Greatness in the Kingdom

Open to Matthew 20 starting at verse 17. Page 915 in the provided Bibles.

Introduction

Some of the worst people to work for are those who “lord it over us” that they are our leaders

Those who are filled with assurances of their own greatness

Those who constantly remind you of their pedigree and are empowered by a sense of their own self-assurances

If you’ve ever worked with someone who is like this, you know what I’m talking about

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Sermon Summary: In Christ's kingdom, greatness is not measured in power, position, or prestige. It is measured in humility and servanthood.

I. A “Hinge” Passage (Matthew 20:17-19)

It’s easy to read Mt 20:17-19 and feel like these verses are out of place

Are they just narrative filler?

But, these verses form the conclusion of Jesus’ teaching on the costliness of discipleship

Christians will always be looked down on in the world, but our Lord always had it worse than we do

He marched onward to Jerusalem where He would be misunderstood and murdered

Jesus gave His disciples warning of this as clear as day in vv. 17-19

Perhaps they misunderstood, thought He was being poetic in His wording, assumed He was mistaken, or simply managed to zone out

I think they thought He was being poetic and His kingdom was about to be consummated in their minds

Regardless, what follows is a display of astounding ignorance of Jesus’ disciples and astonishing grace by Christ Himself

II. A Mother’s Bold Request (Matthew 20:20-23)

James’ and John’s mother approaches Jesus humbly and makes a bold request

It is very like a mother to intercede for her children

To talk them up at Parent-Teacher conferences

To try and rescue them from their failings

To even reason with any authority to keep them from trouble

I can almost read between the lines where James and John go to their mother and tell her Jesus’ kingdom is about to be formed

This is why I wonder if they misunderstood what Christ warned them of

Her request is that her sons might have prominent positions in Jesus’ kingdom

Jesus says He cannot do what she’s asking

There are things the Lord cannot do, and one is do things that go against His own plan

The Father has prepared something else for these places of prominence

Who, exactly? We are not told, nor is it important

The point is that James’ and John’s mother, nor James and John understand what they’re asking

Many a time do Christ’s people make requests where we do not understand the significance of what we’re asking

We are fortunate, then, that Jesus is not bound to answer our requests!

James and John will “drink the cup”

They will bot suffer in like manner to Jesus

James was martyred by Herod, being killed by the sword (Acts 12:2)

John grew old, but was exiled to a remote island for many years (Rev. 1:9)

The cost of being a disciple of Jesus is suffering which produces humility

It’s being brought low, being made little in the world, yet being esteemed by God

This is infinitely better than living our “best life now” and earning God’s wrath for all eternity with no escape!

How short-sighted we are to want to make this world and the things in this world our rewards, when Christ has promises us infinitely greater rewards for following Him

Ephesians 3:20 “20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

Mark 10:29-30 “29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Even though James’ and John’s request through their mother could not be granted, even the act of asking for it made the other disciples angry.

III. The Great Servants (Matthew 20:24-28)

We should recognize that we can understand their frustration

Jesus subverts their frustration, though, and tells them three things to stop them in their tracks

1. The Gentiles (read: the world) celebrate their leadership positions

They “strut their stuff” and are insufferable to be around

Gentile rulers would often kill, not fire, former employees

2. Whoever will be great, must take the form of a servant

If you wish to be great in God’s kingdom, you must make yourself low

Humility is an attitude and posture of the heart, a remembering of our un-deserving-ness in comparison to all the good God gives us

We should not aspire or expect greatness for our efforts of being lowly, but celebrate our Christlike servant-ness

3. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve

The Savior and Creator of the world did not come to be fed grapes and have His toes fanned, but to die as a sacrifice for sinners

The greatest became the least for the least to be rescued into a great salvation

He “emptied Himself [of His divine rights], by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7)

We should carry this encouragement: Christ expects no more from us than He first did Himself; this is why we imitate Him

He was flogged and crucified

He gave His life as a ransom for many

His suffering atoned for the sins of His people

Conclusion

Jesus is not a domineering leader, but a servant leader. He graciously hears even requests He cannot grant, and gave us an example of a suffering Servant-Leader.

We, too, must remember that in Christ’s kingdom, the way up often looks like the way down.

Valley of Vision:

“Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up.

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.