On Sunday, Adib delivered a message on the scriptures in Matthew 20:20-34.
He highlighted and contrasted the request from the mother of Zebedee’s sons and a request from two blind men. Jesus responded to them differently after asking them both the same questions of “what is it you want?” and “what do you want me to do for you?”
The request from the mother of Zebedee’s sons was to
“Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
— Matthew 20:21 (NIV)
Surely this was not a difficult request for Jesus, the son of God. But the heart of the request was a matter of being put in a position of authority.
Adib reminded us that their request was not unreasonable, as Jesus was the Messiah who was thought to free the people of Roman oppression. Surely the Messiah will rule like those who have ruled previously, or at least that is how they probably interpreted His ruling in the kingdom.
But Jesus made it clear that the Kingdom of Heaven is different from the kingdoms of their time.
“Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.”
— Matthew 20:25-27 (NIV)
The disciples and followers of Jesus were right in thinking that He was going to set them free, but it was not going to be in the way that they thought it would be or even should be.
Adib reminded us that Jesus came to free us from the oppression of sin, not the oppression of the romans. Jesus did what no human could do. He took care of the punishment of sin and gave us the Holy Spirit so that we would have the power of Christ in us to face any form of oppression that comes our way.
Jesus lived out the Kingdom for all his disciples to see. Even in being a rabbi and teacher to his disciples, He made sure that he never lorded his authority over his disciples like the rulers of the Gentiles did and the high officials. Jesus became a servant to many and a slave to the Father, to the point of death on the cross, so that many could be ransomed from the punishment of sin.
Just a few moments later, two blind men shouted to Jesus
“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
— Matthew 20:30 (NIV)
After the crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, Jesus stopped what he was doing and asked them what they wanted Him to do for them. The two blind men asked for their sight.
“The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
— Matthew 20:31-33 (NIV)
Surely, asking for sight when you are blind is a pretty hard ask of Jesus. I mean, if it’s between giving someone their sight back or having someone sit at your right or left in your kingdom, I would assume giving someone their sight back would be harder.
But for Jesus, it wasn’t about difficulty as it often is with us humans. It was about the heart. The two blind men were so desperate for the mercy of God that they would shout to the heavens, even while being rebuked by others, for a chance to see and be healed.
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
— Matthew 20:34 (NIV)
The fact that Jesus stopped to acknowledge and converse with the two blind men was already counter-cultural, but Jesus took it a step further and in His compassion touched their eyes and healed them. It was the least of them becoming the first. It was the greatest of them becoming the least. It was a witnessing of an upside down Kingdom.
Our Church memory verse reminds us of how to live in an upside down kingdom.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
— Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
To live in an upside down kingdom is to do things upside down. To sing praises when you are depressed. To be hopeful when you feel hopeless. To give when you feel like you have nothing left to give.
My prayer for us all is that we would live out Proverbs 3:5-6 and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us into all that He has for us, for His glory. In Jesus name, we pray Amen!