A Mother who seeks the highest place
Matthew 20:20-23
Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) first suggested the national observance of Mother’s Day. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a flower to each person who attended. Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother's Day was observed in a number of large cities in the U.S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. He established the day as a time for "public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country."
What are mothers? Well, mothers are teachers. Mothers are disciplinarians. Mothers are cleaning ladies. Some mothers are gardeners & lawn mowers. Mothers are nurses and doctors and psychologists and counselors & coaches. -
Mothers are developers of personalities and shapers of attitudes. Mothers are soft voices saying, "I love you." - And mothers are a link to God, a child's first impression of God's love. Mothers are all these things and much, much more.
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
They said to Him, “We are able.”
23 So He said to them, “You will indeed drink 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 is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
Mrs. Zebedee was aware of the teachings of Jesus about His kingdom. She was also very aware of the fact that her sons, James & John, were close to Him. They were two-thirds of the inner circle of Peter, James, & John.
Le us think for a few moments about some positive things concerning the mother of John and James.
a. As a mother, she kneels down and worshiped God – Matthew 20:20
b. As a mother, she asks something from Jesus
c. As a mother, she wanted her sons to be a part of the Kingdom of God.
d. As a mother, she wants her sons to be the first and few of the chosen for the kingdom of God.
Dear brothers, and sisters in Christ, today let us meditate about the kingdom of God. How important is the kingdom God for our life? Are you a part of His kingdom? Are you actively involved in the work of the kingdom of God? and do you have a big expectation of entering the kingdom of God?
During the time of Jesus ministry there are so many mothers there. Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, Salome, etc., The apostles James, & John’s mother was among them.
From the beginning of the chapter 20th of Matthew Jesus was talking about the kingdom of God. I will explain the parable of the kingdom of God.
So, she was certain that when the Lord formed His kingdom that they would have positions of responsibility & authority. But in the first part of this chapter, Jesus told a story that must have disturbed her.
Matthew 20:16 So, the last will be first, and the first last, for many are called but few chosen.
Dear mothers, are you praying for your children to inherit the kingdom of God or let them be first not least? Let them be a few of the chosen? because the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.
Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
When you establish your kingdom, please let my sons sit in places of authority & honor on your right & left hand." We should have a competition to enter the kingdom of God. Jews are always rushing and pushing to enter in the kingdom of heaven.
We might very well criticize Mrs. Zebedee for being so bold. But since today is Mother's Day, maybe we ought to think for a few moments about some positive things concerning the mother of the apostle John and James.
We need also to recognize that when she came to Jesus, while Jesus did not grant her request, neither did He deny it.
I. To be a part of His Kingdom:
And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” – Matthew 20:21
As we celebrating Mother’s Day, now, what are some of the good things about this mother? First of all, she came to the Lord, asking that her sons might be a part of His Kingdom. Are you seeking to ensure that your children are a part of the Kingdom of God?
I know that many mothers pray. This verse tells us that, she wanted her sons to be a part of His kingdom. It was her prayer. Our God will not reject a mother’s prayer.
Motherhood Prayer:
Sometimes they pray out of necessity. Sometimes they pray because motherhood is not easy, but extremely difficult. Sometimes mothers pray just out of the frustration of it all.
Dear mothers you should pray for your children: my children, my sons, and daughters that they should enter into the kingdom of God.
There was a weakness in her prayer. She did not know what to pray and how to pray. The Spirit of the Lord helps us to pray in our weakness.
The Bible tells us in “Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” - Romans 8:26
Does God answer our Prayer? Why are some prayers not answered? What can stop our prayers from being answered? Because . . .
James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.
ILL. A mother remembered very clearly the time she gave his 3-year-old son, Stephen, his very first responsibility. He told Stephen to watch Susan, his baby sister, while she stepped out of the room. She had only been gone a few moments when she heard a thump, and then Susan started crying. She rushed back in to find that Susan had fallen from the couch and was stretched out on the floor. Meanwhile, Stephen sat there, looking so innocent. Mother said, "Son, I told you to watch her." Stephen answered, "I did." I watched her fall and I watched her cry. I did exactly what I was told to do.
