A Morning Cup of Tea: Matthew 20: 17-34

Good morning. I trust you slept well. Today we are reading Matthew 20:17-34.
  Jesus was going to Jerusalem, and he was taking the disciples with him. As they were traveling, he told them again that he would be betrayed, and beaten severely, and crucified, and would rise again on the third day. 
  When he met up with the mother of the son's of Zebedee, James and John, the mother had a request of Jesus. Like all mothers, she was proud of her sons and thought they were special. She asked Jesus to have her sons sit on either side of his throne in his kingdom.
  She wanted great honor for her sons, but she did not understand that Jesus was going to become the ultimate sacrifice, and to sit on either side of his throne meant they too would end up putting their lives on the line. He asked the two brothers, Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and be baptized with the same baptism? Are you able to put yourself in my shoes? They answered that they were. Jesus answered them that they surely would face the same fate, but as for who sits on his right hand or his left, only his Father would decide.
  When the other ten disciples heard what the brothers and their mother wanted, they became angry. But Jesus gave all of them advice: 
 25. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
 Jesus wasn't there to be treated like an earthly king. He was there to help others. He knew that he was going to pay the price for all of us, so that we might have eternal life. Not all accept that gift. But that is a lesson for another day.
  As Jesus and the twelve left Jericho, the crowds followed him. Two blind men were on the side of the road and as they came near, they cried out for Jesus to help them. The crowds tried to get them quiet, but they got even louder. They knew Jesus could heal them. He had compassion on them, and when they asked to have their sight restored, he touched their eyes and it was so. They received their sight and followed him. 

Good morning. I trust you slept well. Today we are reading Matthew 20:17-34.
  Jesus was going to Jerusalem, and he was taking the disciples with him. As they were traveling, he told them again that he would be betrayed, and beaten severely, and crucified, and would rise again on the third day. 
  When he met up with the mother of the son's of Zebedee, James and John, the mother had a request of Jesus. Like all mothers, she was proud of her sons and thought they were special. She asked Jesus to have her sons sit on either side of his throne in his kingdom.
  She wanted great honor for her sons, but she did not understand that Jesus was going to become the ultimate sacrifice, and to sit on either side of his throne meant they too would end up putting their lives on the line. He asked the two brothers, Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and be baptized with the same baptism? Are you able to put yourself in my shoes? They answered that they were. Jesus answered them that they surely would face the same fate, but as for who sits on his right hand or his left, only his Father would decide.
  When the other ten disciples heard what the brothers and their mother wanted, they became angry. But Jesus gave all of them advice: 
 25. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
 Jesus wasn't there to be treated like an earthly king. He was there to help others. He knew that he was going to pay the price for all of us, so that we might have eternal life. Not all accept that gift. But that is a lesson for another day.
  As Jesus and the twelve left Jericho, the crowds followed him. Two blind men were on the side of the road and as they came near, they cried out for Jesus to help them. The crowds tried to get them quiet, but they got even louder. They knew Jesus could heal them. He had compassion on them, and when they asked to have their sight restored, he touched their eyes and it was so. They received their sight and followed him.