Tenth Avenue North – The Struggle

Jesus predicted His death four times. Those following Him and who heard each prediction reacted each time differently. Remember Peter rebuked Jesus for talking like that. Unfortunately for him, he was at the end of Jesus rebuke. The second time they were sad but then started to argue as to who was going to be the greatest in the Kingdom.  The third time, James and John are looking at sitting on Jesus’ right and left when they do enter the Kingdom. It is in Matthew 20 where Jesus predicts, for the third time, and where James and John make the audacious ask, and where Jesus lays on the table the difference between what the world is looking for and what He is offering. It ends up not only being a struggle for them but for me too. I am to be a servant.

But Jesus called them to him 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,^[c]  and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,^[d]  even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:25-28  ESV