Moving from Selfish to Selfless
Me, Myself, and I • Sermon • Submitted
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Me, Myself, and I.
33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
This is a super weighty statement Jesus just made.
That is a bummer what you just shared but can we ask you a question?
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
We want you to do for “US”.
They are treating Jesus like He is their personal genie.
Don’t we all do that sometimes.
I want to ask a favor but will you say yes before I tell you what it is?
#1 We all have a natural desire to put ourselves above everything and everyone else.
Ill: Group picture / where am I and do I look good?
36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
Jesus is being so patient with them.
I just shared with you what is about to happen to me and now you ask me for a favor?
37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
A ridiculous request and jockeying for position.
In ancient royal courts, the persons chosen to sit at the right and left hands of the king were the most powerful people in the Kingdom.
What were these two brothers asking?
We know we can’t be as great as you but could we hold the next most powerful positions?
#2 In our selfishness we ask for selfish things.
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
Indignant: feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment.
They were upset why? Maybe because they wished they would have asked first?
Everyone dislikes the teachers pet. Well I don’t. Yes because you are the teachers pet.
Ok time for a team meeting. Stop bickering. Let’s talk.
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.
You know ppl in charge or at the top. They sometimes lord their leadership over others.
Ill: Manger that loved being in authority.
He rode everyone. Stood over ppl as they worked, questioned everything they did. Loved trying to catch ppl messing up.
Do you know these ppl? Have you ever wondered how they got that position? I think they out lasted everyone else.
43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
Not so with you. Guys paradigm shift. New Thinking. New Ways.
Want to become great? It is OK to what to be great but become a servant.
Robert K. Greenleaf first popularized the phrase "servant leadership" in an essay he published in 1970 entitled "The Servant as Leader".
Servant leadership: Ken Blanchard. (One Min. Manager)
#3 We need to change our definition of what great looks like.
44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
You want to be first? Be last.
Slave here is the word doulos or servant
#4 To be more selfless we need to think of our self less.
I am very selfish in my marriage. Elaborate.
A pastor makes it a competition to out serve his wife.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Ok let me model this for you. What have I done? I left heaven and came here for you and to make mankind right with me.
#5 Let’s do what Jesus modeled for us.
Great people model this. - Milt Johnson.
Jesus washed the disciples feet.