We Shall Triumph, But We Will Also Drink the Bitter Cup of Jesus

FROM: SEPTEMBER 6 @ 12, 2016

Theme: "We Shall Triumph, But We Will Also Drink the Bitter Cup of Jesus" Matthew 20:20-28 Here we can see in action the worldly ambition of the two disciples. The mother of James and John came to Jesus making a request for her sons; the petition is on her lips more than on theirs. This is one of the most revealing passages of the New Testament. They were still thinking in terms of rewards and personal distinctions and in success WITHOUT THE PERSONAL SACRIFICE. They wanted Jesus to ensure them, thru a royal decree, a life of princes! We all have to learn that true greatness lies NOT IN THE DOMAIN WHICH WE ACHIEVE OVER OTHERS BUT IN THE SERVICE. We also need to know that the price of the greatness is to be paid. Apparently, John and James thought that this was what the Lord should do in their favor for being His disciples, but there was much more left for them to do. The disciples thought of the pay or reward that Jesus should give them; but they forgot what they still had to go through for being called to service; there was nothing to demonstrate, there was much to do in the work of the Father. Let us consider when this petition was made. It was made after Jesus repeatedly announced that what was ahead was the inescapable cross; it was done at a time when the air was overloaded in the atmosphere of the tragedy. However, despite that, the disciples were thinking about a Kingdom and a position. It is of greater significance seeing that even in a world which was being taken over by darkness the disciples were refusing to abandon the security of the victory that would belong to Jesus. Nothing should allow us to fall into despair. Although they were covered with blindness in this moment concerning the Kingdom, they had an unbreakable faith. This passage sheds light on the Christian life. Jesus said that those who wanted to share His triumph SHOULD DRINK HIS CUP. Which was His cup? Jesus was addressing James and John. They would drink the cup of suffering and sacrifice according to how life treated them, in a different way. In one way, life was very short FOR JAMES, because he was the first martyr of the apostolic band (Acts 12:2). For him the cup that he would have to drink was the MARTYRDOM. On the other hand, JOHN came to live long years; he arrived at a Holy old age in Ephesus and died of a natural death when he was almost a hundred years old. FOR HIM, different from James, the cup WAS THE CONSTANT DISCIPLINE IN CHRISTIAN LIFE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. From the example of these two disciples of Jesus, we can deduce that it would be wrong to think that for the Christian the cup will always mean a brief, sharp, bitter and agonizing struggle of a martyrdom; well the cup may also very well be the long routine of Christian life, with all the daily sacrifices, the daily struggles and its afflictions, disappointments and tears. On one occasion a Roman coin was found with the effigy of an ox. The ox was between two things: an altar and a plow, and the inscription read: "willing for any of the two." The ox had to be ready for either the supreme time of the sacrifice in the altar or for the long journey of the plow in the farm. There isn't just one cup for Christians. You may have to drink your cup in one great moment or it may be throughout all your Christian life. To drink the cup means simply to follow Christ wherever He guides you and to be like Him in any situation that life may present.

This passage sheds light about Jesus. It shows us His kindness. The wonderful thing about Jesus is that He never lost patience or got upset. Here were these two men and their mother still talking about honorable positions in the Government and in an earthly kingdom. But Jesus was not indignant before their blindness, nor did He become furious with their nonsense, or despaired by their incomprehension. He treated them with kindness, with sympathy, with love; never with an impatient word. He tried to lead them to the truth and shows us His honesty. He was sure that a bitter cup awaited Him that He had to drink and did not hesitate to tell them. There will never be anyone pretending to have begun to follow Jesus with some expectations and not see them fulfilled. Jesus always said that although the Christian life ends with a crown it is the cross that has to be carried constantly. In this way, the Lord Jesus shows His confidence in men. He never doubted that James and John would continue to be firm in their loyalty. They had their misguided ambitions, but He never dreamed of discarding them for not serving. Jesus believed that they could and were to drink the cup and that in the end they would still be on His side. One of the great fundamental facts to which we can hold on is that although we abhor and despise ourselves, Jesus always believes in us. A Christian is a person in whom Christ has placed His trust. Amen.