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We can turn in your Bibles to 
Matthew's Gospel, Matthew chapter 20. Matthew chapter 20. This morning in Acts 6, we saw 
that seven men were chosen to serve the church. Christ is a 
servant, and this particular passage highlights that. So I 
want to read Matthew chapter 20, beginning in verse 17. We'll 
read to verse 28. Matthew 20, beginning in verse 
17. Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, 
took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 
Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed 
to the chief priests and to the scribes. And they will condemn 
Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to 
scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise 
again. Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons, 
kneeling down and asking something from him. And he said to her, 
What do you wish? She said to him, Grant that these 
two sons of mine may sit, one on your right hand and the other 
on the left, in your kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, 
you do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup 
that I am about to drink and be baptized with the baptism 
that I am baptized with? They said to him, we are able. So he said to them, you will 
indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized 
with. But to sit on my right hand and 
on my left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom 
it is prepared by my father. And when the ten heard it, they 
were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called 
them to himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles 
lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority 
over them. Yet it shall not be so among 
you. But whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your 
servant. And whoever desires to be first 
among you, let him be your slave. just as the Son of Man did not 
come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom 
for many. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
we thank You for the written Word of the living and true God. 
We thank You that it's profitable to us, and we pray that it would 
have profit tonight, that You would set before us this blessed 
Christ who didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give 
His life a ransom for many. Certainly that's why we gather 
together tonight. It's not because we're good men 
and women, but because we have a good and a gracious Savior, 
the one who gave His life on our behalf. How we thank you 
that Christianity is a redemptive religion. How we thank you it's 
not a message of self-help or add a few morals to your life, 
but rather it's the truth that God is in Christ, reconciling 
the world unto Himself. Blessed this time we pray, and 
may the Spirit be at work in our hearts, and we pray in Jesus' 
holy name. Amen. Well, I want to look at 
primarily verses 24 to 28, but it's important to kind of get 
the flow of what's happening in the context. If you'll notice 
that Jesus announces yet again, this is the third time in Matthew's 
gospel up to this point, that he must go to Jerusalem, he must 
be tried, he must be condemned, he must be delivered over to 
the Gentiles, and they will scourge him and crucify him. That's precisely 
what he says there in verses 17 to 19. And then on the heels of this, 
he gets this ambitious request from the sons of Zebedee. on 
the heels of his having announced that he must go to Jerusalem 
and be treated in the manner he just described, these two 
men come to him jockeying for position. These two men come 
to him seeking a position of superiority at the right and 
at the left hand of the father. Notice in verse 20, It says, 
then the mother of Zebedee's sons. The parallel tells us it's 
Zebedee's sons. There's no contradiction. The 
idea is that James and John wanted to be on either side of Jesus. So the mother comes. Jesus says, 
what do you wish? And she said to him, grant that 
these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right hand and the 
other on the left, in your kingdom. Again, the timing here is absolutely 
incredible. He has just said he's going to 
be crucified, and they come along and say, we want to sit on your 
right and on your left. I think that's somewhat typical 
of us. We have sort of a pride. We have 
sort of a desire. We have sort of a longing for 
position. or for prestige. In fact, John 
Calvin, commenting on this section, says, this narrative contains 
a bright mirror of human vanity, for it shows that proper and 
holy zeal is often accompanied by ambition or some other vice 
of the flesh, so that they who follow Christ have a different 
object in view from what they ought to have. So everybody get 
that? He's going to be crucified, and 
they say, we want to be on your right and left when you come 
into your kingdom. They sort of just bypass every thought 
of cross whatsoever, and they are only looking for the crown. 
