Day 167 "All of us have made choices; can we live with them or do we even want to?"

Day 167 Matthew 20:20-23 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.” It is passages like this that give me great peace as to my own foolish thoughts and actions; after all, if men who were face to face with Jesus every day were able to act so foolishly, I may actually have a chance! It is ever so obvious that James and John had no idea what they were agreeing to; however, I doubt very much that in hindsight they would change their decision. When Jesus is asking them if they are able to drink of the same cup, they, of course, have no idea that He is referring to the upcoming humiliation, pain, and ultimate sacrifice that Jesus will be making (even though He has mentioned it often). They don't know that to drink of the cup and to be baptized with the same baptism is literally to feel the physical wrath of God upon sin. God will soon be unleashing His fury upon the body of His own Son to once and for all scourge men of sin. I'm sorry, but the thought of sharing in that wouldn't excite me. Most of us would rather pass on that one and be joyous to be in heaven rather than agree to the suffering in order to be exalted in heaven–either way we get there, right? So, what was their purpose or their motivation for encouraging their mother to ask for this favor? Was it the obvious possible pride issue or just a lack of understanding for what lie ahead? Obviously, none of us can know for sure; however, we can learn from it. James and John did both (it is believed) suffer the death of martyrs, and as we can later see, they did suffer greatly for the kingdom in life, while not to the degree that Christ did, they suffered greatly, nonetheless. Thankfully, Jesus did pay the ultimate price; one that no one will ever need to repeat; however, He did not close the door on persecution of believers but rather opened it. It is after the resurrection of Jesus that the persecution of believers unto death truly became a common occurrence, and in many places in our world, it continues and is increasing in severity today. We must never forget that following Christ is not intended to be easy, fun, or nonconfrontational. Until His return, each and every one of us who follow Christ will be persecuted in some form or another. The level to which we are persecuted, I believe, relates directly to the intensity and commitment to which we are following and representing Christ openly. If I am willing and called to preach the gospel in Tiananmen Square in China, there is a good chance I will be arrested, beaten, and incarcerated. If I am willing and called to preach the gospel on the steps of a Muslim mosque in Africa, there is a good chance that I will be killed. If I am willing and called to preach the gospel at work or on the streets, there is a good chance I will be fired and/or persecuted. Knowing this, do I avoid the preaching or sharing of the message or do I obey the particular call from God on my life and truly trust Him? The question has been asked; now the answer must come from within yourself, for no one can make this decision for you. In 1999, I told the Lord I would rather clean toilets in the Church than build mansions for man, all with the desire to share Christ and He who was crucified. Twenty minutes later, I received a call from the Church, and that day I was offered the job of cleaning toilets. Right then, I had to make the choice, and, yes, it included great sacrifice, yet today looking back, I would have done the same. Not everyone is called to follow my path, but each of us is called to choose one, have you? Daily Prayer: Father, with all my heart I thank You for Your Son Jesus who paved the way. I thank you Lord for those who have gone before me, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. May their sacrifices not go unappreciated or unnoticed in my life, and may I live worthy of the call You have for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "All of us have made choices; can we live with them or do we even want to?" Pastor Gene Burroughs