In January 2009 we celebrated a historical day in our country. A nation gathered together to witness the inauguration of the 44th president of these United States, Barack Obama. And whether you voted for him or not, whether you agree with him or not on the issues, we all can applaud the achievement of him being the first African-American president of this great country. There is no doubt that he has realized a level of greatness that shatters the glass for all young African-American boys. A level that proclaims that there is now no more excuses for you to succeed, for you to attain greatness in your life. Just as we have witnessed Barack Obama excel to the highest office in the land, I don’t know of anyone who does not also want to succeed and achieve greatness in their life. Most people have goals that they are reaching for, dreams they are pursuing. Most want significance in life; they want their life to matter. No little boy, if you ask him what you want to be when you grow up, will answer I want to drop out of school, be a drunk, spend 10 years in prison and end up broke for the rest of my life. No little girl, if you ask her, will tell you I want to get pregnant at fourteen, sell my body as a prostitute, go through three divorces and end up a crack addict. No! We have dreams of success. We have desires for greatness. We want to be somebody in this world.
At the age of 12 years I made up my mind what I wanted be when I grew up. I had come to a decision about my life. My desire was to be a corporate lawyer. I wanted to represent major corporations and be a legal advisor for corporate executives. That was my desire. And I don’t know of anyone who wants to purposely fail in life. We all at some point and on some level want greatness for our life. But what does it take to achieve greatness? What is the cost to be great? Let me ask it a different way. What does it take to achieve greatness within the Kingdom of God? What does God require? As we look into the word of God this is the question I want us to answer. So for a few minutes we are going talk about Kingdom Greatness. I want us to leave with an understanding of what greatness is within the kingdom of God. But I also want us to look at why God requires it the way he does. So it is a two-part concept. How is kingdom greatness defined and why does God require it in the manner he does. Mark chapter 10 gives us the answer to both of these questions.
Before we can understand what greatness is within the Kingdom of God we must first recognize what it is not. Greatness in the kingdom of God is not defined by power, position, prominence or prestige. The quantity of your power and authority does not determine the magnitude of your greatness. The number of positions or titles you hold does not amplify your greatness. I don’t care how many degrees are behind your name, it does not make you great. John Maxwell said that it’s not the position that makes a leader but that a great leader is defined outside of a formal position or title. Your level of prominence is not equal to the level of your greatness. It doesn’t matter how many people you know or how many people know you. You can be known for all the wrong reasons. Greatness in the kingdom cannot be defined by your prestige, your success, your fame or ability to influence. These are superficial and shallow measuring sticks the world uses because it does not understand the definition of true greatness. In verse 35 of our chapter in Mark we find Jesus having a discussion with his disciples over this very subject of greatness. He takes the time to teach his disciples about true greatness, what is required of them as his disciples. But before we look at this passage we must go back a few chapters earlier in order to set the stage for this dialogue. Chapters 8, 9, and 10 of Mark form a cohesive unit. Throughout these three chapters Jesus is traveling from place to place with his disciples encountering various groups of people and during this time he uses these encounters to teach his disciples. These are what we call teachable moments that Jesus takes advantage of to share some bits of knowledge with his disciples. Three main themes pop up as Jesus is encountering these groups of people and teaching his disciples. First, Jesus emphasizes this idea of the first becoming last and the last first. Secondly, Jesus begins to highlight aspects of the kingdom of God, especially who is able to enter in. And lastly, Jesus privately shares with his disciples about the things he must suffer and endure. He declares that he will be delivered into the hands of men and be put to death. He predicts his death three times in Mark 8:31; 9:31 and 10:33. So this brings us to our passage. It is the pivotal section of Mark’s gospel and the turning point for Jesus’ ministry. Let’s take a look.
Read Mark 10:35-41
James and John make a request of Jesus and their request to me seems like an interruption to what Jesus has been trying to get them to understand. To sit on his right and on his left suggest they want positions honor and prestige in Jesus’ glory. Nothing was wrong with their desire to want greatness. Jesus never scolded them for that. But the fact is their desire was self-motivated and self-serving. What they really wanted was power and authority for themselves. When the other disciples heard what James and John were asking of Jesus they became indignant. In other words they became angry or even better they were outraged. But they were not livid because James and John were so insensitive to make such a request after Jesus had poured out his heart about his suffering and death. They were angry because James and John beat them to the punch. They wanted to ask Jesus the same thing but they wanted to be first. And so jealousy now has created competition within the ranks of the disciples. Human nature has not changed over the years and the influence of the gospel has not eliminated pride and competition from our midst. We still find people in the church who put meeting their egos before meeting the needs of people. Individuals who are more concerned about what they can get rather than what they can give. We find deacons whose pride causes territorial rifts. Because I’ve been here 30 years this is my position. You find ministry leaders who use their position as a stepping-stone to something bigger and better rather than focusing on serving where they are. We have soloist singing not to minister but to be seen looking for a recording contract. And you don’t have to look far to see preacher who don’t preach to reach people or edify them but who are seeking to be the next big evangelist or have the biggest mega church. They want to become ecclesiastical superstars. In other words they want to be famous. We live in a society in which everyone is trying to make a name for themselves, even God’s people. The word of God acts as a mirror and in it is reflected our own pettiness from the pettiness of the disciples. But the worldly notion of honor, prestige, and prominence are out of place in the church. It is not how you define greatness in the kingdom of God. Your position, power or rank does not determine your greatness.
