It Shall Not Be So

So these disciples, when our Lord said, are you able to drink the cup that I shall drink and be baptized with the baptism whereof I am baptized with, they said, we are able. And then when it came time, they forsook him and fled. They proved themselves to be spineless cowards. Can we just say it plain? That's what we are. That's what we are by nature. We have no courage whatsoever. No courage of our conviction. Simon said, I'll stand with you. I'll die with you when it comes time. And then he ended up betraying the Lord three times in a matter of minutes. He said, all these may forsake you, but not me.

Well, like our Lord said, you don't know what you're saying. We don't know what we're saying. If we're ever depending on the flesh for anything, if we're ever relying on ourselves to accomplish anything, we don't know what we're saying. We don't know what we're asking. We don't know what we're saying. We don't know what we're talking about.

He said to them, you will drink and you will be baptized. And you might think, well, they forsook him. They didn't drink anything. They didn't understand this yet, but he drank it for them and for us, for whom he died. When he drank, we drank, just like when Adam sinned, we sinned. When Christ paid for our sins on Calvary, we paid for our sins on Calvary. He did so as our representative.

They're gonna suffer some too. We might, because we're believers a little bit. And that may be part of what he's referring to, but our sufferings are light. Our afflictions are light, but for a season. His were not. And when he talks about the fellowship of his sufferings, I believe it means both. I think you can see in the scripture that it means both.

We are part of, we pledge allegiance to him. When we're baptized in his name, yes, we're confessing, that the only way that we're saved, the only way that we have hope before God, is by the death of Christ, the burial of Christ, the resurrection of Christ. And we're showing that forth in baptism, but what we're also doing is pledging allegiance to Him.

If you hate Him, then just, you're gonna hate me too, because I'm Him, I'm with Him. And He's with me. And so, yes, we may suffer, he said, you will suffer, you will suffer, you will be afflicted, but also the fellowship of his sufferings, fellowship means It's been illustrated by saying fellows on the same ship. That's not what the word fellowship means, but it means we're in on it with him. We're in on it with him. So when he suffered, that was us. He did that as our representative.

Philippians 3.10, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, fellowship of his sufferings. We have to get in on his sufferings. We have to be part of it. We have to be included in it, because they're for us. It's us who owes God, not him.

Acts 5 41, they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. That's part of the fellowship of his sufferings too. If we do suffer for his name, it's a blessing. They rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer for his name.

Second Timothy 2.12, if we suffer, we shall also reign with him. Reign with him. So all of his people are gonna be at his right hand in glory. Our sufferings are not vicarious. They're not for anybody. We can't suffer in the place of anybody. Our sufferings are not meritorious.

They're just payment for our sin, partial payment, very little payment, I might add. His were vicarious in the place of another, and his were meritorious. It was the death that he accomplished, not suffered alone, but accomplished. Ours are light and not worthy, Paul said in Romans 8, to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. Not worthy to be compared. There's no equivalence. Well, we suffered this much, we're going to glory just as much. No. The sufferings are over. They're gone. They're but for a moment.

But the glory that we share with Christ in eternity is eternal, and it's far greater. than anything that we ever would refer to as sufferings. His sufferings were not light, but the glory that shall be revealed in us will be revealed in us because of his sufferings. And ours have no part in that.

Paul knew what our Lord was talking about here later. He knew what he was talking about. Look at Romans 6. Romans chapter 6. Paul refers to this same subject, of course, later than this conversation in our text. but he knows exactly what the Lord was talking about. Romans 6, 1 through 11.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid, how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism. into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also shall walk in newness of life." You see, our baptism is into Him, but the baptism of sufferings that He suffered was His alone.

We just got in on it. That's what the fellowship of His sufferings means. We got in on it. He took us in on it. He brought us in on it. We were included in it. Verse 5, for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him. There's the cup that he drank. We drank that cup with him, in him, because of him, that the body of sin might be destroyed. He destroyed it. And in him we did. We get the credit for it.

That henceforth we should not serve sin, for he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, He died unto sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead, indeed, unto sin. Just as Christ, when he died, we died.

When he rose, we rose. When he was baptized with it, we were. The fire of God's wrath. When he drank the cup, we drank the cup. See that? Likewise, also reckon ye yourselves because of him, because of what he did. You're dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. In what sense am I baptized with the baptism that he was baptized with? I didn't even recognize, I didn't even know what he was doing. I couldn't get in on it. I couldn't even watch him do it. I was asleep.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. This is the sense in which we were and are baptized with the baptism wherewith he was baptized. So in this sense, also, they didn't know what they were asking. Only Christ can drink the cup in the sense that he drank it. We can't drink that cup. He's got to drink it for us. If they had understood that, they never would have asked this question. We're going to reign with him, but not because we deserve it. Not because we drank anything or accomplished anything in our debt. We deserved our death and much worse. But he's made us to live in himself.

