Jacob Chronicles for Kids: Volume 2, Issue 8

Lessons on the Road to Jerusalem

The Verse

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45 NASB)

The Story

It was a rocky, dusty uphill road to Jerusalem. The canyons were deep, and the air was dry and hot.

James struck up a conversation with his brother, John, to take his mind off the heat. He and John talked about the first time they saw Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He called them, and said, "Follow Me."

Something about this stranger spoke of strength and greatness. They left their fishing boat. They left their father, Zebedee. They left it all to follow Him. From the beginning of Jesus' ministry, they were there.

James remembered the time in Capernaum when Jesus cast out an unclean spirit from a man in the synagogue.

John talked about their trip to the region of Gerasine where Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who made his dwelling among the tombs. He could break chains and shackles to pieces. No one could stop him.

Screams of torment echoed through the tombs as they tied the boat to shore. John watched as Jesus commanded the unclean spirit named Legion (because there were many of them) out of the man and into a herd of pigs.

The pigs were sniffing the ground nearby on the banks of the sea. And when the unclean spirit entered them, they rushed into the sea and drowned.

"Why did the people in the region ask Jesus to leave after the great thing He had done?" John asked James.

“Same thing happened in Samaria,” said James.

"Yeah, they wouldn't receive Jesus there either," recalled John.

"If only Jesus had allowed us to command fire from heaven to consume them," said James.

"Instead, He rebuked us," said John.

"Called us Sons of Thunder!" They both forced a laugh from their dusty throats.

"Remember when we were in Caesarea Philippi?” asked John.

“And Peter declared Jesus is the Messiah?" answered James.

"After seeing Moses and Elijah come minister to Jesus on that mountain, we have no doubt this is true. He is the Messiah," said John.

“But why does he keep saying He has to go to Jerusalem and die? He’s said it at least three times now," said James.

They spoke with concern about how the Chief Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees were always there, lurking in the shadows, spying on Jesus. Plotting against Jesus. Seeking to kill Jesus.

"They've been scheming since the day Jesus healed the paralytic in Capernaum," said John.

Then they saw it. The city of Jericho. They were just outside Jerusalem.

They ran to Jesus at once. James on the right of Him, and John on the left. They said, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You."

Jesus said to them, "What do you want Me do to for you?"

And they said, "Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left in Your glory."

But Jesus told them it wasn't His to give.

The other ten disciples heard this. They couldn't believe James and John would ask such a thing. Who did they think they were?

Jesus sensed the grumbling amongst His disciples. So, He called them to Himself.

"If you want to be great in My kingdom, you must make yourself a servant. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

James and John grew quiet. They pondered Jesus’ words for the rest of the journey into Jericho.

Did you know the word 'ransom' means the price paid to free a slave? Jesus came to die on the cross to pay our debt and release us from the slavery of sin.

James and John didn't understand this at the time. They thought Jesus had come to establish an earthly kingdom and free Israel from Rome's oppression. And James and John wanted places of honor in this earthly kingdom.

But Jesus' kingdom is a heavenly kingdom. In His kingdom, He wants us to serve others and not ourselves.

Retelling of James and John from Mark 10:35-45

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