On the Way to the Cross

Notice in the world of social media. The rise of private varieties of goods rise of hubris. Everyone apparently claims to be an expert on social media. You notice that use however bizarre are stated with supreme certainty. Anyone who did takes a different view is regarded as an idiot Jew is absurd. Pride is rampant rampant all around us we see in social media receiving politics we see it. Whatever we go and did receive it in our own lives. You have heard of the writer who talked nonstop about himself and about 30 minutes and then said well let's stop talking about me what you think of my new book is the case that client is all too obvious and others, but often we fail to see it in ourselves repeatedly. The Bible warns us a fright pride and arrogance in the way of evil are perverted speech.

I hate Proverbs 8 verse 13 Proverbs 16 verse 18 a very familiar verse.

Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Satan was cast on by God because of his pride. He says I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the most high, arrogance, hubris, pride in Satan himself. David had several sons, one of them was Adonijah and I Adonijah said on one occasion that he exalted themselves when he says I will be praying to Nebuchadnezzar recorded in Daniel says is not this great Bible and which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my Majesty what I have achieved never hear yourself saying that we want. I have done.

Look at my business look at my education look at my resources. Look at what I have done.

Look at me how wonderful I pride T.S. Eliot said most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important. Think about that you want to be important, lives, home businesses, friendships, relationships, governments and churches are shattered over people wanting to be important. Wanting to be consulted, wanting to think that their view is more important than anyone else's view looking down on others. Pride 792 BC young man of 16 was anointed king of Judah's name was Zion which means my strength is the Lord when a name for caring, recognizing that his strength came from the Lord, and he was a great king who ruled in Judah. We are told, 52 years under his reign the people of God flourished.

The Bible says that King Uzziah was marvelously helped. That is, he was helped by God, but at the pinnacle of his power. He fell back, he fell in love with himself and you forgot that it was God who would marvelously help to people. God it was God who had given them success in the Bible says in second Chronicles 26 verse 16. But when he was strong he grew proud to his destruction. One day mighty King Uzziah marched into the temple to burn incense at the altar of incense is it when I was a good thing to do was a good thing that he wanted to worship, but he forgot and ignored that in Israel. There was a separation of the powers just as we have lives were meant in this country and our government seven separation of powers in Israel. There was the king. He was the King Uzziah, but there was also the prophet and the results of the priest and King Uzziah, for God and ignored or didn't care that it were that the priests were to offer again said that she goes into the temple of God is written is prevented by offering unbuttoning the incense at the altar by wonderful priests, Azariah, and eating other priests tell them know you can do that but King Uzziah thinks the law of God doesn't apply to me. When the priest asked him to leave the sanctuary of the Lord in anger. He refuses to do so.

He's the king he's King Uzziah right there you can read it right there, right in the temple. The Lord struck too much for the Bible says in the Lord struck leprosy broke out on his four head for the rest of his life, King was a great caring mind would accomplish much.

A man that God had help marvelously live the rest of his life as a leper isolated in alienated from his people cut off from the house of God was a sobering example of pride leading to destruction with they were going to meet 12 men very much like us 12 disciples who, instead of focusing on the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus are arguing among themselves about personal greatness that would never happen and how the church with that would never happen in your relationships with its one of the things we love about the Gospels is in the really are. These 12 men what real men. Sometimes they stumble sometimes the fail in their arguing about personal greatness is the most important was number 112 disciples should get the best seats when Jesus comes in his messianic kingdom pride enters the rank of disciples that was really the passage this morning on you to do something was going be very difficult for you but we prayed and I prayed that this will happen to you that as we think of pride. You don't think of someone else you say are normal upright. People, I'm sure you do when you do that you think of anyone else but yourself. This message is for you. This message is for me. Matthew chapter 20 if you got your Bible their time with me.

If you're visiting were going consecutively through the book of Matthew, and what in chapter 20. This morning I'm going to read from verse 17. Let me read the previous verse because it is important and something we thought of last week. Matthew 20 verse 60, so the last will be first and the first last we saw that last week and this Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the 12 disciples aside and on the way he said to them, see were going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death deliver them over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day than the mother of the sons of Zebedee, came up to him with our sons and kneeling before him. She asked him for something and he said to her, what do you want she said to him's say that these two sons of mine to set one on your right hand on one at your left in your kingdom. Jesus answered, you didn't.

You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink.

