looking at bartimaeus asking him the same thing that he was asking his closest friends his closest friends are saying god we've been around we deserve a seat we've been here we want to ride with you but jesus is saying you've missed it you need understanding but i'm not gonna give up on you because this journey is not over you see james and john they open up this conversation by telling jesus jesus we want you to do whatever we ask [Music] but after they witness the crucifixion and the resurrection of jesus after they continue to trust jesus and they don't abandon ship or the pathway but they continue to surrender their life to him that request jesus we want you to do whatever we ask it flips into lord i want to do whatever you ask i want to do whatever you ask there's a lot of people that have the wrong view of christianity they think christianity is about jesus i want you to do whatever i ask they've got a james and john mentality jesus this is what i want can you make it happen but this is not what the life of a christ follower looks like the life of a christ follower flips that statement on its head and instead of jesus i want you to do whatever i ask it's jesus i want to do whatever you ask send me to the nations call me to serve my city let me serve in the local church let me love my family let me be faithful in my marriage let me walk with integrity let me be a light in the night and james and john they get it 80 years later this is the declaration that john makes first john 3 16 this is how we know what love is jesus christ laid his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and our sisters jesus didn't give up on james and john he didn't give up on bartimaeus he has not given up on me yet praise god and i want to tell you today he hasn't given up on you [Music] he hasn't given up on you you may have been saying in your heart over the last few months i need a change i need to progress i need a new position and i want to challenge you through the words of jesus [Music] not so with you don't seek a position seek the restoration of your life through the presence of jesus decide to be a servant just like jesus gave his life as a ransom for many that's when life begins all over this room and for all those who are watching online i really believe that there are people that you've listened to this message and maybe it's been intriguing because you don't know anything about the story of jesus or maybe today as you're examining your heart you realize that you know a lot about jesus but you don't know him i want to give you the opportunity to surrender your life to jesus right where you sit at your house right as you listen to this podcast i want to give you the opportunity to surrender your life and to model your life after his life to make him the lord of your life and to begin new if that's you i just want you to pray this prayer with me say dear jesus today i choose to throw my life into your hands i'm celebrating your rescue i believe you died for me you rose again forgive me in my sins i want to walk with you i want to welcome you i want to talk with you in jesus name amen come on can we put our hands together for every single person who made that decision it's amazing we're celebrating with you heaven is celebrating come on all over this room why don't we stand to our feet i believe that we can worship god for the way that he served us the way that he's loved us the way you think he's given us everything hey rich wilkerson here i want to say a big thank you for watching today's content believing and trusting that it impacted you and if it did help you or and encourage in any way i would love you to like it and share it with some other people make sure to subscribe to the vu church youtube page where you can get more content just like this and while you're there go peruse the gallery as they say and see past talks and past content that i believe is going to help

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Keywords: vous, vous church, rich wilkerson, rich wilkerson jr, dawnchere wilkerson, miami, church, live stream, worship, church live, live stream church, sermon, miami fl, miami chuch, preaching, the gospel, good news, the message of jesus, jesus

Id: 1ve4BFARz5I

Length: 43min 30sec (2610 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 18 2021