January 30

Matthew 20 

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ving in Obscurity

This Sunday over 100 million people will watch the greatest sporting event in North America. The greatest teams, with the greatest players, will compete in the greatest venture, to determine the greatest team.

Which leads us to the question, "What is greatness?"  The world's definition of greatness is defeating, overcoming, and rising above all opponents. Greatness is rising to the top and winning the competition.

But Jesus completely reversed this equation by stating that greatness is not ruling others, but serving them. This concept is so radically different from the world's that even the disciples had a difficult time grasping it.

In Matthew 20 we encounter a "tiger mom," one of those moms whose chariot had a bumper sticker on it about her sons being on the honor roll. Now she is lobbying Jesus for her sons to have the "greatest seats" in his kingdom.  This mom definitely defined greatness as position, power and prestige. But Jesus completely turns things around by saying, "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." That put a quick end to the discussion. You see, the goal of greatness is not trying to be first, but deliberately trying to be last. Greatness is not thinking of yourself; it is thinking of others first. Failure to comprehend this new perspective of greatness leads people to waste their entire lives pursuing the wrong goal. Our goal is to serve in obscurity, which is, "the state of being unknown, inconspicuous, or unimportant."

We worship a king who modeled this and taught this. We must do the same. He gave up his power and served. In our passage today, there was nothing which said we have to feel like serving. It isn't a response to a feeling. It is a decision of the will. We decide and choose to serve; we serve in spite of our feelings. The key is attitude. Don't serve out of duty, but out of joy. This service isn't announced. Don't look for crowds. Do just the opposite; look for the single individual. Look for the hurting, the lost, the loner, and the needy and serve them.

We owe Jesus Christ everything for all that He has done for us. Now the recipients of our debt to Jesus become our families, our neighbors, the stranger, the alien, the EGRs (extra grace required people) who are all appointed to receive what we owe the Master. Serving them is the pathway to greatness

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"Multiplying leaders to change the world"