Who Am I? The Gospel According to Matthew

The Gospel According to Matthew

Matthew 20:17-34

INTRODUCTION:  This week we continue the theme of the last two weeks that the first shall be last and the last first.  This is not a lesson about our place in line or even our station in life, but it is about the Kingdom of God.  It is about His kingdom.  Jesus was letting us all know that the kingdom is not a place for hierarchy. The kingdom of heaven is about serving one another.

Question of the day:  If you were blind what would you miss seeing the most?

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time

17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, 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 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

I found this interesting.  It is just kind of sitting out there in the middle of several stories about the same thing.  It is almost like an after thought... or is it?

It is also interesting that there is no response from the disciples, or Matthew doesn't record a response.  Perhaps because they didn't understand or believe. 

This section my feel disconnected from the remainder of the chapter but it isn't.  The next section makes it clear that they still didn't get it.  They still didn't understand the first shall be last and the last first.  They still didn't understand that Jesus coming was not about setting up a glorious kingdom here on this earth but it was about giving up everything so we can be with him in heaven.  

A Mother’s Request

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, 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 by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

So who are the son's of Zebedee? 

Ellen White writes in Desire of Ages, "John, the son of Zebedee, had been one of the first two disciples who had followed Jesus. He and his brother James had been among the first group who had left all for His service. Gladly they had forsaken home and friends that they might be with Him; they had walked and talked with Him; they had been with Him in the privacy of the home, and in the public assemblies. He had quieted their fears, delivered them from danger, relieved their sufferings, comforted their grief, and with patience and tenderness had taught them, till their hearts seemed linked with His, and in the ardor of their love they longed to be nearest to Him in His kingdom. At every possible opportunity, John took his place next the Saviour, and James longed to be honored with as close connection with Him.

Their mother was a follower of Christ, and had ministered to Him freely of her substance. With a mother's love and ambition for her sons, she coveted for them the most honored place in the new kingdom. For this she encouraged them to make request."

So what a mother she is. She is one of those mothers who is still involved in her grown sons lives. She is one of those mothers who is tenacious.  Before we are too hard on her, is it not the desire of every mothers heart that her children reach great success and are acknowledged for their devotion and hard work? Don't we want others to appreciate our children too?

Her request still makes it clear that she, nor the disciples understood what was about to happen even though Jesus had just finished telling them.  They were still thinking a glorious KINGDOM.

But even so for us today, what is our hope for our children?  

Do we also fall in the trap of wanting great things for them?

Keeping in mind what Jesus says at the end of this passage, what should be the desire of our hearts for our children?

How should that change how we raise them?

Do we spend more energy on their education or on service becoming part of who they are?  Do we spend more time on music lessons and sports than serving their fellow man? Are we more concerned with their future success than their heart for their fellow man?
What about for ourselves?

What do we dream about and hope for? 

Be honest, have you at least once wondered what it would be like to win the lottery this week? Imagine all the good you could do with that right?

Do we dream of doing big or dream of serving those around us.  Are we dreaming or serving?

Do we serve because it will earn us that spot beside Jesus or do we serve because we love our fellow man?

Why does Jesus say that he can't decide who is beside him? 

What can we learn from this? 

How many times do we, try to decide who is greater? 

Do we idolize the "spiritually great"?  Do we consider greater those who have bigger conversion stories, or those who are lifers? Do we rank each other?  Do you look at some and think, boy do they have a long way to go, or boy do I have a long way to go?  Can you imagine if we would stop ranking ourselves and others and just rest, rest in knowing that God is on His thrown and we don't need to worry ourselves with placement.  Just let it go.  Let go of His job and turn our energy and our focus on just serving those around us.  Loving those around us.  

"The one who stands nearest to Christ will be he who on earth has drunk most deeply of the spirit of His self-sacrificing love,--love that "vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, . . . seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil" (1 Cor. 13:4, 5),--love that moves the disciple, as it moved our Lord, to give all, to live and labor and sacrifice, even unto death, for the saving of humanity. This spirit was made manifest in the life of Paul. He said, "For to me to live is Christ;" for his life revealed Christ to men; "and to die is gain,"--gain to Christ; death itself would make manifest the power of His grace, and gather souls to Him. "Christ shall be magnified in my body," he said, "whether it be by life or by death." Phil. 1:21, 20."

We have a very important job to do! 

What can we do to love more and give more this week?  

I would like to challenge you to in the midst of your busy schedule, your kids, your work, and even your church duties, to stop and go do something for someone who needs help.  Who around you could use some help? 

This story Jesus once again, ends it with the same lesson, the same point.  First-last.  Last-first.

READ: 

Two Blind Men Receive Sight

29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and 
followed him.

Is there anything you are blind to or about? Maybe in your marriage you would like to see hope. Or maybe you are dealing with a difficult child and you would like to see a better way of raising them. What would you like to see?

Would you like to cry out, "Have mercy on me"?

If Jesus was passing by today, what would you cry out for?

Who am I?  I am blind, I am a servant, I will see, I will serve. I am a mother who hopes and prays her children will be servants. I am His.