Jesus had told his disciples in Matthew 19:28, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” So, when the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him to ask if her sons could sit at his right hand and his left hand in His kingdom, her question wasn’t coming out of nowhere. It wasn’t some wild grab for power. It was a response to the earlier teaching of Jesus. However, Jesus’ response shows that she misunderstood what His kingdom was about–as we are also prone to do. The kingdom of Jesus isn’t about accumulating power for the good of ourselves but about exercising power, even laying down our power, to serve others. That is the way Jesus has shown us, coming “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” How can you serve like Jesus today?
