The Rewards For Following Jesus

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, once came to Jesus and said,

"Master, we want you to do for us what we shall ask." So he said, "What

do you want me to do for you?" They answered, "When you enter into your

kingly glory, let one of us sit on your right hand and one on your

left." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can

you drink the cup of woe that I am to drink, or be baptized with the

bap ism of suffering with which I am to be baptized?" They said to him,

"We can." Jesus said, "You will drink the cup that I am to drink and be

baptized with my baptism, but to sit on my right hand and on my left is

not mine to give; for it is for those for whom it has been prepared."



When the ten other disciples heard this request, they were at first

angry with James and John, but Jesus called them to him and said, "You

know that those who are rulers in foreign countries lord it over those

under them, and their great men have authority over them; but it is not

so among you. Whoever wishes to be great among you must serve you, and

whoever wishes to be first among you must be ready to be the servant of

all. For I did not come to be served but to be of service to others, and

to give my life so as to secure freedom for many."



Then he took a little child and set him in their midst. And taking him

in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever receives a little child like

this, in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me receives not only

me, but God who sent me. Whoever gives one of these little ones even a

cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple will, I tell you,

not lose his reward.



"When the Son of Man comes in his glory and with him all the angels, he

will sit upon his glorious throne, and all people shall be gathered

before him. And he will separate them one from another as a shepherd

separates the sheep from the goats, placing the sheep on his right hand

and the goats on his left.



"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you whom my Father

has blessed, enter into possession of the kingdom prepared for you since

the creation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was

thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I

was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in

prison and you came to me.'



"Then the upright will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and

feed you? Or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger

and welcome you? Or naked and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick or

in prison and come to you?' The King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to

you, as you have done it even to the least of these my brothers, you

have done it to me.'"