“We are able,” they told Him. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:39‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

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James and John were prepared to go all the way with Jesus. As long as it was not too hard. They may have seen Jesus as setting up His kingdom on earth before His death, but after his death was when He would establish His kingdom in Heaven. James and John would be willing to march into Jerusalem right behind Jesus and kick those temple rulers, Pharisees, and Sadducees out of God’s house of prayer, and maybe in time kick those Romans out of Jerusalem and Isreal, but this was not Jesus’ plan. His plan was missed the last time Jesus told them.


“Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death. Then they will hand Him over to the Gentiles, and they will mock Him, spit on Him, flog Him, and kill Him, and He will rise after three days.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:33-34‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/mrk.10.33-34.hcsb


Now we should not be too hard on James and John because even Peter, along with the rest was willing to go all the way with Jesus until Jesus was arrested.


“Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away because of Me, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 

Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away! ” 

“I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times! ” 

“Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You! ” And all the disciples said the same thing.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26:31-35‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/mat.26.31-35.hcsb


“But all this has happened so that the prophetic Scriptures would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and ran away.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26:56‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/mat.26.56.hcsb


How far are we willing to follow Jesus? We could be following Him just to make our get out of the fire card complete. we could be following Him because our social agenda requires it. We could be following Him because He is the Son of God. We could be following Him because He is the only way to heaven. 


“When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived. Then those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. “Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us! ’ “But he replied, ‘I assure you: I do not know you! ’ “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:10-13‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/mat.25.10-13.hcsb


“He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me.’ 

“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You? ’ 

“And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger and you didn’t take Me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe Me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of Me.’ 

“Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help You? ’ 

“Then He will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me either.’ “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:33-46‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/mat.25.33-46.hcsb


“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/jhn.14.6.hcsb


“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.


“I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10:9, 14-15‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/jhn.10.9,14-15.hcsb


God’s plan is Jesus’ plan! But Is it our plan? James and John, Peter, and the other disciples did not see it until it was revealed to them through the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Will we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to stay on the straight and narrow with Jesus?


“Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:13-14‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/mat.7.13-14.hcsb 


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