What Do You Want Me to Do for You? Jesus' Question

Introduction

In Mark 10:32-52, Jesus goes up toward Jerusalem and announces for the third time that he will die there. It is in this tense context that James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come to ask him for the seats of honor in his glory. A few verses later, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar sitting by the road, cries out to Jesus to receive his sight. To both requests, Jesus asks exactly the same question: "What do you want me to do for you?" This message invites you to reflect on what you truly desire deep down, and to understand that the Son of David came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Sermon Outline

1. The sons of Zebedee want to rise up

• Jesus has already announced his death and resurrection twice; here, he does so for the third time, with a new resolve: this is going to happen, and it will happen in Jerusalem.
• James and John approach with a child's request meant to trap their mother: "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask." They want a commitment before saying what it is.
• They want the seats of honor at his right and his left in his glory, as if Jesus were nothing more than a political or military leader.
• Jesus corrects them: "You do not know what you are asking." To drink the cup and be baptized with the baptism Jesus speaks of means to pass through his death. They commit themselves without grasping what they're saying.
• The other ten become indignant, not because the request is inappropriate, but because they nearly got outmaneuvered. This is the state of all their hearts. They have perhaps seen Jesus work through them, and they begin to believe they have some part in it and deserve something.

2. Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, humbles himself

• Jesus arrives in Jericho, his only passage through it in Mark. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar by the road, hears that Jesus is passing by and begins to cry out: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
• The expression "Son of David" is not a genealogical remark. It is a messianic title: Bartimaeus recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, even though he has never met him.
• The crowd wants to silence him, but he cries out even louder. Irony of the text: those who wanted to push him aside end up telling him, "Take heart, he is calling you."
• Unlike other disabled people in Mark, Bartimaeus is alone, with no friends to carry him. But he recognizes his true place: he is nothing in the society of his time, and only Jesus' grace can save him.
• Irony of the name: Bartimaeus means "son of Timaeus," and Timaeus means "the honored one." The one who humbles himself bears a name that speaks of honor.
• Bartimaeus identified his true need: he wants to receive his sight, not money. And once healed, he follows Jesus on the road. Among all the people healed in Mark, only the demon-possessed man of Legion had asked to follow Jesus (but was sent home instead); the others return home. Bartimaeus, however, truly follows him.

3. The Son of David sacrificed himself

• Jesus returns to his teaching from verse 42: "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the nations lord it over them. It is not so among you. Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant."
• Notice the progression: to be great, one must be a servant; to be first, one must be a slave. This is not the first time Jesus says this, he had already said it in Mark 9:34, and had just repeated it the previous week in Mark 10.
• Jesus will return to the place that belongs to him, that of the Son of God with the Father. But before that, verse 45 says it all: "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."
• This is the first time Jesus explicitly states why he is going to die: he gives his life to drink, in our place, the cup of God's judgment, his wrath against sin.
• The disciples will only understand this at two moments: at Passover (Jesus' death and resurrection) and at Pentecost (the sending of the Holy Spirit). It is the Holy Spirit who will transform them into true servants ready to give their lives for the Gospel.

Key Takeaways

• To the same question from Jesus, "What do you want me to do for you?", James and John respond by seeking honor, while Bartimaeus responds by recognizing his true need. Your answer to this question reveals who you are before God.
• Our motivations are often a mixture between the genuine desire to serve the Lord and the desire to feel useful, important, deserving. Jesus wants to purify us of this mixture.
• Bartimaeus did not seek to raise himself up; he sought to lift up Jesus and to place himself under his grace. This is the faith Jesus expects from you.
• Jesus did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. All Christian life finds its source in this sacrifice.
• You will only be able to live out Jesus' calling by relying on his Spirit. If you feel unable to believe, ask him for faith.

Personal Application

1. If Jesus asked you the question today ("What do you want me to do for you?"), what would you truly answer, deep in your heart?
2. Where do you recognize in yourself the request of James and John: the desire to be well positioned, noticed, honored, even within the church?
3. Have you identified your true need, like Bartimaeus, or do you ask God for something else because you don't believe he can truly address the root of the problem?
4. In what area of your life (professional, personal, within the church) do you struggle to put yourself at the service of others rather than seeking your own place?
5. Take a moment this week to examine your desires and goals in prayer, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what he wants to work in you.

Verses Cited

• Mark 10:32-52 · James, John and Bartimaeus
• Mark 8 · First Announcement of the Passion
• Mark 9:34 · Who Is the Greatest?
• Acts 12 · James Executed by Herod
• Isaiah 53:4-5 · He Bore Our Sicknesses

Further reading

• What Is a Home Group? Definition and Role
• What Is a Ministry in a Church?
• What Is a Local Church? Definition and Role

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "drink the cup" mean in the Bible?

In the Old Testament, "drinking the cup" is a figurative expression that most often refers to undergoing God's judgment, his wrath. When Jesus speaks of the cup he is going to drink, he is speaking of bearing, in our place, God's wrath against sin. Here, the "baptism" he speaks of also refers to his death. James and John commit to drinking this cup without grasping what they are saying.

Why does Bartimaeus call Jesus "Son of David"?

"Son of David" is a messianic title equivalent to "Messiah" or "Christ." It designates Jesus as the eternal heir to David's throne. Bartimaeus, blind and a beggar, without apparently ever having met Jesus, recognizes his identity by faith. This is the first time this expression appears in the Gospel of Mark.

How can we apply "whoever wants to be great must be your servant" today?

This word of Jesus confronts the logic of the world, which seeks to dominate, to shine, to be well positioned. In our professional lives, our families, and in the church, it calls us to willingly choose service over recognition. This is not a performance to produce but a fruit of the Holy Spirit in a life that relies on the sacrifice of Jesus.