A lesson on Matthew 20:20-28

1. 2 Timothy 3:15-17
The Holy Scriptures:
•is able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus
•God-breathed
•is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

2. MATTHEW 20:20-28
20
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and,
kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21
“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.”
22
“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.

3. MATTHEW 20:20-28
23
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.”
24
When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two
brothers.
25
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.

4. MATTHEW 20:20-28
26
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great
among you must be your servant, 27
and whoever wants to
be first must be your slave—
28
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.”

5. WHAT'S
YOUR
MOTIVE?
~ MATTHEW 20:20-28
Church of Singapore –
Filipino Service
22 May 2016
By Sis Caroline Zamora-Bersalona

6. UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT
•Israel was occupied by Romans
•Jews were looking for a Messiah

7. UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERS

8. MATTHEW 20:20-21
20
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with
her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21
“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.”

9. SALOME –
A mother who wants
the good of her
children

10. JAMES & JOHN –
- form the inner circle with
Peter
- seem glued to Jesus’ side
- called “Boanerges” or the
sons of thunder by Jesus
- over excitable and fiery

11. SAMARITAN OPPOSITION
(LUKE 9:51-54)
51
As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for
Jerusalem.
52
And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things
ready for him; 53
but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for
Jerusalem.
54
When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to
call fire down from heaven to destroy them[b]
?”
55
But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56
Then he and his disciples went to another village.

12. UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVE

13. MATTHEW 20:22
22
“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.

14. UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVE
“Here we concentrate on such a human weakness,
the need to be greater than others.”

16. OUR MODERN TIMES

17. OUR MODERN TIMES
•Politician’s cronies
•So with James and John, it was natural for them who
are close followers of Jesus to assume they would
have a leading role in His kingdom.

18. JESUS’ RESPONSE
Matthew 20:23-28
23
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.”

19. JESUS’ RESPONSE
24
When the ten heard about this, they were
indignant with the two brothers.
25
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.

20. JESUS’ RESPONSE
26
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to
become great among you must be your
servant, 27
and whoever wants to be first must
be your slave—
28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give his life as a

21. TO THE WORLD, WHAT MAKES A
PERSON GREAT?
•This world = rulers rule people
•Current culture = greatness is control over
others

22. TO JESUS, WHAT MAKES A PERSON
GREAT?
•Leaders = serve
•First = slave
•“Others first” character

23. “JESUS DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED,
BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS
A RANSOM FOR MANY.”

24. DO YOU WANT TO BE GREAT?

25. “I DON’T WANT TO BE GREAT.”

26. “I DON’T WANT TO BE GREAT.”
Strive to be great, because God has
promised:
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares
the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to
give you a future and a hope.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

27. WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVE?
If you’re serving…

29. ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE
YOUR TIME, ENERGY, MONEY AND
ABILITIES FOR OTHERS?
If you’re not yet serving…

30. CONCLUSION

31. “THE MAN WHO LABOURS MOST DILIGENTLY, AND
SUFFERS MOST PATIENTLY, SEEKING TO DO GOOD
TO HIS BRETHREN, AND TO PROMOTE THE
SALVATION OF SOULS, MOST RESEMBLES CHRIST,
AND WILL BE MOST HONOURED BY HIM TO ALL
ETERNITY.”
~ MATTHEW HENRY COMMENTARY

32. JAMES & JOHN –
While they may seem wild at
times, both are
transformed by their
friendship with Jesus into
something much more than
ordinary fishermen.