OUR GOD IS GENEROUS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, Dr. Samuel Lee
THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SERVE
Passage: Matthew 20:17~28  
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.”
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
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Jesus predicts his death (17-19)
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. He taught his disciples again that he must suffer, die and be raised to life. This is why he came. His death and resurrection is the good news that saves us from sin and brings us from death to life.
2. A mother's request (20-28)
The mother of James and John asked Jesus to give her sons the highest places in his coming kingdom. James and John--and the others, too--didn't understand the nature of Jesus' messiahship, or the nature of true greatness. They all thought that to be great was to be like Caesar. Jesus taught them about true greatness. The one who serves others, not the one who lords it over others is truly great. Jesus lived as a humble servant and died as a ransom sacrifice to save sinners. He is truly great. Those who drink his cup by sharing in his suffering are also great.
Prayer: Lord, help me to learn Jesus' loving, serving heart and life so that I may have true greatness.
One Word: He gave his life for me