Opportunity Knocking

James, John, Mom and all the disciples demonstrate the persistent misunderstanding of status and success in Jesus’ Kingdom. Jesus’ cup is one of suffering and sacrifice. Jesus’ road is to the cross. Let us race to serve.

New Opportunities

One of my team members put in her notice this last week. I am sad, I’ve worked with her for 5 or 6 years and helped her get her start as a developer.

As part of that “notice” conversation I always ask something like: “Is there anything we could do to persuade you to stay?”

“Well, compensation was definitely a major factor.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, how much are they offering?”

“40-50k more.”

“… Enjoy the new job!”

What are the value metrics at play here. I’m not picking on the employee, I don’t know all the factors there, but the gut reaction I had, and maybe the one you had.

OBVIOUSLY that is a job she needs to take. That is an opportunity you just can’t pass up. Who would?

Maybe if you’re making a TON of money, that wouldn’t move the needle, but let’s say that’s a 40-50% raise. That is substantial, that is going to have a material impact on the family, on the mortgage, on rent.

That is a Great Opportunity!

This is the very best measure we have in our world for managing and manipulating success. Good outcomes. Creating opportunities for happiness. Avoiding struggle.

Raise the income level, good outcomes. It is logical. It is how our world works.

This is the way of Empire. This is the way our world works.

But here is the path of Jesus.

The Path of Jesus

Matthew 20:17–19 ESV

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.”

What is the path of Jesus? It is the road to the cross. Resurrection is coming, yes, but on the other side of suffering and sacrifice. His road is to the cross.

He took the disciples aside to tell them that. To remind them. To tell them for the third time. He keeps saying it.

I think because they simply aren’t hearing it. They aren’t believing it.

Keep that in mind, what Jesus has JUST said, and contrast with the ask of “mom”.

Hopeful Mama

Matthew 20:20–21 ESV

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.”

Mom wants good things for her boys. The “Sons of Thunder.” And she sees this as an incredible opportunity, to sit in the seats of honor next to Jesus. To sit and be the right and left hand of the King.

I mean, she has to ask, right! I love how the Chosen tells a version of this story and they are quoting “Ask and it shall be given, right?”

My Mom put me forward for lots of opportunities as a kid. Theater. Auditions. Movies. Commercials.

Now, I’m not complaining, I enjoyed all these things. I enjoyed the process, I enjoyed doing the things, this was a great season of life.

But my Mom WOULD NOT have put me forward if she didn’t think these were great opportunities. And indeed she said “no” to things for us kids that seemed sketchy or harmful or in any way inappropriate.

She wants GREAT OPPORTUNITIES for her kids.

Jesus doesn’t rebuke Mom. Mom wants good things for her kids.

Did Mom put James and John up to this or did James and John cook this up with her?

But she is right that “with Jesus” is a good and great thing for her boys. But she, and they, and all the disciples, are still so confused about how Jesus’ Kingdom works.

Matthew 20:22 ESV

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.”

Peter is not the only one with unearned confidence.

“The cup” is a powerful metaphor, and it gets used some different ways by Jesus. We put a hint down about the betrothal cup, the cup of the covenant, that’s coming. But many times in Scripture, and several times by Jesus, the “cup” is used as a symbol of suffering and sacrifice. David, Isaiah talks about the cup of God’s wrath. Jesus will pray “Father, take this cup from me, but nevertheless, not my will but Yours be done.”

They have no idea, not really. Even though he JUST said the bit about “mocked and flogged and crucified.”

“We are able” they say.

Matthew 20:23 ESV

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.”

“You will drink my cup.” More about that later.

But he doesn’t dig in, those places are reserved by my Dad. He doesn’t yet rebuke or correct the heart issue here.

They asked, they were confused, but they just asked, and he answered.

But the disciples are confused to, and there’s about to be a rumble.

An Indignant Brother

Matthew 20:24 ESV

24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.

And why are they “indignant?” Such a great word.

You don’t get “indignant” about someone just doing something dumb. You might laugh. You might scoff.

You might even give a “bless their hearts.” But not indignant!

You get “indignant” when someone treads on your territory, maybe steps over “the line”, or maybe tries to get or take something that’s yours!

“You think you’re better than me?!”

We already know they have their arguments for “greatness” cued up because they were arguing about it just a little while ago. It tells us the thoughts are still there even if they learned to think them quietly.

The disciples are as “guilty” in their “indignation” as James and John or Mom are for asking.

Just as persistently and consistently confused as to what constitutes “greatness.”

Jesus seeks to set them straight. I think it starts with “But” in response to their indignance as it reveals their hearts are still stuck in Empire.

Matthew 20:25 ESV

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.

Power is the goal. It is the goal of Empire, the goal in Empire. Money is just a measure and a means, it is ultimately about power. The people with power get to choose, they get freedom above and over everyone else. The greatest opportunities are the ones that get you more power, more authority, more impact, more reach.

