Our Highest Ambition | Matthew 20:20-28

[00:00:00] Real Truth Daily. This is Daily Truths with Dave Ahlman.

[00:00:07] I'm really excited about this message today. I'm excited about every message I preach, honestly.

[00:00:14] But this one I think is something that we need to hear. It's something I know I need to hear

[00:00:22] as God has called us all to be servants to Him by serving one another in love.

[00:00:27] I want you to paint this scenario in your mind. Let's say that you went to downtown to the Pearl Street Mall

[00:00:34] and you were a roving reporter or a man on the street and you had a microphone

[00:00:39] and you would go from person to person and you would ask them, what is your highest ambition?

[00:00:48] What do you think you would hear from people? Some people, if they're from CU, some of them might say,

[00:00:54] I just want to graduate, get a degree and establish myself in the professional world.

[00:00:59] Some of the kids from CU might say that. Some of them down there might say,

[00:01:04] I just want to be a success in my chosen vocation. My highest ambition is to be a success.

[00:01:10] Or my highest ambition is to make a lot of money. Or my highest ambition is to have people respect me.

[00:01:17] Some might even say, my highest ambition is to get a wife or a husband and to raise kids.

[00:01:24] Hardly any of them would say, my highest ambition is to be a servant to other people.

[00:01:35] Now I could ask you the same question today. What is your highest ambition?

[00:01:40] And some of you might have said, before you went through this serving challenge,

[00:01:44] some of you might have said, well my highest ambition is simply to go to school, get a degree, and be successful in my work.

[00:01:52] Some of you might have said, well my highest ambition is to love my husband or to love my wife and to raise godly kids.

[00:01:59] Some of you might have said, I just want to stay healthy.

[00:02:02] And as I get older, that's more and more difficult.

[00:02:05] Somebody told me that our bodies are like cars. Cars eventually wear out, so do our bodies.

[00:02:10] And I just want to stay healthy. That's my highest ambition in life.

[00:02:17] But I want to ask you again, as a follower of Jesus Christ,

[00:02:23] knowing indeed that we've been saved by His grace,

[00:02:26] knowing indeed we've been touched by His love,

[00:02:29] knowing indeed that we've been renewed by His Spirit,

[00:02:32] knowing indeed that His declaration upon us for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ,

[00:02:38] is that we are not guilty in His eyes through faith in what Christ has done.

[00:02:43] What then is your highest ambition?

[00:02:52] Well I think John and James really didn't understand that question.

[00:02:58] Because they thought that greatness in the eyes of God was to be, you know,

[00:03:04] dictating to other people how to live, being a manager,

[00:03:07] being one who could call the shots and tell people what to do and where to be,

[00:03:12] and to be authority over everybody else.

[00:03:15] And so we pick up this text in Matthew chapter 20,

[00:03:19] and it's hilarious to me because these two guys, James and John,

[00:03:24] had a mom who is very proud of her two sons.

[00:03:28] Right?

[00:03:29] I mean if you could say anything about Mrs. Zebedee,

[00:03:32] and that was her husband's name, Zebedee,

[00:03:34] and we don't know if he was living by the time this text came along,

[00:03:38] probably not.

[00:03:39] But she probably had a bumper sticker on the back of her car

[00:03:42] that said my kids are A-plus students at rabbinical school in Capernaum,

[00:03:46] or whatever it was.

[00:03:47] She was proud of her kids.

[00:03:49] And now that the Messiah, the Son of God, the promised Savior,

[00:03:53] had called his two followers of him, the sons of thunder, James and John,

[00:03:59] they thought, we're it.

[00:04:04] We got life wired.

[00:04:06] I mean we're with the big guy.

[00:04:08] He's chosen us to be his own.

[00:04:10] He has a mandate for us to make disciples.

[00:04:14] We have the authority.

[00:04:15] We have the respect.

[00:04:16] We have the honor.

[00:04:18] We have the authenticity.

[00:04:20] We have the high regard.

[00:04:21] We have the status.

[00:04:23] The implications that people have about us is we matter.

[00:04:27] After all, we're two of the chosen three closest disciples of the Lord Jesus.

[00:04:34] And when he comes into his kingdom, when he establishes his kingdom on earth,

[00:04:39] we're going to sit right there.

[00:04:41] But we don't want to ask him about that ourselves.

[00:04:52] Let's send our mom.

[00:04:55] Let's send her as our emissary, our ambassador, our representative.

[00:04:59] And we'll stand at a distance and we'll be as pleased as punch.

[00:05:04] Folks, I know that sounds ridiculous.

