03-08-20 “What is it you want?”

Scripture   Matthew 20:17-34

Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!  3rd of 4 predictions of his death but the first to mention 1) Jerusalem 2) religious leader’s condemnation 3) Gentiles will carry out his execution!

20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 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. You don't know what you are asking, Jesus said to them. Can you drink the cup (see prediction above) I am going to drink?  We can, they answered. Jesus 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. Points of Interest: 1) Mark has James & John asking Jesus directly 2) Salome might be Mary’s sister – Jesus’ aunt J&J his cousins  / kneeling to his divine side – requesting appealing to his earthly relationships. Based on Matt 19:28

Jesus said, 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.

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. (Not because they had pure motives – but because J&J are using their familial position to get what they all want) 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.  Not so with you. (Jesus is about to give them a VALUES lesson that turns the world’s concept of success upside-down) Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 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. (Servant & Slave 2 lowest positions – the difference is one is paid and one isn’t ie. ‘A seat near the throne?’)

29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us! The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us! Jesus stopped and called them. What do you want me to do for you? he asked.  They answered,  Lord, we want our sight. Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. (The CROWD wanted Jesus for themselves. Jesus wanted to make those who could not follow him on their own have the ability to follow him…and they did.)

Jesus asked Salome – “What is it you want?

Jesus asked the blind beggars – “What is it you want?”

Jesus invested in people and shows us how to invest in people.

Parable of the Talents 5 - 2 – 1 (one held on and buried – 2 and 5 invested and 5 got more)

There are three things you can do with your life: you can waste it, you can spend it, or you can invest it.

You can waste it.

There are plenty of things to waste it on. You can spend it on your career, on your hobby, on acquiring certain possessions, or you can invest it. Jesus taught that the greatest use of your life is to invest it in that which outlasts it. He told a story called the parable of the talents. In it he gives seven principles for investing your life:

1. Everything I have belongs to God.
2. God has given me some talents.
3. God expects me to use those talents. Someday he’s going to ask me, “What did you do with what you were given?”
4. It is wrong to bury what God has given me.
5. Fear keeps me from using my talent. When you cut through all the excuses, it’s fear that keeps you from using your talents.
6. If I don’t use it, I’ll lose it.
7. If I use it wisely, I’ll be rewarded.

What is it you want?

I want to invest my life in people.

Charles Francis Adams, 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary. One day he entered: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!" The father thought he was wasting his time while fishing with his son, but his son saw it as an investment of time. The only way to tell the difference between wasting and investing is to know one's ultimate purpose in life and to judge accordingly.