It's My Pleasure — Sermon Recap | The Bridge Church Hampton, VA

Series: Red Hot Scripture: Mark 10:35–45 Preacher: Pastor Edwin Jones

You've probably heard it before — maybe at a drive-through, maybe in a training at work. Someone thanks you, and instead of "you're welcome," they say: It's my pleasure.

It's a simple phrase. But what if that posture — genuine delight in serving someone else — was the thing Jesus said would make you great?

That was the heart of this week's message at The Bridge Church in Hampton, VA, as Pastor Edwin Jones continued our Red Hot series with a word from Mark 10:35–45 titled "It's My Pleasure."

The Request That Started the Conversation

The passage opens with an uncomfortable moment. James and John, two of Jesus' closest disciples, pull Him aside and make a bold ask: when you come into your glory, let one of us sit at your right hand and the other at your left.

They wanted the seats of honor. The positions of power. The recognition that would come with being closest to the King.

It's easy to read that and think, I would never ask that. But be honest. The desire for recognition isn't unusual — it's human. We want our work to mean something. We want to be seen. We want to matter. James and John weren't asking for anything most of us haven't quietly wanted ourselves.

Jesus doesn't shame them for the request. He redirects it.

What Greatness Actually Looks Like

When the other ten disciples heard about the request, they were furious — probably because they wanted the same thing and hadn't thought to ask for it first. Jesus gathers them all together and uses the moment to reframe everything they thought they knew about leadership, honor, and what it means to be great.

"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all."

This wasn't a polite suggestion. It was a direct reversal of how the world operates. Jesus is pointing to the Roman rulers around them — the ones who lorded their authority over people — and saying: that is not how things work in the Kingdom.

In the Kingdom, the path to greatness runs straight through service.

The Son of Man Came to Serve

What makes this teaching land so hard is the verse that follows. Jesus doesn't just tell His disciples what to do — He points to Himself as the example.

"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."

The one person in the room who had every right to be served chose not to exercise that right. The Creator of the universe, wrapped in human skin, came to wash feet and die on a cross. If anyone deserved the seat of honor, it was Jesus — and He spent His life handing that seat to everyone else.

That's the standard. And it's a high one.

Staying on Fire Through Serving

In the context of our Red Hot series, Pastor Edwin connected servant leadership to the fire that keeps us spiritually alive. It is easy to get consumed with our own advancement — our own comfort, our own recognition, our own spiritual experience. But a life oriented around yourself is a fire that burns out fast.

Staying red hot for Jesus means staying outward-focused. It means finding genuine joy in showing up for others, not as a burden, but as a calling. Not as something to check off a list, but as something that actually energizes you.

"It's my pleasure" stops being a customer service script and starts being a way of life.

What This Looks Like in Hampton Roads

This isn't abstract theology. It shows up at work when you do the thing nobody else wants to do — and you don't complain about it. It shows up at home when you serve your family when you're tired. It shows up at church when you volunteer in BKids or greet people at the door or stay after to fold chairs.

None of those things come with a seat of honor. But according to Jesus, they're exactly the kind of thing that builds a life of genuine greatness.

The fire of God doesn't just burn in the big moments. It burns in the ordinary acts of service that most people never see.

Watch the Full Message

Catch "It's My Pleasure" on our Messages page or on YouTube.

Want to find a way to serve at The Bridge? We'd love to connect you. Learn more about getting involved or plan your first visit. We meet every Sunday at 8:15, 10:00, and 11:45 AM at 35 Tide Mill Lane, Hampton, VA 23666.