Matthew 20:20-34
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Intro: Tree Falling
Intro: Tree Falling
The new year didn’t start out the way I was foreseeing
I wasn anticipating being a church and hearing Mike speak
Then on New Years eve our huge oak tree fell
Most of you probably saw it on social media
God’s hand was all over it
The tree fell right between our house and garage doing minimal damage
Three feet to the right or left and there would’ve been massive damage to our house or garage
I sent my family to my in-laws
At 3 am I had to go back to my house because I had left it open for the workers to get to my back yard
The power was out and I was all alone
I was sitting on my couch and a spiritual battle ensued
Is this how 2023 is going to go? It is an omen?
It would’ve been easy to sink into a pity party and cry “Whoa it me. Why do I have it so bad?
At that moment God spoke to me
Are you going to complain or are you going to watch me work?
PG&E was out right away
Their tree crew jumped on it
People offered their help
Insurance is paying for everything
Read Matthew 20:20-24
Read Matthew 20:20-24
Transition:
Jesus is ending his Galilean ministry
He is on his way to Jerusalem and from chapter 21 on it will be his final week of his life
For the last few chapters Jesus has been putting his disciples through a school of ministry
Imparting to them important lessons they will need when he is gone
He has also told them three times that He will die on a cross
In this final teaching he talks about ambition, service, and seeking His touch
It’s a great message to start the new year off because in the text are eternal truths that all of need
Drink this Cup vs. 20-24
Drink this Cup vs. 20-24
At first glance this looks like history first helicopter mom
She is trying to get what she thinks is best for her boys
Granted they are grown men
She comes asking for what she thinks is best for her boys
It’s interesting to note that in Mark’s account of this the boys are the ones who ask
We don’t know the impetus behind this request, or why the mother is involved
What we do know is that they wanted to be the right hand
Jesus just spoke about a cross, but they were interested in a crown.
They wanted reserved seats on special thrones!
Before we criticize what they did, let’s notice some commendable features in this event.
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
They believed that they were entitled to thrones, they just wanted to reserve specific seats
There were several things wrong with their request.
To begin with, it was born in ignorance.
“Ye know not what ye ask,” Jesus replied.
Little did Salome realize that the path to the throne is a difficult one.
James was the first of the disciples to be martyred
He was throne off the corner of the temple mount
John was the first attempt at Christian Chicken when Nero put him in oil to fry
Then he had to endure hard days on the Isle of Patmos.
These believers wanted their will, not God’s will, and they wanted it their way.
They were still thinking that Jesus was going to conquer the Romans and establish his earthly rule now.
Become a Servant vs. 25-28
Become a Servant vs. 25-28
This disagreement gave Jesus the opportunity to teach a practical lesson on leadership.
In His kingdom, we must not follow the examples of the world.
Our example is Jesus, not some corporation president or wealthy celebrity.
Jesus came as a servant; therefore, we should serve one another.
He came to give His life; therefore, we should give our lives in service to Him and others.
The world’s way of greatness is like a pyramid.
The prestige and power of the great person is built on the many subordinate persons beneath him.
But in the kingdom, the pyramid is inverted.
“God’s great men are not sitting on top of lesser men, but bearing lesser men on their backs.” R. C. H. Lenski
The greatest in the kingdom are those who serve
God’s greatness is different than the world’s greatness
He was speaking of an entirely different kind of greatness than the sort James and John were seeking and that the world promotes.
This kind of greatness is pleasing to God, because it is humble and self-giving rather than proud and self-serving.
The way to the world’s greatness is through pleasing and being served by men; the way to God’s greatness is through pleasing Him and serving others in His name.
In God’s eyes, the one who is great is the one who is a willing servant.
Man’s focus must be on rendering spiritual service with consummate excellence and leaving the success of that service to the Lord.
Godly greatness comes from genuine humility.
Only God knows a person’s heart
Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
Servant is from diakonos, from which the term deacon is derived.
The original Greek word was purely secular, referring to a person who did menial labor, such as house cleaning or serving tables.
It was not necessarily a term of dishonor but simply described the lowest level of hired help, who needed little training or skill.
But Christ elevated diakonos to a place of great significance, using it to describe His most faithful and favored disciples.
The surest mark of the true servant is willing sacrifice for the sake of others in the name of Christ.
The sham servant avoids suffering, while the true servant accepts it.
Seeking Jesus Touch vs. 29-34
Seeking Jesus Touch vs. 29-34
The final truth we are going to look at is seeking Jesus touch
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.