How many people over the years have thought themselves the greatest around? We have seen sports figures, business people, politicians, movie stars, and even religious leaders that act like they believe they are the greatest. Sometimes we may even be tempted to think we are great and deserve a place of honor. Pride and ambition often rises up in our hearts. It did in the disciples, as we read in our Scripture selection for today.
As we begin our passage, Jesus is telling His disciples about His coming death and sacrifice for sin, and resurrection three days later (vs 31 - 32). The disciples, however, did not understand or really hear His words. How many times have we said something to our children, spouse, or someone else, and though they heard, they didn’t really hear a word we said. The same goes for ourselves - someone is talking to us, we hear their voice but our mind is somewhere else, and we didn’t hear a thing.
Why didn’t the disciples understand what Jesus was saying? His words seem quite clear to us. He said very plainly that He would be betrayed, killed, and rise from the dead three days later. What was confusing about what was said? Some of the twelve might not even have been listening to Him, their mind somewhere else. For many of them, though, they might not have wanted to hear that message for fear, or that it conflicted with their own ideas of Jesus’s kingdom and plans for greatness. For so many of the Jewish people at that time, the Messiah was to be a great king who would come and deliver the nation of Israel from their oppressors, namely at this time, the Roman Empire. So for them to hear that Jesus was going to be killed by His enemies went against all they had been hoping for. They did not yet understand what His death and resurrection really meant.
Are there times in our life when God has been speaking to us, but we choose not to hear Him? Maybe what He is saying goes against what we want to believe, or we’re afraid of what He is saying. Just as the disciples needed to, we need to open our ears and really hear God’s words to us.
Later, Jesus questions what the disciples were discussing among themselves while on the road (vs 33 - 37). They were too ashamed to tell Jesus what it was, but He knew. They were debating among themselves which one was the greatest. Though they were confused as to what kind of kingdom Jesus had come to bring, they believed He was a king and had a kingdom. They wanted a place of prominence in that kingdom. They had pride and ambition. They wanted that spot of honor and power, where they would be looked upon with respect and admiration. Many of us, if we had the opportunity, would love to be boss, be king of the hill. Ambition itself isn’t wrong, but when it causes us to disobey God, or work more for our own praise and glory rather than God’s, it has become sin. Our pride causes us to overvalue position and prestige. We should be ambitious for God’s Kingdom and His glory, not our own.
God does not measure success the way the world does. Many of His faithful servants in the Bible had a very difficult life and ministry. The world would not have called them successful, yet God does. The disciples’ concept of greatness and leadership, common both then and now, needed to be revised. It is not those who lord their position over other that are great in God’s Kingdom. Instead it is those who humbly serve others. Jesus, who is God incarnate, is our example. He is God, yet He was willing to wash the feet of the disciples, one of the humblest tasks there is (John 13:1-15).
Jesus taught His followers to welcome children (vs 36-37). This was a new concept, as up until just a couple of generations ago, children in just about every culture were treated as second class, of no value except to work and care for their parents in their old age, and often abused in every way. Jesus treated them with love and value. We should value and treat children well, and most importantly, tell them about Jesus.
True greatness is measured not on earth, but in eternity. When we are before the Judgment Seat of Christ, He will be looking for humility, not earthly accomplishments. A humble person uses whatever the Lord has given them in a way that glorifies Him and benefits others.
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