What do you want? It sounds like a simple question, but Jesus asked it often. In this message, Pastor Jeremy DeWeerdt takes a look at this simple, yet powerful question that Jesus posed to his disciples 2,000 years ago, and also poses to us today. Is what you want really what you need, and how can Jesus be the source of that need?
Notes 📓✏️:
What Do You Want? – Pastor Jeremy DeWeerdt
“Questions Jesus Asked”
Arguments may form your opinions, but questions will expand your thinking.
“What do you want?”
Do you know what you want?
“What do you want me to do for you?”
Mark 10:35-41 (NIV) Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at Your right and the other at Your left in Your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. 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.” When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
Matthew 20:20-21 (NIV) Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of Him. “What is it you want?” He asked.
Mark 10:46-52 (NIV) 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 told him to be quiet, 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, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. 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.
Outside of Jesus, everyone in these stories is blind. Only one person realizes it.
Sometimes Jesus asking us “what we want” is an opportunity to acknowledge our own blindness.
We all have wants, but we really have needs.
What we want is easy.
What we need is endurance.
What we want is to be great and important.
What we need is to be faithful.
What we want is our desires met now.
What we need is character and patience.
What we want is security.
What we need is to have faith.
What we want is success.
What we need is to be a servant.
“I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others…I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.”
Martin Luther King, Jr., “Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness. And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein’s theory of relativity to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant.”
“Son of David, have mercy on me.”
Your approach determines the outcome.
“I want you to do for us whatever I ask.”
“Jesus, have mercy on me.”
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
“God, show me what I really need.”
Discussion Questions 📝❓:
- Why do you think Jesus often answered questions with questions?
- How can understanding our true motivations and needs help us when seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus?
- What does it mean to find out identity in Jesus and not in power, position, or authority?
- How can recognizing our own spiritual blindness and asking God to expose it help us grow?