Matthew 20 reminds me of meeting author and speaker Don Yeager. Don has written biographies of some of the greatest athletes and coaches of all time and he speaks about the Lessons of the Great Ones. He interviews champions from every field to understand what motivates them; and then shares those tips with his audience. In today’s chapter, it seems Jesus is tired of the competition between the disciples. Their egos expanded as they dreamed of ruling with Messiah. The chapter begins with a parable of “a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard”. He hired men and “He agreed to pay them a denariusfor the day”. Throughout the day, the landowner hired more men, agreeing to “pay you whatever is right”. He hired men even as late as “five in the afternoon”. When evening came the foreman was directed “pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired”. “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius”. Those that had been in the field from sunrise assumed they would be paid significantly more, “But each one of them also received a denarius”. Of course “they began to grumble against the landowner” complaining that they has worked through the heat of the day. The landowner simply asked, “Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Or are you envious because I am generous?” Jesus summed up the lesson to the disciples, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last”. Friend, do you think you deserve more?
Immediately after the lecture, Jesus told them again, “the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day He will be raised to life!” The King of Kings was preparing to lay down His life to save the world. How did these revered apostles react? We are not told, but I think they were busy signing endorsements and practicing their royal nod before the game was over. The very next thing we read is the mother of James and John approached the Lord and asked Him, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right and the other at Your left in your kingdom”. This little Jewish lady had some Hutzpah! She wanted to bypass the cross.
What is the lesson from The Great One? “You don’t know what you are asking”. Some today sell Salvation as the reward for your labors. They promise that all pain and sorrow will disappear. The lesson of the cross is that sin has consequences, but praise God, we have a champion to take our place. The blood, sweat and tears are not ours. Jesus asked the disciples, “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” They were thinking about the Gatorade bath when they replied, “We can”. Yet each abandoned Him, and Peter even denied he knew Him. Jesus called the team to huddle up and taught them, the “rulers of the Gentiles… and high officials exercise authority” but “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant… just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many”. The chapter closes with a picture of how we are to have our story written into the His Story. “Two blind men were sitting by the roadside” when Jesus approached, “they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’”. They asked and “Jesus had compassion on them… Immediately they received their sight and followed Him”. Today may be a struggle, but one day “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more deathor mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). Who is the greatest? You may be surprised at the end. Even a very Average Guy or Gal can be used for greatness after we receive mercy from the Master.