Free And Short Daily Manna for Today 02 March 2023

THURSDAY, 2 MARCH 2023

TEXT: Mark 10:32-45

32. The disciples were confused as Jesus led them toward Jerusalem, and his other followers were afraid. Once again, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and told them what was going to happen to him. He said:

33. We are now on our way to Jerusalem where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses. They will sentence him to death and hand him over to foreigners,

34. who will make fun of him and spit on him. They will beat him and kill him. But three days later he will rise to life.

35. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, will you do us a favor?”

36. Jesus asked them what they wanted,

37. and they answered, “When you come into your glory, please let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left.”

38. Jesus told them, “You don’t know really what you’re asking! Are you able to drink to drink from the cup that I must soon drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized?”

39. “Yes, we are!” James and John answered. Then Jesus replied, “You certainly will drink from the cup from which I must drink. And you will be baptized just as I must!

40. But it isn’t for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. This is for God to decide.”

41. When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John.

42. But Jesus called the disciples together and said: You know that those foreigners who call themselves kings like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over the people they rule.

43. But don’t act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others.

44. And if you want to be first, you must be everyone’s slave.

45. The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue many people.

(Contemporary English Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: CHOOSE TO HEAR RIGHT

Two things happened in these verses. First, from verses 32-34, Jesus made a profound statement that addresses His mission for the disciples and the entire world: He will be betrayed, killed and buried, but will resurrect on the third day!

Unfortunately, the second incident (verses 34-35), showed that the disciples either chose to ignore what He said and focused only on what they preferred or they were confused because of what they preferred. They were consumed by their definition of Jesus as The Messiah.

The request of James and John and the other disciples’ response indicated that they were thinking of victory over the Romans and ruling over Jerusalem with Jesus.

You might say that these disciples were silly by focusing only on earthly glory and the desire to rule Jerusalem. But a closer look at what is happening in our churches between pastors and members today will reveal that we may be worse.

Most of us are occupied with the here and now, obvious of the purpose for which Jesus died and rose from the dead. Don’t allow your selfish desires and ambitions to make you refuse to listen to Jesus as He speaks to you.

QUESTION: What is your mind stayed upon?

PRAYER: I want to listen to You, Lord Jesus, but there is so much that is happening around me that I can hardly hear You. Please help me to stay focused. Amen.