“Worshipping Him and Desiring a Certain Thing” (Ready to Worship S12E13)

This season on Ready to Worship we are examining worship in the gospel of Matthew. We are specially focusing on the occasions when Jesus was worshipped. In this episode, we are examining the time when the mother of Zebedee’s children came and worshipped Him. Matthew records, “Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him” (Mat. 20:20). From this simple verse, we want to make four observations – three positive and one negative.

 

First, it was good that she came to Jesus. Matthew records, “Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children” (Mat. 20:20). It is a very good thing to come to Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No man can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Furthermore, He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). He is the only ONE who can give us the victory over sin and death (1 Cor. 15:58). Where else can we go, but to the Lord?

 

Second, it was good that her sons came with her. Matthew records, “Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons” (Mat. 20:20). It is a great thing when families come with one another to Jesus. It is a wonderful thing when they worship Him together. In addition to this occasion, think of the time when Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus (John 1:40-42).

 

Third, it was good that she worshipped Jesus. Matthew records, “Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him” (Mat. 20:20). it is always a good thing to worship Jesus. He is certainly worthy of it. In the book of Revelation, we read, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:10-11).

 

Fourth, it was not so good that she came desiring a certain thing of Him. I don’t know about you, but this desire calls into question why she came to Jesus and worshipped Him. Maybe, I am unfairly judging her motives, but the context seems to bear it out. Notice the conjunction (and) joining the worshipping and the desiring of a certain thing. Consider that Jesus, who knows the hearts of all men, asked her what she wanted before she even made her request. It was clear that she came wanting something. Of course, we know from the context that she wanted her sons to have important positions in Jesus’ kingdom. Likely, this calls the purpose and the purity of her worship into even more question. I have suggested and said all of this to get us to examine what our motives are when we come to worship. Do we come to get something or to give something? Do we follow Jesus for the loaves and the fish that we might get from Him or because we believe and are sure that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God (John 6:26, 66-69)?

 

As we get ready to worship this week, let’s carefully consider why we are coming to worship. Let’s make sure that we are coming to give praise and not to get something.