Daily Bible Verse ~ Matthew 20:20-23

Posted On 2021-01-16

Matthew 20:20‭-‬23 ESV Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

Today My Daily Walk takes me to Mt Hood Oregon.

A mom requests that her two songs sit on the right and the left hand side of Jesus in His kingdom… Isn’t that just like you and me today? We want the benefits of following after Jesus and think we’re able to endure like him as well. But when challenges to our faith come, how do we respond?

If you’re like me, you don’t like opposition. It makes you feel awkward, uncomfortable, and sometimes even frustrated and angry.

Jesus, when asked by this mom for her son’s to sit on his right and left in the kingdom, had no idea what she was asking for. However, rather than Jesus harshly correcting, he simply stated to her, “you don’t know what you are asking for!” And then posed the question, “can you drink from the same cup?”

They had asked to share in their Master’s reward, but they had not considered that they must first be partakers in their Master’s sufferings They had forgotten that those who would stand with Christ in glory must drink of His cup of suffering and be baptized with His baptism.

Let’s look at 1 Peter 4:12-13 Suffering as a Christian

1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Even if you’re insulted you’re blessed. And in our culture, insults are about a harsh of a persecution we’ll ever face. But my question today to you goes to this verse in 1 Peter…. Are you suffering for Christ? Are you bold in your faith to the point of opposition, or are you comfortable watching church online, reading your Bible, and living your quiet little life at home?

Jesus says in Matthew 7:14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Paul says in acts 14 that we enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations.

Trials and testing of our faith build character. I don’t believe the Bible is saying that when we make bad decisions and have consequences we enter the kingdom of God… It’s not self made trials. It’s the trials that come because we are bold in our faith. It’s because we are using our time and resources for the kingdom and maybe we don’t have enough for what we want.

The trials Jesus, Peter, and Paul are taking about are because we do what Jesus said in the last chapter of Matthew… We go and make disciples of all the nation’s. That wasn’t a call to a few select super Christians who become missionaries. It’s a call to all who proclaim the name of Christ.

Digging Deeper:

Matthew 26:39; John 18:11; Acts 14

Apply It:

So my question to you today and to me is this. Have you experienced opposition because of your faith recently? Have you suffered because you gave too much of your time, resources, and money for the sake of Christ? Do you share your faith at work, to your neighbors, and to the nation’s?

If you’re a comfortable Christian, I encourage you today to pray and ask the Lord to stir your heart. Give you a heart for the lost, the broken, and the unreached. Take a few minutes every day to start and share the gospel with a co-worker. With a family member. Work a friend.

If you’re on the front lines for Christ then praise the Lord! Keep up the fight. Keep sharing the love of Christ. And keep moving forward as a good soldier for Christ.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to be bold and endure the suffering that may come from that. I love you and want you to be my all!