4/19/2026 - Pride and Prayer

Devotional

Day 1: Stopped on the Road

Jesus took the Twelve aside as they walked toward Jerusalem. Dust coated their sandals. He slowed His steps, fixed His eyes on them, and said, “The Son of Man will be betrayed, condemned, and raised.” He paused mid-journey to prepare their hearts, though His own mission pressed urgently forward. Even as death loomed, He made space for their confusion, their fear. [32:52]

Jesus interrupts divine momentum for frail humanity. He stops not to scold, but to steady. His pause reveals a God who kneels to eye-level, who prioritizes connection over calendars. The King of Kings halts His march to teach fishermen.

You rush. Jesus stops. What task feels too urgent today to pause for His voice? Set down the distraction. Let Him reroute your hurry. Where is your soul racing past His invitation to listen?

“Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, He took the Twelve aside and said to them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and 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!’”
(Matthew 20:17-19, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to interrupt your routine today with His clarifying presence.

Challenge: Silence your phone for 10 minutes. Sit still. Write one sentence about what He whispers.

Day 2: The Request at Eye-Level

Salome knelt, her sons flanking her. “Let them sit at Your right and left,” she begged. Jesus didn’t scorn her ambition but asked, “Can you drink My cup?” James and John vowed they could. He saw their zeal—flawed, but fixable. Their mother’s plea became a portal for refining. [38:52]

Jesus redirects misaimed prayers without shaming the pray-er. He trades transactional bargaining for transformational surrender. The throne they craved required the cup they feared.

What do you demand from God that He might reshape? Write your deepest desire. Now underline the part that aligns with His cross-shaped kingdom. What if His “no” to your request is a “yes” to your holiness?

“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of Him. ‘What is it you want?’ He asked. She said, ‘Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You don’t know what you’re asking,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?’ ‘We can,’ they answered.”
(Matthew 20:20-22, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one desire that conflicts with Christ’s servant-hearted way.

Challenge: Text a mature believer: “How have you seen God redirect my prayers?”

Day 3: The Cup We Share

“You will drink My cup,” Jesus told James and John. Not thrones first—suffering first. The cup meant betrayal, flogging, death. Yet in their “We can,” He glimpsed disciples who’d later endure martyrdom and exile. Their boast became prophecy when refined by resurrection. [47:17]

Jesus’ cup overflows both with wrath and mercy. We sip suffering’s dregs to taste glory’s vintage. Every “costly yes” to servanthood deepens our capacity for joy.

What menial task have you avoided as “beneath you”? Wash the dish. Take the trash. Forgo credit. Where does pride masquerade as practicality?

“Jesus said to them, ‘You will indeed drink from My cup, but to sit at My right or left is not for Me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by My Father.’”
(Matthew 20:23, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for a past trial that increased your spiritual thirst.

Challenge: Do one chore today someone else usually does—without announcing it.

Day 4: Shouts Over Rebukes

Two blind men hollered, “Son of David, mercy!” The crowd shushed them. They shouted louder. Jesus stopped. “What do you want?” “Sight.” He touched their eyes. The first thing they saw? The face of the God who hears desperate cries. [01:00:48]

Persistent prayer isn’t rudeness—it’s reliance. Jesus stops for those the world tells to stay quiet. Your need doesn’t annoy Him; it activates His compassion.

Who have you silently judged as “too messy” to approach Jesus? Name them. Now pray their name aloud. What might He want to give them through your voice?

“Two blind men were sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’… Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ He asked. ‘Lord,’ they answered, ‘we want our sight.’ Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes.”
(Matthew 20:30-34, ESV)

Prayer: Cry one sentence to Jesus you’ve been too ashamed to voice.

Challenge: Buy a meal for someone others overlook. Look them in the eyes as you give it.

Day 5: Kimono in the Rain

Kagawa preached soaked in rain, clad only in undergarments after giving his clothes to beggars. Fame found him, but he kept serving Tokyo’s slums. Like Jesus, he refused to outgrow dirty sandals or calloused hands. [59:21]

Greatness wears aprons, not awards. The kingdom elevates those who kneel. Entitlement dies when we see every task as holy.

What “beneath you” act have you avoided this week? Take out the trash. Wipe the toddler’s nose. Fix the coworker’s spreadsheet. Where might hidden glory lurk in low places?

“Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—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.”
(Matthew 20:26-28, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal one way your status hinders your service.

Challenge: Perform one act of service anonymously today. Leave no trace except kingdom impact.

Sermon Summary

Jesus pauses on the road to Jerusalem, takes the twelve aside, and speaks plainly about his coming suffering and resurrection. The narrative shows a Savior who slows down, gives undivided attention, and reveals the Father’s will so disciples can hear and respond. A request from the mother of Zebedee’s sons exposes human hunger for status and an honest, if mistaken, longing for honor. Jesus answers with correction and grace, asking whether they can drink the cup of suffering that his mission requires, and making clear that places of honor belong to those prepared by the Father.