More people who will listen to what you say and do as you say.

Matthew 20:26–28 ESV

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.”

True greatness in God's Kingdom is defined not by our power or status, but by our willingness to humbly serve others, following the example of Christ.

Who’s the Greatest Christian?

When you think about “Great Christians” of the 20th century, who comes to mind?

How about Great Christians of the 21st century? Why do they come to mind?

We have trained AI on the Internet to predict the most likely next word. So it’s a nice little test of what our culture might say.

Billy Graham

Martin Luther King Jr.

Mother Theresa

C.S. Lewis

Karl Barth

Now I am not saying these folks aren’t great. There is great and beautiful stuff these folks have done.

Billy Graham - powerful preacher of the gospel.

Martin Luther King Jr., preacher, incredible sermons and a leader for civil rights.

Mother Theresa serving the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India.

C.S. Lewis, love his boos.

Karl Barth, provocative theologian, interesting ideas.

But that’s not why we know them. We know them because they became famous, household names, Nobel Peace Prizes and Bestselling Books and filling Stadiums and TV broadcasts.

21st Century:

Pope Francis

N.T. Wright

Timothy Keller

Rick Warren

T.D. Jakes

Same thing. These are the folks with a huge platform. Rick Warren and T.D. Jakes duking it out for who has the largest church in America.

Pope Francis definitely with the biggest “church” in the world.

N.T. Wright and Tim Keller, love their books.

This is not to judge their hearts, I don’t know these people. I don’t have special insight into where they are coming from. Likely, I think everyone on that list would be embarrassed at being called one of the “greatest Christians.”

In fact, C.S. Lewis says the Greatest Christian is probably someone nobody has ever heard of.

When we think of greatness, we still think of impact and influence, we think of the stage, we think of power and production, we think of wealth.

We think of the thrones, right hand and left hand of the King.

I listen to a number of podcasts on ministry. And they have tag lines like “grow your impact”, “increase your reach.” There’s a piece of Empire in there, that I should be on the stage, a bigger stage, MORE people. Imagine the good I could do if I had the spot on Jesus’ left hand. Maybe my Mom can hook me up?!

Greatness in the Kingdom

Think of all we have learned about “greatness” in the Kingdom over the last two chapters.

Be a Child

Be at Peace

Be Poor

Be Last

Be Crucified

Be a Child - it isn’t about your accomplishments or productivity or achievements, you are inherently loved.

Be humble like a child. Be vulnerable like a child.

Be at Peace - Radically and persistently forgiving, seeking reconciliation wherever you can, as far as it is up to you living at peace with everyone.

Be Poor - Get Poor, Die Rich. Wealth is dangerous to the soul, whenever it grabs a hold of your heart, give it away. You are a steward, it is all His.

Be Last - Don’t worry about what others are getting, don’t let your “eye be bad because He is good...” You are a slave of Christ. Focus on that. Focus on Serving.

Be Crucified - This is the Cup of Christ. To lay down your life in service.

You Will Drink My Cup

Matthew 20:23 ESV

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.”

Ultimately James and John do learn to lay down their life.

Maybe around 10 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Very shortly after Stephen is killed and the church in Jerusalem scatters, the very first of the apostles to die:

Acts 12:1–2 ESV

1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword,

James, big brother, in just a few years. A martyr. The cup of Christ.

John, one day at a time for decades to come, a life of service. The cup of Christ.

Revelation 1:9 ESV

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

So James, in a profound moment, a season of courage against persecution.

John, a lifetime of courage, serving and laying His life down for Jesus.

I love how the brothers model this for us.

It is not that we should bemoan “modern Christianity” and how everyone else gets it wrong. How useless is that???

It’s that we should, instead, BE the Kingdom Jesus describes. Be the disciples he teaches us to be, commands us to be.

Here is the definition of discipleship: Be as He is, Do as He does.

So Be like Jesus, Do like Jesus. Come not to be served but to serve.

Mark, eager to lead the bathroom team. Because he knows he is serving, and serving humbly. It isn’t pretty, it is the definition of messy, but it is needed.

Here is greatness in the Kingdom, week after week, cooking and serving at the park each Thursday. Cooking and serving lunch here at church on Sabbath.

Here is a thing I love to see: a crew of folks cleaning up after lunch. Setting up, cleaning up, that is greatness in the Kingdom.

The one suffering spiritual attacks against your righteousness, against your family, against your heart mind. The cup of suffering and sacrifice. The cup of Christ. This is Greatness in the Kingdom.

Struggling financially, but still choosing to serve God with your time, with your tithe, your offering of worship out of what you have. The cup of Christ. This is Greatness in the Kingdom.

Let us fix our eyes on Greatness. Fixing our eyes on Christ and following in his footsteps, not to be served but to serve, to give our lives every day as a servant to Him and to those He loves.

A slave of Christ.

This is the Cup of Christ.