And when the prodigal son, he was restored, right? He left and he was persona non grata in the family, except the father loved him now. He loved him. And he missed him and he prayed for him. You know he did. And so he's gone. But then he comes to himself. The Lord reveals to him that even the hired servants of his father fare better than me, he said. So I'm going to go home. I'm going home. And the father receiving ran out to meet him. And said, kill the fatted calf. Do you remember what the prodigal son said? Father, I'm ready to be the heir of the family again. I'm ready to be, you know, your right hand man. No, he said, I'm not worthy to even be called your servant. I'm not even worthy to be a servant.

A lot different story than these two sons of Zebedee and their mother had to tell. And then he deals with the pride that's in their hearts, verses 24 through 27. Let's read them again, verses 24 through 27. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation. They weren't even any better than those two. They were mad, you know, because those two had... Why would you be mad about that if you're nothing? If you're nothing, you'd say, yeah, let them be the highest, let them be.

Didn't the Lord not say that we should each prefer other better than ourselves? That's what the prodigal son, by the grace of God, was able to do. He said, don't even call me your servant, just take me in, just take me in. He was willing to let the son who stayed home be the master of the house, the heir apparent. The difference is grace. Grace. There was no difference in these ten.

They were mad too, because they thought they deserved. They were jealous. They were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto Him. Can you picture that? They're all standing around there, but He said, come here. And so they got right up close, right up close. They're all standing there anyway. He called them, said, you come here. He said, you know. That the princes of the Gentile exercise dominion over them. And they that are great exercise authority on them, you're getting this from the world. Not because you see the world and are just wanting to imitate the world, but because the world is in you. You are the world. This is the way sinners think by nature. I'm the big shot. And if I ain't the big shot, I'm fixing to be the big shot. And I don't care who I step on to get there.

Verse 26, what a statement, what a beautiful statement. Maybe from now on we might hear this word of our Lord whenever we, whenever our flesh rises up and we're filled with indignation because we're not treated like we think we ought to be treated. We're filled with indignation because we're not getting the credit we deserve. This ain't fair, this ain't right. I, I, I, me, me, me, mine, mine, mine. Can we hear this?

It shall not be so among you. Not audibly, but in our hearts, may God speak those words every time that the old man rises up. Every time we get to thinking we're something when we're nothing. It shall not be so among you. It's not gonna happen. The Lord's not gonna allow it. He might let you puff up for a little while, but he knows how to deflate you. That's what he's doing right here with them. What a beautiful thing. If the Lord would knock all the stuffing out of us, we'd praise him forever for it. We shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. Let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant."

You see, they didn't have any idea what greatness is, and we don't either. Not by nature, we don't. May the Lord teach us what it is. 1 Corinthians 8, 2, and if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. Well, look, the Lord left a loophole there. One day we will, yeah, one day when we're not in this flesh anymore, we will. We'll know even as we're known one day, but not here, not here. Right now, here's the word for us. He knoweth nothing, nothing as he ought to know.

What is greatness? What's Christ's glory? Well, we read that, I quoted that to you a while ago. He told them what it was in verse 28, to give His life. He's going to give His life, a ransom for many. That's His glory. The Son of Man didn't come to be ministered unto, but to minister. Whosoever was going to be great, let him be your servant. What does that look like? It looks like the Son of God coming down here and washing His disciples' feet and condescending to be in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin. and to submit himself to be humiliated, to submit himself to be made of no reputation. He made himself of no reputation. He's the son of God. And he was a nobody.

And he did it on purpose. Why? Because that's greatness. That's what greatness is. Greatness is serving and ministering What was his glory? John 13, 30, when Judas, having received the sop, went immediately out, and it was night. Therefore, when he was gone out to betray the Lord, so that they would come and arrest him and put him on a cross, Jesus said, now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. What did he say in his high priestly prayer in John 17?

The hour has come. What hour? Every time they tried to kill him before, the scripture said that his hour had not yet come, so they couldn't touch him. He passed through the midst of those who wanted to stone him because his hour had not yet come. That's the hour that he's talking about in John 17, the hour of his death, the hour of his humiliation, the hour of the ultimate servitude, giving yourself no greater love is there than that.

