Who’s the greatest? That may sound like a pompous question from a famous boxer. But that’s what the disciples of Jesus Christ wanted to know. Which of them would hold the highest position?
On one occasion[i] James and John (nicknamed “the sons of thunder”[ii]), asked Jesus for the greatest seats in the coming kingdom. The two brothers wanted to sit on the right and left of Christ when He ascended to His throne.
As it turns out, the other disciples were really upset – because they all wanted the same thing! They were indignant that such selfish people would try to take the positions they wanted for themselves.
The desire for greatness is alive and well today. Pompous, posturing politicians are nothing new. But the disciples’ request is all the more remarkable because of the words that Jesus had just spoken:
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again. ” (Mark 10:33-34)
But as Jesus told them about His coming grief, His disciples wanted to know about their coming greatness.
As it turns out, the other disciples were really upset – because they all wanted the same thing!
Jesus would go to Jerusalem and right into the cruel hands of the three greatest classes in Jewish society. They would mock Him, whip Him, spit upon Him and kill Him; but His followers just wanted to know, “Can we be the greatest?” They ignored His prophecy about His torture, death, and resurrection after three days – the ground of the Gospel.[iii]
To confront their selfishness, “ … Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 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 10:42-45)
This is greatness in God’s eyes!
In God’s kingdom, leaders serve and servants lead. And Chief among us is our King who came not to be served, but to serve. So here is a basic question that each of us needs to ask: “Am I here to serve or be served?”
This is a question that every man should ask when he goes home for the day. If we are to be like Christ, every one of us needs to ask this when we enter our workplace tomorrow morning.
It must be the heartbeat of everyone who would labor in God’s great harvest field. “Am I here to serve or be served?” If you are to be a great leader in God’s eyes, you must lead by example: you must be what you want others to become.
[i] Mark 10:35-37
[ii] Mark 3:17
[iii] As Paul would later explain the Gospel by which we are saved and wherein we stand: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Gordon Dickson blogs at www.liveservelead.com
Live, Serve, Lead: Help Others Succeed
© Gordon Dickson
Author of
“12 Ways You Can Make a Difference in This Crazy, Mixed-up World”