"The Cup Consumed for Our Sake: Lessons in Greatness"

The Cup Consumed for Our Sake: A Lesson in Greatness

Have you ever had a moment when you thought you were doing the right thing, but then someone comes along and shows you a better way? That’s what happened to James and John in Matthew 20:20–28, when they asked Jesus if they could sit beside him in his kingdom.

The Road to Greatness

Jesus used this as an opportunity to teach them and us a valuable lesson. He asked them, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” (Matthew 20:22). At first, James and John thought they understood what Jesus meant and replied, “Yes, we are able to drink the cup.”

But Jesus was not talking about a literal cup; he was referring to the suffering he would endure on the cross for the sake of all humanity. He was showing them and us that greatness in the kingdom of God is obtained through sacrifice, service, and suffering.

Jesus was the ultimate example of this. He left his throne in heaven to come to earth and serve humanity. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ultimately gave his life on the cross to pay for our sins and reconcile us to God.

Jesus’s death and resurrection opened the way for us to be saved and to enter into God’s kingdom. It is through faith in him that we are made righteous and can have eternal life.

The Example of Jesus

Jesus’s example shows us that greatness is not about position, power, or prestige. It’s about serving others and putting their needs before our own. As he said in Matthew 20:26, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant.”

Jesus modeled this in his life, and he called us to do the same. In John 13:14–15, he said, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”

Jesus was showing us that true greatness is not found in being served, but in serving others. It’s about putting their needs before our own and showing them the love and compassion of Christ.

The Cup of Suffering

Jesus’s reference to the cup of suffering in Matthew 20:22 is significant. In the Old Testament, the cup was often used as a symbol of God’s judgment. For example, in Psalm 75:8, it says, “For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.”

Jesus was telling James and John that he was going to drink the cup of God’s judgment on their behalf. He was going to take on their sin and suffer the punishment they deserved so that they could be saved and enter into God’s kingdom.

Jesus’s death on the cross was the ultimate act of love and sacrifice. As it says in Romans 5:8, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The Call to Sacrifice

As followers of Christ, we are called to follow his example of sacrifice and service. In Romans 12:1, it says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Our sacrifice may not be as dramatic as Jesus’s, but it is no less important. It may be sacrificing our time, our resources, or our own desires for the sake of others. It’s about putting their needs before our own and showing them the love of Christ.

In Philippians 2:3–4, it says, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

This is the path to greatness in God’s kingdom. It’s not about seeking our own glory, but about serving others and pointing them to Christ.

The Rewards of Sacrifice

When we follow the path of sacrifice and service, there are rewards both in this life and in the life to come. In Matthew 19:29, Jesus said, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.”

When we sacrifice for the sake of others, we are storing up treasures in heaven. As it says in Colossians 3:23–24, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

Our sacrifice and service are not in vain. They are seen and rewarded by God. As it says in Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.”

The Cup Consumed for Us

When Jesus asked James and John if they were able to drink the cup he was to drink, he was asking them if they were willing to follow him on the path of sacrifice and service. He was asking them if they were willing to lay down their lives for the sake of others.

Jesus was willing to do this for us. He was willing to drink the cup of suffering and judgment on our behalf so that we could be saved and enter into God’s kingdom. He was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others.

As followers of Christ, we are called to do the same. We are called to follow his example of sacrifice and service. We are called to lay down our lives for the sake of others and to point them to Christ.

When we do this, we will find true greatness in God’s kingdom. It’s not about seeking our own glory, but about serving others and pointing them to Christ. As it says in Matthew 23:11–12, “The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Conclusion

Jesus’s example of sacrifice and service is a powerful lesson for us today. In a world that glorifies power and prestige, he shows us that true greatness is found in serving others and putting their needs before our own.

As we follow his example, we will find that our sacrifice and service are not in vain. They are seen and rewarded by God, both in this life and in the life to come.

So, let us drink the cup that Jesus drank. Let us follow him on the path of sacrifice and service, and let us point others to Christ so that they too may enter into God’s kingdom and find true greatness.