What would we say defines us? What are the things that we have attached value, meaning, and significance to? (Maybe they’re even things that we think elevate us above others.) In today’s passage, we are going to look at the third time Jesus predicts his death, and how he pivots to talk to his followers about what should define them: their posture of serving others.
A Serving Posture
Message by Josh Mutter – March 14, 2021
Matthew 20:17-28 NIV
Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Manwill be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
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 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.”
When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 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. 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.”
Consider This:
Jesus takes our place, frees us from the power of sin, and through the resurrection he gives us his life.
Because of Jesus we are freed from needing to prove that we are great and we can find greatness in serving others.
Parting Shots:
The posture of serving others is the “mark” of following Jesus.
The posture of serving others comes at a cost.
The posture of serving others becomes the posture from which we experience the life of Christ.
About Josh Mutter: Josh Mutter is the Lead Pastor at Westheights Community Church. Josh is married to Michelle and they have two very busy little boys named Silas & Isaac. Josh enjoys long walks on the beach and smooth jazz – well, not really. But he does enjoy time with his family, spending time outdoors, watching baseball, sipping coffee and reading a good book.
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