They said to him, we are able said to them, you will drink my cup to set up my right hand is not my left is not mine to grant but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my father and when the 10 heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. Jesus called them and said you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many were greeted by the Matthews were going to see. First of all, the true greatness is not having power and prestige but it is selflessly and sacrificially serving others. Notice that you want to be great you want to be important. You want to be great in the eyes of heaven. Here it is. It's not fun, and having power and prestige but it is found in serving others selflessly and sacrificially true greatness. The opposite of power and prestige and prominence in position on the Lord teaches us that look at verse 25. He contrasts what he wants with the secular world the Gentiles the Romans and the Greeks. They considered it great if you can lord it over people.

If you can exercise authority in the secular word world you consider great European centered important considered a success if you have followed. If you have influence with the movers and shakers of others. Listen to your brilliant ideas and your brilliant ideas. Greatness is fine and having a position of power and influence that very common attitudes that attitudes get up to the disciples that attitudes grips us. They are thinking that greatness is following in power and prestige. But I have read the context verse 16. Lord just called them and they forgot than it already. Verse 16.

The last will be first on the first last and here, once again, as was seen repeatedly in the teaching of Jesus in Matthew's gospel that Jesus inverts the standards of the world. Verse 26 it shall not be so among you. Self-seeking and prideful advantages to have no place among followers of Jesus and notice the context as well. Notice what Jesus had been doing in verses 17 through 19.

Once again been predicting his own death, the disciples and Jesus and approaching Jerusalem. The events of what we call Palm Sunday described in chapter 21 that will think of next week. Lord willing. The events of Palm Sunday are about to unfold the going up to Jerusalem, why are they going up to Jerusalem. Jesus is from Galilee, and the disciples are from Galilee, but now we have traveled under on their way to Jerusalem and was going to happen there crucifixion that approaching Golgotha is just days away. The place of escrow where Jesus is to be crucified so the disciples the very crucial points in their training but they still do not understand what it means to be great in the kingdom of God.

So Jesus had been telling them on the way as he takes them aside verse 17 were going up to Jerusalem, that is were going up and I'm going to be crucified. There, the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes until condemn him to death and deliver them over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and you will be raised on the third day he just me telling them that on the loan terms that the mother of James and John use it with an outfit she doing there, well just got a very high opinion of her boys as you want the best what our bodies and she knows the following Jesus and so she comes and she requests prominent positions for her boys. When Jesus comes in his messianic kingdom. When you come I understand you're going to be the seat of honor Jesus, I want my boys James and John to be there right with you one on the right one on the left.

Clearly her boys agree. After all, we are part of the circle.

We were the ones that Jesus told to go up among the configurations were very close to Jesus and realizes 12 disciples, but with number one, and we remember, we realize that Peter can be a bit of a handful, but not Peter not Philip not Andrew. We want to be right there.

Jesus talked about self-denial. He said if anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me and said of self-denial that is self-promotion that is selfish ambition. They think they're more important than anything the more spiritual they think they are closer to Jesus than the other apostles there thinking of greatness in terms of power and position. Jesus is predicting is that what there were they talking about.

They're talking about what's in it for them and they do not understand that suffering is prior to glory this cup that Jesus refers to in verse 22. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink. This is the cup of suffering. This is a couple of dad which Jesus is going to drink and James is James and John very quickly say in verse 22. When we are able to do that you're going to be the ones that are going to deserve the Lord talking to you about the cross. You're the ones are going to fall asleep in the garden of Gethsemane. You're the ones that are going to desert me. Did you notice the reaction of the other 10 when the unit the other 10 when they hear that James and John are asking these prominent positions in the messianic kingdom they say yeah that sounds right. James and John a very spiritual you go ahead, James and John notice for the text says when the tenant had that they were indignant at the two brothers.

You can imagine a country who are they to think that they enjoy these prominent positions in the messianic kingdom. They think that they are more important, more spiritual, more deserving than we are right centered the ranks of the disciples. I know this how the master teacher that deals with this in verses 25 through 28.

What is true greatness.

It's selfless, sacrificial service during the great joy to read important person. Do you want to be great in the kingdom of God. Do you want to be successful.

If we can use that words in the eyes of heaven is the answer.

At this open to every single one of us. This sentence, you want to be number one be a slave of all. Verse 26 it shall not be so among you don't go the way of the secular world with the Gentiles. Whoever would be great among you, here it is, must be your servant.

