Matthew 20

Laborers in the Vineyard

the kingdom of heaven is not ordered like this world

when it is established it will not look like the kingdoms we see around us

merit and wealth and time spent are meaningless

everyone who does the will of God receives the reward in the end

Jesus Foretells his death #3

around Jericho, very close to Jerusalem

tells exactly how it will happen

as it most often does, his foretelling is meant to be a part of what he says next

A Mother’s Request

the mother of James and John convinced to come and talk to Jesus here

how could he say no to this sweet old lady?

Jesus sees through them and seems to address the sons with his answer and following question

the cup he is about to drink is what he has just foretold

they will follow Jesus into all that he is going to do, even if they don’t yet understand what that means

authority and status and all the like, thrones, placements. none of those things matter in the kingdom

the king of all came to be a servant. to wash feet, heal lepers, eat with sinners and die on a cross

Healing Two Blind Men

as if to illustrate his point before the story moves on

two blind men along the road

low in status and seeming to all around to be beneath the character they want Jesus to be

but Jesus asks them for their want and has compassion- splanchnon

Application

what are you looking to get out of this?

the same point building for the last several chapters

Jesus as he approaches the end and everything that will come with it, calls in to question the motivation of the disciples for following him

they are so close and yet missing the point

is your inner being moved to help and do good wherever there is good to do?

or do you simply want one of those thrones?