EM/Youth

Those who Want to be the Best Must be Your Servants

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작성자 카마리오한인연합감리교회 작성일22-10-01 01:44 조회660회 댓글0건

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Date: 9/30/22

Sermon Title: Those who Want to be the Best Must be Your Servants

Context: Matthew 20:20-28

(Matt 20:20) Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling, asked a favor of him.

(Matt 20:21) "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."

(Matt 20:22) 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.

(Matt 20:23) 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."

(Matt 20:24) When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.

(Matt 20:25) 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.

(Matt 20:26) Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

(Matt 20:27) and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.

(Matt 20:28) 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."


Preaching Note  

1. James, the son of Zebedee with her sons, bows down and asks for something (v. 20). The ‘sons of Zebedee’ are James and John. There are three James names in the Bible. ‘James the son of Zebedee’s right and left arm’s position son of Alphaeus’ is called ‘the small James’, and the real brother of Jesus is called ‘James of Jerusalem’.

    James, the son of Zebedee, ‘the big James’ and his brother John, are ‘Son of Thunder’ (Mark 3:17). They were quick-tempered, passionate, and hot-blooded. When Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, when the villagers did not welcome him, they said: “Lord, what if we command that fire come down from heaven and consume them?” (Luke 9:54)

    James is the only disciple with a record of martyrdom among the 12 disciples. “About this time King Herod stretched out his hand and harmed some of the members of the church. He first killed John and his brother James with the sword” (Acts 2:1-2). The pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, the city where the tomb of James is located.

   Jesus asks James' mother. “What do you want?” (verse 21). She answers “Let these two of my sons sit in your kingdom, one at your right and the other at your left” (verse 21). She asks for the king’s right and left arm’s position in the kingdom of Jesus. Their mother's request is a 'high position'. "The mother's request of the sons of Zebedee is astonishingly higher status and privilege". James' mother asked for special consideration for a job position. In Mark 10:35-37, it is said that James and John directly requested it.

Q.1 What do I want from Jesus?

 

2. Jesus answers. “You do not even know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup I am about to drink?”(verse 22). James, John, and his mother don't know much about Jesus. Jesus is not a political king. Jesus is not a giver of high places. He is not the one who becomes a political king and saves Israel. Jesus is the one who saved mankind by drinking the cup of death and taking up the cross. “The ‘cup’ clearly symbolizes the suffering and death that Jesus will face”

    However, James, John, and his mother heard about Jesus' suffering and death because of their interest in high places, but they misunderstood Jesus. A high position is a place that you have to honestly work hard to achieve. This is not a request to Jesus. Jesus is not the one who gives me a high place.

   They answer. “You may drink it” (verse 22). It is said that they can drink the cup of suffering to gain a high place. Jesus tells them. “Truly you will drink my cup. But sitting on my right and left is not something I can do. The place will go to those whom my Father has decided” (verse 23). Because a position in the kingdom of God belongs to God's authority, I cannot trespass, Jesus says. When the ten disciples heard this, they were indignant at the two brothers (verse 24). The disciples, except for James and John, are indignant as they see James and John selfishly putting themselves aside and asking Jesus for an exalted position.

Q.2 What does Jesus mean to me?

 

3. Jesus calls his disciples to his side and says, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them (verse 25). Political kings rule over people and treat them with power. Jesus is not such a political king.

    “But you must not do so between you. Whoever wants to be great among you must become your servant” (verse 26). It is natural to want to be a great person in the world. But in the kingdom of God, great people are not those in high positions, but those who serve people. A Christian is not a person who asks the Lord for a high place, but a person who asks for a heart to serve people and do serving people. This is Christianity and a cool move of Christians.

  “Whoever wants to be first among you must be your servant” (verse 27). In the world of faith, the most important person is not a person in a high position, but a person who serves people in the position of a servant. True greatness lies in serving. Like all other human values, ​​at this point, Jesus overturns the world’s values.

    “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (verse 28). Jesus did not come to this earth to be served by others. Jesus came to this earth to serve people. He did not come to this earth to rule many people. He came to this earth to give his life to many people. Jesus wants people who serve people, not rulers.

Q.3 What prevents me from serving people?


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