[00:05:07] But that's the text before us.

[00:05:09] In Matthew chapter 20, verse 20, it says this.

[00:05:18] Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons and kneeling before him, she asked for something.

[00:05:27] So imagine this.

[00:05:29] James and John are standing at a distance, maybe like this.

[00:05:37] You know that?

[00:05:38] You know that?

[00:05:39] Right?

[00:05:40] And so they send their mom.

[00:05:41] And their mom has a question to ask.

[00:05:44] And it's not that they would be a servant.

[00:05:46] It's not that they would be something that would be a representative of service to other people.

[00:05:51] No, it's something much more important from her perspective.

[00:05:54] Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons and kneeling, at least she's showing respect and honor and admiration for the Lord Jesus.

[00:06:02] Because she's not just standing there, she's doing what?

[00:06:06] She's kneeling, right?

[00:06:07] And it's up on the screen.

[00:06:09] You can go ahead and see it.

[00:06:09] Verse 21.

[00:06:10] And Jesus said to her, what do you want?

[00:06:14] She has said to him, say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left in your kingdom.

[00:06:26] I think Jesus' face at that time was like, I don't know what to say to that.

[00:06:32] Do you know what you're asking?

[00:06:34] Do you know who I am?

[00:06:36] Do you know that I'm the son of God?

[00:06:38] The promised savior?

[00:06:40] Emmanuel, God with us?

[00:06:41] And you're asking these two mortals, these sons of yours who yes, are great men, but you want them to be on my right and on my left?

[00:06:50] You want them to reign over all things along with me?

[00:06:54] Jesus didn't know whether it was spit or wine his watch folks.

[00:06:57] Like he couldn't hardly believe that she was asking this question.

[00:07:02] Verse 23.

[00:07:03] Jesus answered, you do not know what you're asking.

[00:07:06] Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?

[00:07:10] He's asking this of James and John now.

[00:07:12] Okay.

[00:07:14] In other words, are you guys going to suffer and be willing to die for the sake of what I'm about to do?

[00:07:21] And they were.

[00:07:23] They had such a deep devotion, abiding faith, hopeful trust in the Lord, knowing indeed that he was who he claimed to be.

[00:07:31] They said, we're willing to follow you even to the point of death.

[00:07:35] And so their answer was, we are.

[00:07:38] So he says, do you know what you were asking?

[00:07:40] Are you able to drink the cup that I am able to drink?

[00:07:42] And they said to him, we are able.

[00:07:44] And they said it confidently, without any hesitancy, without reservation.

[00:07:51] We're willing to follow you even to the point of death.

[00:07:57] Verse 22.

[00:07:59] He said to them, or 23.

[00:08:00] He said to them, you'll drink my cup.

[00:08:04] But to sit at my right hand and at my left is not for you to grant.

[00:08:09] But it is for those to whom it has been prepared by my father.

[00:08:12] In other words, that's not going to happen guys.

[00:08:15] You're to be servants to other people.

[00:08:18] You're not God.

[00:08:19] You're not the Messiah.

[00:08:20] You're just mortal men.

[00:08:22] Verse 24.

[00:08:23] And when the 10 heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.

[00:08:30] I'll bet.

[00:08:32] Can't you imagine the conversation Peter was having with Andrew?

[00:08:36] Who do those guys think they are?

[00:08:38] What in the world?

[00:08:40] Why are they asking that?

[00:08:41] Because they're standing at a distance.

[00:08:43] And these guys had been arguing with one another in a previous statement,

[00:08:49] in a previous part of scripture.

[00:08:51] They had argued with one another about who was the greatest.

[00:08:55] Can't you imagine that conversation?

[00:08:57] I'm pretty great.

[00:08:58] No, I'm the greatest.

[00:09:00] No, I'm the greatest.

[00:09:01] And Jesus interrupts them and says, what are you guys talking about?

[00:09:04] And they're so embarrassed.

[00:09:05] So he's already reprimanded them about this subject.

[00:09:09] And now James and John go off on their own, get their mom involved, send her as an emissary, and say, we want to be great.

[00:09:17] We want to rule with Jesus.

[00:09:19] And you can imagine Peter and Andrew and the rest of the disciples saying, who in the world do these guys think they are?

[00:09:27] We've already been reprimanded once.

[00:09:31] Why in the world are they bringing this up again?

[00:09:34] And jealousy and anger and an indignant attitude was characterizing what they were feeling towards James and John.

[00:09:45] And then verse 25 says this, but Jesus called to them, to him and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and true great ones exercise authority over them.

[00:09:59] In other words, this is the way it is in the world, guys.

