39: The Humble Servant (Mt 19:27-20:28)

The Prideful Frog

I heard the story about the frog from Minnesota who wanted to escape the cold temperatures. He decided to find a way to go south for the winter. Two nearby geese were about to start their flight southward for their annual migration. So the frog asked, “Will you take me with you?”

At first, they refused. They didn’t see how it could be done. But, the clever frog devised a plan. He convinced each of them to hold the ends of a short stick in their beaks. Then, he said he would hold on in the middle with his mouth. The unlikely threesome took off, and sure enough the frog’s plan worked.

During their flight southward, as they traveled over Indiana, a farmer looked up into the clear, blue skies. He remarked loudly, “I wonder which one of them came up with that remarkable idea!” The frog, puffed up with pride, could be heard yelling, “I didddd!” as he plummeted to earth.

And thus, the saying is proved true: “Pride comes before the FALL.”

Rather than being prideful and puffed up, followers of Jesus are to follow His example of being the Humble Servant. We are to be grateful for God’s grace and extend that grace to others, being more concerned about honoring Jesus & treating others with value than being focused on the trophies we receive.

Before we dive in, let’s do a quick recap of the context from last week.

Last week we talked about Childlike Faith and…

Childlike Faith = Trusting Jesus instead of Yourself

We are to remove whatever and whoever has 1st place in our lives and follow Jesus, just as Jesus told the rich man who had put his hope in his money instead of his Maker. Sadly, this man walked away from Jesus rather than following Him.

The disciples of Jesus, on the other hand, HAD walked away from their jobs to follow Jesus, as He trained them to take His good news to all nations, beginning with their own people in Israel. That’s where we pick up today.

Matthew 19:27 (NIV) Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

Essentially, Peter is asking, “Is it worth it?”

We know that Peter and the other apostles didn’t leave their families or homes for long. In fact, Peter’s house was in the town of Capernaum, the place Jesus and his disciples made their home base while ministering around Galilee. Later Paul writes:

1 Corinthians 9:5 (NIV)

Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas [Peter]?

But they did sacrifice a lot to follow Jesus.

Peter & the others did leave their jobs - no longer working as fishermen or a tax collector. There goes there long-term plans for financial comfort.

They also left their homes and families for periods of time to travel with Jesus beyond their homes.

Ultimately, they gave their lives to follow Jesus, which resulted in several being killed & ALL being severely persecuted.

As such, Jesus encourages them with these words.

Matthew 19:28 (NIV) Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

At the renewal of all things, when the earth is renewed and Jesus finally takes His throne as king of all kings on the earth, the 12 apostles will rule with him - judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Wow! What an incredible honor & responsibility. The 12 apostles of Jesus (minus Judas - adding Matthias - Acts 1:23-26) will rule over the people of Israel!

Matthew 19:29 (NIV) And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

Following Jesus is costly.

Some have left their houses & families to share the Gospel in other nations for long periods of time.

I remember when the Handfield 5 left here and left their family for several years to take the gospel to an unreached people group. Tessa Andrews is doing the same in Haiti right now, along with the Smith family in Cambodia.

Others have left their relatives because their families forced them to decide between Jesus or them - and they chose Jesus.

Others left the financial security of what their fields produce in order to plant and harvest spiritual fruit that would never spoil. Unlike the rich man who walked away from Jesus because of his great wealth, these folks chose treasure in heaven (Mt 19:21) over treasure on earth.

While those people might have lost much on this side of eternity, they will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

Mark & Luke both note that Jesus mentioned a hundred times as much being “in this present age” (Mk 10:29-30 & Lk 18:29-30) AND the life to come.

Some of you have experienced that reality haven’t you? God has put spiritual fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters in your lives, even if your blood relatives have pushed you away.

Those who give & go to minister to others often find that THEY have been the ones most ministered to!

And while we can & should look forward to the future blessings, our focus shouldn’t be on the Worker’s WAGES but on the Master’s MERCY. It’s not about how much we’ve EARNED but how much we’ve been GIVEN!

