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Text: Matthew 20:20-28
When I grew up in Palau there was an unwritten rule we had as children. When I was playing with my sister and other boys who were younger than me, I was the leader. I could tell them just about anything and they would have to do it my way. One of the nasty things I used to do was to lead them into the jungle to somewhere they had never been then sneak off and hide. They would start to get worried and call my name. Pretty soon, if there were girls in our group, they would start to cry. It was then that I would reappear as a big hero saying reassuredly, "Lako medakd (Don't be afraid) Ngak a tiang! (I'm here!)" I guess sometimes I could be a cruel leader. Kids can sometimes be mean. But if
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there were other boys there older than me, I would have to follow them, and they would find ways to torture me.
That's the system of this world. Even when we become adults our island cultures tell us that the oldest, highest clan, richest and strongest are the leaders. These leaders do not always look out for our best interests. Sometimes they are cruel and selfish.
Jesus used a mother's request to teach an important lesson about how different authority is for a Christian.
The wife of Zebedee - the mother of James & John - asked Jesus for a favor. Like a typical mother she just wanted the best for her boys. Jesus asked her what she wanted. But the favor that she asked of Jesus, He could not grant. This is one of the few times Jesus
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did not grant a request to someone who asked Him, such as the time when He refused to do a miraculous sign for the Pharisees and Sadducees, instead telling them to repent.
Jesus then asked James and John if they could "drink his cup". It's obvious they did not fully understand what they were asking. Nor did they comprehend the significance of the answer they gave Him. Maybe they thought Jesus was talking about being able to drink and eat like He did. Or maybe they thought He was talking about traveling and healing people and teaching. What they didn't realize was that He was talking about being crucified on a cross.
Could they share in Jesus' death by being tortured for the name of Jesus? Could they die for the sins of the world?
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