[00:10:01] There's kings and representatives and governmental leaders and Herods and pilots and people like that who want to judge, rule, ridicule, and determine how people are to live their lives.

[00:10:15] They are dictating how people are to live their lives.

[00:10:18] But that's not the way it is to be for you.

[00:10:26] Verse 26, it shall not be so among you, but whoever would be great among you must be your servant.

[00:10:36] And whoever would be first among you must be your slave.

[00:10:40] Do you hear the highest ambition in Jesus' words here?

[00:10:44] The highest ambition is not to make a lot of money, guys.

[00:10:50] Not to be a success.

[00:10:51] Not to have people look up to you and say, oh, you are amazing at what you do.

[00:10:57] It's not about having a large home or driving a nice car or being a manager of a large bunch of people.

[00:11:04] Jesus is saying that's the way the Gentiles are.

[00:11:07] That's the way the world is.

[00:11:09] But that's not what I want you to be.

[00:11:14] Hmm.

[00:11:16] What then is?

[00:11:18] Whoever wants to be great among you must be a, you guys say it, servant.

[00:11:23] Whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave.

[00:11:27] For the son of man, then he goes off and he says this.

[00:11:29] And here's the representative model.

[00:11:32] Here's the one who will put this into practice.

[00:11:34] Here's the exemplification of what I'm talking about.

[00:11:37] For the son of man came not to be served, but to serve.

[00:11:46] And to give his life as a ransom for many.

[00:11:50] Jesus' highest ambition and greatest goal was to leave heaven, to come down here to earth,

[00:11:59] to bear our sin, to go to a cross, to conquer death, to rise from the dead,

[00:12:05] to ascend up into heaven and show us what true greatness, the highest ambition is all about.

[00:12:14] We've been looking at Philippians chapter 2 in this study about the serving challenge.

[00:12:20] And this is what Philippians 2 says about our Lord Jesus Christ.

[00:12:24] He did not regard equality with God something to be continually obtained,

[00:12:28] but emptied himself taking the form of a servant.

[00:12:31] And being found in human likeness, he became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

[00:12:39] Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him a name that is above every other name,

[00:12:46] that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

[00:12:53] And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

[00:12:56] Jesus Christ came to this world to be a servant of all.

[00:13:02] And he demonstrated that by taking your sin in mind, making it his own, paying for it on the cross,

[00:13:09] so that we're reconciled to God.

[00:13:13] This is true greatness.

[00:13:16] Jesus' highest ambition was to be a servant.

[00:13:21] And now, through the Holy Spirit's power, we put our trust in Jesus.

[00:13:25] We know what Christ has done.

[00:13:28] We identify with his life and death and resurrection.

[00:13:31] We know that he's set us free from the bondage of sin and hell and death.

[00:13:36] We know that he's elevated us to the glorious status of being called children of God and heirs of heaven.

[00:13:42] We know that.

[00:13:43] We understand that.

[00:13:44] We believe that.

[00:13:45] When we confess that.

[00:13:47] And we live under the wake and rule and guardianship and providential care of God,

[00:13:53] knowing indeed that our very life is a gift from the Father.

[00:13:57] And knowing that our very life is a gift from the Father.

[00:14:03] What do we say?

[00:14:08] I'm available.

[00:14:10] I'm a servant.

[00:14:12] I want to be used.

[00:14:13] My highest ambition, Lord Jesus Christ, is to be a servant of everyone around me.

[00:14:23] It's not the answer you'd look for on the Pearl Street Mall.

[00:14:30] Not the answer you hear from the best corporations in our country.

[00:14:36] It's not what you hear prototypically in college campuses and universities across our nation.

[00:14:43] It's not what you see represented in Hollywood.

[00:14:47] It's not what you typically and prototypically see when you read the newspaper or you go online.

[00:14:56] Service is not something that's mentioned very highly.

[00:15:00] And even the disciples.

[00:15:02] Think about how long James and John had been with Jesus.

[00:15:05] By this time.

[00:15:09] Two and a half years.

[00:15:13] You'd think they would have understood what true greatness was all about

[00:15:16] and what their highest ambition ought to be.

[00:15:21] But they were slow learners.

[00:15:27] Just like you and me.

[00:15:31] So our highest ambition is to be a servant to one another.

[00:15:36] It starts in the home.

[00:15:39] It extends into the community.

[00:15:41] And it's rooted in the church.

[00:15:43] I said that a couple weeks ago.

[00:15:45] It starts in the home.

[00:15:46] We look for opportunities to serve our loved ones in the home.

[00:15:50] Especially if you're still married.

