Matthew 20:17 says, And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and He took the disciples aside and talked to them. Any where we are on our way to, we need some time aside with Jesus, and we need to listen to what He has to say.. Verse eighteen adds, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, Jesus told the disciples that the time had come for Him to be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, those who were supposed to be the leaders of God's chosen people, and for Him to be put to death. We as followers of Christ, God's chosen people today, need to make sure that we never betray Jesus in anything that we do. Verse nineteen continues, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again. The chief priests and scribes did not have the authority to put Jesus to death, so they would deliver Him to the Gentiles to do so. The good news was that on the third day He would rise again. Verse twenty states, Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. The mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John, came to Jesus desiring a certain thing of Him. There is really only one thing that we should desire for our children from Jesus, and that is salvation. Verse twenty-one declares, And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. Jesus listened to the mother, just as He will listen to us today. She requested that her sons be given given positions of power and prestige in His kingdom. Verse twenty-two declares, But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. Jesus asked them if they were able to do the things that He was able to do, and they said yes they were. We should never begin to think that we, or anyone else can do what Jesus did, He is the only way to salvation. Verse twenty-three adds, And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. Jesus said that they would indeed drink of His cup and be baptized with His baptism, but it wasn't His right to say who would sit on His right and left. This was the right of the heavenly Father. We may die for our faith in Christ, but it is His sacrifice on the ross that brings us salvation. Verse twenty-four says, And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. When the other disciples heard what had happened, they were moved with indignation against James and John. I believe this was more because they wanted that position for them self than because of any real commitment to doing what Jesus called them to do. We cannot be angry with other Christians out of selfishness. Verse twenty-five states, But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. Jesus referred to the Gentiles and how the princes had dominion over the others. Verse twenty-six declares, But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; Jesus called on His disciples to not be the same as the Gentiles. He said whoever would be great should be a minister to the others. If we begin to feel that we are superior to other Christians, then we should examine our relationship to Christ. We are called to witness for Him and not for our self. Verse twenty-seven adds, And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Jesus said if we want to be big in the kingdom of God that we should serve others. This should be done under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and for God's glory and not our own. Verse twenty-eight continues, Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Jesus said that even He did not come to be ministered to but to minister and give His life as a ransom for many. We should be willingly to lay down our life for the gospel, but only Jesus can be the ransom from sin. His salvation is available to all who put their faith in Him.
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