The teaching on greatness turns convention upside down. Jesus contrasts worldly authority that lords power over others with kingdom greatness that counts humble service as true status. The call to be a servant or a slave carries a concrete ethic: use authority for others, not for personal gain; accept tasks that confer no personal benefit; and deny entitlement in order to lift others. The example of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom, anchors this radical ethic.

Practical ministry threads through the announcements that open the passage. Attention to bodily needs, like clean water provision through Clear Blue, and the formation of Scent Lab groups to equip everyday discipleship, model the gospel’s concern for whole persons and the practice of joining God where he is already at work. These ministries display the same posture Jesus models: stop, see need, and serve.

Finally, the healing of two blind men emphasizes persistence in prayer and Christ’s compassion for those whom society silences. Jesus stops again, asks what they want, and restores sight, prompting immediate discipleship as they follow him. The whole arc moves from proclamation of suffering to an invitation to follow, to a homily on humble service, and to a lived example of mercy that demands concrete, costly obedience. The closing summons presses toward a life of lower posture, deliberate listening, and sacrificial service so that God’s kingdom may be seen and advanced.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus intentionally slows to teach Jesus models a posture of stopping, drawing disciples aside, and revealing God’s will. This shows that spiritual clarity often comes in moments of quiet attention rather than hurried activity. Make room to be drawn aside so God can speak and align prayer with his purposes. [32:36]
2. Greatness measures by humble service Kingdom greatness reverses worldly metrics of power and status. True honor comes from serving without entitlement and surrendering personal benefit for the good of others. Practically, count how low one can go as the measure of spiritual maturity. [50:57]
3. Pray, then listen for alignment Prayer must begin with hearing from the throne so requests align with the Father’s will. God corrects gently when petitions arise from ignorance or pride, and he answers beyond what could be imagined when prayers match his purposes. Let listening shape petition. [44:25]
4. Stop for the overlooked and needy Jesus stops for outcasts and responds with compassion and power. Persistent, humble pleading meets a Savior who calls, heals, and then calls recipients to follow. Regularly choose to interrupt agenda in order to serve those society ignores. [62:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[19:24] - Membership Reception
[23:49] - Clean Water Initiative
[27:20] - Scent Lab Groups
[29:15] - Reading Matthew 20
[32:36] - Jesus Stops and Speaks
[38:52] - Request from Zebedee Family
[50:57] - Servanthood Defined
[61:09] - Healing of the Blind Men
[64:25] - Call to Go Low

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 20:17-34 (ESV)
(Read the full passage together, focusing on Jesus’ teaching about servanthood, the request of Zebedee’s mother, and the healing of the blind men.)

Observation Questions

In Matthew 20:17-19, Jesus takes the disciples aside to explain His coming suffering. What specific details does He share about what will happen in Jerusalem?
How does the crowd react when the blind men call out to Jesus, and how do the men respond to this rejection? (Matthew 20:30-31) [01:00:28]
What two contrasting models of leadership does Jesus describe in Matthew 20:25-28?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus uses the metaphor of “drinking the cup” (Matthew 20:22) when responding to James and John’s request? What might this reveal about the cost of following Him? [47:17]
Jesus says greatness in God’s kingdom is measured by being a “servant” or “slave” (Matthew 20:26-27). How does this redefine success compared to worldly standards of power or status? [52:59]
The blind men persistently cry out even when silenced by the crowd. What does this teach about approaching God with our needs? [01:00:28]

Application Questions

Where in your life (work, family, church) do you feel tempted to seek recognition or avoid “lowly” tasks? What practical step could you take this week to serve in that area without expecting anything in return? [56:27]
Jesus stopped for the blind men despite His urgent mission. Who in your community is often overlooked? How could you intentionally “pause” to meet a physical or spiritual need for them? [01:02:18]
The sermon emphasized listening to God before making requests. What distractions do you need to set aside to create space for God to speak to you? How might this change the way you pray? [37:50]
Reflect on a time when you resisted serving because it felt beneath you. What would it look like to embrace that kind of service now as an act of worship? [59:53]
The blind men’s persistence led to healing. Is there a need you’ve stopped praying for because it feels unanswered? How can you persist in faith while surrendering the outcome to God? [01:00:28]

Sermon Clips

He held more authority on earth than any other person ever has or ever will. And he exercised that authority. He delegated tasks. He assigned work. He disciplined. He corrected. He set goal and vision. He did all these things, but he also said this to sign men did not come to be served but to serve. He gave his life as a ransom for many. And so in everything Jesus did, even exercising his authority, he did it for the benefit of others. [00:53:32] (29 seconds) #AuthorityToServe

And this is human nature. And Jesus says, in the kingdom, greatness isn't achieved by human standards. It's not achieved by counting how many people you have authority over or what kind of benefit you can receive, what kind of status you can get in life. It's not by measuring how how high you can raise yourself or how many people can serve you, but it's achieved by counting how many people you can humble yourself under. Greatness is achieved by counting how many how how low you go or measuring the extent of servanthood that we can exhibit. [00:52:36] (32 seconds) #GreatnessThroughHumility

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