And again, as I say, I think that is common. I think that 
is somewhat typical. I think that is symptomatic of 
God's people. We want the crown, but we don't 
want the cross. We want the goodies, but we don't 
want the hardship. We want heaven, but we don't 
want to persevere through earth. We want the gifts, but we don't 
necessarily want the one who gives the gifts, giving us afflictions 
and trials to conform us unto the image of his son. So they 
have this ambitious request. Now notice, Jesus gives them 
this ominous response. He gives them this statement 
concerning a baptism and a cup. Notice in verses 22 and 23, Jesus 
answered and said, you do not know what you ask. Are you able 
to drink the cup that I am about to drink and be baptized with 
the baptism that I am baptized with? This is a reference to 
Christ's suffering. This is a reference to Christ's 
death. Remember, in the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed that 
the cup might pass from Him. That cup represents the wrath 
and fury and judgment of God. Jesus knew what was laying on 
the other side of Gethsemane, and that's why He sweat drops 
of blood, and that's why He prayed thus with the Father. He was 
going to drink the cup of God's wrath. In Luke 1250, he uses 
this terminology of baptism. The word baptism does not mean 
to sprinkle. The word baptism means to immerse. The word baptism means to overwhelm. Baptism was used of ships that 
had been sunk in the sea. Well, in 1250 in Luke's gospel, 
Jesus refers to his death as a baptism. He will be overwhelmed 
with suffering. He will be immersed under the 
wrath of God. And so that's why Jesus says 
what he says to these particular apostles. You do not know what 
you ask. Are you able to drink the cup 
that I am about to drink and be baptized with the baptism 
that I am baptized with? Now, I'm not sure how much they 
understood, but it is intriguing that they say in the affirmative, 
we are able. Well, the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane 
prays that if it might be possible, let this not pass from me. These 
men are probably absolutely ignorant in terms of what he is talking 
about. And that's why Jesus now clarifies 
and tells them something that will in fact be true in their 
future. Notice in verse 23, so he said 
to them, you will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the 
baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand and 
on my left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom 
it is prepared by my Father. So Jesus does say that these 
two men, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, will undergo 
a baptism. They will undergo this drinking 
of the cup. Again, not literally, but metaphorically. It's a reference to their future 
wherein they would suffer for the kingdom. wherein they would 
know what it is to be baptized with an overwhelming sort of 
a hardship, and where they would drink the cup not of God's wrath, 
but of some sort of human suffering. In the book of Acts, it's called 
the Gospel of Acts, in Acts chapter 12, James, this particular fellow, 
is beheaded. In Revelation chapter 1, we learn 
that John, this particular John, was on the island of Patmos. He wasn't there because it was 
a great vacation spot, it wasn't filled with golf courses, it 
wasn't a place where persons wanted to go, it was a little 
rock in the Aegean Sea, and he was there for the Word of God 
and the testimony of Jesus Christ our Lord. So they did undergo, 
in their future, suffering connected to their participation in the 
kingdom. So that's the backdrop. That's 
the setting. That's what's happening. Christ 
announces that he's going to Jerusalem. He must be delivered 
up to the Gentiles to be crucified. And on the heels of that, they 
said, we want to sit on the right and on the left. He tells them, 
I'm going to suffer. You're not able to suffer the 
way I am, but you are going to suffer in your own earthly course. 
But in terms of sitting on my right and my left, that's not 
mine to give, it's the Father's to give. So that's now where 
we find ourselves in verse 24 to 28. This is his instruction 
concerning kingdom greatness. Because that's what they're after, 
isn't it? We want to sit on the right. We want to sit on the 
left. We want to be great in the kingdom. We have ambition. 
We have desires. Mama's little boys ought to be 
closest to Jesus. We were to hear Zebedee's wife 
when she comes and presents this request to the Savior. So Christ 
wants to teach them now about kingdom greatness. So let's look 
at 24 to 28 under two considerations. First, the response by the ten 
in verse 24, and then secondly, the instruction given by Christ 
in verses 25 to 28. Notice, in verse 24, and when 
the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. 
So the 10, the other apostles, had heard that John and James 
were requesting these positions of prestige. Why do you think 
they were displeased? Were they displeased because 
they cared for their brother's souls and they didn't like to 
see that kind of ambition and that kind of pride evidenced 
among the confessors of Christ? No, they were displeased because 
they themselves wanted to be on the right and on the left 
of our Lord Jesus Christ in his kingdom. They wanted that position 
too. The fact that Jesus addresses 
all of them with this lesson on kingdom greatness indicates 
the nature of their anger, the nature of their indignation. 
They weren't indignant because their brothers had faltered. 
They were indignant because if the brothers got what they wanted, 
then they wouldn't be right next to Jesus on his right and on 
his left. That's the point. R.T. Frantz 
says, the anger of the remaining disciples is not to be attributed 
to a high-minded rejection of the brothers' worldly ambition. 
