Reading: Matthew chapter 20 verses 20-28.
SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). Serving others is sacrificial (vs 17-19)
(2). Serving others is not self-centred (vs 21-25).
(2). Serving others is demonstrated by Jesus (vs 26-28).
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• Late in his life Winston Churchill took a cruise on an Italian ship.
• A journalist realised that there was a story in this,
• So he encountered the former prime minister to ask him;
• Why he chose to travel on an Italian liner when he could have gone on a British ship.
• Churchill thought for a moment and then replied:
• “There are three things I like about Italian ships.
• First, their cuisine, which is unsurpassed.
• Second, their service, which is quite superb.”
• And then Sir Winston added,
• “And then there is none of this nonsense about women and children first.”
• TRANSITION: Selfishness is a character trait we all have to battle with.
• All of us are tempted to orients our behaviour, feelings and thoughts;
• Around our own self-fulfilment.
• In doing so we must disregard the impact of our actions on others.
• Question: But are humans naturally selfish?
• Answer/Quote: Professor Jay Hoffman of The College of New Jersey writes,
“If you don't think most of humanity is selfish, try going shopping early on Black Friday…Or try yelling "Fire" in a crowded theatre. And driving anywhere these days one sees a horrific display of selfishness. Drivers are aggressively competing to get ahead of each other…”
Quote: Stephen Kendrick, ‘The Love Dare’
“Almost every sinful action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive. It is a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves.”
• TRANSITION: In these verses;
• Jesus calls us to live a life of serving others.
• Quote:
• “We all like to be called servants, until somebody treats us like one!”
• Serving costs. It requires humility. It requires sacrifice.
• It may lead to being misunderstood.
• It will lead to being un-thanked and unappreciated.
• When we consider the greatest servant of all, Jesus Christ,
• He was misunderstood, despised, mocked and rejected.
• Serving can be hard
Servanthood was a key feature in the life of Christ (verse 28):
Ill:
• The earliest Christian hymn that we know about was a hymn about Jesus.
• It's found in Philippians chapter 2;
• And although we do not have the tune, the words go like this:.
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross."
Note:
• Jesus did not pretend to be a servant;
• He was not an actor playing a role, he became a real servant;
• To describe his servant-hood the apostle Paul;
• Deliberately uses a specific Greek word that in English can be translated ‘servant’;
• He chose the Greek word ‘Doulos’ which actually means ‘Slave.’
• In our times and culture we kind of find it hard to appreciate what that means.
• But in the ancient world everyone knew that a slave was a servant;
• Who was under the authority of another.
• His one purpose was to obey and please his master!
Jesus chose to be a ‘Doulos’ a ‘Slave.’ to the world he had created!
• Have you noticed as you read the gospels ;
• It is Jesus who serves others, not others who serve Jesus.
• He is always at the beck and call of other people:
• Fishermen, prostitutes, tax collectors, the sick, the sorrowful.
• They were constantly making demands upon him;
• And throughout his life Jesus did not think selfishly about himself;
• He put others first!
Question: If you had to describe Jesus in two words, what would you use?
• e.g. Wise and powerful,
• e.g. Phenomenal and great.
• e.g. Holy and eternal.
• e.g. Human and divine.
• e.g. Omniscient (All-knowing) and omnipotent (All-powerful)
• All those descriptions might be true but they were not used by Jesus!
• The good news is we don’t have to guess because Jesus himself gave us the answer!
Answer:
• Just once in the gospels does Jesus – in his own words – describes his inner man.
• To do this he uses just two words!
• We find them in Matthew chapter 11 verses 28-29.
“‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am GENTLE and HUMBLE in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
• Jesus own self description is simple: “Gentle and humble”
• The King James Bible translates it: “I am meek and lowly in heart”.
• Both those words are servant terms:
• “Gentle” or “Meekness” is power or strength under control.
• “Humility” or “lowliness” is to esteem others better than yourself.
• Servanthood was a key feature in the life of Christ;
• And we see that demonstrated in our allotted passage today:
• Verse 28: “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve”
• Servanthood was a key feature in the life of Christ;
• And therefore it should be a key feature in the life of his people (the Church);
(1). Serving Others is Sacrificial (vs 17-19).
