HOST: Ron House
SPONSOR: Start2Finish
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Notoriety. Honor. Authority. They are some of the most sought-after achievements in our world today. We will work and sacrifice, and some will even lie and cheat to have them. But notoriety, honor, and authority are not new ambitions. They have always existed. Even with all of the influence and tutelage that Jesus offered, the apostles still struggled with these worldly pursuits. Even among the closest of Jesus’ followers, James and John (and their mother) wanted to be the greatest. They had not yet learned the vital lesson of servanthood. They did not yet understand what it truly meant to be followers of Christ. In our dog-eat-dog world of corporate ladders and “might makes right” thinking, the value of being a servant is almost non-existent. There is no glory in helping others, no honor in putting others first. But it is still true that God desires for His people to be servants. To be humble and compassionate in our lives is a Christ-like trait that we must aspire to have. Why? Because in the eyes of God, the first truly shall be last and the last first.
What does it mean to be a servant in today’s world?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