The or diagonals from which we get the word deacon you want to be great. I tell the church want to be important down the church you want to be number one until the church. Here is a way be a servant. Whoever would be first among you. All I want to be first on new must be your loss slave's business 70 servant takes care of the needs of others going to restaurant.

The waitress comes how can I serve you what you want you want to drink what you want to eat to help you in any way they are serving us. The servant puts the needs of others before his or her self is whether servant does that is been great in the eyes of heaven.

When you are serving others Whataburger sleigh slave is even worse than the servant, a slave of the senses even lower than the seven because the slave is absolutely no rights at all. We sang in the song about the cross we so we we surrender all across is holding on to your pride to your rights to your demands that your entitlements what you think you should desire to understand the fold of Jesus is a slave of Jesus. Here is Paul, the great apostle brilliant intellect, wonderful education, Silas seems to be brilliant at whatever he does and he begins the rights, the majestic exposition of the gospel of Jesus Christ in Rome fixing chapters in Romans as he began hard as he described himself in Romans one verse one all servant seems a seven he says a slave loss slave of Christ Jesus is rated ESV bondservant, but the word to say I'm a slave of Jesus Christ, then we hear Jesus call us and say no if you're going to come after me, you got to deny self deny self, take up my cross and follow me. Jesus is going to say this wonderful person. 28 that he gives his life as a ransom for many. Jesus Christ has a ransom to me.

He's bought me into the market of cinnamon bondage to sin in my Lord Jesus Christ comes as we were singing to the cross, he sheds his blood to pay the price of my sin. And so I am delivered.

I am ransom, that's wonderful. I'm free from my sin. I'm a forgiven man I received eternal life wonderful despot.

John Monroe must remember that I have been bought by Jesus Christ on the mile pulses are the things that you know your own you been bought with a price, you think you're going to live your life anyway you wants you forgot it that you are a slave of Jesus Christ and that you are to follow Christ wherever he leads you are to humbly obey him because that is the way of the cross. Following Jesus on the way to the cross whenever the suffering with Evan individually.

Whatever the disappointment whenever the surprises you are a slave I'm a slave of Jesus Christ. We sometimes thing that we belong to Jesus sang about surrendering to Jesus. When do we need do we mean that or is that just a sentimental song Jesus is saying we set it. This cuts right across our selfish human nature. This comes right across success is commonly defined the true greatness is characterized by selfless sacrificial service functioning as a slave ball in a funny thing is is sovereign rather voluntarily adopting the status of the slave. I'm a servant of Jesus Christ. I'm a slave of Jesus Christ is a John if I start going back to me by. They got seriously start serving people you don't know the biblical Richard take me for granted, exactly begin to know that you are serving. When people do take you for granted when people don't always say thank people don't say how wonderful you are, that your serving me know they think of.

Granted, it is the focus of the servant is not receiving accolades from others.

It is in obeying the Lord.

It isn't surveying him. It is abandoning all of your rights and saying I am going to follow Jesus, that significance and greatness in the kingdom of heaven are demonstrated by serving others unselfishly, sacrificially meeting the needs of others as God that we have many such servants are Calvary church thought of giving examples, and I thought what I believe some months but I know many of you week after week, month after month and five years after years serving the Lord in ways that most of us don't even know you're doing it not receive the praise of others that may or may not come. There may be a thank you. Order there may not be but you're doing it is a slave of Jesus Christ of us like to be served.

I love being served like being served you serving others.

Notice what Jesus says here in verse 28 verse 27 whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.

He describes himself here as the son of man as he does in verse 18 at the saying that the Son of Man's selfless and sacrificial service.

These are the supreme example of humility.

This time some Son of Man so strange to us. We know that Jesus is son of God, the truth. Please also Son of Man and that comes way back in the Old Testament in Daniel chapter 7 verse 13, the coming Messiah is described as the son of man. Daniel uses all this time to describe the all-powerful messianic ruler who is coming and it has come. Of course in Jesus is the son of man, and in Daniel seven verse 14 we read to him that to the Son of Man was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed. Think of this. Here is a powerful messianic ruler prophesied in the Old Testament. Now he comes himself is saying he came to give his life a ransom for others. When the Lord of glory comes from heaven to withdraw becomes flesh and dwelt among us when the Savior comes from the infinite lights of the glory of God into our dark sinful world becomes uses on words he comes not to be served but to serve, comes not to be served. His eyes, but to serve, and so here is the argument and logic's logic is called, and a fortiori argument that is you argue from the stronger to the lesser and the force of the argument is this. And the logic really is irrefutable. Jesus is saying to these disciples who are so concerned about was going to be first, and who's going to get the prominent seats in the messianic kingdom and whose number one he saying to them, listen, I am the son of man that you were that meant I'm the Messiah, and when I came I come not to be sad, but to serve and to give my life a ransom for many.

