What Jesus Did

When Jesus heard [the blind men shouting to him], he stopped and called, "What do you want me to do for you?"

—Matthew 20:32 NLT

Key Thought​

"What do you want me to do for you?"

It sounds like a simple, almost ridiculous, question. But in asking it, Jesus is giving the men who are blind the opportunity to do two things: (1) state the absurdity of their request so they know when the request is granted that they have received a true miracle from Jesus and (2) have them...

 

As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
"Be quiet!" the crowd yelled at them.

But they only shouted louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"


—Matthew 20:29-31 NLT

Key Thought​

Messianic expectations are on the rise as Jesus is moving toward Jerusalem. Jericho, a mere 15...

 

[Jesus continued,] "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."

—Matthew 20:28 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus left heaven with one key purpose in mind: He would come to earth to pay the ransom demand of Satan for our souls. He would pay that price with humiliation and rejection and being mocked and beaten. But that is why he came. Not only did he know how desperately we needed to be saved; he also knew how important it...

 

[To his twelve disciples, Jesus said,] "Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave."

—Matthew 20:26-27 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus' Kingdom operates by a different set of standards. Greatness is not found in position. Greatness is not found in the exercise of power. Greatness is not found in being served. Greatness is not found in commanding others. Greatness is not found in wealth. Greatness is not...

 

[When there was indignation among the twelve disciples about who would be given places of honor,] Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to...

 

When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked [about places of power in the Kingdom], they were indignant.

—Matthew 20:24 NLT

Key Thought​

Isn't it amazing that we can get so angry at others for the same sin that is tripping us up! James and John and their mother are asking for what all the apostles want. The other disciples are angry and jealous of the position that the two brothers are aspiring to fill.

Jesus' example is so different. He is serving and...

 

[After James' and John's mother asked Jesus for them to have places of power in the Kingdom,] Jesus answered by saying to them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?"

"Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!"
Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."


—Matthew 20:22-23...

 

Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. "What is your request?" he asked.
She replied, "In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left."


—Matthew 20:20-21 NLT

Key Thought​

Mothers are so precious. They want what is best for their children. They want others to love their children and see them in the same way they do...

 

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. "Listen," he said, "we're going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead."

—Matthew 20:17-19 NLT

Key...​

 

[At the end of his parable about the Kingdom of Heaven being like workers hired at different times during the day, Jesus said,] "So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last."

—Matthew 20:16 NLT

Key Thought​

Reversal!

When God settles all the accounts, then things are going to be valued by his standards and not the world's standards. The people whose hearts are yielded to him will be recognized as his children no matter their rank or...