Be the Greatest in the Kingdom
Matthew 23:11
The greatest among you must be a servant.
DO THE TWO: LOVE GOD. LOVE PEOPLE (MATT 22:37-39)
This repeats something Jesus has said several times to His disciples: that greatness in the eyes of God is different from greatness in the eyes of men
Matthew 19:30
But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.
In fact, the most godly role to which one can aspire is to be a servant to others (John 13:12–16-Jesus washing the disciple's feet). This perspective is given in a clear context and a clear contrast. Jesus has just forbidden His disciples from taking titles for the sake of worldly honor, as the scribes and Pharisees were doing.
Of course, this would have sounded like nonsense to first-century ears. Servants were, by definition, the opposite of great. In this culture, humility was not a virtue; it was the result of weakness. Servants received commands from greater men; they didn't give them. Servants might be nice people, but they were nobodies. In fact, in the ancient world, it was assumed that rulers and royalty were literally better people than servants and subjects, and that's why each was born into that status.
The Bible has a great deal to say about servanthood because the central theme of the Bible is the Servant of all—Jesus Christ. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many ? (Mark 10:45). When we give Jesus Christ His rightful place as Lord of our lives, His lordship will be expressed in the way we serve others
Mark 9:35
And he (Jesus) sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."
1 Peter 4:10
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
What happens if you don't use your spiritual gifts?
Is anything keeping you from using your spiritual gifts? Though given to us, these abilities aren't for us; they're for the church. To neglect them not only deprives fellow believers; we ourselves are also robbed. We'll find both joy and blessing by serving others and doing the work God has designated for us.
John 15:12-13
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
How can we demonstrate love for God? Our love for God will be expressed in our love for others. “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake ? (2 Corinthians 4:5).
True leadership is servanthood, and the greatest leader of all time is Jesus Christ. Servanthood is an attitude exemplified by Christ “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant ? (Philippians 2:6-7). The five words in the New Testament translated as “ministry ? generally refer to servanthood or service given in love. Serving others is the very essence of ministry. All believers are called to ministry, Jesus came and told his disciples, (Matthew 28:18-20)“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and, therefore, we are all called to be servants for the glory of God. Living is giving; all else is selfishness and boredom.
A servant of Christ knows who is the King. A servant of Christ is one who has
voluntarily set aside his or her personal rights in order to love, serve, and obey the
will of God in Christ Jesus. Servants of Christ die daily to sin and fleshly desires, allowing Christ’s life to flow through them (Galatians 2:20).
To be a servant of Christ is to seek His will in all things. Our primary desire every day, as servants of Christ, is to honor and glorify the One who bought our freedom from sin (1 Corinthians 10:31). This means we must:
Die to ourselves (Luke 9:23)
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
Renounce our right to direct our own lives (Luke 6:46)
“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?
and
Seek ways to bring our Master pleasure (Psalm 37:23; Proverbs 11:20).
Psalm 37:23
The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
Proverbs 11:20
The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.
Just as a master in ancient times took on the responsibility of caring for his bondservants, so our Lord says that He will provide all we need when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19).
Our Master, Jesus, has given us instructions in His Word and expects those who profess His name to know them. As we learn more, we do better. Servants of Christ put into practice all they learn about pleasing their Lord. While He has specific jobs for each of us according to the gifts and opportunities He provides, some requirements are universal for anyone called to be a servant of Christ:
• Continue in faith.
• Destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.
• Take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
• Pursue holy living (1 Peter 1:14–16).
• Daily crucify the lusts of the flesh (Romans 6:1–6).
• Love brothers and sisters in the faith (1 John 3:14–15).
• Store up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20).
• Eagerly await the Master’s return (Revelation 22:20; 2 Timothy 4:8).
Servants of Christ consider their lives on earth as a brief time of preparation for eternity. The hardships and struggles we must face while in the flesh will be far outmatched by the glory and reward awaiting us (2 Corinthians 4:17).
For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
Just as a servant who loves his master lives for the master’s approval, so servants of Christ live for the moment He will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master! ? (Matthew 25:21, 23)
A servant's priorities
Putting God first: Prioritizing God and his kingdom, and connecting with him daily
through prayer
Being humble: Being devoted, helpful, and humble before God
Serving with love: Serving God and people with love, dedication, devotion, and
passion
Being ready to act: Being ready to act when God inspires or nudges you
Helping others: Helping to meet the needs of other people, and remembering that
it's not about money or rewards supporting the gospel: Supporting the gospel ministry without being asked
Carrying each other's burdens: Carrying out humble tasks like holding each other
accountable, carrying each other's burdens, and praying for one another
Being committed: Being firmly loyal and unshakeable, and always increasing in
service for the sake of the Lord
Conclusion: Pastor Chuck Swindoll - Doing vs. Being
What we want to do is not nearly as important as what we want to be. And the longer I live the more significant that becomes. It's possible to do lots of things yet be zilch as a person.
Doing is usually connected with a vocation or career, how we make a living. Being is much deeper. It relates to character, who we are, and how we make a life. Doing is tied in closely with activity, accomplishments, and tangible things—like salary, prestige, involvements, roles, and trophies. Being, on the other hand, has more to do with intangibles, the kind of people we become down inside, much of which can't be measured by objective yardsticks and impressive awards. But of the two, being will ultimately outdistance doing every time. It may take half a lifetime to perfect . . . but hands down, it's far more valuable. And lasting. And inspiring.
Remember those familiar words from Colossians 3?
Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:23
23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
It's almost as if the Lord is saying, "Makes no difference what it is, whatever you do . . . " But then He immediately addresses things that have to do with being. Like being thankful, being considerate, being obedient, being sincere, being diligent. Same pattern—God emphasizes being more than doing.
So then, are you giving thought these days to things that count? I hope so. Goal-setting and achieving are important, especially if we are in need of being motivated. Moving in the right direction is a great way to break the mold of mediocrity. It's helpful to ask, "What do I want to do?"
But while you're at it, take a deeper look inside. Ask yourself the harder question, "What do I want to be?" Then listen to your heart . . . your inner spirit. True treasures will emerge. Pick one or two to start with. Don't tell anybody, just concentrate some time and attention on that particular target. Watch God work. It will amaze you how He arranges circumstances so that the very target you and He decided on will begin to take shape within you. Sometimes it will be painful; other times, sheer joy. It won't happen overnight, but that's a major difference between doing and being. One may take only twenty years; the other, the better part of your lifetime.
One can be recorded in a yearbook and is easily forgotten; but the other requires a life book, which is on display forever.
What we want to do is not nearly as important as what we want to be.
Choose to be a servant of God today.
Amen.