A few weeks ago I helped do a chapel at CCS where several
pastors talked about what Anabaptists [and really Christ followers in general] have to offer the world today and I said, truth. This is b/c we follow Jesus who called himself the way, the what
_____and the life? THE TRUTH. So when do we flex this truth? The best time is
when we see or hear something the contradicts the truth of Jesus.
I have noticed in our culture today there is a phrase that
is floating around on little red hats-have you seen them? They say make America
what again? GREAT. But from what I see it is a very different greatness than
what Jesus calls us to. Remember when Jesus’ disciples got caught up in the
greatness debate?
Let’s open our bibles and see…
Luke 22: 24 A dispute also arose among the disciples as to
which of them would be considered the greatest. 25 So Jesus declared, “The kings
of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them call
themselves benefactors. 26 But you shall not be like them. Instead, the
greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the
one who serves. [word study, we
might call benefactors, influencers today]
I find it a little comforting that the very disciples who
followed Jesus in the flesh wanted to know who was the greatest. Perhaps how to
attain greatness. I find it comforting b/c I want to be great too! But how do
we do it?
By bulling people we don’t like or agree with? Being a sore
loser when we don’t win? By blaming everyone else for our problems but never
taking responsibility ourselves? By bragging about our accomplishments and
boasting about what we are going to do next by our own mighty power?
Friends I’m afraid this is what we see today being touted as
“greatness”. This is totally contrary to what Jesus tells us. Listen again to
v.25 and 26a
25 So Jesus declared, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it
over them, and those in authority over them call themselves benefactors. 26 But
you shall not be like them.
Jesus is saying this is how they are-the big shots the power
people of the day-but you need to be different. You need to understand
what real greatness is. Even though these guys hung out with Jesus continually
they didn’t get it. They didn’t see Jesus had a radically counter cultural
definition of greatness.
But don’t worry he had to tell them again, because they were
arguing again about-you guessed it -who’s the greatest, take a listen…
Mark 9:33 Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was
in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they
were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the
greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If
anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”
There is another phrase that is being tossed around have you
heard it? America what? FIRST. This is the world’s view of greatness. You need
to be first. You need to take care of yourself FIRST. You need to get what you
want FIRST. You need to make sure that
no one else gets ahead of you b/c you are what? FIRST.
And if anyone gets in your way-you shove them out of the
way. If anyone questions your need to be first you disregard or demean them so
they learn that their place is defiantly behind you-b/c your place is what?
FIRST
But what did Jesus say? Remember v. 35 Sitting down, Jesus
called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the
last of all and the servant of all.”
Oh dear ones this is the way of Jesus. He says no, you go
first. Jesus tells us the way to greatness is the way of humility. This is the
key to greatness. This was revolutionary in His time as humility was seen as
weakness or even a defect. The Romans who ruled most of the world at that time
humbled their enemies in defeat and gloated over their victories. Winners
bragged about their greatness and it was seen as good.
Jesus changed all that. He changed the world in that thru
his witness humility was seen as a virtue. Over time with the spread of
Christianity and the proliferation of the Bible and specifically the Gospels
that reveal Jesus’ character and words-humility became an essential element of
true greatness.
Sadly I fear today we are no longer hearing or believing
that truth. Pride and arrogance seem to be held up as the way of and to
greatness-but please remember the one who was Himself the Truth, said just the
opposite, listen to Jesus one more time…
Matt 23: 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.
12For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will
be exalted.
Don’t miss the warning at the end-the exulted will be
humbled-but then the blessing-whoever humbles himself will be exulted-I bet
you’ve heard this paraphrase of proverbs 16:18 before, maybe even in KJV: Pride
goeth before a what? FALL
Don’t fall for the lie that greatness is found in puffing
yourself or America up-it’s in humbling ourselves and serving the needs of
others-this was the way of Jesus, the greatest man who ever walked the earth
and called us to follow Him, let's follow him faithfully, even today-let us pray…
Lord Jesus help us to know and love your truth, help us live
it out at home and everywhere else you may call us to humbly go and
attain true greatness for your glory alone… In Jesus name we pray Amen
Amen and thank you!
ReplyDeleteSome really good and needed words for the Church. Those who espouse greatness and being first and call themselves followers of Jesus perhaps are looking at the Jesus of John’s Apocalypse, who is portrayed very differently than in the gospels. They see Jesus (and certainly he is written in the Apocalypse) as the mighty conqueror, who has come to “make Christianity great (for the first time). Most don’t realize that Revelation was one of the last “books” to find consensus to be included in the NT canon, for the very reason that its portrayal of Jesus was antithesis of the Gospel’s Jesus.
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