Matthew 20:17-34

Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:3-11

Introduction

What Does the Phrase “Practice What You Preach” Mean?

“Behave the Way You Want Others to Behave”

“If You’re Going to Preach it to Others…”

“Then You Need to Practice it Yourself”

Have You Ever Known Someone…

Who Didn’t Practice What They Preached?

Have You Ever Been Someone…

Who Didn’t Practice What You Preached?

There’s Only Been One Human…

Who Always Practiced What He Preached

Our Text this Morning is Going to Give Us 2 Beautiful Examples…

Of Jesus Practicing What He Preached

Matthew 20:17-34

I’ve Mentioned so Many Times…

That Matthew’s Account is Structured…

In Such Amazing & Intentional Ways

It’s a Very Organized Account of the Life & Ministry of Jesus

Since the Beginning of Chapter 18…

The Focus in Matthew has Been on the…

Upside-Down Values of the Kingdom

God Values:

Those of Humble Status, Like Children

His Children Who Go Astray into Sin

Holiness, Reconciliation, Forgiveness, and the Lifelong Commitment of Marriage

And He Wants Us to Value These Same Things

Jesus Teaches Us that Those of the Greatest Value in His Kingdom:

Are the Lowly, Least, and Last

In Our Lesson Today…

That Theme of the Upside-Down Values of the Kingdom…

Is Going to Reach its Grand Finale

Matthew’s Going to Show Us…

That Jesus Didn’t Just Teach His Followers…

To Pursue the Status of the Lowly, Least, and Last

He Lived it

When Jesus Said:

“The Last Shall Be First, and the First Shall Be Last”…

He Meant it

He Practiced What He Preached

Matthew 20:17–19 (NASB95)

17 As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.”

There’s a Lot to Digest Here…

So Let’s Take it One Step at a Time

Jesus & His Disciples are Making Their Way to Jerusalem

We Learned in Matthew 19:1…

That Jesus Left Galilee and Traveled into Perea

Now They’re Making Their Way Up to Jerusalem

And By the End of Our Text…

They will have Already Crossed the Jordan River…

And will Be Leaving Jericho (15 Miles from Jerusalem)

They were on Their Way to Jerusalem to Celebrate the Passover

They were Likely Traveling with…

A Large Caravan of Galilean Jews

Jesus Pulled the 12 Away from the Crowd…

To Prepare Them for What was about to Happen

They weren’t Just Going to Jerusalem to Celebrate the Passover

They were Going to Establish a New One

A New Passover Lamb was Going to Be Slaughtered

A New Sin Offering was About to Be Made for the Entire World

Jesus is Going to Be Handed Over to the Sanhedrin

(The Supreme Court of the Jewish People)

And They are Going to Judge Him Guilty…

And Sentence Him to Death

They will Deliver Him Over to the Roman Authorities

And He’ll Be Mocked, Beaten, and Crucified

The Son of Man:

The Human to Whom God would Give an Everlasting Throne (Daniel 7)…

Is Going to Be Horribly Humiliated:

Betrayed by One of His Own

Rejected by His People

Mocked and Beaten Ruthlessly

Executed in One of the Most Humiliating & Excruciating Ways

An Execution that’s Normally Reserved for Foreigners, Slaves…

And the Most Despised of Criminals

The Greatest in Jesus’ Kingdom are the Lowly, Least, and Last

It Doesn’t Get Anymore Lowly, Least, or Last than That

But, After He Faces Humiliation, Pain, and Death…

Jesus will Be Resurrected

The First to Receive the New, Glorified, Immortal Body

The First of New Creation

The First of What All Followers of Jesus Hope to Receive

“The First Shall Be Last, and the Last First”

Jesus Wasn’t Just Preaching it

He was Going to Live it & Suffer it

Jesus couldn’t Be Anymore Clear…

About What was Going to Happen in Jerusalem

But Luke’s Account Tells Us:

Luke 18:34 (NASB95)

34 But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.

The Idea of the Messianic King Being Shamefully Put to Death…

Instead of Being Exalted to the Throne…

Was Utterly Unthinkable to Them

That Makes Sense of What We Read Next

Matthew 20:20–21 (NASB95)

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.”

Traveling with Them to Jerusalem was the Mother of James & John

By Comparing the Gospel Accounts…

It’s Likely that Her Name is Salome

It’s Possible that She’s Mary’s Sister (Making Her Jesus’ Aunt)

This would Also Mean that James & John are Jesus’ 1st Cousins

If that’s the Case, that would Make Sense of…

Why She was Making this Request for Her Sons

1st Cousins of the King should Get Special Privileges, Right?

“When You Take Your Throne…”

“Make My Sons Your Right & Left Hand Men”

“Make Them the Top Officials in Your Royal Cabinet”

Remember, They Still Don’t Understand…

That Jesus is About to Die in Jerusalem

They Think He’s About to Take the Throne & Establish His Kingdom

Do You Remember What Jesus Recently Told the Apostles?