And now he says, the hour is come. What's the next word he said? Glorify. Glorify thy son, that thy son may also glorify thee. Where'd that happen? Do we have any idea what greatness is? Yes, he's going to sit on the throne, and he's going to be great then too, but what is he? He's the lamb that was slain even then, because that's his glory, that he has mercy on sinners like you and like me. We're going to praise Him throughout all eternity. Revelation 5, 8. I'm going to read that if you want to turn. Revelation 5, 8. How are we going to praise Him for His greatness? And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and 20 elders fell down before who? Yes, he's the king. We're not minimizing that. He's the king.

But they fell down before the lamb because he and his glory was revealed on Calvary. And he is the eternal lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. to the end of eternity, of which there is no such thing. He is the Lamb that was slain, having every one of them harps and golden vows full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints.

And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou hast won great victories. That's not the wording. You're worthy. Why? Because you were slain. because of your humiliation, because of your condescension, because of your submission. Though you were God Almighty in human flesh, it has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. It has made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.

And I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels Round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the meek one, the lowly one, who now reigns eternal."

But you see, the meekness in the submission is not done away with when he's reigning. It is Him reigning. That's who reigns. And likewise, if we're going to be great ever, in any sense whatsoever, we're going to be servants. We're going to submit, we're going to bow, we're going to serve, we're going to minister riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such are as in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb." It's the Lamb that's exalted. And they worshiped him that liveth forever and ever.

And listen to Revelation 22.3, and there shall be no more curse. but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants." Didn't it say that if we suffer with him, I believe it's Romans 8 again, that we shall also reign with him?

What is reigning? What is glory? What is power? What is exaltation? His servants shall serve him. The servitude doesn't just come before the greatness. It is the greatness. It is the greatness. They shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there should be no night there. And they need no candle, neither light of the sun for the Lord God giveth him light and they shall reign forever and ever in the same passage of scripture within three verses. It says we're going to serve him and we're going to reign. It's the same thing. It was written over His cross when He was in His humiliation and hanging there naked and bloody, suffering for the sins of His people. It says, this is the King. You don't know what you're asking for.

You're doing it in pride and in selfishness when glory lies in servitude and ministering Submission. We love to be ministered unto, don't we, our flesh? The true greatness is to minister. And he's not saying, let me be clear about this, he's not saying if you minister now, later you'll be great. No, look at the text. The ministering is the greatness.

You wanna be like Christ? Would that be a great man, somebody that was the most like Christ in this world? Serve, minister, be a blessing to people by his grace and by his power. Was Christ glorious in his ministering or was he glorious only later as a result of his ministering?

Our Lord taught us not to desire the chief seats in the synagogue. Sit down in the nosebleed section and thank God that you're even included in his worship. Much less in the kingdom of God. Like they were asking, we want the chief seats. He said, don't seek the chief seats. That's what the Pharisees do. Don't be like them. Is that complicated? The world is all about getting, getting, getting. Our Lord says it's more blessed to give than it is to receive. Notice those words in our text in verse 28. Our Lord came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.

And to what? Give. Give. The unspeakable give. The gift of himself for the sake of his sheep. That's going to be the words and the subject of our eternal song. Worthy is the Lamb. There won't be any arguing there about who should be the greatest, and there won't be any here if the Lord reveals to us what greatness is. We're going to be worshiping Him who is great, and it's the Lamb that's great. It's the one who gave. He gave himself a ransom. Revelation 7, 13, we're going to be just like him. And you know what we're going to do when we're just like him?

One of the elders answered, saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said unto him, sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. Therefore, they before the throne of God, You know, the Lord said He predestinated us, what?

To be conformed to the image of His Son. We're going to be with Christ and we're going to be like Christ. What does it mean to be like Christ? And they'll serve Him day and night in His temple. That's not just here. Let's not just hear greatness. People think of it this way. If I suffer enough, one day I won't have to suffer. I'll be great. If I serve enough now, I'll be served then.

No, no, no. The Lord taught them what greatness is and he pierced their hearts with the reality that they were worried about the wrong thing. They were looking completely the wrong direction. Therefore they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them May the Lord teach us What true greatness is and when he does? We'll see it in one place Him Him and greatness in any sense that it has any regard to us is to be like him the one who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and who sits on the throne of glory, the lamb that was slain and worthy of all power and honor and glory and blessing and strength because he was slain, because he gave the ultimate sacrifice, because he submitted to his father and teaches us what submission means. And may we glorify Him both now and forever for it. Amen.

It Shall Not Be So

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It Shall Not Be So

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