If greatness in the kingdom of God is not defined power, position, or prominence then what is kingdom greatness. What does God require of us? What is our attitude as we seek to achieve greatness? True desire for greatness within the Kingdom of God requires that you become a slave. Greatness is defined by being a servant to others and a slave of all. Look back at our text in verse 42. Jesus has gathered his disciples together and is teaching them what it means to be great. He is going to contrast two very different approaches to greatness. He is going to distinguish between the actions of the Gentiles and those within the kingdom. He is going to point out the difference in attitude between the world and God’s people. He is going to make a stark contrast between what you should not do versus what you should do.
Read Mark 10:42-44
The first approach is this: the Gentiles seek positions of power and prominence so they can lord it over people and exercise their authority. They desire to be great so they can dominate and rule people. Their idea of greatness is selfish gain. They desire honor and prestige to make themselves look good in the eyes of people. Jesus highlights the fact that the disciples have taken this pagan approach as their model. They have consumed themselves with the world’s definition of greatness. Sadly, many of our churches are filled with Jameses and Johns and other disciples, status-seekers, hungry for honor and prestige who have taken a worldly approach to greatness. We seek to achieve and produce results using the world’s systems and methodologies rather than following the principles outlined in the word of God. We hold people up as models who God never intended for us to imitate simply because they are talented or they have a large bank account. For too long the church has used the world as an example of how it should operate rather than being an example to the world.
But here’s the contrast. Jesus expounds and says it not so among you. It is not this way within the kingdom. What the Gentiles do is not what you do. Your desire to be great will be realized when you become a slave, a servant to others. When you sacrificially surrender your life for the sake of Christ then you will experience true greatness. Kingdom greatness is becoming a slave. A slave is one who has no rights but is bound by the instructions of his master. A slave does not have freedom do to whatever they want to. A slave serves diligently and is rarely seen. They do not seek to boost their ego or chase after selfish ambitions. They are not battling for position within the church but their focus is the cross and their attitude is humility. Don’t look for greatness in your power, position, prestige or prominence. But kingdom greatness is defined by your ability to become a servant, a slave of all.
Why does God require that we become slaves within the kingdom of God? Why should this be our attitude toward greatness? The reason we are required as kingdom citizens to become slaves is that this is the pattern of greatness that Jesus himself had to submit to. It is what Jesus, the greatest in the kingdom, was required to do. Verse 45 makes it very clear for us.
Read Mark 10:45
Jesus’ purpose was not fame, status, or recognition. His mission was the cross and he understood that he would have to endure suffering as his entire body would be bruised and beaten. He would have to endure ridicule and mocking from soldiers and bystanders who wanted a good laugh and the abandonment from his disciples and even his own Father. This is why Jesus gives the response he does to James and John. “I cannot offer you positions of prominence; it is not mine to give. But what I can offer you is to suffer with me, to experience the same agony of being ridiculed and abandoned.” This is the example that Jesus demonstrates for us, a self-sacrificing, self-giving life. And he invites you and me to join him. It is our response to follow the example of Christ and live the life of a slave that seeks to serve rather than be served.
More than 400 years ago some of the first Africans stepped foot on this land we call America. Many of them made the treacherous journey across the Atlantic in what has become known as the Middle Passage. Enduring un-human like conditions on board these ships, the ones that survived were sold into slavery upon arriving, property to be exploited at the hands of the owner. By the 1700’s more than 350,000 African slaves entered the American colonies. Some worked as indentured servants and many more were permanently un-free. Laws were imposed that deprived these slaves of rights and privileges as basic human beings. Life as a slave was not easy. It was not a glorious lifestyle. A slave’s life was filled with hardship, struggle, abuse and exploitation. But in January 1863 the president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln signed what was titled the Emancipation Proclamation. The document declared that all slaves shall henceforth and forever be free. And though it did not offer immediate liberation for all slaves it was a move that radically shifted this country. And with the enactment of the 13th Amendment in 1865 slavery was completely abolished. America has been free of slavery for a long time and I don’t know of anyone who would willingly want to go back to such harsh conditions. But I find it rather ironic that we in this country are free from the conditions of slavery but yet Christ calls us to become a slave, a servant within the Kingdom of God. Greatness in the kingdom of God is not a matter of holding positions of power, gaining prominence or seeking status and fame. But God requires us to become slaves following the example of Christ. Philippians 2:5-8 sums it up poetically as Paul encourages us to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus who emptied himself and took on the form of a bond-servant, humbling himself even to the point of death. True desire for greatness comes when you seek to serve rather than be served. To be great is to be like Christ.
