Matthew 20:17-34 “GREATNESS IN GOD’S KINGDOM IS SERVANTHOOD”

Continuing on in our study of Matthew’s Gospel today after having learnt from the Lord Jesus last Lord’s day that the first shall be last and the last first in God’s Kingdom, because of God’s grace, even as many are called but few are chosen.

We’ll learn today from three incidences all minus one missed in Luke’s Gospel that are recorded in the three synoptic Gospels in the same succession of happening, as can be noted in Mark 10:32-52, and Luke 18:31-43.

[Reading from the passage first vs 17-19……]

For the first incidence;

For the third time, Jesus announced His arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection (see Matt.16:21; Matt.17:22,23). In the previous announcements, He had not specified how He would die. But now He clearly mentioned the cross. He also clearly mentioned His resurrection, as he had reassuringly done on the other occasions, but the message did not penetrate the disciples’ hearts, like it most probably didn’t on the other occasions as well. Luke 18:34 ……..

Jesus deliberately and open-eyed sets out for Jerusalem and the cross, much the same way the Apostle Paul would do later as recounted in Acts 20:22-24……

There was a strange inclusiveness in the suffering to which Jesus looked forward; it was a suffering in which no pain of heart or mind or body was to be lacking.

He was to be betrayed into the hands of the chief priests and Scribes; there we see the suffering of the heart broken by disloyalty of friends. He was to be condemned to death; there was the suffering of injustice, which is very hard to bear. He was to be mocked by the Romans; there we see the suffering of humiliation and of deliberate insult. He was to be scourged; which was the worst imaginable torture, where we see physical pain. Finally, He was to be crucified; where we see the ultimate suffering of a shameful death. It is as if Jesus Christ was going to gather in upon Himself every possible kind of physical and emotional and mental suffering the world could inflict upon man.

Even at such a time that was not the end of His words, for He finished with the confident assertion of the Resurrection. Beyond the suffering lay glory; beyond the Cross lay the Crown; beyond defeat was victory; and beyond death was life. Hallelujah. Hebrews 12:1-4……

Second incidence;

In contrast to this announcement of suffering and death, we have the request of James and John and their mother, Salome. Jesus spoke about a cross, but they were interested in a crown. They wanted reserved seats on special thrones!

Before we criticize what they did, let’s notice some commendable features in this event. For one thing, they did believe in prayer, and they dared to believe the promise Jesus had given about sitting on thrones (Matt. 19:28). The word “regeneration” in that verse means “new birth,” and refers to the new world over which Jesus and His followers will reign when He returns to earth. It must have taken faith on their part to believe He would establish these thrones, because He had just told them that He was going to die.

But there were several things wrong with their request. To begin with, it was born in ignorance. “You do not know what you ask,” Jesus replied. Little did Salome and her sons realize that the path to the throne is a difficult one.

So, secondly blinded by their selfish ambition, they were still thinking in terms of personal rewards and personal distinction; thinking of personal success without personal sacrifice.

As is the gist of our sermon today, everyone has to learn that true greatness lies not in dominance nor prominence, but in service; and that in every sphere the price of greatness must be paid for the reward to be gotten from the Lord, even our God who is a faithful rewarder.

Finally, the request was not only of the world and the flesh, but it was of the devil. It was motivated by pride. Satan had sought a throne (Is.14:12-15) and had been cast down. Satan had offered Jesus a throne and had been refused (Matt.4:8-11). Satan magnifies the end (a throne) but not the means to that end. Jesus warned Salome and her sons that the special thrones were available to those who were worthy of them. There are no shortcuts in the kingdom of God.