The fact that Jesus' next words will be addressed to them all, 
not just to James and John, suggests that all of them still suffer, 
as they do in 18.1, from the same concern for status. Brethren, we ought to pray to 
God that our concern for status would die. I'm not suggesting 
we want everybody to think we're the biggest monsters on the face 
of the earth. There's nothing wrong with a 
godly ambition that's tempered with holiness and righteousness 
and the Spirit, but this desire to be over our fellows, this 
desire to be a leg up over others, That's ungodly, and Jesus is 
going to highlight that. Jesus says that's indicative 
of Gentile kingdoms. It's not indicative of the kingdom 
of God. C.H. Spurgeon makes a similar 
comment on the indignancy of these ten. He says that they 
were moved with indignation was a proof that they were ambitious 
themselves, or at least that they were not willing to take 
the lowest place. Now, the New Testament contains 
admonitions to the people of God to guard against this particular 
sin. The New Testament wants us, as 
the people of God, yes, to have an ambition in the sense that 
I want to persevere, I want to be faithful, I want to make it 
to the end. That's ambition. That's godly 
ambition. But this ambitiousness that wants 
to be above others is absolutely condemned by the New Testament. I just want to look at a few 
of the passages. There's nothing precluding us from doing a bit 
of turning the pages here. Look over at Romans chapter 12. 
Romans chapter 12. Romans 12, 16, be of the same 
mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high 
things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your 
own opinion. I don't know how you read these 
passages, but do you say, wow, I'm so glad Paul's writing for 
my fellows. I'm so glad that Paul is writing 
for the elders in the church. I'm so glad because I know people 
that really need a good dose of this. The fact that this is 
such a repetitive theme in the New Testament seems to indicate 
to me that it's a nagging problem among the people of God. We are 
not supposed to be that way. We are not supposed to exalt 
ourselves. We are not supposed to jockey 
for position. I'd rather be a doorkeeper in 
the house of God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. That 
is godly ambition. That is gloriously stated. He doesn't say, I want to sit 
on the right or on the left. I want to be there. I want to 
be a doorkeeper for the house of God. Notice in Philippians 
2. Philippians 2, that blessed hymn to Christ. In Philippians 
chapter 2, it's in a section where it's what's called hortatory. 
That means there's exhortation to the people of God on conduct. And the sublimity of who Jesus 
Christ is is the very backdrop for this exhortation. But notice 
in Philippians 2 at verse 1, therefore, if there is any consolation 
in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the 
Spirit, if any affection and mercy, Fulfill my joy by being 
like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of 
one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish 
ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others 
better than himself. Have you ever asked yourself, 
am I living this way? Am I esteeming others as better 
than myself? Because essentially, that's where 
Christ takes his argument. The Son of Man did not come to 
be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. 
In other words, Christ's whole mission can be characterized 
with that motto employed by the U.S. Air Force pararescue, that 
others may live. Christ didn't come so that everybody 
would serve Him. Christ came, rather, so that 
He may serve by becoming a ransom sacrifice for wretches like you 
and me. And then verse 5, or rather verse 
4, verse 5, rather, is that hymn to Christ. This is the backdrop. This is what we are supposed, 
by the grace of God, to pursue. Turn over to 1 Peter chapter 
5. 1 Peter chapter 5. Again, we need to see and appreciate 
this whole idea of a proud ambition, this jockeying for position, 
and its condemnation universally in the Scriptures. 1 Peter chapter 
5, 5. Likewise, you younger people, 
submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive 
to one another and be clothed with humility. Be clothed with 
humility. I think I've told you before, 
the backdrop here is probably in Peter's mind. Remember that 
highest expression of humility in the life of the Savior? Well, 
I don't know if it was the highest. I mean, the life of Jesus was 
one of service. But remember when Jesus in the 
upper room takes off his outer garment, and he grabs a towel, 
and he gets down at the feet of these particular men, and 
he cleanses their feet? He clothed himself in such a 
way as to demonstrate his service unto them by actually washing 
their feet. Some suppose that might be in 
Peter's mind as he uses that metaphor, be clothed with humility, 
the way the Savior was. Be clothed with humility, the 
way the Lord Jesus was. Be clothed with humility and 
don't insist on everybody serving you, but rather be like the Master 
and serve others. Yes, all of you be submissive 
to one another and be clothed with humility, for God resists 
the proud but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, humble 
yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you 
in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for 
you. So back to our text in Matthew 
chapter 20. In verse 24, the indignation 
of the ten probably points to the similar ambitiousness that 
resided in their own hearts. Now let's look at the instruction 
given by Christ in verses 25 to 28. He first gives a negative 
example, and then he gives positive exhortation, and then he sets 
before them the very model of kingdom greatness. First, note 
the negative, the negative example. Verse 25, Jesus called them to 
himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord 
it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over 
them. Now, Christ is not condemning 
leadership. Christ is not condemning authority. Christ is not sanctioning anarchy. Christ is simply highlighting 
a fundamental difference in the way that the Gentiles exercise 
authority versus those in the kingdom of Christ. It isn't supposed 
to be this top-down imposition. It isn't supposed to be about 
proud ambition. It isn't supposed to be try to 
get everybody under you so that they may serve you. The Gentile 
model is sort of like a pyramid. The model has the man at the 
top and everybody else is down below serving that man at the 
top. That is contrary to kingdom greatness. That is not consistent with our 
Lord. That is not what he calls us 
unto. It's not an oligarchy. It's not 
a totalitarian system. It is rather a service of God 
by serving one another, and that's what our Lord highlights. So 
he condemns that model employed by the Gentiles. You know that 
the rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them, and those who are 
great exercise authority over them. Paul uses a similar convention 
in 2 Corinthians. He tells the Corinthians, we 
are not those who lord things over you, but rather we are workers 
with you for your joy. The apostles didn't occupy that 
position where they were at the top and all of the persons below 
served them. That wasn't it at all. Paul saw 
himself as a fellow worker with you for your joy. That's the 
model that is employed in the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Spurgeon 
again says, they were confounding his kingdom with the ordinary 
government of men, and therefore they dreamed of being great. 
