sons came to Jesus with her sons &, kneeling down, asked a favor of Him. `What is it you want?’ He asked.

"She said, `Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right & the other at your left in your kingdom.’

"`You don’t know what you are asking,’ Jesus said to them. `Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?’ `We can,’ they answered.

"Jesus said to them, `You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.’"

Mrs. Zebedee was aware of the teachings of Jesus about His kingdom. She was also very aware of the fact that her sons, James & John, were close to Him. They were two-thirds of the inner circle of Peter, James, & John.

So she was certain that when the Lord formed His kingdom that they would have positions of responsibility & authority. But in the first part of this same chapter, Jesus tells a story that must have disturbed her.

ILL. It was a story about a landowner who went out to find laborers early in the morning. They agreed upon a fair day’s wage & started working. Then at noon he went out & found some more, & they started working. Then towards evening he went out & found some more & they started working. Yet, when the Lord paid them off at the end of the day they all received the same wage.

It must have caused Mrs. Zebedee to wonder, "Will my sons really have positions of authority in the Lord’s new kingdom?"

So when the opportunity presented itself she came to the Lord. Matthew says that she bowed before Him & made this request, "When you establish your kingdom, I would request seats on your right & left hand for my two sons."

PROP. We might very well criticize Mrs. Zebedee for her presumptuousness. But since today is Mother’s Day, maybe we ought to think for a few moments concerning some positive things about Mrs. Zebedee.

We need also to recognize that when she came to Jesus, while Jesus did not grant her request, neither did he deny it. He simply reminded her of the cost of being seated on the right or left & then told her that it is the Father who determines who will be seated there.

I. SHE PRAYED THAT HER SONS MIGHT BE A PART OF THE KINGDOM

Now, what are some of the good things about Mrs. Zebedee? First of all, she came to the Lord, praying that her sons might be a part of His Kingdom. I can think of no more important task of motherhood than that - to seek to ensure that your children are a part of the Kingdom of God.

A. I know that many mothers pray. Sometimes they pray out of necessity. Sometimes they pray because motherhood is not easy, but extremely difficult.

ILL. James Dobson tells about a time he came home when his son, Ryan, was a small baby. It had been a terrible day for his wife. Ryan had been sick, & had cried all day long.

Once, as she was changing his diapers, the telephone rang & Shirley reached over to answer it before fastening up his diapers. Just then Ryan had an attack of diarrhea.

She cleaned up that mess & put him in clean, sweet-smelling clothes. Then she took him into the living room & fed him. As she was burping him he threw up all over himself, & her, & the couch, too.

Dobson writes, "When I came home I could smell the aroma of motherhood everywhere." Shirley cried out to him,