Losing the Pounds of Pride, Part 3

INTRO- Story about me disregarded Stephanie’s advice about parking our 2000 Buick Le Sabre on top of the hill. I had to get a tow truck to get it out.

MIT: The disciples struggled in thinking they were greater than each other, but Jesus had to redefine for them what true greatness really is.

MIM: Jesus is giving us this morning God’s own definition of how someone can be truly great.

- True greatness, according to Jesus, is only measured to the degree that you humbly follow Him.

I. True Greatness Is Not Measured By Self-Exaltation, But By Self-Sacrifice (v.35-38)

A. James and John (brothers) approach Jesus with such audacity and pride (v.35-37)

They asked Jesus to be able to sit at His right and left hand in His Kingdom

Jesus said before this event chronologically, in Matthew 19:28, that when the Kingdom of God comes on the earth, that His disciples will sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

Jesus is heading to Jerusalem with His disciples following Him. They probably thought “Oh boy this is about to get good! Jesus is about to conquer all the Romans and usher in His Kingdom!”

Then Jesus mentioned something that had to happen first- namely the cross.

The disciples totally missed this because they expected something totally different. They thought they were going to be exalted in Jerusalem.

According to Matthew 20, their Mother, Salome, was also there asking Jesus for this request

Salome here is likely the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus, which would make James and John cousins to Jesus

They were using their family relationship to try to get what they wanted

Some scholars believe that the disciples, except Peter, were probably teenagers, which would explain some actions like this.

This request would have been an insult to the rest of the disciples, and especially Peter

Jesus had His 12, but He also had His inner 3, Peter, James, and John. James and John were wanting to exalt themselves above Peter and the rest.

B. Jesus explained to them that they had no idea what they were really asking for (v.38)

a. The greatest honor in God’s Kingdom is reserved for those who suffer the most for Christ

The “cup” refers to the wrath of God

Think of the Garden of Gethsamane

“Baptism” sometimes also alludes to the wrath of God

Luke 12:50, “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!”

The idea is someone who suffers for Christ, by drinking the cup full of suffering and being fully immersed in Him and His sufferings.

What is more dangerous, being persecuted or praised?

I believe according to Jesus that praise is more dangerous than persecution

Luke 6:22, “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!”

Luke 6:20, “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”

C. Application: Be more concerned for the reputation of Christ than for your own reputation.

What are some ways that we can exalt ourselves? And what should we do about it?

We exalt ourselves whenever we crave the praise of man. Instead, only be concerned with whether or not you are pleasing the Lord.

How do we know if we are pleasing the Lord? If we obey His Word. We are all under His Word.

We must have the Word as our foundation, but that does not mean that we exalt ourselves above it. The Bible is our foundation, but it is also above us as our authority.

A.W. Tozer, “In every Christian’s heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross. If he refuses the cross he remains on the throne. Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved but we insist that Christ do all the dying.”

II. True Greatness Is Not Measured By Personal Achievements, But By Obedience to Christ (v.39-40)

A. James and John answered Jesus’ question (v.39)

They were over-confident in themselves

They probably envisioned going into Jerusalem full force with Jesus, taking over the Roman Empire, Moses and Joshua style.

Jesus alluded to the future and indicated here to the persecution that James and John would soon face.

They would not suffer the wrath of God the way Jesus did, but they would suffer persecution in a way similar to Jesus

Acts 12:2 says that King Herod killed James with the sword

John on the other hand was exiled to the Island of Patmos, where he wrote Revelation

Did those men achieve greatness? Absolutely. Their obedience to Christ had greater worth than if they just remained silent and never mentioned Christ or His Word.

B. Jesus mentioned the authority and right of God the Father to grant however many rewards as he seems fit to those who obey Christ (v.40)

Even though Jesus Himself is God and has all authority, and is fully equal with the Father, somehow in the mysterious Trinity, He submits to the will of the Father and His authority. They have different roles. Jesus said that God the Father decides the amount of heavenly rewards based on our obedience to Christ and His Word.

1 Peter 4:13, “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

To the degree that you obey Christ, even to the point of intense persecution, God will translate your faithfulness into rewards.

C. Application: Know that God is never impressed with our achievements if they are ever done in our power or in contrast to His Word.

a. Think of professional athletes who get paid millions of dollars per year. Currently the highest paid NBA player is Steph Curry with the Golden State Warriors. He makes $43 million dollars. Think of multi billion dollar corporations and businesses. Are those thing what is truly great in God’s eyes? What is greater in God’s eyes, worldly success, or someone giving their life to tell someone about Jesus?

b. Think about our church for a moment. Is there anything we do that is in our own power? God is not impressed with how much money we have, with our facilities, resources, or buildings. What He esteems as great is when we come together to hear His Word, read His Word, and obey His Word in everything it says.

c. May our only agenda be God’s agenda- His Word.

d. Illustration: On November, 2018 John Allen Chau, a 26 year old man felt called to go to a remote island with a hostile and isolated tribe called the Sentinelese people. Knowing the risks, and diligently making plans, he embarked to tell these people about Jesus. He knew this was a high possibility beforehand, but they killed him. The news reported that his dad blamed his death on “extreme Christianity.” As sad unbelievably sad as that is, we must remember that there is not such thing as extreme Christianity. There is either obedient Christianity or disobedient Christianity. I am not saying we all need to find remote a remote people group and evangelize them, but I am saying that we need to obey God in His Word. Jesus Himself is the one who said in Matthew 16:25, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

III. True Greatness Is Not Measured By Positions of Power, But By Humble Service (v.41-45)

A. The 10 were angry at the 2, James and John (v.41)

They were using their family connection to try to get their way

But why did they get so angry? Probably because they wanted the same things inside.

The most prideful people get the most angry at other prideful people.

B. Jesus defined worldly greatness (v.42)

a. Worldly greatness includes: being in a position of leadership, power, being a ruler, lording it over people, having authority.

C. Now Jesus defined what real greatness is (v.43-45)

a. Being a servant (v.43)

i. Instead of climbing a ladder of greatness, God said to be really great, you go all the way down and serve others.

b. Being a slave to others (v.44)

i. Think of a slave. A slave never has a say in anything. There job is to serve others and pursue their interests. Jesus wants us to have a slave mentality towards each other, putting other’s interests above our own.

c. Being like Jesus (v.45)

i. The gospel is the reason why we must be humble.

Jesus had to pay a ransom, a payment, to set us free and give us salvation. That payment was His death? Who was it given to? Some believe Satan, but it was not. It was to God the Father. God the Father demands punishment for sin and God the Son paid the price to save us from God’s own wrath.

Illustration: Chronicles of Narnia with Aslan dying for Edmund to ransom him from the White Witch.

ii. If you want to be great, if you want our church to be great, we must serve one another. Churches are supposed to look more like hospitals, than a business.

B. Sam Pascoe, “Christianity began in Palestine as a fellowship (a relationship), and then moved to Greece and became a philosophy (way to think). Afterward, it moved on to Rome and became an institution (a place you go) and then to Europe where it became a culture (a way of life). Finally it settled in America where it has become an enterprise (a business).”