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LESSON
LESSON FOR JULY IL
GREATNESS THROUGH SERVICE.
By E. o. SELLERS, Director of Evening
Department, The Moody Bible Institute,
Chicago.)

GREATNESS THROUGH SERVICE.
LESSON TEXT-Mark 10:S2-45.
GOLDEN TEXT-"The Son of man also
CAM not to be ministered unto. but to
minister. and to give his life a ransom
for many" Mark 10:45. r
This is a time in the life Of our
Lord that vibrates with interest as
we rapidly approach his last tragic
week upon earth. At the beginning or
his Perean ministry duke 9:51) we
read that Jesus "~steadfastly set his
face to go to Jerusalem" Now that
journey is nearly ended. He had
reached a place near Jericho. Know
ing the antipathy of the rulers, those
who journeyed with Jesus were
amazed" and some as they followed
him on this journey were afraid
". 32). Jesus, therefore, and for a
third time, plainly tells his disciples
what is about to take place in Jeru-
salem.
The contrast of self Is the distin-
gushing feature Of the lesson OF
the self-seeking disciples over against
the self-renouncing Master.
Assurance Of Faith.
/. The s%eIf-seekins Disciples, w 81.
Al. AS Jesus clearly spoke to those
who in amazement followed him he
told Of his condemnation and deliver.
ance to the Gentiles; his persecution,
death and resurrection wv. 32-34). 1t
was then that James and John pre-
scented their request. Matthew tells
US (20:20) that they made 1t through
their mother. It was an ignorant re-
quest, for they knew not what 1t In
volved ". 3S), nor whose it was to
grant it ". 40). He had spoken with
great clearness, about his suffering
and death and Immediately they ask
a position in his glory. This may in
dictate the assurance Of their faith
in him, but 1t certainly intimates that
they did not comprehend the suffering
of which he had been speaking. We
need to remember, however, that they
believed in that approaching hour OF
his glory. They desired, though, to
have an association with him in his
power and authority, thus showing
their mixture of eelishness, though
Jesus seems to have ignored it. Val
this request melted by the mother?
Evidently not to a degree, for the Mas.
ter addresses his reply to the dis
ciples. In that reply he does say
that to occupy such a position was
denied them, or might be quite pos
sible. What he does lay stress upon
was what was involved and that this
was not the time or place to lay en-
phasis, in this new kingdom, upon any
other idea than that of equality. Je-
sus had seemingly advanced these
two disciples, Mark 5:37; go and
1888. They may have hoped that
the kinship Of their families would
be to their advantage. At first their
question was a general one ". 35),
then it is more specific ". 81.
Jesus then clearly declared all that
was involved in his pathway Of sui.
fering and p%ropounds his question,
care We able to drink the cup that l
drink" ". &c.,. 1t was a heroic but
ignorant. answer they made, I'VE are
able" Their language reveals the
character, however, Of those who did
enter into that fellowship with him
which eventually led them to martyr
dom. He told them they should be
baptized into a strength to do and live
this life of abandonment, but that such
a life could not command any pre-
eminence on that account. Their re-
quest was otherwise a correct one. In
order to share with Christ in his glory
we must share his cup and his bap-
tism of shame and suffering; see 1895;
Matt. 26:39; John 1871; II Tim.
PIP; Rom. SIT; Matt. 1924. James
and John ". 39) did not stop to meas
ure the meaning Of their request.
Even 80 we today often hear the
people make glib professions Of fealty
which likewise fail under the acid test
Of adversely, Matt. 1856. James was
the first, Acts 1878, and John the last,
Rev. 1:9, Of the apostles to suffer for
the sake of the Word Of God.
Wanted Places Of Authority.
u. The SeIf-renouncing Master, w.
a AZ t. ar-u,ar fN tho rIf0rn}iNn
". Az Of the other ten disciples Je-
sus without any manifest impotence
calls the disciples unto him" and sets
before them their absolute equality,
and yet at the same time a way Of ex.
altation, v. 43. Jesus is ever calling
US unto him." for he desires to lead
US out Of lives of s%elfishness into
those of fulness and service. These
ten were not altogether without self.
ishness; they wanted the places of au-
thority also. Once before, chapter
1896, this same controversy had
arisen and al again manifested
(Luke 22:24) and that, too, at a SOL
emn occasion, as he announced his ap-
preaching death and instituted the
supber. 1t was not till after Pente-
cost that it became possible for a dis
ciple to write "in honor prefer one
another" Rom. 4: 10, Phil. 2:3. This
reply of Jesus to the indignation of
the ten is a teaching by contrast and
accurately describes h Gentle meth.
cd of self-advancement. Over against