So if either Son of Man comes to seller how much more should you who are my followers so that arguing from the greater the stronger position to the lesser of Jesus and Jesus was the one who with the tile rind himself and wash the sweaty feet of the disciples. If either Lord of glory that that who do you think you are that you will not serve others, or you're only going to choose to use a powerful one is is a humbling one is. That is when we think of being a servant here is the supreme example in the Lord Jesus Christ and that motivates us. Doesn't this others. Paul writes in Philippians 2 verses seven and eight about the Savior he made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross and the teaching to the disciples about humility and what it means to be great takes place in the context of the cross there learning from Jesus about pride. The learning from Jesus about personal greatness.

On the way to the cross and that is so important an understanding of true greatness and an understanding of the cross of Christ are inseparable.

So Paul writes, God forbid I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That's the only thing in Paul's going to boast about. Generally speaking he's got his resume would fill 100 pages, and more.

Very impressivefall only thing that I'm going to boast about is the cross of Christ. John the Baptist greatness of the prophets, the very forerunner of Christ, the one who was prophesied in the Old Testament as he looks at Jesus. He says he must increase and I must decrease.

He must become more important and I must become less important.

Grass unit competes with the glory and the magistrate of the Lord Jesus, that is this Christ cross and's are striving for selfish greatness and provides a model and motivation for true humility and service the cross of Christ and's are striving for personal greatness and provides the model and the motivation for humbly serving others.

Got some pride. Of course you do. Of course I have was the answer to it.

Look across. That's why the cross is so essential to us.

That's why we sing about Venezuela because that's why we have communion that our focus would be on the cross so Isaac Watts writes in that beautiful him with a survey the wondrous Cross on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I kind but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. How can you be proud as you stand the cross. How can you be proud how good you think that you are superior to other people.

You refuse this out of others just under the foot of the cross and look at the marvelous price Lord of glory, who pours out his blog so that you and I sinful man and woman and Boys and Girls Club baby redeem. I know this is we conclude something that important of calls this message and the way to the cross. I'm saying we are to follow Jesus on the way to the cross.

The cross is always to be before that we never get away from the cross.

I'm asking you to humbly guess humbly follow Jesus that this teaching of good greatness occurs immediately after Jesus predicts his own dad.

So in order to be an authentic follower of Jesus Christ to learn about that on the way to the cross, Jesus teaching his disciples about his dad. What are they doing arguing over who is the greatest pride dividing the disciples. Pride does the right in the marriage, husband and wife buckling, refusing to compromise insisting on ways by comes into your business to business partners, but doing very well. Pride comes, I need more than you have.

I'm really working harder than you by comes in to charge the when pride comes into the church that is always division self-serving self-promoting attitudes have no place in those following Jesus be willing to be last member.

The last will be willing to be last.

That's true humility. Be willing to serve all that's true love, humility and love to essential virtues for followers of Jesus are you doing living others serving others humbly following Jesus saying follow Jesus and sacrificial service and we have a three conclude we have an unusual example of authentic followers of Jesus. Verse 29 and they went out and as they went out of Jericho not remember the going to Jerusalem a great crowd followed him bold were two blind men sitting by the roadside and when they heard that Jesus was passing by the cryonics seat in the blind yet about it because I notice what to say.

Lord have mercy on us, son of David tried to rebuke them, telling them to be silent but they cried out all the more. Lord have mercy on us, son of David, or something incredible about humility. Here is the Lord of glory, stopping the cry of two blind others stops Lord stops called him and said what you want me to do for your Julia form of the same question that Jesus asks the mother in verse 21 what you want what you want is said to him, Lord, let our eyes be opened.

Jesus, can you see it Jesus and pretty touch the rise and immediately they recovered their site… And followed him. I'm glad Matthew presented and followed him. This is the final healing medical by the way, by Jesus as recorded by Matthew events of Palm Sunday is a set about to begin his disciples and Jesus come to Jericho which is one of the oldest continually occupy cities in the world. Jericho lies to the north of the Dead Sea, 125 feet below sea level over the privilege of being a Jericho is the last city in the Jordan Valley before going up to Jerusalem and their these two blind men received site. When Jesus leaves Jericho is going to make his way up to Jerusalem, a journey of about 20 miles he walks.