As we’re about to see…

The Humble Servant appreciates & extends the Master’s Mercy to Others.

But those who focus on the worker’s wages instead of the Master’s Mercy will likely be surprised to find out that…

Matthew 19:30 (NIV) But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

Then Jesus explains what He means by that by doing what He does so often and so well - He tells a story.

Matthew 20:1–2 (NIV) For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

A denarius was a day’s wage.

Matthew 20:3-5a (NIV) About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, “You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went.

No particular wage is agreed upon. The landowner simply says he will pay them whatever is right.

Matthew 20:5b-7 (NIV) He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

Matthew 20:8 (NIV) When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.”

Matthew 20:9-12 (NIV) The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. “These who were hired last worked only one hour,” they said, “and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.”

Matthew 20:13-16 (NIV) But he answered one of them, “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.

Again, while we can & should look forward to the future blessings, our focus shouldn’t be on the Worker’s WAGES but on the Master’s MERCY.

It’s not about how much we’ve EARNED but how much we’ve been GIVEN! In turn - as Humble Servants - we should…

…appreciate & extend the Master’s Mercy to Others.

We should be GRATEFUL that our King is so generous…to US and OTHERS!

For example, should the first followers of Jesus be envious because the man on the cross next to Jesus was given the same eternal life the apostles of Jesus were given? OR should they have been blown away by the generosity of the Master?

Some might say “that’s UNFAIR!”. The apostles worked so hard and gave so much, and this guy gets the same payment? ETERNAL LIFE?

But…if we wanted what was fair, then we would be judged guilty for our sins. But if we recognize that we don’t deserve God’s grace, then we should be grateful when others receive His grace too - even when we have walked with Jesus for years and then turn to Him later in life.

Side note: Waiting to follow Jesus until you’re older is unwise for 2 reasons:

You don’t know when 1) you are going to die or 2) Jesus is going to return. Don’t delay.

QUESTION: How many of you know someone who died much earlier than expected?

You will miss out on God’s Presence and peace. You will miss out on deeper relationships with Christian brothers & sisters than you’ve ever know. You’ll miss out on a Church family that will celebrate with you in the good times and mourn with you in the tough times.

Most people I know who come to follow Jesus as they get older have 1 major regret - that they didn’t follow Jesus sooner.

Time is ticking away, and Jesus now makes His final turn toward Jerusalem, where the Humble Servant will give His life away so that all who would TRUST Him would have eternal life and not perish.

Matthew 20:17–19 (NIV) Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “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 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!”

What a humbling moment that must have been, wide eyes & attentive ears from His disciples - as Jesus foretold of His coming torture and death, that included Jewish leaders (chief priests & teachers of the law) and pagan Gentiles. According to Dr. Luke, the disciples really didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about (Lk 18:34).

John MacArthur says it well: writes: “The disciples knew they were going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with Jesus, but they did not know that Jesus was Himself God’s ultimate and only true Passover Lamb.

They were still thinking lion, but He was thinking Lamb.

They were thinking kingdom, but He was thinking sacrifice.

They were thinking glory, but He was thinking suffering and death. [1]

So, despite all that Jesus had taught about being a Humble Servant - thankful for God’s generosity; and despite Jesus having speaking about the ultimate act of the Humble Servant…

Matthew 20:20–21 (NIV) Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of Him. “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.”

James & John’s mother was evidently Salome, one of the women who helped care for Jesus and his disciples on their journeys (Mk 15:40-41) was at the crucifixion & tomb, with Jesus’ mother Mary…possibly even her sister (Mt 27:56, Jn 19:25, Mk 16:1). If so, then Jesus’ aunt is approaching Him to ask special privilege for his cousins.

James & John were evidently right there, sending Momma to ask Jesus this question. When Jesus’ kingdom was fulfilled, these men wanted a place of authority, even above all the other apostles. Did they not get the point of the last shall be first?

Matthew 20:22-23 (NIV) “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. 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.”

When Jesus asks about the cup He is about to drink, they feel confident that they can drink from it too.