You see, that's what they were operating according to. They 
had seen the Gentile model. They had known that Gentile model. And so in their heads, hey, let's 
go up and ask if we can sit on his right and sit on his left. 
Well, Christ's teaching here is destroying that model in terms 
of the kingdom, in terms of what he calls us to in our service 
to one another. Now notice, secondly, the conduct 
among the disciples in verses 26 to 27. In the first place, 
they need to reject that Gentile model. In essence, Jesus is saying, 
everything you've learned about leadership up to this point, 
you need to throw it out. You need to get rid of it. You 
need to understand the model in the kingdom is completely 
inverted. The model in the kingdom is to 
take that pyramid, I'm borrowing from Pastor Albert and Martin, 
and to turn it over so that the one on the bottom is serving 
everybody on the top. That's kingdom greatness according 
to our Lord Jesus Christ. The model of kingdom greatness 
is our Lord Jesus Christ, who didn't come to be served, but 
to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. So he tells 
them, reject it. Everything you know about leadership 
up to this point, cast it off. Again, he's not calling for the 
overthrow of the Roman Empire. He is not suggesting that we 
march on, you know, a march on Pilate and we condemn them and 
all that sort of thing. He is saying that with reference 
to the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the government of that kingdom 
is different. It is structured different. It 
functions different. It is not the same that is utilized 
in these Gentile kingdoms. Notice as well, he speaks to 
their desire for kingdom greatness. So in essence, he's not saying 
it's wrong that you want to be great. He doesn't say, you terrible 
monsters, how dare you want to be great? You horrible specimens 
of human beings, how dare you want to be? He doesn't say that. 
He wants to channel them. He wants to redirect them. He 
wants to show them. If you actually want greatness 
in the kingdom, it's not the way the Gentiles get at it. And 
it's certainly not by jockeying for position. It's not driven 
by ambitious pride, but rather greatness in the kingdom is described 
here by our Lord. Verse 26, yet it shall not be 
so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you, let 
him be your servant. So you get that, right? It's 
not wrong that you want to be great. It's not wrong that you 
want to be first. It's wrong how you pursue it. It's wrong how you're trying 
to get at it. It's wrong how you're going about 
it. You're more like the Gentile 
kings rather than disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you 
want to be great in the kingdom, Now everybody's backing off. 
Well, you know, I guess I don't really want to be great. I can 
be average. I can be normal. You see, when 
you hear the demand as to what kingdom greatness looks like, 
it probably does pierce that balloon of ambition a little 
bit. Yeah, I'm content with being normal. Because if greatness 
in the kingdom means I've got to serve everybody, then you 
can keep greatness in the kingdom. Don't do that. You should still 
want to be great in the kingdom. You should still want to obey 
Jesus with reference to the ethics of the kingdom. You should still 
want to pursue greatness in the kingdom, not jockeying for position, 
not driven by ambitious pride, but by serving the people of 
God. serving your families, serving 
your spouses, serving your children. You see, true leadership that 
is Christian is not the kind of tyranny that is exemplified 
by the Gentiles. The kind of leadership that the 
Word of God calls us to is servant leadership. It's the kind of 
leadership exercised by our Lord Jesus. A true leader in the home, 
men, aren't the kinds of guys that sit in their easy chair 
and tell their wives to keep bringing them stuff. That's not 
servant leadership. Within the context of the church, 
it ain't to be the case where there's the pyramid and everybody 
serves those at the top. No, it's to be service. It's 
what I love about the very word itself, and it's intriguing how 
we have sort of exchanged the true meaning of the word minister. Minister is a title of prestige, 
not only in the church, but in civil service as well. Minister 
means serve. Minister means do. Minister means 
to put others before yourself. You see, that's the kingdom greatness 
envisaged by our Lord Jesus Christ. He doesn't say it's bad that 
you want to be great. He says it's bad that you want 
to be great the way that Gentile kings do it. It's good that you 
want to be great, and here's the path to greatness. Serve 
people. Serve your wives. Serve your 
children. Serve your parents. Serve your 
friends. Serve your fellows in the church. 
