What Jesus Did

When Jesus and his followers were leaving Jericho, many, many people followed Jesus. There were two blind men sitting by the road. The blind men heard that Jesus was coming by. So the blind men shouted, "Lord, Son of David, please help us!" All the people criticized the blind men. They told the blind men not to speak. But the blind men shouted more and more, "Lord, Son of David, please help us!"

—Matthew 20:29-31

Key Thought
Messianic expectations are on the rise as Jesus is moving...

 

"It is the same with the Son of Man. The Son of Man did not come for other people to serve him. The Son of Man came to serve other people. The Son of Man came to give his life to save many people."

—Matthew 20:28

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 soul. He would pay that price with humiliation, rejection, being mocked and beaten. But that is why he came. Not only did he know how desperately we...

 

"But it should not be that way with you. If one of you wants to become great, then he must serve you like a servant. If one of you wants to become first, then he must serve you like a slave."

—Matthew 20:26-27

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...

 

Jesus called all the followers together. Jesus said, "You know that the rulers of the non-Jewish people love to show their power over the people. And their important leaders love to use all their authority over the people. But it should not be that way with you. If one of you wants to become great, then he must serve you like a servant."

—Matthew 20:25-26

Key Thought
Not among you!
Jesus was dramatic and emphatic. It doesn't matter what the latest leadership trend may be! It doesn't...

 

The other ten followers heard this. They became angry with the two brothers.

—Matthew 20:24

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 wanted. The other disciples are angry and jealous of the position that the two brothers were aspiring to fill.
Jesus' example is so different. He is serving and will ultimately give up his life to build his Kingdom. Here...

 

So Jesus said to the sons, "You don't understand what you are asking. Can you accept the kind of suffering that I must have?" The sons answered, "Yes, we can!" Jesus said to them, "Truly you will suffer the same things that I will suffer. But I cannot choose the person that will sit at my right side or my left side. My Father has decided who will have those places. He has prepared those places for those people. Those places belong to them."

—Matthew 20:22-23

Key Thought
Jesus saw...

 

Then Zebedee's wife came to Jesus. Her sons were with her. The mother bowed before Jesus and asked him to do something for her. Jesus said, "What do you want?" She said, "Promise that one of my sons will sit at your right side in your kingdom. And promise that the other son will sit at your left side in your kingdom."

—Matthew 20:20-21

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...

 

Jesus was going to Jerusalem. His twelve followers were with him. While they were walking, Jesus gathered the followers together and spoke to them privately. Jesus said to them, "We are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be given to the leading priests and the teachers of the law. The priests and teachers of the law will say that the Son of Man must die. They will give the Son of Man to the non-Jewish people. Those people will laugh at him and beat him with whips, and then they will...

 

Jesus was going to Jerusalem. His twelve followers were with him. While they were walking, Jesus gathered the followers together and spoke to them privately. Jesus said to them, "We are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be given to the leading priests and the teachers of the law. The priests and teachers of the law will say that the Son of Man must die. They will give the Son of Man to the non-Jewish people. Those people will laugh at him and beat him with whips, and then they will...

 

"So the people that have the last place now will have the first place in the future. And the people that have the first place now will have the last place in the future."

—Matthew 20:16

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 lack of rank or riches in worldly society. Those who recognize their...