Let it Not be this way with you!
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Will and Marcia Rykty Ordination
Will and Marcia Rykty Ordination
Recap
Recap
Jesus has been dealing with the issue of reward. The desire of our Lord when it comes to reward is for us to seek ours in the Him, in an eternal reward.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Our True reward is Him.
13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
I think that’s our biggest hurtle. Seeking God with all our heart and that’s due to the flesh. Every day we wake up and have two choices. We can choose to invite the Holy Spirit to rule in us or we can just let the flesh run things. Are we going to seek the Lord with all of our heart, or are we going to live for the flesh. One leads to life and peace, the other leads only to death and destruction.
We pick up this week right after the parable of the land owner who hires workers in his harvest field. The parable reminded us that God rewards on the principle of grace, and we should therefore expect surprises. He will never be less than fair, but reserves the right to be more than fair as pleases Him. God’s grace always operates righteously.
The account starts with Jesus reminding his disciples one last time that he is headed to Jerusalem to die and rise again but this time some other details are added. The sad thing is, it doesn’t seem to effect them for some reason.
3rd Warning
3rd Warning
17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”
Going to Jerusalem
Delivered over - betrayed to the
Chief Priests and scribes who will condemn him to death
Be delivered to the Gentiles - Jews could not carry out capital punishment
Mocked and flogged, then crucified
Raised on the third day
Jesus Example: It is often more agonizing to contemplate the painful future than it is to actually live it. Jesus openly acknowledged the suffering and agony that awaited Him. Jesus focus what on how He would fulfill the will of His Father in the future. There was value for Him to look at His coming trial, and to think and say, “I will complete what My Father has given Me to do. I will obey to the end.”
What was the disciples response?
34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
Seemingly, the disciples did not really listen when Jesus said these things. Their expectation was so focused on Jesus establishing an immediate political kingdom, and these words from Jesus were so contrary to that anticipation, these words just went over their heads.
A Mother’s Request
A Mother’s Request
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”
This is the mother of James and John, the sons of thunder as Jesus had come to call them. Think of her timing though. Regardless of everything Jesus had just said their minds, her mind was not on listening to the voice of the good shepherd. Their minds were on things of the flesh!
At some level This mother of James and John came with a request that would make a mother proud and the sons very happy.
Asking on behalf of her sons (note to whom Jesus replies in Matthew 20:22-23), she wanted prominent positions for them in the messianic administration of Jesus.
“The ‘right hand’ and ‘left hand’ suggest proximity to the King’s person and so a share in his prestige and power.” (Carson)
Even though this seems selfish and out of left field, “The promise of Matthew 19:28 forms the background to this request; the ‘thrones’ are already assured, leaving only the question of precedence.” (France)
Jesus Challenges
Jesus Challenges
22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.
Drink the Cup - metaphore: one's lot or experience, whether joyous or adverse, divine appointments, whether favourable or unfavorable, are likened to a cup which God presents one to drink: so of prosperity and adversity
These disciples didn’t realize what they were actually asking. To drink the cup that Jesus would drink didn’t mean that they would immediately be established in his earthly kingdom reign with power and prestige or status!
YOU WILL DRINK THE CUP!
Both James and John had to be baptized in suffering as Jesus was, but their “cups” and “baptisms” were different.
James had to be ready to be the first to die among the disciples; John had to be ready to live the longest Christian life and testimony among them. “A Roman coin was once found with the picture of an ox on it; the ox was facing two things — an altar and a plough; and the inscription read: ‘Ready for either.’” (Barclay)
But to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give: Jesus here showed remarkable submission to His Father. He would not even claim the right to choose how His servants were rewarded, but yield that to His Father.
“He comes to do not his own will, but the will of him that sent him, and so he correctly says of rank in his kingdom, It is not mine to give. How thoroughly did our Lord take a lowly place for our sakes! In this laying aside of authority, he gives a silent rebuke to our self-seeking.” (Spurgeon)
Jesus Example of Leadership
Jesus Example of Leadership
25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus’ first statement here points at how mankind tends to deal with “others”. Remember God in his 10 commandments primarily says to Love God with your whole heart, soul, Mind and strength, an d to Love your neighbor as yourself. That means, “others”. He points to the way the Gentiles, those who’s gods are not the one true god, who don’t have Yahweh as their Lord and Jesus as their savior, he asks the disciples to consider how they treat others, specifically the rulers. Why, because everyone of the 12 is focused on position and status. The 2 brothers wanted special privileges and the others were jealous or offended that they even asked, why, because in their flesh, they probably wanted the same thing.
Jesus said that they “lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.”. The greek word here is very telling as to what that means. You can’t really grasp the true meaning unless you look at the definition.
Lord over them: (katakyrieuō, kat-ak-oo-ree-yoo'-o) to lord against, i.e. control, subjugate:—exercise dominion over (lordship), be lord over, overcome.
Biblical Usage:
to bring under one's power, to subject one's self, to subdue, master
to hold in subjection, to be master of, exercise lordship over
Interestingly enough, this same word is used in Acts 19 in the account of the Sons of Sceva where they were trying to cast out demons and the demons attacked them because they didn’t have the Holy Spirit or were they standing in the authority of Christ.
Acts 19:16 (ESV)
16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
This “lording over them” is definitely a negative thing. So, Jesus is saying, don’t seek power, position, or authority. God is the one who hands out true authority and responsibility in His Kingdom. The idea is for us to be faithful to God, seeking to please Him and let Him reward us.
I have come to learn that just about anyone who seeks position in the church is doing it for the wrong reasons. When someone walks up to me and tells me what they can do for the church and moves to trying to convince me of how good they are, I get wary.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Their desire for position and status showed they did not yet know the nature of Jesus in respect to leadership and power. The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, but it should be different among the people of God. This is a stinging rebuke to the manner in which the modern church looks to the world for both its substance and style. Plainly, the church isn’t to operate the way the world does.
Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant: In the Kingdom community, status, money, popularity should never be the prerequisites for leadership. Humble service is the great prerequisite, as shown by Jesus’ own ministry.
“In the pagan world humility was regarded, not so much as a virtue, but as a vice. Imagine a slave being given leadership!” (Carson)
Real ministry is done for the benefit of those ministered to, not for the benefit of the minister. Many people are in the ministry for what they can receive (either materially or emotionally) from their people instead of for what they can give.
“He received nothing from others; his was a life of giving, and the giving of a life…No service is greater than to redeem sinners by his own death, no ministry is lowlier than to die in the stead of sinners.” (Spurgeon)
“He does not come to be served, but to serve. Does not this suit you, poor sinner — you who never did serve him, you who could not, as you are, minister to him? Well, he did not come to get your service; he came to give you his services; not that you might first do him honor, but that he might show you mercy.” (Spurgeon)
The death of Jesus — the giving of His life — purchased the freedom of His people. The idea is that His people were in bondage as slaves, and He paid their price.
Ransom “was most commonly used as the purchase price for freeing slaves.” (Carson)
“Had all the sinners that ever lived in the world been consigned to hell, they could not have discharged the claims of justice. They must still continue to endure the scourge of crime they could never expiate. But the Son of God, blending the infinite majesty of his Deity with the perfect capacity to suffer as a man, offered an atonement of such inestimable value that he has absolutely paid the entire debt for his people.” (Spurgeon)
Closing Remarks:
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Communion