Serve people. Don't be the kind of person that 
only wants to be served, but rather serve. And if necessary, 
give your life for them. Notice as well the desire for 
kingdom priority. Verse 27, whoever desires to 
be first among you, let him be your slave. He doesn't say it's 
bad to want to be first. Maybe a few moments ago, you 
were thinking, yeah, I want to be first in the kingdom. Well, 
here's your chance. Here's your opportunity. Here's 
the means. Here's the path. Here's the instruction. Whoever desires to be first among 
you, let him be your slave. This connects us to the context 
as a whole. Notice in 1930, many who are 
first will be last, and the last first. Notice in 2016, so the 
last will be first and the first last. These things have been 
stated by our Lord, and now in this particular context, responding 
to this ambition on the part of the disciples, Jesus is highlighting 
the way to kingdom priority. Whoever desires to be first among 
you, let him be your slave. Go back to Matthew 16. Matthew 
16. A lesson on discipleship we probably 
need to refresh ourselves with over and over again. Matthew 
16, 24, Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone desires to come after 
him, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow 
me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever 
loses his life for my sake will find it. You see, there's this 
sort of inversion with reference to the kingdom of Christ. The 
kingdoms of man, those who want to be first, take these steps. 
And the kingdoms of man, those who want to be counted, or those 
who try to save their life, they ultimately will lose them. Jesus 
inverts that. Whoever desires to save his life 
will lose it, but whoever loses his life, for my sake, will find 
it. In other words, it's not your 
self-fulfillment, it's not your ambitious climb, it's not your 
achievement of prestige, but rather it's losing all of that 
for the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what Christ says with 
reference to discipleship. Going back to Matthew chapter 
20. Spurgeon makes this observation, to be, or rather to rise in Christ's 
kingdom, we must descend. To rise in Christ's kingdom, 
we must descend. And now that brings us finally 
to consider this model of kingdom greatness. So he said, you know 
how the Gentiles operate, don't be like them. You want to be 
great in the kingdom? Serve. You want to be first in 
the kingdom? Serve. And then he gives as the 
model himself. Verse 28. Just as. In other words, this is sort 
of the standard for your service to others. Just as the Son of 
Man. You know that bit in Ephesians 
5 where husbands are told to love their wives just as Christ 
loved the church and gave himself for her? That's a big marching 
order, isn't it? That's a huge standard. We've 
got some large shoes to try and fill when we try and be the kinds 
of husbands that God calls us to be. Love your wives just as 
Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. Well, if you 
want to be great in the kingdom, you want to be first in the kingdom, 
and you are resolved to serve with reference to the kingdom, 
you can't serve on your terms. You can't serve only insofar 
as you're willing to put yourself out. It's the kind of service 
described in verse 28. That's what the just as means. Just as means, I want you to 
do what I'm telling you to do, just as the way I do it. Now 
again, brethren, we don't do that. We are always standing 
in need of what this bread and wine represents. These calls 
to holiness, these calls to pursue kingdom greatness, these calls 
to the service of others, ought to constantly throw us back on 
the lap of sovereign grace and mercy. Again, we don't say, well, 
I just can't ever do it, so I'm not even going to try. No, Jesus 
wants us, by the Spirit, to try, to pursue these things. But when 
we do fail, we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ 
the righteous. Now note his statement, just 
as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and 
to give His life a ransom for many. I would suggest the background 
here is Isaiah 53. We don't have a lot of time to 
sort of develop this, but in Isaiah, well, not just Isaiah 
53, but in Isaiah 42, 49, 50, and 53, we have those servant 
songs of the Lord. So when Jesus is describing service, 
he calls his disciples to serve one another, and then he uses 
himself as the model or the standard of service. And when he thinks 
service, he thinks servant song. And several times in Matthew's 
gospel, we find those songs applied to our Lord Jesus Christ. And 
I would argue here that Jesus knew perfectly what His marching 
orders were according to Isaiah 42, 49, 50, and 53. In other 
words, there is a messianic consciousness with reference to our Savior. 