• In this chapter Jesus gave a solemn announcement
• That would wipe the smile off anyone’s face!
“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!’”
Note:
• This is the third time in this gospel that Jesus has announced to his disciples:
• That he will be arrested, crucified, and also raised to life.
• (see chapter 16 verse 21 & chapter 17 verse22).
• Now in the two previous announcements,
• He said he would die but he did not say how.
• But notice now he clearly mentions the cross, the way he will die!
• And he also clearly mentioned his resurrection,
• But the message did not penetrate the disciples’ hearts, they failed to grasp this;
• They were slow to understand!
• Their problem was not stupidity but shock!
Quote: Luke in his gospel tells us (chapter 18 verses 34):
“The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.”
One translation puts it this way:
“The disciples were thoroughly bewildered,
not being able to digest the words spoken by Jesus”.
They ears of the disciples stopped listening when Jesus mentioned the cross:
• Everything after that was a blur;
• How could their Rabbi, their Teacher, their Master, their Lord;
• Die like a common criminal - it did not make sense!
Notice: Jesus describes for them the extent of his sufferings:
• These sufferings would affect every area of his person;
• Look at the simple and yet detailed description that he gives:
(1).
• “He would be betrayed” (verse 18).
• That statement reveals the suffering of a heart broken by the disloyalty of friends.
(2).
• He was to be “condemned to death” (verse 18).
• Here we see the suffering of injustice, which is extremely difficult to bear.
(3).
• He was to be “Mocked” by the Romans (verse 19).
• Here we see the suffering of humiliation and deliberate insult.
(4).
• He was to be “Flogged & crucified” (verse 19).
• Here we see the suffering of physical pain.
In a few days’ time:
• Jesus was going to take upon himself; every possible kind of;
• Physical and emotional and mental suffering that the world could inflict.
• And he would embrace it willingly!
Ill:
• In Llandaff Cathedral (in the north of the capitol city of Cardiff) in Wales,
• They have a unique statue of Jesus Christ.
• Sir Jacob Epstein's aluminium statue of ‘Christ in Majesty’,
• It is a statue of Jesus after he has risen from the dead.
• But what makes this figure unique is that all the marks of crucifixion have been removed.
• The figure may be majestic and beautiful and compassionate,
• But sadly Joseph Epstein has totally missed the point!
• The scars of Jesus are the evidence not of defeat but of victory,
• Without those scars, and suffering and death,
• There is no salvation!
• TRANSITION: Never forget that when Jesus ascended back to heaven;
• He took with him five things that he never had before!
• The two holes in his hands and feet and the wound in his side.
• That is the primary reason he came:
• “…to give his life as a ransom for many.”
• Pause: To ask the questions: “Are you in the many?”
• “Have you put your trust in the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ?”
• “If not, then do it today, do it now!”
• The Bible says: “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation”
• (2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 2)
• Remember God works in the now.
• He does not promise you the same opportunity tomorrow!
Notice:
• In contrast to this announcement of suffering and death made by Jesus;
• We have another request;
• This one is made by James and John and their mother.
• It seems incredible to me that while Jesus spoke about a cross,
• They were preoccupied and only interested in a crown.
• As Jesus talked about pain and humiliation,
• They were dreaming of glory and honour.
• But as we said earlier, selfishness is a character trait we all have to battle with.
• All of us are tempted to focus our behaviour, feelings and thoughts;
• Around our own self-fulfilment.
(2). Serving Others is not self-centered (vs 21-25).
• This incident shows both sides of the human heart,
• On the one hand it is a lesson in what not to be like,
• Yet at the same time these disciples display great faith…let me explain.
(A). POSITIVLY: THEY HAD GREAT FAITH IN JESUS (VS 21).
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.”
• If you wondering where this question comes from;
• It seems to appear out-of-the-blue;
• Then it probably refers back to the teaching of Jesus in chapter 19 verse 28,
• Where Jesus had said to his disciples,
“I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• It must have taken faith on their part to believe Jesus would establish these thrones,
• Because Jesus had just told them that He was going to die.
