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They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said.
REFERENCES: MARK 10:38-52; 1 KING 4:29; 1 JOHN 3:16
Hopefully, you’ve never found yourself in this scenario, but chances are, you have. James and John placed themselves in the situation of asking to be seated beside Jesus in glory. They didn’t realize it at the moment, but they completely let their skewed ambitions take over and overstepped their bounds. Thankfully, Jesus was gracious in correcting them, as he always is. He continued his walk with his disciples, letting them see the example of where their true motivation should lie. Further down the road, they encountered Bartimaeus, whose response to Jesus was a sincere request for change, not a position or power. We ought to take it as a true indication of following the heart of God when we consistently seek change that makes us more like him. Offering up our motivations to him daily ensures we are doing what he asks of us. With our hearts laid bare before God, he brings us to a place of giving rather than gaining. In a stance of humble service, God takes delight in us and does more with our gifts, talents, and abilities than we can imagine. So, get ready because there’s a journey of change that is fulfilling and waiting for you.
Our ambition has to die day after day at the foot of the cross to be more like Jesus.
The disciples’ lofty request makes it clear that they’ve missed the power of the moment of Jesus telling them what was to come. Instead of acknowledging his future sacrifice, they reacted like those who did not really know him. Jesus reminds them of their calling to walk in humility and to exhibit greatness through serving, not by seeking glory. Jesus said to them, and tells us today, “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”
Bartimaeus is a blind man along the road, who cries out for healing, as Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. Jesus doesn’t assume what Bartimaeus wants, but is a personal God who asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimeaus could see the path of Jesus better than the disciples who had never lost their physical eyes, he doesn’t have eyesight but he has insight
Godly change occurs when we allow Jesus’ selflessness, compassion, and love to saturate our hearts. This requires taking off the blinders and being sensitive to God’s plan for our lives, as opposed to submitting to our own motivations. Consistently being honest and sincere with God about our needs, invites his restorative power into our lives and removes our selfish ambitions. He’ll see to it that things are accomplished and that you’re equipped to last the journey.
Pinpoint the areas in your life that need change, then speak this sincere prayer, “Jesus, I want to be more like you. Help me to do whatever you ask.”
All of you that are already in our database will receive a text this upcoming Thursday from our new text platform. It isn’t spam, it’s really us! This will become a primary way for us to resource, equip, and update you. We encourage you to save this number and opt in for more updates.
VOUS High is youth community of VOUS and we are creating a space for middle schoolers to gather for service every Sunday.
Students will start with worship in the main auditorium and then be dismissed to their junior high space. This will be a moment to connect with other students, hear a message, and then discuss in small groups.
For more information and to RSVP your student, click here
Join us at the annual ILMC Thanksgiving Bash to distribute meal kits and turkeys. Also, bring a chair and cheer on your favorite team at our annual VOUS Bowl.
To serve, click here
Date: Saturday, November 23rd
Time: 9:00AM - 12:30PM
Location: Charles Hadley Park
1350 NW 50th St
Miami, FL 33142
Ready to kick off Thanksgiving with a burst of energy and community? Join us bright and early at Peacock Park for the VOUS 10K Turkey Trot! Whether you're a runner, a walker, or somewhere in between, this is a chance to start your day with some fresh air, great friends, and all-around fun! See you at the starting line!
To sign up for the Turkey Trot, click here
Date: Thursday, November 28th
Time: 6:00AM
Location: Peacock Park
2820 McFarlane Rd.
Miami, FL 33133
On Sunday, December 1st we're bringing our annual Tree Lighting tradition to both our SoMi and Miami Gardens Locations! Sign up to serve and join us for a night of fun! Invite your friends and let's welcome the Christmas season together!
Please note: There will not be a 6PM service at VOUS City. Instead, join us at VOUS Miami Gardens for the 6PM service, followed by the tree lighting celebration.
Date: December 1st
Time: 7:30PM
Location:
VOUS Miami Gardens
17801 NW 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33169
VOUS SoMi
6767 Sunset Dr
South Miami, FL 33143
To serve, click here
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