And when He tells them that He is the servant, he is only explaining 
what the prophecy had foretold concerning him. So, I think that 
is the background with reference to the emphasis on service. Now, notice he says, just as 
the Son of Man did not come to be served. That's really not like us, is 
it? Do we go places and say, well, 
I'm here to serve. I'm here to do. Typically, we 
like to get ours, don't we? A little quid pro quo, a little 
you scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. That's not 
what happened in the life of the son of man. And if anyone 
ever deserved to be served, it was Christ. You want to get a 
bit of a view of what happened with reference to the pre-incarnate 
Christ, I would direct you to Isaiah's prophecy, Isaiah chapter 
6. In the year that King Uzziah 
died, I saw the Lord exalted. And I heard the angel say, holy, 
holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is filled with 
his glory. John 12 tells us that Isaiah beheld his Christ's glory. So that's what Jesus had prior 
to coming in the incarnation. Jesus had angels attending him. Jesus had the intra-trinitarian 
communion with Father and Son. Jesus had everything at his disposal. Jesus was served by those angelic 
beings, and yet when he comes into this world, it's not to 
be served. This is what John 1 mentions 
or refers to when it says he came to his own and his own received 
him not. This is what the prophet refers 
to in Isaiah 53. He had no former comeliness that 
we should be drawn to him. His visage was marred. He was 
not a handsome fellow, especially connected to the passion. He 
was brutalized. He looked like a common criminal. 
There's nothing in him that would endear us to him. There was nothing 
in him that would draw us to him. He didn't come to be served. 
You see, here's the point. He deserved to be served. We 
don't. We're miserable, sinful, vile, 
guilty. We have offended God at every 
point. We have transgressed his law. 
We have lacked conformity unto it. We have sinned by omission. We have sinned by commission. We deserve nothing. And yet we 
live like we're entitled to everything. We live like everybody owes us. Everybody should serve us. Everybody 
should fawn all over us. Give me, give me, give me. were 
the leech of the Proverbs. Give! Give! That's our fundamental 
default position. Not so with Christ. The Son of 
Man did not come to be served, though He was deserving, though 
we should have, though everybody should have bowed and confessed 
His glory and His majesty. He Himself said, if these don't 
cry out, the very rocks will cry out. because he's God of 
God, light from light, true God from true God. This is the glory 
of the Savior, and yet when he comes into this world, it's not 
to be served. Brethren, we need to check our 
hearts with the entitlement attitude that I think lodged itself in 
our hearts at our conception. We really think everybody owes 
us. We really think everybody should 
serve us. We really think that we should 
never have any hardship because others should make sure that 
I don't. Well, the Son of Man did not 
come to be served, but notice he doesn't stop there, but rather 
he comes to serve. He did not come to be served, 
but to serve. We'll get on with it in just 
a moment, but you see why it's such a an affront when we don't 
want to serve others, when we're selfish, or when we're proud, 
or when we have vain ambition, or proud ambition, and we just 
can't see getting our hands dirty, or doing this, that, or the other. 
It is so contrary to Christ. He didn't come to be served, 
but to serve. In other words, if you ask Jesus, 
you happen to meet him at the bus stop, and you said, why are 
you here? He said, well, I've come to serve. 
I mean, who actually says that? You ever meet people that, yeah, 
I just, I love to serve. That's my spiritual gift. It's 
service. I just want to serve. Serve, serve, serve, serve. Seems 
to me people's spiritual gifts are preaching, teaching, reading, 
that sort of stuff. Not a lot of people get the spiritual 
gift of serve. Not a lot of people get that 
gift where, yeah, my life's calling, I just want to serve. I just 
want to put everybody else first. I want to make sure that everybody 
else has theirs and I don't have mine. That's just not typically 
the gift. I think I mentioned on a Wednesday 
night or a Saturday morning, it's probably a Saturday morning 
theology class, in some churches, the broader evangelical churches, 
they have these little workshops and, you know, how to find your 
spiritual gift. You know, this is 1 Corinthians 
12, Romans 12, And Ephesians 4, right? Yeah, 12-12-4. I was reminded 
by Isaac, that's the way we do it. But you have these little 
seminars and you try to discern your spiritual gift. They're 
not coming out of there saying, my gift is to plunge toilets. 
