In today's reading we find the disciples traveling through Jericho, and eventually to Jerusalem. The two sons of Zebedee petition the Lord for the chief places of honor in the kingdom.
The sons (James and John) coveted the honorable place. As you remember, these same two earlier asked the Lord for the calling down of fire from heaven upon the Samaritan village when they couldn't find a place to rest and were not welcomed. Now they have drawn a line between themselves and the rest of the disciples seeking the best for themselves!
Is this not human nature though? Don't we seek the best for ourselves at the cost of others?
In fact, prior to the question being asked, Jesus made a profound statement to the disciples which He stated twice before.
As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way He said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.” Matt. 20:17-19
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Mt 20:17–19.
How did they miss this? Was it the human nature again? How many times do we take the time to listen when we have our ideas about what is the most important? I mean this was a pretty profound statement to tell the disciples when He was going to die. And yet they missed it; dreaming about their treasures and what crowns lie ahead.
"This prayer had certainly another origin than the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and the scheme of which was the outcome was not one which we should have expected companions of Jesus to entertain. And yet the whole proceeding is so true to human nature as it reveals itself in every age, that we cannot but feel that we have here no myth, but a genuine piece of history." The Training of the Twelve, A. B. Bruce, pg.282-283.
What was in their head? Or better asked today, "What is in our head?" Jesus told them He would die when they arrived in Jerusalem. Their comforter, teacher, leader, provider, their life, will be gone soon and they are still consumed about places of significance.
Folks, our country is in trouble. No one can deny that things are changing; and not for the best. Our nation is turning from God to self more and more each day.
Can we depend upon our human nature to get us through it all? If we look at the disciples lives, we would have to conclude that we are in trouble without our Christ, our King, our Lord of Lords, our Savior, our Redeemer, our Source of Life.
Will you go on today while Christ is speaking important things to your heart; or go on with your own self-centered heart which misses the most important thing; God? Will you listen to the voice of the age or to the One who knows the future He holds for you?
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