Whenever He’s Exalted to His Throne…

They will Also Sit on 12 Thrones with Him

I Believe He was Referring to…

Their Spiritual Authority Over His Church

But They Likely Interpreted it Very Differently

They Think Jesus is about to Take His Throne

Therefore, They’re about to Take Theirs

James and John are Asking (Through Their Mother)…

If They can have the Greatest Places in the Kingdom

They Want to Be Exalted to the Highest Places of Honor/Importance

They Want to Be Right Beside the King

Matthew 20:22–23 (NASB95)

22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”

Jesus Let’s Them Know Real Quick:

“You Do Not Know What You are Asking”

“You Think You’re Asking for Power/Authority/Glory…”

“But What You’re Actually Asking is for…”

“Humiliation, Suffering, and Death Upon a Cross”

This is the Cup that Jesus was About to Drink

The Cup that They Believed They were Able to Drink

Jesus Informs Them that They, in Fact…

Will Drink the Cup of Humiliation, Suffering, and Death

James would Be the First Apostle to Be Killed for the Faith…

And John would Live a Long Life of Suffering for Jesus

But as for Who will Be at His Right & Left Hand in His Exaltation…

It’s Already Been Determined By the Father

They were 2 Nameless, Insignificant Thieves

Matthew 20:24–28 (NASB95)

24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

The Other 10 are Angry at James & John’s Request

“How Dare They Try to Get More Honor than the Rest of Us!”

But They Can’t Be Too Angry

They All have Wanted/will Continue to Want…

To Be the Greatest in the Kingdom

Jesus Says to Them:

“Look at the Great Rulers of the World”

“They Exercise Dominion/Authority Over the People”

“But that’s Not How We Do it in My Kingdom”

“If You Want to Be Great…”

“You Don’t Demand Others Serve You…”

“You Become the Servant”

“If You Want to Be First…”

“You Don’t Force Others Beneath You…”

“You Place Yourself Beneath Them and Be Their Slave”

“To Be at the Highest Position in My Kingdom…”

“You’ve Got to Take the Lowest Position”

But, Again, Jesus Didn’t Just Preach this…

He Lived it

Even the Son of Man (the Human on the Heavenly Throne)…

Came to Serve Instead of Be Served

Imagine a King Who Serves His Servants

It’s Unheard of in the Kingdoms of the World…

But it’s the Very Nature of the Kingdom of God

He Came to Give His Life a Ransom for Many

A “Ransom” = the Price that’s Paid…

For the Release of a Captive from His Captivity…

Or a Slave from His Slavery

King Jesus Came to Serve Us

King Jesus Came to Give His Life…

To Set Us Free from Our Captivity/Slavery to Sin & Death

Our Savior and Our King…

Is the Greatest in the Kingdom of God…

Because He Made Himself a Servant to Us All…

And Gave Up His Life to Pay for Ours

If You Want to Be Great in His Kingdom…

You’ve Got to Follow His Example of Greatness

Make Yourself a Servant/Slave to Your Brothers & Sisters

Consider Them/Their Lives as More Valuable than Your Own

Jesus Just Told Us that He Came to Serve…

And Now Matthew’s Going to Give Us One More Proof of that:

Matthew 20:29–34 (NASB95)

29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. 30 And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32 And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.

Jesus, His Disciples, and a Large Crowd are 15 Miles from Jerusalem

Jesus’ Followers have Big Things on Their Minds

Jesus, the Anointed King, is about to Enter Jerusalem…

And Be Exalted to the Throne of His Glory

But, Wait a Second

Do You Hear Something?

(Whisper) “Lord, Son of David, Have Mercy on Us!”

(Repeat Louder)

It’s 2 Blind Beggars

“Tell Those Guys to Hush!”

“King Jesus has Got Much More Important Things Going on Right Now!”

“He Doesn’t have Time to Mess with a Couple of Nobodies”

The Son of Man Did Not Come to Be Served, But to Serve

“If You Want to Be the Greatest, Be a Servant”

“If You Want to Be First, Be a Slave”

Jesus Practices What He Preaches

Our Compassionate King Always has Time for Nobodies

Especially When They have Faith Like These 2 Men

He Restored Their Sight and They Began Following Him

Application

Have You Ever Heard the Acronym G.O.A.T.

You Hear it Used a Lot in Sports

It Stands for “Greatest Of All Time”

Every Athlete Wants to Be the GOAT

But this isn’t Unique to Athletes

We All Desire to Be Great

We All Desire to Feel Important

We All Desire to Be First

But Jesus, the Greatest/Most Important/First

The GOAT…

Made Himself a Servant/Slave to All Humanity

Jesus is Our King/Master

As His Disciples, it’s Our Purpose…

To Be like the Master

That Means We Too Must Make Ourselves Servants/Slaves to All

We Must Become Lowly/Least/Last…

In Order to Be Like the Greatest/Most Important/First

If You’ve Been Paying Close Attention…

Then You’ve Noticed that I’ve Taught this Same Principle…

For the Past Several Weeks:

The Value of Humble Servant-Hood

The Greatness of Being Lowly/Least/Last

You Might Be Thinking:

“Okay Jon, We Get it, Move on!”

But, I’ve Not Taught this the Past Several Weeks Because I Chose to

I Let the Text Determine What I Teach

Matthew has Spent 3 Whole Chapters Focusing on this Principle

I Think We’ve Greatly Under-Valued…

The Importance of:

Humble Servant-Hood

And Being Lowly/Least/Last

I’m Convince this is One of the Greatest Principles of Christianity…

And I Need to Take it Much More Seriously

As We Leave the Theme of Chapters 18-20 Behind…

And Move into the Final Week of Jesus’ Mortal Life…

Let’s Remember Who He is…

And Who He’s Called Us to Be:

Humble Servants

Lowly/Least/Last