My gift is to pick up and sweep the grounds. There's some nasty 
stuff that ends up on these grounds. Just ask our deacons and me. As I said, Tuesday morning, I 
come around that corner and I cringe. I wince. What do I get to pick 
up this time? You see, that's not typically 
where we gravitate. We think we should teach. We 
think we should be missionaries. We think we should, you know, 
do this. We think we should do the equivalent of splitting the 
atom, but in the kingdom, of course. That's our default mode. And yet Christ says He didn't 
come to be served, but to serve. And the greatest example, the 
greatest model, and it's not just exemplary, we want to make 
sure that we see that, but in terms of our context, the greatest 
example is, and to give His life a ransom for many. That act of 
service characterized the entirety of his life and comes to full 
expression at Calvary. When you eat this bread and you 
drink this cup, remember the Lord's service. We often refer 
to our services at the church. You know what this ultimately 
is? God's service more to us. God's the householder here and 
he has called us tonight to feast. Now I know it's not a feast when 
it's a little bit of a peace. We ought to have big loaves and 
pass them around and actually feast with reference to belonging 
in the kingdom. But that's the point. It's not 
our service to God. The householder continues to 
serve us. That is so characteristic and 
descriptive of who our God is with reference to us miserable 
lot. So the Son of Man did not come 
to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for 
many. We have already seen his announcement 
on three occasions up to this point that he's going to die. 
We also know that the purpose of his death, or note rather, 
the purpose of his death, Why is he giving that life? Not because 
he's a criminal, not because he's an insurrectionist, not 
because he's a revolutionary or a terrorist. He is giving 
his life as a ransom for many. Now the word ransom here is a 
great word. It's one of those theologically 
loaded words like propitiation or reconciliation. There's this 
gospel glossary of terms that every believer really ought to 
get in their minds and in their heart. The idea of ransom, it 
implies a payment of a price. In other words, when Jesus offers 
himself up on the cross, when Jesus goes to the cross, when 
Jesus dies, he is paying a debt. He is paying a price. Redemption 
isn't simply... ransom isn't simply just a powerful 
maneuver by God to free us from sin, but rather it is with reference 
to the payment of a debt. Christ's sacrifice is theologically 
explained here. And I would suggest the disciples 
would have hopefully clued in. He said he's going to be crucified 
just back there in 2017 to 19. If the question would arise, 
well, why would he be crucified? Why would he go to this death? 
He's giving the theology behind it to give his life a ransom, 
not for everybody, but for many. There is this group called the 
many in the New Testament. They are the people of God. They 
are the elect of God. They are those for whom Jesus 
gave his life as a ransom. Because you can rest assured 
that if Jesus shed his blood for any, they will be saved. He doesn't shed his blood in 
vain. Rather, he sheds his blood to secure the salvation of his 
people, those whom the Father had given. With reference to 
the particular word used here, Leon Morris, in his book, The 
Apostolic Preaching of the Cross, says it is important to realize 
that it is this idea of payment as the basis of release, which 
is the reason for the existence of the whole word group. And 
this word, or this word group, rather, is used in many places. Here in Matthew, we see it in 
Romans 3, 1 Corinthians 6, Galatians 3, Ephesians 1, Colossians 1, 
1 Timothy 2, Hebrews 9, 1 Peter 1, Revelation 5. Again, it's 
one of those glorious gospel terms that highlights one of 
the significances about the death of Jesus. The one final thing 
I'd like to suggest is that this is the last statement Jesus makes 
before he goes into Jerusalem. And I think that's very significant. I think that is very key. I think 
that this verse functions much like Matthew 121 to provide the 
rationale for chapters 21 to 27. In other words, why does 
Jesus do what he does when he gets to Jerusalem? Why does Jesus 
suffer this shame? Why does Jesus get cast off by 
the multitude? Why does Jesus go through Gethsemane? Why does Jesus carry his own 
cross? Why is Jesus exalted, not upon 
an earthly throne or a heavenly throne, but he's exalted upon 
a cross? Why does he do that? I think 
you need to interpret Matthew 21 to 27, the passion narrative 
primarily, in light of Jesus' statement here. There's no accident. The Holy Spirit has us read Christ's 
purpose for Him going into Jerusalem. And it is not to serve, but to 
serve and to give His life a ransom for many. Well, brethren, I hope 
that we will see in this particular passage the wretched problem 
and the persistent problem of pride. It obtained among the 
sons of Zebedee. Lord, we want something from 
you. We don't want to, you know, serve. We don't want to have this cross. We want the crown. We want to 
be on the right and on the left when you come into your kingdom. 