• This question came at a moment when the air was heavy;
• With the atmosphere of tragedy and the sense of foreboding.
• Humanly speaking circumstances were daily moving in a negative direction.
• Yet in spite of all that;
• This mother and her two sons are thinking of a King and a kingdom.
(2). NEGATIVLY: THEY WERE IGNORANT (VS 22).
“You (plural) 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.
• The Zebedee’s may have had great faith:
• But sadly that faith was born in ignorance.
• Jesus replied to their question with the words: “You don’t know what you are asking,”
Ill:
• The word ‘cup’ in the Bible is often used as a metaphor:
• A symbol, a picture for this or that experience.
• It may be a favourable experience;
• e.g. Psalm 23 “My cup runs over”.
• It may be unfavourable
• e.g. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (“May this cup be taken from me”).
• So this expression ‘cup’ was used as a metaphor,
• A symbol, a picture which on this occasion is linked to the death of Jesus.
Not fully understanding what Jesus was saying:
• James and John reply to Jesus by saying;
• “We can pay the price, we can drink the cup, So we should reap the reward”.
• On the positive side:
• They had a belief, a determination to be loyal to their master.
• On the negative side:
• They were full of self-confidence and that self-confidence would fail them badly!
Verse 23:
3Jesus 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.”
Jesus said; you will indeed taste suffering because of me,
• History recalls that James was the first of the disciples to be martyred;
• (Acts chapter 12 verse 2).
• And John in contrast had to endure hard days on the Isle of Patmos;
• (Revelation 1 verse 9)
• One experienced the suffering of death by execution,
• One experienced the daily struggle of exile.
Ill:
• A Roman coin was once found with the picture of an ox on it;
• The ox was facing two things - an altar and a plough;
• And the inscription read: “Ready for either.”
• The ox had to be ready either for the supreme moment of sacrifice on the altar,
• Or the long labour of the plough on the farm.
Quote:
“There is no one cup for the Christian to drink.
His cup may be drunk in one great moment, or over a long period of time.
To drink the cup simply means to follow Christ wherever he may lead, and to be like him in any situation life may bring.”
(3). NEGATIVLY: THEY WERE CARNAL THINKERS (VS 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”.
• Another problem with the Zebedee’s was their lack of heavenly direction.
• They may have had their heads in the clouds,
• But they were thinking like the world:
• James and John wanted to “lord it over” the other disciples;
• The way the unsaved Gentile rulers lorded it over their subjects.
• Their request was carnal (it came from their sinful natures not from God),
• Proof of that is they were selfishly asking for glory for themselves,
• And not looking to glorify their Lord.
Their carnality is revealed in this request:
• They had to get too Jesus with this request:
• Before Peter and the other disciples did!
• All the disciples were operating on the same human lines of reason;
• They all wanted to be number one, they all wanted positions of power.
• This probably explains their reaction in verse 24:
• “They were indignant”, they were resentful and angry and jealous at the Zebedee’s.
(3). Serving Others is demonstrated by Jesus (vs 26-28).
“…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.’”
Ill:
• G. Campbell Morgan. (9 December 1863 – 16 May 1945);
• Was a British evangelist, preacher and a leading Bible scholar.
• He was also twice the pastor of Westminster Chapel in London.
• If you read his books, even today they are acknowledged as quality works;
• They will if you take time to read them - bless ‘your socks off’.
• G. Campbell Morgan, had four sons who all became pastors,
• One day a reporter asked his youngest son Howard a question;
• “Since you have five Pastors in your family who is the greatest preacher?”
• Howard surprised the reporter by saying, “My Mother!”
• She never preached a sermon with her lips but she sure preached a sermon in her living.
• She was an example of godly-living!
• TRANSITION: Jesus is the perfect example of godliness;
• This story shows us four things regarding Jesus.
(A). WE SEE HIS KINDNESS.
• In spite of all he had said to these disciples;
• The amazing thing about Jesus is that he never lost patience and became irritated.
• And while these men and their mother;
• Are still chattering about positions in an earthly government and kingdom.
• Jesus does not explode at their obtuseness, or blaze at their blindness,
• Or despair at their un-teachable-ness.
