IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Drink Jesus' Cup

Date: Sep. 26, 2015

Passage

Matthew 20:17-34 

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

A Mother’s Request

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She 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.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: Matthew 20:23

He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

First, a ransom for many (17-19). What is the cup Jesus will drink? It is the "cup of redemption" (Ex 6:6), the third cup during the Last Supper. Jesus said "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Mt 26:27). This cup symbolizes his suffering and death on the cross to redeem us, to earn eternal salvation for us. He established a new, deeper meaning for Passover - "do this in remembrance of me" (Lk 22:19).

Second, Christians accept suffering for the Gospel (20-28). Jesus said his disciples would drink of this same cup. How so? "Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church" (Col 1:24). Jesus' death on the cross was 100% complete payment for our sin, but as his body, we deny ourselves, suffer and even die to reach the lost. Tens of thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ are dying each year for their faith in our time.

Third, Jesus' amazing compassion (29-34). Despite his upcoming cup of suffering, Jesus cared deeply for these two blind men. This points to his healing of his disciples' - and our - spiritual blindness too.

Prayer: Dear Lord, guide us in your great wisdom to fulfill in our lives your high calling to preach the Gospel though it require self-denial, result in oppression or persecution, "even to the point of death" (Rev 2:10).

One Word: Be faithful to preach the gospel!

Daily Bread

God is Our Deliverer

Psalm 78:40-72

Key Verse: 78:65

Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
like a strong man shouting because of wine.

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