There is that in us. In fact, Ryle makes the observation, 
from pride, the saints of God receive their greatest injuries 
after their conversion. Do you hear that? He's not talking 
about unconverted people. You may be uncomfortable. You 
say, Pastor Butler, you don't know me. I'm not really proud. 
Good. The rest of us probably need 
to hear this. You can tune out. From pride, the saints of God 
received their greatest injuries after their conversion. Well, 
says Hooker, Richard Hooker. Pride is a vice which cleaveth 
so fast unto the hearts of men, that if we were to strip ourselves 
of all faults, one by one, we should undoubtedly find it the 
very last and hardest to put off." Now, if that resonates 
in your soul, then I would suggest to you, continue to be in this 
passage, continue to go to Philippians 2, continue to go to 1 Peter 
5, continue to keep it in check. Again, greatness, the desire 
for greatness isn't wrong, brethren. Jesus does not say, don't want 
to be great. But the path to greatness in 
the kingdom is service, serving others, caring for others, putting 
others first, esteeming others as better than yourself, Paul 
says in Philippians chapter 2. You know, let's just go back 
to 1 Peter for a moment, because I think we should look at this 
again. There's probably a lot of reasons 
for verse 7 in 1 Peter chapter 5, but one I don't think jumps 
out at us as that obvious is something I want to share here. 
Going back to 1 Peter 5.5, Now, again, what I'm about to 
suggest here, I don't think it's the most evident of applications, 
but I think it's legit. Humble yourselves under the mighty 
hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. He is telling 
us to put others first. He is telling us to be submissive 
to others. He is telling us to be clothed 
with humility. He is telling us to get on our 
knees and wash the feet of our fellows. He is telling us that. 
Everybody agrees. So what's the rationale with 
reference to verse 7? Casting all your care upon him, 
for he cares for you. That's a general truth. I mean, 
that's a maxim. That's a principle. That's right 
out of the book of Psalms. You cast your care upon God. 
Why? Because God cares for you. The idea really is roll your 
burden onto him because he is sufficient to carry it. But I 
think the connection might be If you really want to adopt kingdom 
greatness, you really want to serve, you really want to do 
what Peter says, you want to clothe yourself with humility, 
you want to put others before yourself, it might rise up in 
your heart because we are who we are, then who's going to look 
out for me? In other words, if I am busy 
at the bottom of this pyramid serving all of my fellows, then 
what of me? Verse seven, casting all your 
care upon him for he cares for you. In other words, you may 
be serving all of those people, but it's not the case that God 
is abandoning you. It's not the case that your needs 
are not gonna be met. It's not the case that you're 
gonna die and suffer and be, you know, trounced or trashed. No, cast your care upon him. Why? Because he cares for you. 
In other words, Peter says, clothe yourself with humility, put others 
before yourself, and don't fret or worry that you're going to 
go unattended. God is going to attend you. God 
is going to care for you. God is going to watch over you. 
See, kingdom greatness is something the people of God should be pursuing, 
and it comes through And then finally, we ought to appreciate 
the function of verse 28 in the specific context. The redemptive 
work of Jesus Christ secures the salvation of his people. 
That's what we need to take away from verse 28 in the first place. Yes, it functions as the model 
for kingdom greatness. Yes, it is the impetus for the 
people of God to follow a life of service toward the people 
of God. All that is true, but we must not neglect the primary 
emphasis of verse 28 to highlight the redemptive nature of Christianity. He came to give his life as a 
ransom for many. We need a ransom. We need to 
be bought back. We need to be delivered from 
the slave market of sin, and it's Christ's death that has 
secured that. and then read that and understand 
that and let that cast its shadow over chapters 21 to 27 so that 
when you see Jesus on the cross, when you see him suffering, when 
you see him mocked, when you hear those priests say, he saved 
others, why doesn't he save himself? You know what he's doing. He 
is doing what he is doing so that he can ransom his people. Well, let us close in a word 
of prayer. Our father, we thank you for Matthew 20, 28. We thank 
you for the Lord Jesus Christ that does what he says in this 
passage, and we know it to be the case. And tonight, God, as 
we eat this bread, as we drink this cup, help us to do so in 
light of Matthew 20, 28. That our Savior didn't come to 
be served, but he came to serve and to give his life a ransom 
for many. And we bless you, and we thank you, and we praise you 
that you've included us in that many. And we pray that all over 
the earth, more would be called, more would come, more would taste 
and see that the Lord is good. And we ask this in the name of 
the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.