First is Last

Game

The point of this game was not to be the first one, but to be the last one left right?

What was the best strategy for winning the game?

Were you worried about other people or only about yourself?

How does this game illustrate how we sometimes live our lives?

We are going to spend a few weeks talking about unity and how we can better serve one another and others in our lives.

Today we are going to look at Matthew 20:20-28

Matthew 20:20–28 CSB

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached him with her sons. She knelt down to ask him for something. 21 “What do you want?” he asked her. “Promise,” she said to him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” “We are able,” they said to him. 23 He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. 26 It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In most every area of our lives we are taught that being first is better.

Whether we are playing a game, a sport, in school, at work, or wherever.

In Matthew 20:20–28 though Jesus describes a backward approach to thinking about importance or value.

This is the upside-down reality following Jesus.

Imagine if you showed up to practice the first day and in his opening speech was “We are going to try really hard this season to be LAST.”

He would likely not be the coach very long would he?

But is this what Jesus is saying?

Yes and no right?

Jesus isn’t tell us we need to lose all our games, be the worst in our class, or not do a good job at work.

He is saying that the measurements we use to determine our self worth, our status, and identity can’t be the same as the world around us.

Because if our concern is only making ourselves better or moving our selves up the ladder, then our focus will be entirely on ourselves.

Stepping back to see the context of Jesus’s words is important here.

The mother of James and John is asking (on behalf of her sons) for positions of status and authority (vv. 20–21), evidently because of what Jesus previously said about the Son of Man sitting on his throne of glory (19:28).

We might think that James and John’s request is selfish or silly, but we do lots of selfish or silly things to get more popularity.

We post fake things on social media to get more followers, we pretend to like TV shows or bands to make friends or fit in, we’re willing to give in to peer pressure in order to be accepted by a group of people, we join in making fun of someone in order to fit in.

At the time of Jesus, your status and importance were measured by the amount of people who served you.

That is true today as well, but also your status and importance might be determined by the number of followers you have on social media, the number of friends you have, the number of “cool” people that you know.

Jesus is telling His disciples that His way is opposite from the way of our world and what comes natural to us.

“The natural human concern with status and importance is clearly one of the most fundamental instincts which must be unlearned by those who belong to God’s kingdom” (Richard T. France, The Gospel of Matthew)

Philippians 2:3–8 CSB

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. 5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. 7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.

Paul is pointing to Jesus the example of the life of a Christian.

When we think of ourselves first, pursuing what makes us happy or what moves us up in status, we treat others like steps and like tools for our own benefit.

There is a saying “It is lonely at the top.” The phrase refers to the sense of isolation and exclusion that highly successful people in a particular field eventually face.

When we fight to be the best, the most popular, or the most successful, we are often left alone because of all the people we hurt to get where we are.

Jesus is calling us not to be the least popular or losers, He is calling us to serve, to love, to put others first, and find our value and worth in Him not in how many followers we have or who knows our names.

Obit

I read and obituary this afternoon that speaks to this.

It was for a 33 year old mom who died of cancer last week.

“When I look back at my life before Christ, pain is the first thing that comes to mind. My life was marked with self-hatred that motivated most of my decisions. I considered suicide many times. My world revolved around me and what I was feeling, how I would cover it up, and constantly trying to figure out how to make it better in my own strength. I spent a lot of time punishing myself, numbing the pain, and choosing the worst relationships. The only real dream I had was of motherhood. The moment it all changed was when I thought of bringing a child into the life I was living and it broke me. The Lord used the children I didn’t have at the time to save my life. I made the decision to turn to Jesus and go all in on Him. I laid down my mess of a life at the foot of the cross. Since that day my life has never been the same. I’m no longer the center of my story. The Lord is. His love is restoring me. He has covered me with grace and mercy. I’ve witnessed many miracles – two of them being my children I now have that He used just the thought of to save my life years ago. I’m married to a man of God by the loving grace of God. My life has not gotten easier since that day, but it is better. Even as I walk out a cancer diagnosis my greatest heart’s desire is to let this story be written by God and for God. He is the only one who can heal me and that alone makes Him so worthy. The Lord is increasing my faith. I’m learning more and more about his nature. This has been one of the most challenging seasons of my life, but I believe it’s a healing journey; not just physically, but also spiritually, mentally, and generationally. All of this is for more people to see him, know him and experience the life changing love of laying it all at his feet, at the foot of the cross. Jesus Wins is truly the headline of this story.” - Abigail

Although Abigail battled a hard season of self doubt in earlier years of her life, one thing is clear after watching her walk out this last season before going Home…she did NOT let her past define her and instead wanted nothing more than for everyone around her to witness that despite her sickness, she finally knew who God created her to be and the love He has for her and ALL of his children. If there is one thing she wanted to make sure that everyone remembers about her life, it’s this… “Jesus Wins is truly the headline of this story.”