[RECAP]  So that’s the definition of Leader’s Disease, seeking my interests in the name of Jesus. While I say I’m serving His interests, I really am seeking my interests.  [END RECAP]

Now what are the symptoms of Leader’s Disease? Because the only way you can find out if you have a disease is if you are marked by the symptoms. So what are those symptoms? Well, we need to find out. And I’m going to read some passages, mostly from Mark, but also from Luke, that will help us see the disciples in action and we’ll be able to figure out if we have Leader’s Disease. There are going to be four symptoms. We’re going to look at four passages and I’m going to ask you as I read the passages. First I’m going to read them and I want you to listen with me, you can follow along with me if you want. But I want to read these passages and I want you to note in each passage what is the subject. Because every passage has the same subject. There’s a common subject; all four passages are about the same subject. And then I’m going to ask you what is the response, because every passage records the same response. So there’s the same subject; there’s the same response. And each of these passages will show us a symptom of Leader’s Disease.

So let’s begin by looking at Mark 9, verse 30 to 34. And I’m just going to read the passage, I will come back in a little bit and have more to say about it. But in Mark 9 verse 30 through verse 34, I just want us to see what this passage says. So we read that “they left the place where they were and passed through Galilee.” So they’re covering territory in Galilee. “Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were.” Now you have to remember that He’s in the same mode that He was in, in Mark chapter 6, when He wanted to get the disciples off by themselves so He could have some time with them, so He could ask that question, “who do men say that I am?” Now He’s asked that question but He’s got to help them understand what the implications of their answer is. And so He’s wanting, once again, to be with His men. And because as the text says, in verse 31, “He was teaching His disciples.” He didn’t want the crowd anymore, or the crowds anyway. He might have had His own group of followers alone with the disciples but He didn’t want large crowds; He wanted only those who were committed to Him.

And He said to them, “the Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise” (Mark 9:31). “But they did not understand what He meant.” Even though, as Mark said earlier, He was speaking plainly, He was speaking clearly. No more parables, no more mysterious questions, no more stories that confused, no more actions they didn’t quite get. Now He’s very, very direct. “But they did not understand what He meant and they were afraid to ask Him about it” (Mark 9:32). “They came to Capernaum. When He was in the house, He asked them, “What were you talking about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.” So what’s the subject in this passage? What’s the response?

Now let’s go to Mark 10. Come with me to Mark 10, just turn the page. Now they’re not just moving through Galilee, but in Mark 10, they were “on the way.” It’s kind of a motif in Mark, kind of a theme, something that characterized the book. ‘On the way,’ it’s a great picture of life - it’s intended to be. Mark intends this to be a picture for us of what it means to be ‘on the way’ with Jesus, and how Jesus wants to live. And He wants us to live ‘on the way,’ the same way He did. So let’s see what that is. “They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished.” Now, we’ll have to comment on why they were astonished in a few moments. “While those who followed were afraid,” so there were others along with the disciples. There seems to have been the disciples and then a group of other people who follow with them. Perhaps some of the women, actually women who helped fund His ministry, and others who just served and longed to be around Him.

“Again He took the Twelve aside,” took them away from those who were with them, “and told them what was going to happen to Him.” Verse 33, ““We are going up to Jerusalem,” He said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. Three days later He will rise.” Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want You to do whatever we ask You to do.” “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said. They replied, “Let one of us sit on Your right and the other on Your left in Your glory.”” So what’s the subject? What’s the response?

Now, this next one. We go to Luke 22 where we come upon our Lord on the very night that He is going to be arrested. It’s the Last Supper and He has gathered together with His men. And we will start reading in verse 14 and we will cover most of the verses between 14 and 24 but not all of them. But come with me to Luke 22 at verse 14, “When the hour had come.” Interesting. Or, “When the hour came.” This was Johannine language, John’s language, showing up with Mark. “When the hour came,” when it was time, it was close, it was drawing near. “Jesus and His apostles,” of course it’s the hour of the Passover, “Jesus and His apostles reclined at the table.”

“And He said to them, “I have eagerly, with desire, I have desired,”” that’s literally how He says it. ““I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”” And then He takes the cup and institutes the Lord’s Table. He takes the bread and completes the institution of the Lord’s Table. And then, while they are sitting there, in verse 21, Jesus says an amazing thing. Here are the men that He longed to be with. But He says, ““But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with Mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays Him.” They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this. Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be the greatest.”

So now we’ve done three passages. Same subject in each of the three, same response in each of the three. Are you taking notes? Making notes? What’s the subject? What’s the response? Now we go back to Mark. I want to go back to Mark chapter 14. And it’s on the same night, a little bit later. They have left the upper room where they were and they are now approaching, entering into right on the edge of Gethsemane. And Jesus has something He wants to say to His men.

In verse 27, Mark 14:27. So, come to Mark 14:27, ““You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “For it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today - yes, tonight - before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will disown me, disavow me, deny me, three times.” But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never disown You.” I will never deny You.”” And all the others, kind of forced by Peter, said the same thing.

So we have four passages. Same subject in every passage. Same response in every passage. What would you say the subject is? Many people will say the death of Jesus. Absolutely, absolutely right. But more specifically, a more focused, the cross. In each of these passages He talks about the cross. Now what would you say is the common response in each of these passages? Well I suggest, in one form or another, common response is competition. It’s amazing. Every time Jesus brings up the cross, competition comes out from the disciples. Isn’t that amazing? There’s something about the cross, something about the reality that brings out from within us kind of a spirit of resistance. Almost a spirit of rejection. Almost a sense of, ‘no, I don’t want that cross! You’re not hearing it. You’re not getting it right. Not the cross, the crown.’ Because that’s what they were interested in. They seem to be trying to say it, more strongly, maybe louder. Maybe they think if they shout it, ‘Crown! Crown! Crown!’ He’ll finally hear them and say, ‘Oh, that’s right! The crown.’ He knows what they’re thinking. He knows what they’re saying. It’s not the crown, it’s the cross.