35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Appoint us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to appoint, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. 42 So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Prayer Focus: James and John come to Jesus with a request: they want to sit on thrones beside Jesus in glory. But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking.” Even though they think they do, they do not know what they are asking. The other disciples get angry at James and John for asking for seats in glory. So, Jesus has to teach them all again. Note, here we are almost at the end of chapter 10 and the disciples still do not understand who Jesus is or what he is about. The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Do you exist to serve? Not in a way that denies the unique and treasured child of God that you are, but in a way that brings life to all you encounter. Pray that you might serve instead of seeking to be served today.
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