Greatness: The Pathway To Greatness Series

I’ve got to go to ICA each time they renew their Long Term Visit Pass (study mom pass), being their sponsor. At times, the wait can be as long as two hours.

• Am I frustrated? Yes, of course, sometimes, especially when my schedule is tight and feels that a pastor should not be doing this. Yeap, Jesus shouldn’t be washing His disciples’ feet too!

• But there is no neat answer, sometimes you just need to do what you need to do.

• If you are calculative, you’ll never serve. If you want to know your ROI before you do something, you will end up not serving anyone. To serve is to give.

Jesus says in 20:25-26a “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you.”

• In other words, the concern is not “what I want you to do for me” but “what can I do for you?”

• Jesus Himself set us an example. From the day He was born until the day He died, He has not for one moment lived for Himself.

• We are blessed today because He come serving.

The best way you can bless someone is to serve him. Think about that.

• When we serve someone, God uses us as a channel for His love and grace to flow through.

• When we touch them, God touches them.

If Jesus serves, then we must serve. For are we greater than Jesus? Can we do anything less?

• It is not about aptitude (abilities) but attitude. Phil 2:5 “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…” NIV

• KJV “Let this mind be in you” – it’s a mindset of serving the needs of others.

Can we see that? We don’t always see that.

James and John did not see that.

In both Matthew and Mark accounts, just before they made such a request, Jesus actually spoke about His impending death.

• In fact, this was the THIRD time Jesus mentioned it (cf. Mk 8:31, 9:31, 10:33). And right after he said that, the disciples requested to sit by His throne.

• Matt 20:22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” And their answer was: “Yes, we can.”

Apparently they were so engrossed with their self-serving aspiration that they did not hear what Jesus was saying.

• They did not understand what it means to share in His glory.

• Jesus sees the NEEDS of man (and therefore death coming), while they see THEMSELVES enthroned (and glory before them).

The attitude of Christ is that we “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Phil 2:3-4)

That’s the way we are called to live – just like Christ.

• The way to a great life is to serve. That’s the pathway to greatness. Great people lifts others up.

• That probably explain why the producers of this AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS Series decide to put this as the last chapter.

• At the end of the day, this is what really matters. How many people have you served?

Remember there were TWO basins of water mentioned in the Bible:

• One, Herod used it to wash his hands – “it has nothing to do with me”.