Can You Drink of This Cup?

A Pursuit of Greatness

God is raising a generation of ‘overcomers’.  They are ‘dread warriors’ distinguished by their immunity to the works of darkness. Like any elite warrior, they are qualified by training of a most extreme sort.  Though filled with uncommon endurance and passion, this generation of believers may not initially know the cost of what they seek.  Yet their deep commitment to God will fuel them to persevere and finish the race.  They will ‘drink from the cup Jesus drank’ and be great in God’s Kingdom!

A Presumptuous Answer

When the disciples asked Jesus for prominent positions, He in return asked them this question: ‘Can you drink of my cup?’  This same question is being asked of us today.  Anyone wishing to participate in the Kingdom of God in a more significant way must first answer it.  But perhaps a more fundamental question is, ‘Do we even know what this cup is?’.

The cup is a symbol of the cost of influence in God’s Kingdom.  Jesus put it to His disciples as He asks each of us. Personally, I responded eagerly, though I was unprepared for the journey.  I simply wanted to be a significant part of it.  

My ignorance was neither surprising nor unprecedented…  In fact, it was typical!  When the disciples asked for prominence(through their mother), the answer given to them would have fit me perfectly.

But Jesus answered and said, ‘You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’

Matthew 20:22

Ignorance is Bliss

These words cannot but define us… ‘you do not know what you ask’.  The disciples, like us today, were relatively unaware of the price they would be required to pay.  Even so, this does not mean we are not able to pay for it.  This is important to note since these same ones went on to drink that same cup.  Likewise, God is not telling us we are unable. He is merely making an attempt to help us understand.

Though we want the promotion, the cost of this journey might be presently beyond our comprehension.  It is far easier to say ‘I can drink the cup’ than it is to actually drink it.  Among narrow roads this is an even narrower one and fewer still that find it (Matthew 7:14).  As the saying goes, ‘many are called but few are chosen.’  

Now the issue becomes, ‘What must I do to enter God’s process?’  What choices can we make to ensure we stay on this path we know we are called to?

An Honest Evaluation

We can start with an honest evaluation.  Let’s face it, we want to matter, and we should.  But there is something in our makeup sheepishly repelled by what seems audacious and presumptuous. We would rather pretend to be selfless. Unfortunately, this does not help as it simply hides what God already knows to be true.

Instead, let’s take a lesson from the first Apostles.  Unlike us, they were less covert in their ambitions (Mark 9:34).  Speaking openly of their respective greatness they did not seem to mind presenting themselves for advancement.  Notice Jesus did not condemn their ambition.  While the religious chastise them for the same saying, ‘How dare you presume to be great?’, Jesus simply presented a roadmap.

But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Matthew 23:11, Luke 22:26

Our fruitless attempts to be selfless only add another layer to what God must do.  That is, He must show us our ambition before He can purify it.  If you want to be great, do not pretend otherwise!  

The Cup is the Solution

Jesus was neither unaware nor disillusioned by their selfish ambition.  Since God knows what is in us, these upcoming Apostles were not disqualified by their desire to be great.  The only question is ‘Could they drink the cup?’.  It is the drinking of the cup itself that changes us; it transforms our selfish ambition into a selfless passion – the cup is the solution.  Rather than condemn or shame them, He gave them a roadmap of sorts.  

We should think of the ‘cup’ as training.  When recruits show up to the military, they do not need to be athletic or skilled.  They do not even need to be in good physical condition.  Why?  The military has a program for that.  

Whatever we are lacking can be overcome so long as we have the desire to press forward.  Desire is our most critical ingredient!  It answers the question, ‘Can you drink of this cup?’   God is looking for a few good men and women to drink His cup!  So if you want to be great in God’s Kingdom, go ahead and present yourself for advancement.  Just be prepared to discover that you did not know what we were asking for.