Drink From It, All of You

While Jesus and the disciples were making their way to Jerusalem for the last time, the mother of James and John approached Jesus, bowed down, and asked that her sons might be promoted above everyone else in God’s kingdom and that they might sit on either side of Jesus. After their mother made this request, Jesus addressed the brothers by asking them if they could drink the cup Jesus was going to drink. They readily agreed that they could drink the cup. I believe they argued this way because they thought it would assure them of their place at Jesus’ side. Then Jesus told them that they would drink of his cup, but that he could not guarantee their place at his side in the kingdom – that decision would be up to God alone.
Somehow the ten heard about the favor asked of Jesus by James and John and their mom. Their power play led to division among the twelve. Ten were against two. The NIV uses the word “indignant” to describe the reaction of the ten to the twelve. The desire of James and John to be promoted, to drink the cup of Christ, divided the group.

A few days later the twelve found themselves in a room together with Jesus eating a very important meal. During the meal, Jesus revealed that there was a traitor among them. Judas then left the group at some point to gather the posse that would arrest Jesus. During that same meal, Jesus took a loaf of bread, defined it as his body, and gave it to the disciples to eat.
“Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you.’ ” (Matthew 26:27)
Together they would all drink the cup that night. No one would be excluded. No one would be elevated above the rest. No one more important, no one less. The cup of Christ is an equalizing force. It humbles the exalted and exalts the humble. It unites us all together as one group. Around the table there is no discrimination, for we are all forgiven sinners who have been saved by the power of the blood of Christ.

I invite you to take your mind back to the cross this morning. Remember the sacrifice that was paid. Remember the cup of suffering that Jesus drank on our behalf. Remember the drink he took on our behalf as he tasted the wrath that our sins demanded. As we take part in this feast, let us be thankful that we have the opportunity to drink from the cup of Christ. And in our thanksgiving, let us remember that all who drink from the cup drink from it equally.