[00:15:52] And your kids.

[00:15:53] It starts in the home.

[00:15:55] It extends into the community.

[00:15:56] We look for opportunities to serve people in the community.

[00:15:59] And it's rooted and grounded in the church.

[00:16:01] Where we care for and nurture and love one another.

[00:16:06] Indeed that is our attitude.

[00:16:08] We have an attitude of service.

[00:16:10] We say I'm available to serve Lord Jesus.

[00:16:13] And then we put that availability into action.

[00:16:16] And we say use me.

[00:16:18] You've gifted me.

[00:16:19] You've given me the abilities to serve one another in love.

[00:16:22] And then Lord my highest.

[00:16:25] My highest ambition.

[00:16:28] Is to be a servant to others.

[00:16:31] Rod identified those five words.

[00:16:34] Attitude.

[00:16:36] Availability.

[00:16:37] Action.

[00:16:39] Ability.

[00:16:40] And then finally ambition.

[00:16:44] I don't want to be like James and John.

[00:16:48] I don't want to look at my life and say oh man I hope more people serve me.

[00:16:52] I want to tell people what to do.

[00:16:54] As a matter of fact.

[00:16:56] I want to do just the opposite.

[00:16:58] I want to be a servant.

[00:17:02] To other people.

[00:17:03] And it starts with this lady right here.

[00:17:06] I asked her yesterday.

[00:17:08] I said honey how can I serve you better.

[00:17:11] And she looked at me like I was nuts right.

[00:17:14] I mean like what.

[00:17:16] Isn't this a question we ought to be asking one another consistently.

[00:17:21] And when we come to church.

[00:17:24] To say maybe not outwardly.

[00:17:26] But at least feel it as an expression of our inward heart.

[00:17:30] My highest ambition is to be a servant to other people.

[00:17:33] What an amazing concept that is.

[00:17:36] And so counter cultural.

[00:17:38] To say my highest ambition is to be a servant to others.

[00:17:45] How contradictory that is to what we hear.

[00:17:48] Elevated in the newspaper.

[00:17:50] In the media.

[00:17:51] Wherever it is.

[00:17:52] The world is just the opposite.

[00:17:55] And we say I want to be just the opposite of what the world says is so important.

[00:18:00] My highest ambition.

[00:18:02] My greatest aim.

[00:18:04] My fulfilling joy is to be a servant to others around me.

[00:18:12] It starts in the home.

[00:18:15] It extends to the church.

[00:18:17] And is rooted in Christ.

[00:18:20] Let it be so.

[00:18:22] And let it be done.

[00:18:24] To the glory of God's holy and saving name.

[00:18:27] Your highest ambition.

[00:18:30] Your highest ambition.

[00:18:31] Is service.

[00:18:34] Let's close with a word of prayer.

[00:18:35] Father thank you so much.

[00:18:37] For the power of your word.

[00:18:39] Lord we have to.

[00:18:39] We have to kind of.

[00:18:41] Laugh a little bit about James and John.

[00:18:44] Who really thought they were something special.

[00:18:46] Who really wanted to be elevated in their position and status.

[00:18:51] But God help us to realize that you called us.

[00:18:54] Not to.

[00:18:56] To be served.

[00:18:57] But to serve.

[00:18:58] Not to have other people serve us.

[00:19:01] But to serve other people in love.

[00:19:03] And God help us to take what we've learned through this serving challenge in the last five weeks.

[00:19:08] And put it into practice.

[00:19:10] Knowing indeed.

[00:19:10] That we serve because you've served us.

[00:19:13] We love because you first loved us.

[00:19:16] We care because you first cared for us.

[00:19:18] We forgive because you first forgave us.

[00:19:22] And God may the motivating factor for truly being a servant to other people.

[00:19:28] Is to say Lord Jesus you serve me.

[00:19:31] And now I serve others in love.

[00:19:34] Because of your service to me.

[00:19:36] Through your life.

[00:19:37] Through your death.

[00:19:38] And through your triumphant resurrection.

[00:19:40] In your precious name we pray all these things.

[00:19:43] Amen.

[00:19:44] Thank you for tuning in to Daily Truths with Dave Allman.

[00:19:47] Pastor Dave Allman is the pastor of Mount Hope Church in Boulder, Colorado.

[00:19:51] If this ministry is blessing you, please consider supporting us by sharing this channel with a friend.

[00:19:56] You can also like, comment, subscribe, or leave a review.

[00:20:00] This helps us tremendously.

[00:20:02] Come back tomorrow for your next Daily Truth.

[00:20:05] Bye.