What do you really want?

This vital and yet quite simple question is one that we all must answer regularly. What is it you want?

The question came to my attention again while reading the Bible today. I wonder what your answer would be?

In respect of the original question, let me set the scene.?

The Lord Jesus was approached by two of his disciples. They wanted Him to promise that He would give them the best seats in heaven. They wanted to be in a prime position to see all the action when the Lord Jesus became King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Before you jump to conclusions, think about what they did understand.

1. They believed in life after death - i.e. there is another world after this one.
2. They recognised that Jesus was more than a great man, that He is the Son of God.
3. They understood that He would ultimately be victorious and rule the world.
4. They put more value on the next life than they did on the present one. Their ambitions reflected this. They did not ask for 'fame and fortune now' but for blessing in the next life.
5. They were willing to 'stand and up and be counted' with the Lord Jesus.

However, one of the things I am not sure if they had thought about was this - the authorities and people would reject Jesus. He would also have to suffer and die before all the predictions about His future 'glory and power; could come true? I don't think that they had thought this through.

The Lord Jesus had just finished explaining to them and the other disciples that he was going to "be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law". First, they would "condemn him to death" and "hand him over to the Gentiles", who would" mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him". Then, three days later, he would rise again - Mark 10:33-34.

In response to their request, the Lord Jesus taught them a lesson about service and humility in a very gentle and kind way. This lesson reminds us of the mission statement of the Lord Jesus. Here it is - "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," Mark 10:45.

What a mission statement! This was His purpose for living! It summarised the reason why the Lord Jesus lived and what His goal was for coming to earth. Let's analyse the statement.

First of all, the Lord Jesus describes himself as the 'Son of Man'. This is one of the many titles that belong to the Lord Jesus. As a Christian, I believe that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God, that He came from heaven and that He is the eternal Son of God who is the creator of the universe, but the title 'Son of Man' reminds me of two things:

1. He is the only one who fulfils all the ancient prophecies of the Hebrew scriptures (Daniel 7:13, Matthew 25:31)
2. He is the Son of God who became the Son of Man so that we could know the forgiveness of God.

The fact that Jesus is the Son of God makes it all the more impressive that He said that He 'did not come to be served but to serve'. Imagine the President of a country going into the slums of a city and serving food to the poor - not just to visit but to live among his people. What if an Emperor or a King left their palace to work for his people for years? Imagine that he dressed like them and served them every day. This is what Jesus did! He was the supreme example of servant leadership (cf. Joh 13:13-15). He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 19:16), yet He relinquished His privileges (Php 2:5-8) and gave His life as a selfless sacrifice in the service of others.?

We also need to learn the lessons of servant leadership, but before putting this into practise, we need to think about the ultimate act of service that the Lord Jesus performed. "He gave his life a ransom for many". The ransom refers to the price paid to free a prisoner by paying the price demanded for them. Jesus Christ's death was the price He paid to 'save his people from their sins'. The payment of the ransom price is one of the most glorious, blessed truths in all of Scripture (see Rom 8:1-3; 1Cor. 6:20; Gal 3:13; Gal 4:5; Eph 1:7; Tit 2:14; 1Peter 1:18-19). The price for sin was paid, to God, by the Lord Jesus to satisfy His justice and holy anger. In paying it, Christ "bore our sins in His own body on the tree [cross]," 1 Peter 2:24.

I'm asking you to reconsider the question - what do you really want? God knows what we need, and He gave His Son to provide it by His death on the cross.

1. We need peace with God.
2. The forgiveness of sins.
3. Joy in believing.
4. Mercy, not justice.
5. Grace and kindness.

All this and more is available through my Saviour, Jesus, the Son of God.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved"?- Acts 16:31