• In gentleness, in sympathy, and in love, with never an impatient word,
• He seeks to lead them to the truth.
• ill: Shepherd caring for his sheep.
(B). WE SEE HIS HONESTY (VS 22).
• Jesus was quite clear and upfront with his disciples,
• He told them straight that there was a bitter cup to be drunk.
• None of the disciples could ever turn around to Jesus and say;
• That he began to follow Jesus under false pretences.
Ill:
• Double-glazing sales men,
• Read the small print.
• Jesus made it very clear; that even if life ultimately ends in crown-wearing,
• It continues in the present by cross-bearing.
(C). WE SEE HIS TRUST IN PEOPLE.
• Jesus never doubted that James and John would maintain their loyalty.
• They had their mistaken ambitions; they had their blindness; they had their wrong ideas;
• But Jesus never thought of writing them off as bad debts.
• And going and choosing someone else!
• He believed that they could and would drink the cup,
• And that in the end they would still be found at his side.
One of the great fundamental facts to which we must hold on to as followers of Christ is this:
• Even when we fail, or we hate and loathe and despise ourselves,
• Jesus the Master believes in us.
• Jesus the Master is still willing to disciple us!
(D). WE SEE HIS EXAMPLE (VS 28).
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
This misunderstanding gave Jesus the opportunity to teach a practical lesson on leadership.
• In His kingdom - We must not follow the examples of the world.
• Our example is always Jesus Christ,
• Not some important politician, or some high flying businessman or wealthy celebrity.
• Jesus came into our world as a servant;
• Therefore, in following him, we should likewise serve one another.
• He came to give His life;
• Therefore, we should give our lives in service to Him and others.
Note:
• The Greek word used in verse 26 is translated as “a servant.”
• We get our English word “deacon” from it.
• But the Greek word used in verse 27 is different and means “a slave.”
• Point is this:
• Not every servant was a slave, but every slave was a servant.
• The only way to up, Jesus teaches, is by going down!
• Let me give you that again:
• Not every servant was a slave, but every slave was a servant.
• The only way to up, Jesus teaches, is by going down!
The key to greatness is not found in position or power, but in character.
• The world may assess a person’s greatness by;
• The number of people whom he/she controls and who are at his/her beck and call;
• Or by a person’s intellectual standing and their academic eminence;
• Or by the number of committees of which he/she is a member;
• Or by the size of their bank balance;
• And the material possessions which he/she has amassed;
• But in the assessment of Jesus Christ these things are irrelevant.
• His assessment is quite simply - how many people has he helped?
In conclusion:
Verse 28 illustrates for us the perfect servant and the ultimate act of service:
• The perfect servant was the Son of Man’;
• The ultimate act of service was “To give his life as a ransom for many.”
• The best translation according to the commentator Hendrickson should be;
• “In exchange for” or “In place of”.
Ill:
• In 1193, the English King Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart,
• Was returning from leading a Crusade to the Holy Land.
• As he returned through Europe,
• Leopold V captured him in Austria.
• The Holy Roman Emperor demanded a ransom for Richard's release.
• The price was to be 150,000 marks, equal to three tons of silver.
• This was an enormous ransom demand.
• But the people of England so loved their king they submitted to extra taxation,
• And many nobles donated their fortunes for Richard's release.
• After many months, the money was raised and King Richard returned to England.
• And that's where we get the expression, "a king's ransom."
• Transition: For Jesus "a king's ransom."
• Meant him paying the price for us and not the other way round as in the case of Richard.
• He paid not with silver, or gold or anything this world values;
• But in blood!
• The sinless blood of the Son of God.
Quote: 1 Peter chapter 1 verses 18-19:
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
• We think of silver and gold as being incorruptible,
• And we know blood is corruptible.
• But, Peter reverses that idea!
• He said silver and gold are corruptible,
• And he said the blood of Christ is incorruptible.
• Well silver and gold may sit on the bottom of the ocean due to a shipwreck,
• It will not rest and seems to be long lasting;
• But it will not last forever!
• But the eternal blood of the eternal Son of God;
• Has cleansing power that will!
SERMON AUDIBLE:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=IAU2nPUHZDA7gqZE153IpP1iUyZSJQjO
