Presumption

Mt. 20:27-29

It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

As Jesus and His disciples were traveling to Jerusalem, He was telling them what was going to happen. He would be delivered to the Jews , condemned to death, mocked and flogged and crucified by the Gentiles, and raised on the third day. From the text it seemed as if the disciples understood all this. Perhaps in their heads, but they had no clue what the suffering would be like. 

With those walking with Jesus was the mother of the James and John. She had a question for Jesus that had to do with the future of her sons. So much like a mother, seeking to control the details of her sons' lives when only God controls the details of anyone's life.  She wanted her boys to sit on the left and right of Jesus in heaven. Whoa! That is presumption in its truest form, to come to the Son of God and ask for a heavenly promotion for her sons! What a lesson for a mom!  Jesus replied to her"You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."  I wonder how she felt after Jesus said this. Was her heart pricked with the foolishness of what she had done? Did she make an apology to Jesus? Hopefully, she was not indignant. 

However, when the 10 heard this, they were indignant. I imagine they were thinking or even saying, 'Are you kidding?' But Jesus pulled the conversation back in and used this incident as a teaching moment.  Paradoxically, whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Now that is heavy! What Jesus taught was completely the opposite of the model they had seen in life. The priests and scribes wanted to advance to higher positions thus giving them more power, but a Christian seeks to serve, to put himself last. Phillipians 2 says, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Jesus is the model. His words and His life were in sync. What He calls His followers to do is live as He did. 

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

Father,

I know that this is true, yet still within my flesh is the desire to be noticed, to be praised, and to want prominence. I confess. Purge that desire from my body. Teach me to live as you lived. Give me Your grace and strength.

In His name,

Amen