2.8.12 2.14.2021 Matthew 20.20-28 The Church A Place of Service

Start

Entice: Did you ever fight with a sibling on a long trip. Generally those kinds of conflicts and blow ups are a product of boredom and proximity. I would guess that some of that is going on in Matthew 20.20-28.

A long trip. Bored. Daydreaming. That sort of thing.

Engage: In addition to the intimate, traveling relationship of the band of disciples you have the increasing stress Jesus and His disciples were experiencing. His opponents where more zealously attacking Him and his own message was increasing in intensity. The cross is coming. The plot is thickening. The disciples begin to dream of glory. They begin to question the mission. They increasingly resist the inevitable and begin to take shots at one another.

Matthew 20:20–28 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.” 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. 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.”

Expand: Oh how sneaky is the way of Empire. The way of the World. The Law of the Gentiles. The values of Empire are disclosed in questions like “Whose in Charge?” “How can I get my way in God’s name?” “What’s in it for me?” “How can I have it all, lose nothing, be empowered and still serve Jesus?”

You cannot

Explore:

The Church Serves the world through surrender to Jesus submitting to His cause and embracing His sacrifice.

Explain: Not unlike the narrow vs. The broad way Jesus invites us to choose the Way of the Empire or the Way of the Cross.

Way of Empire.

Complaint

Competition

Corruption

Conflict

Coercion

NOT YOU.

Way of the Cross.

Selfless

Service

Submission

Slave

Sacrifice

Shut Down:

The way of Empire. The way of the World. The Law of the Gentiles. All of these things are the way of...

ME

MY Glory.

MY way.

MY fame.

MY fortune.

MY happiness

MY Tribe

MY rights

MY anger

MY needs

ME ME ME

If you think Jesus is pleased with you when you whine about unfairness, argue about “my rights”, sell out in the name of some pretend higher good, fight over the scraps from empire’s table and seize the right to force your will on others..

YOU HAVE MISSED THE POINT!

James & Peter=Martyred!

John=exiled!

Paul=Martyred!

Polycarp of Smyrna=Martyred.

John Chrysostom=banished.

Don’t you dare think that God believes that those who followed His Son in cross-bearing submission, nail-scarred sacrifice, and death-defying acts of service were wasting their time or limiting their ministry. It’s all about sacrifice.

Look at the cross. Consider the nails in His hands and get your greedy hands off of the emperors purse! Avert your eyes from the Empire’s values. Renounce the politics and policies of Empire’s power.

One King.

One obedience.

One lifetime.

One way or an other.

you and I must choose