THE ROYALTY OF SERVICE
Opening Prayer
Pray for the deep desire to cultivate a servant-heart.
Read Matthew 20:17–28
Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time
17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
A Mother’s Request
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Meditate on what it meant for Jesus to be a “servant.”Servanthood is difficult. From within the inner circle of the “twelve” (17) comes the sound of power-hungry rumblings. Not just the booming of those “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17)—backed by their adoring mom—pushing for top seats in the kingdom (20,21), but also the indignant protests of the rest (24), no doubt ambitious for their own rise in the kingdom.
The culture of an organization consists of the shared assumptions, beliefs and values which determine how its people behave. Jesus proceeds to enlighten his disciples about the “culture” of God’s kingdom. First, he directs their attention to a reality visible all around: the way of worldly rulers, lording it over those under their authority (25), misusing or abusing power in order to enjoy status, titles and perks. God’s kingdom, however, is counter-cultural: its noblest goal is service; its loftiest title, servant; and the sacrificial suffering of its King (18,19a) is its finest example of success (19b).
Yesterday’s reading closed with a reminder, “the last will be first…” (Matt. 20:16). Today we are warned that it is the slave, the least and lowest among us, who shall be first in God’s kingdom (27).
Apply
How can you be a servant today? In your church? In your community? In your family?
Closing prayer
Merciful God, show me what it means to truly be Your servant, awaiting Your every command.
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