Of course, is to come into Jerusalem on the donkey but is walking with his disciples on the way to the cross during about 20 miles Jerusalem being 3500 feet higher than Jericho. So here it is. Think of the context only days before his death on the cross, Jesus has this wonderful encounter with two blind men. They cried out urgently. Lord. Have mercy on us, son of David, the crowd says stop don't do that, but they are passionate that affected him very interestingly as the son of that before Matthew. Matthew begins Matthew one verse one the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of the son of David as a messianic term. Here is the son of David. He's David's greater son is the root of the offspring of David, and please blind man must've had about Jesus and understated, but someone had read the Old Testament Scriptures to them. As the Messiah, passing by.

They know in accordance with the Old Testament prophecies.

One of the things them in the Messiah can do when he comes in his kingdom is that the blind will be healed of mercy on us, Lord, son of David with this they ask for mercy. There's nothing they could do to achieve the blindness that they can give their power.

They have nothing other than the blindness and so what do they need the name grace they need Marseilles they need love and they need salvation. James and John would never ask the question how we we want to be a prominent season. Your kingdom is better asking sites to receive their sites. Notice the wonder talk about humility. Jesus stops. I think that's beautiful that we have a Savior who stops you may think well I'm nothing of really messed up know that Jesus is aware stops for here is your cry for mercy for compassion for forgiveness. Why don't you ask him why don't you ask him to come in to save you, and to dispel the darkness of your saying is your come to the cross here. Not only is forgiveness here is transformation of life thing is wonderful that not only are they hailed, they follow Jesus with a rich young ruler, or whether your poor blind beggar commanders the same follow me the following Jesus to many people of a very distorted view of the Christian faith we talk about God's love and Jesus love the talk about golden rule to talk about tolerance and acceptance.

The talk of helping others. If you notice often, they failed to effectively cross there is no authentic Christianity without the cross the central mission of Jesus as he comes is to give his life a ransom for many.

On the cross, and an authentic follower of Jesus as one who is come to the cross. There is no other way, changing your behavior is coming to the cross as being like these blind men recognizing that you're in the dark, spiritually, and you need the light of God. You need a transformation. You need a total makeover as God the Holy Spirit comes and your clients and your sins are forgiven and you repent of your sin in your cry. I caught the Savior to save yourselves.

Was at work today Savior college you have the wonderful joy with us of following and understand that the way up is the way that these proud argumentative disciples are learning the importance of humility and how wonderful to know just a matter of days just so months of two going to be the man that God is good to use the time the world upside as they go after the ascension of Jesus Christ and that descent of the Spirit. These manna change as these self-centered man people like you and me who can be naturally argumentative and self-seeking Navajo filled with the spirit of God. They go make disciples of all of the nations in time the world upside down. Yes they learned the lesson you think of the impact to their homes thing to being impact work. Think of the impact in the impact input in the political world. Think of the impact in the church and the community. If we are followers of Jesus Christ. Learn the this lesson that we received spiritual sites saved by the grace of God, and now humbly and obediently follow Jesus on the way across what my saying to them, saying, this from this passage. Followers of Jesus must be characterized by self sacrificial service is exemplified by the son of man who came not to be said about this and to give his life a ransom for many. From say you're a follower of Jesus that you and your life but just here at Calvary, but in the totality of your life as you follow Jesus Christ you must be characterized by self sacrificial service serving others in the juice out of others you're serving Christ and the example and the motivation comes from the Son of Man who, when he came came not to be said about this and to give his life a ransom for many within the same beautiful hymn written by Isaac Watts when I survey the wondrous Cross as we sing it we asked the spirit once again to reveal your sin if you never come to Christ, come to the cross and receive forgiveness. And I know many of you are followers of Jesus use this time to surrender that pride to say Lord I am your slave, I'm available for you to use in any way you want. I seek to deny self, take up my cross and follow father, we thank you for the clarity of the passage. More than that, we thank you for the magnificent example of our Savior for his wonderful work on the cross as he gives his life a ransom for many. Help us to meditate on the cross to be followers of Jesus on the way to the cross help us note to survey the wondrous Cross to survey our wonderful Savior, who loved us and gave himself for us… Christ