Maybe they were thinking not only of the struggle of the fight, but the glory of the victory - New Testament David’s boldly approaching scary Goliath, but believing it will result in their great victory.

Jesus was about to drink from the cup of suffering, the same cup who would ask the Father to remove when He was praying in Gethsemane (Mt 26:39-42).

These men would later drink from the cup Jesus was about to drink from. In fact, James was the 1st of the apostles to be killed for his faith in Jesus - beheaded by King Herod - likely in Jerusalem (Acts 12:2). And John faced tremendous persecution into old age. Again, it is unlikely that they were thinking about persecution and death, as they really didn’t understand what was about to happen in Jerusalem.

The other apostles caught wind of this and there was almost a fight in the locker room!

Matthew 20:24–25 (NIV)

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 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.

In the Roman world filled with paganism, idolatry, & sin, the one who SERVES NO ONE is the greatest - served by others. Caesar was NOT a servant, he is the one who was served. He and other rulers under him could demand those under them to do whatever they wanted as those with the biggest sticks win.

Matthew 20:26–28 (NIV)

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—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.”

But disciples of Jesus are to follow the lead of The Humble Servant - Jesus, who came to serve, to give his life as a ransom for many.

The Greek term for ransom would cause the 1st century audience to think of the price paid to give a slave his freedom. Here’s the incredible twist.

The KING became a servant, to set slaves free, so that they would freely serve to set other slaves free.

We have been bought at a PRICE! (1 Cor 6:20). And we need to be…

Humble servants who appreciate & extend the Master’s Mercy to Others.

Every week several men in our church have the privilege of going to our local prison and spending time with men who KNOW they NEED the Master’s Mercy. Most of them are guilty for wicked things and…getting caught.

The men who are working with them are godly men who have quite the spiritual resume - they include an overseas missionary, pastors who have taught Scriptures, deacons who have served the needs of the church, & those who have served in and built multiple addiction ministries.

But rather than focusing on the WORKER’S WAGES, these men are focused on the Master’s Mercy. They understand, it’s not about how much they’ve EARNED, but how much we’ve been GIVEN!

Because of that, these humble servants appreciate & extend the Master’s Mercy to others.

Have YOU experienced the Master’s Mercy? Do you KNOW that you KNOW that you’re forgiven?

Are YOU extending the Master’s Mercy to others? Treat people with value, the same kind of value YOU want to be treated with. Then tell them WHY!

“You are valuable, made in the image of God. I’m a follower of Jesus, and I’d love to tell you of how generous He has been to forgive my sins, and how you can know Him too!

PRAY - want to talk?

___________

John F. MacArthur Jr., Matthew, vol. 3, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985), 223.

Discussion Questions

Read Matthew 19:27-29. Name some of the sacrifices followers of Jesus have made in the past & continue to make in the present, along with benefits in this life & the life to come. What are some blessings you experience on this side of eternity?

Read Matthew 19:30-20:16. What's the point Jesus is making with this story? While there are different rewards/responsibilities in eternity (e.g. 12 apostles judging 12 tribes of Israel), how does appreciating the gift of eternal life help us focus on the Master’s Mercy, and keep us from competing for the worker’s wages?

While some people wait to trust Jesus just before death and are given eternal life (e.g. criminal on cross), what is the danger of waiting too long vs. the blessings of following Jesus for a long time?

Read Matthew 20:17-28. As we now make the turn toward Jerusalem in the Gospel of Matthew, what does Jesus know He’s walking into? Why is Jesus willing to go through this kind of torturous death?

Read Philippians 2:1-8. What are WE to learn and apply from the example of The Humble Servant?

Today’s BIG TRUTH: The Humble Servant Appreciates & Extends the Master’s Mercy to Others. Do you KNOW that you KNOW that you’re forgiven? Who are YOU extending the Master’s Mercy to OR who do you need to share Jesus with?

Share any ‘aha’ moments in today’s study - what you learned or how you were challenged. What’s God want YOU to do with what we studied today?

Share prayer needs and pray for one another.