OUR GOD IS GENEROUS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, Dr. Samuel Lee
TO SERVE AND GIVE
Passage: Matthew 20:17~34  
Key verse: 28
Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time(A)
17 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,(B) and the Son of Man(C) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.(D) They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged(E) and crucified.(F) On the third day(G) he will be raised to life!”(H)
A Mother’s Request(I)
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons(J) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,(K) 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.”(L)
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup(M) I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,(N) 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.”
24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant(O) with the two brothers. 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. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(P) 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man(Q) did not come to be served, but to serve,(R) and to give his life as a ransom(S) for many.”
Two Blind Men Receive Sight(T)
29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David,(U) have mercy on us!”
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Cross references
- Matthew 20:17 : 20:17-19pp — Mk 10:32-34; Lk 18:31-33
- Matthew 20:18 : S Lk 9:51
- Matthew 20:18 : S Mt 8:20
- Matthew 20:18 : Mt 27:1, 2
- Matthew 20:19 : S Mt 16:21
- Matthew 20:19 : S Ac 2:23
- Matthew 20:19 : S Mt 16:21
- Matthew 20:19 : S Mt 16:21
- Matthew 20:20 : 20:20-28pp — Mk 10:35-45
- Matthew 20:20 : S Mt 4:21
- Matthew 20:20 : S Mt 8:2
- Matthew 20:21 : Mt 19:28
- Matthew 20:22 : Isa 51:17, 22; Jer 49:12; Mt 26:39, 42; Mk 14:36; Lk 22:42; Jn 18:11
- Matthew 20:23 : Ac 12:2; Rev 1:9
- Matthew 20:24 : Lk 22:24, 25
- Matthew 20:26 : S Mk 9:35
- Matthew 20:28 : S Mt 8:20
- Matthew 20:28 : Isa 42:1; Lk 12:37; 22:27; Jn 13:13-16; 2Co 8:9; Php 2:7
- Matthew 20:28 : Ex 30:12; Isa 44:22; 53:10; Mt 26:28; 1Ti 2:6; Tit 2:14; Heb 9:28; 1Pe 1:18, 19
- Matthew 20:29 : 20:29-34pp — Mk 10:46-52; Lk 18:35-43
- Matthew 20:30 : S Mt 9:27
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
Many rise to power by doing whatever it takes to get ahead of others so that they may exercise their power over them. Jesus flips this around and says that the great are those who do whatever it takes for others to get ahead. They use their power to serve rather than be served. This greatness is rooted in God’s love and mercy.
When Jesus saw the blind men, he was ready to serve them even when everybody saw them as a nuisance. Jesus’ greatness was his ability to love even the unlovable, hopeless, and looked down upon, and give his life for them. In this way, he gave hope and new life. He opened not only their physical eyes but spiritual eyes to see God’s love and mercy.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving yourself fully to give me assurance of your love and mercy. May I be a vessel of such love to those you put in my life.
One Word: Give life.