ARE YOU GROWING?(16)

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*ARE YOU GROWING? (16)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Matt 20: 20-28

v20 *Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.*

v21  *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.*

v22  *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.*

v23  *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.*

v24  *And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.*

v25 *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.*

v26 *But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;*

v27 *And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:*

v28 *Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Christian growth and maturity measured by the reality of Christ's suffering.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Jesus told John and James in Matt 20:22, that they did not know what they were asking for.

He asked them *"....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?

In Matt 20:22c, *".....They say unto him, We are able.*

In Matt 20:23, Jesus told them for a certainty that they both *".....shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with....."*

It was obvious here that James and John were present when their mother, Salome, was making her request on their behalf.

Jesus answered them using His own life of service and sacrificial death as the ultimate example.

The cup was His suffering. It represents intense suffering and ministry of severe agony (ref Matt 26:39).

The cup highlighted His suffering, the path, He must take to bring about the sacrificial nature of His work to save humanity.

James was the first to drink the cup. In Acts 12:1 he became the first to be the first disciple to be matyred when Herod killed him with a sword.

He earned the title 'James the greater' in order to differentiate him from James, the brother of Jesus, who wrote the book of James and James (the son of Alphaeus) who was one of 12 apostles who was referred to as James the less (likely because of age or height, nothing more).

John also tasted the cup but only to survive when he was banished by exile to the Island of Patmos as a punishment to his faith in Christ, but would later drink it.

He was the only disciple to outlive others and he lived longest. He wrote the book of Revelation.

What these two brothers experienced was destined for every disciple and follower (2 Tim 3:12) of Jesus but the way James' was accelerated teaches us to know that when we unhealthily strive for position of power we should also think of the responsibilities, risks, etc that are involved in them.

Salome, James and John entangled themselves with the affairs of this world, rather than striving lawfully according to the rules of the Kingdom.

Paul differentiated striving unlawfully as an entanglement with the things of this world. This means a lack of focus on Kingdom assignment

In 2 Tim 2:4 *No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.*

Paul differentiated striving lawfully will be rewarded with masteries and crown.

2 Tim 2:25 *And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

This gives breath of Col 3:2 *Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.*

Jesus corrected their focus, indicating that "striving lawfully" was better as this required humility rewards both now and eternally.

The motive(s) behind your request will determine if you are mature and Kingdom minded or not.

Is your request to God for personal gains or Kingdom gain?

Are you growing?

*Remorse corner.*

James and John answered Jesus they were willing to drink the cup. Though they drank it because it was certain they would regardless of their answer but their answer was out of a desire for personal honour over service.

*Call to Word action.*

Mature Christians have a fundamental understanding of the spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom: they know and understand the reality of His suffering.

Phillipians 3:10 *That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Immature Christians can be bold but wrongful. Boldness is not maturity or righteousness when made prematurely.

Mature Christian can be bold and right,

(Prov 28:1).

*Prayer.*

Help me to live by Your life of service and the knowledge of Your sacrificial death as the ultimate example of my Christian living in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.