"HIS KINGDOM!"

Matthew 20:29-34              (KJV)
"29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.


Recently my pastor spoke on "Serving, instead of being served".  The passage of scripture used for his text was Matthew 20:20-28.  The mother of James and John (some feel encouraged by the sons) was asking that her sons be seated beside JESUS when HE came into "HIS KINGDOM". But the disciples were asking for something they could not understand.  They had never seen "HIS KINGDOM", yet they decided they wanted to be a ruler "HIS KINGDOM"!

Soon afterwards, HE was leaving the city of Jericho with a GREAT multitude following HIM!  The New American Standard Bible translates this to be a "large crowd", eliminating the misconception that the writer was speaking of character of the crowd rather than numbers.  JESUS was about to enter Jerusalem for the final week of HIS earthly ministry.  "HIS KINGDOM" would not be what our earthly eyes would be able to see.

The blind men sitting beside the way side were not a lot different than most in the world, to be able to SEE!  When asked by JESUS what they wanted HIM to do for them, they replied "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."  The thing that speaks to me greatly, is that two of the disciples (followers) of JESUS could not SEE that serving others WAS "HIS KINGDOM"!  Matthew 20:26 tells us "but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister"!

We all have a certain desire to see things no one else can see.  The blind men wanted to see physically, while James and John desired something spiritual, the price of which, they were not able to pay.  Only JESUS could, and did, pay the price to allow me to see "HIS KINGDOM".  Since I have surrendered my life to HIM, I pray my eyes will be opened to see only the things HE has for me to better serve "HIS KINGDOM!"