Being a mother is not easy. Sometimes you are filled with joy and sometimes with sadness. Sometimes your children make you so proud you. And other times you cannot find enough handkerchiefs to dry your tears.
Every mother should pray for her children with tears.
Being a parent is not easy. It is difficult. But Mrs. Zebedee gives us a valuable example, for she asked earnestly for her sons to be a part of His kingdom.
I hope that in the heart of every mother and father here this morning there is a burden to go to the throne of God and to pray for your children to pray that they will be saved, and for eternal life. That is the place to begin.
II. To be Actively involved in the work of His Kingdom:
You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” – Matthew 20:22
Secondly, not only did the Mother of John and James ask for her children to be a part of His kingdom, but she wanted them to be actively involved in the work of His kingdom.
Maybe it is not enough just to be saved. This is not an ordinary prayer but fervent prayer.
An article by Erma Bombeck told of God in the act of creating mothers. She said that on the day God created mothers He had already worked long overtime. An angel said to Him, "Lord, you sure are spending a lot of time on this one."
The Lord turned and said, Yes, I am. "What's a tear for?" asked the angel. "Well it's for joy, for sadness, for sorrow, for disappointment, for pride." "You're a genius," said the angel. And the Lord said, "Oh, but I didn't put tear there."
Are you Able to drink the cup? Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, He took with Him Peter, the two sons of Zebedee, and he began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Matthew 26:37-39, 42, 44. He prayed three times, “O my father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
John 18:11b “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
Isaiah 53:12 He prayed and poured out his soul unto death.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the day of my departure is at hand. Paul the apostle poured out his soul as a drink offering.
But where does the spirit of service begin? It begins at home with parents setting the example and praying that their sons and daughters might be involved in the work of the kingdom?
Are you Baptized with the baptism that I am baptized:
But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! - Luke 12:50
The apostle James (son of Mrs. Zebedee) as a martyr was killed with the sword. Acts 12:2
The apostle John was thrown into a big oil tank but, he came out alive. John is considered to have been exiled to Patmos during a time of persecution under the Roman rule of Domitian in the late 1st century. Revelation 1:9
Mrs. Zebedee asked that her children would be actively involved in the work of His kingdom. It was her prayer. And we need to walk in her footsteps, too. Are you praying for your children to be involved in the work of the kingdom of God?
III. Great Expectation:
Thirdly, Mrs. Zebedee had big and great expectations. When you are working in a kingdom, there are no higher positions than those on the right & left of the King himself, & that is what she wanted for her sons. I suppose that is why today is special? because we recognize that mother's love is probably the closest example we have to God's love.
She did not just ask for her children to be doorkeepers. She wanted them on the right and left hand of Jesus. She asked for a highest place for her children.
Colossians 3:1-2 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
It is a love that goes through the valley of the shadow of death to bring life into being. It is a love that sacrifices itself over and over again and would even dare to lay down its life for its own offspring.
ILL. The story is told? out of WW 2 and the holocaust that took the lives of millions? of Solomon Rosenberg and his family. It is a true story.
Solomon Rosenberg and his wife and their 2 sons and his mother and father were arrested and placed in a Nazi concentration camp. It was a labor camp, & the rules were simple. "As long as you can do your work, you are permitted to live. When you become too weak to do your work, then you are exterminated."
Rosenberg watched his mother & father marched off to their deaths, & he knew that next would be his youngest son, David, because David had always been a frail child.
Every evening Rosenberg came back into the barracks after his hours of labor & searched for the faces of his family. When he found them, they would huddle together, embrace one another, & thank God for another day of life.
One day Rosenberg came back and did not see those familiar faces. He finally found his oldest son, Joshua, in a corner, huddled, weeping, and praying. He said, "Josh, tell me it's not true." Joshua turned and said, "It is true, poppa. Today David was not strong enough to do his work. So, they came for him."
"But where is your mother?" asked Mr. Rosenberg. "Oh poppa," he said, "When they came for David, he was afraid & he cried. Momma said, 'There is nothing to be afraid of, David,' & she took his hand & went with him." That is motherhood.
Mothers, this is your day. May God bless you in it. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates. Amen.
