Matthew 20:20-23 NASB1995: Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.” But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”

Do any of us deserve salvation from sin? No! Do we deserve God’s grace to us? No! Do we deserve to be in heaven with God one day? No! For we are all born into this world with sin natures, in the image of Adam, the first man God created, and the first man to sin against God. Not one of us in our own flesh can be good enough to be acceptable to God. Only by the grace of God can any of us be forgiven our sins and be on our way to heaven. But God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Titus 2:11-14; Acts 26:18]

The faith to believe in Jesus Christ comes from God, is authored by God, is gifted to us by God, and is persuaded of God as to his righteousness and holiness, and of our sinfulness, and of our need to deny self, die to sin, and follow our Lord in walks of obedience to his commands, in surrender to his will. None of this is of ourselves, of our own doing. We cannot even come to faith in Jesus Christ unless God first draws us to Christ and he persuades us to deny self, die to sin, and obey God in his power. But then we must follow him in obedience in doing his will for us to have eternal life in him.

[John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 12:1-2; Acts 26:18; Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Titus 2:11-14]

For what was the cup that Jesus was about to drink, and he did drink? It was his death on a cross in putting our sins to death with him so that, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in him, we will now die with him to sin and walk in obedience to his commands in holy living. And if we drink the cup that he drank it means we are crucified with him in death to sin, and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as servants of righteousness in obedience to his commands, all in the power of God. Sin is no longer our master, but Jesus is master of our lives.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; Acts 26:18; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

What Blessed Communion

An Original Work / July 11, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Oh, what sweet and blessed communion
With our Lord is ours to share
When we sit at Jesus’ table,
Share His cup and eat the bread.
Sit at His feet, hear what He says,
Listen to each word He speaks;
Harken to obey His teachings;
Meet with Him throughout the week.

Oh, what grace he gives unto us
When we come to Him in faith;
Believe in His precious promise;
Free from our sins; saved by grace.
Turn from our sins; turn to our God;
Commit all our ways to Him.
Choose to live for Him each moment;
Daily cleansing us from sin.

Oh, what love He has for us that
He would die a cruel death,
So that we could be forgiven
Of our sins and live instead.
Walk with Jesus; serve Him only
As our Lord, God, priest and King.
Abide with Him; His word in us;
Bearing fruit, our offering.

Do You Not Know?
An Original Work / April 2, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love