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The age in which we live often prompts us to ask the question, “What’s in it for me?” We can, at times, find ourselves preoccupied with making sure that we are receiving our just rewards for our effort. We can even do so as it relates to our relationship with God. We can become preoccupied with the benefits of our salvation and disregard why He has saved us – His mission, His purpose and His glory. We can become preoccupied with the blessings we expect from Him and lose sight of the honor and worship that is due Him through our lives.
Sadly, we’re not the first ones to get our view of what it means to follow Jesus upside down. For example, Jesus had just washed His disciples’ feet. He had just declared that one of them was going to betray Him. And yet, the Gospel according to Luke tells us, all the disciples could seemingly think about was their position in the Kingdom.(1) This wasn’t the first time. It had occurred several times before.(2) Even the mother of James and John had asked the question to Jesus.(3) But no matter how many times Jesus answered them, they kept coming back to the same question.
Now bear in mind, they had all given up their homes and their careers to follow Jesus. By this time they truly believed Jesus was the Messiah, and that He would come into His Kingdom. And they wanted to know – “what’s in it for me?” After all, they thought, “we have served faithfully. Aren’t we assured positions of honor in the Kingdom?”
Perhaps the topic arose as they were discussing which disciple was going to betray Jesus. Or perhaps it arose as they discussed the seating arrangements around the table. Jesus had just given Judas the piece of bread dipped in sauce that was befitting the guest of honor. Then Jesus had apparently sent him off on an important mission. Perhaps Judas would have the greatest position in the Kingdom. Alas, whatever prompted the discussion, it ensued.
There actually is an appropriate context for this discussion as Jesus would bring them back to toward the end of this particular passage. But the way the discussion started was just flat out soulish! It was framed in the way the world would look at position, instead of a Kingdom point of view. Jesus again brought them back to the reality that in the Kingdom, “those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.” Notice that He said, “like a servant”. That indicates that we are not just to serve, but we are to serve in the posture of humility of a servant and with the selflessness of a servant. Instead of the greatest being “the big man” sitting in the seat of honor, it is the servant humbly serving all those in the room. Jesus was again totally redefining “greatness”. He wasn’t telling them not to be great – or – that they wouldn’t have positions of greatness in the Kingdom, He was redefining what that meant!
In the day of the apostles, as well as in our day (because it has not changed), greatness is defined by position, power, influence, wealth and recognition. It is an elevation of self. It is an “all about me” focus and goal. It’s the game of Monopoly – whoever has the most wealth at the end of the game wins. But Jesus was telling them that self, or selfish ambition, is the enemy of servanthood. It is the exact opposite of greatness in the Kingdom.
Jesus said, “I am among you as one who serves.”(4) He is our model. He – who deserved the greatest that the world possibly could have offered – served. He – who was worthy of all accolades and honor – was a servant of all. He – who was worthy of all comfort and adoration – endured trials and aspersions for the sake of the gospel, and served. He who endured loneliness and being misunderstood – all for the sake of the gospel – served. He – who gave even His own life for us and for the sake of the gospel – served. He who is the greatest in the Kingdom is the Servant of all, and he or she who would be honored in the Kingdom must likewise be a servant of all.
It’s interesting that Jesus did not rebuke them regarding the question of position in the Kingdom, He only rebuked them for their worldly perspective. In spite of their weaknesses and failures, Jesus extended grace and affirmed them for having stayed with Him until the end (though they didn’t realize the “end” had come). Jesus knew that He was entrusting these remaining eleven disciples with the “keys of the Kingdom”. He was entrusting them with His mandate and commission to make disciples of all peoples. They were to be bridges through whom His Holy Spirit would work to draw all peoples unto Himself.
They had a significant role in the Kingdom. And just as the master had entrusted his servants with talents to invest for the sake of the master’s business, Jesus was entrusting these men with “talents” to be invested for the sake of the Kingdom. He assured them – that just like the returning master had said to his faithful servants – if they were faithful with what He entrusted to them, they would receive positions of honor in the Kingdom. As a matter of fact, He told the apostles that they would “eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”(5)
If we are His followers, we, too, have been entrusted with the “keys of the Kingdom”. We, too, have been commissioned to make disciples of all peoples. We are to be His ambassadors of reconciliation(6) – the bridges – through whom His Holy Spirit works, as He draws all peoples unto Himself. And when Jesus returns there will be an accounting we will need to make to Him, of what we have done with that which He has entrusted us.
Let me hasten to add at this point, lest there be any confusion, we are not earning our “place” in heaven. Our place in heaven has been extended to us through the grace of God, sealed by the shed blood of the Son of God, and has been received by faith through the forgiveness of God. There is nothing we can do to merit or earn our place in heaven, We do however “earn” our position in heaven. We will be rewarded for faithful stewardship of the time, talent and treasures with which God has entrusted us for His Kingdom purpose. Our motivation is not the “position” we will receive. Our motivation is out of love for our Master, and a God-given desire to honor Him and obey Him. It is our expression of worship unto Him. And yes, just like the master in the parable, He will reward His faithful servants.
So the question before us today is not who will be the greatest in the Kingdom? The question for us in this hour must be, how can i be the greatest He has called me to be for His Kingdom. Oswald Chambers said it well – how can i be “My Utmost For His Highest”? And that will only occur if we follow Him as faithful servants of the Servant.
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Portions of this post have been taken from my book Taking Up The Cross, chapter 33.
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(1) Luke 22:24-30 (NLT)
Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves. You have stayed with Me in My time of trial. And just as My Father has granted Me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
(2) Mark 9:33-37 and Luke 9:46-48
(3) Matthew 20:20-28
(4) Luke 22:27 (NLT)
(5) Luke 22:30(NLT)
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