Mark 9:33-37
Jesus Teaching on Greatness
33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?”34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Matthew 20:20-28
Jesus on Serving
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said,“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. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
How do you define greatness?...Jesus overheard His Disciples talking about greatness and comments on the subject...When you read the gospels look for anywhere that Jesus might be teaching about greatness, and one being great...You will not find that in any of His Teachings...He did not seek greatness or teach one to be great, yet He is the Greatest of All Time...Greatness to Him was serving others...
I like sports and when I think of the greatest baseball players, I think of those who have great or high batting averages, have a high number of wins, if they are pitchers...Basically, I look at their statistics, and how they performed...If I think of the greatest football player or basketball player, I do the same thing...I look at their statistics and also look how many championships that they have one, and what they have done in the games they have played...When I look at other professions, like an author...I would look at how many months or years their books were on the bestsellers list, and how many bestsellers they had or have...If I look at great investors, I think of how well they can understand financial statements, and how they put that into use...When I think of the greatest politicians I look to see what they did for their country to best help it...When I look at the greatest inventors, I look at their inventions and the number of inventions...And when it comes to the most scholarly, I would look at the degrees one would hold for their greatness -and then how they applied their knowledge...Is greatness found in the above type of work or found in the type of job you have or hold?...Or is greatness defined by your popularity?...
And when we think of greatness are we biased by our own personal interests?...For instance, after I wrote about sports, I had to stop and think what would the next greatness topic would be (that I would write about)...There are probably great deer hunters and great fisherman, but I have not heard or read about them or know their names -that is not my interest...
God sees greatness different than we do...So, the greatest Person to ever live did not ever throw a baseball, or write a book, or carry a billfold (I do not think He thought much about finance or money)...He did not ever hold a political office...(I wonder if He could defeated a savvy politician in a political contest during His time?)...He really never invented anything, while He was on earth (however, He did create everything)...And for the type of jobs He had, the greatest Person to walk the earth had two jobs that we know of...One was a carpenter...The other job He held was that of a traveling Teacher...All His traveling that we know and read about, I think was done by foot...He walked everywhere He went...And He mostly visited and taught in nearby villages...He did not go to any big cities...So He did not travel far and wide...And He only taught for three years, so He probably was a carpenter longer than He was a traveling Teacher...He didn't even build or buy a home after He started working (even though He was a carpenter)...And He really did not have a family (after He started working) to share in those things that He did in life with a wife and children...And the way this traveling Teacher's career ended was anything but popular...His popularity, all of a sudden, quickly ended...His friends and followers left Him -and He was arrested...I guess the best we are told of His arrest, is that this Man tried to have others believe that He was and is God and told others that God is His Father (I use the word "is" because He still lives)...
Greatness is not defined by what I used to think...Jesus wants us to look at greatness in a different Light, and from His point of view...So, I have learned that greatness is really defined by serving and helping others...And greatness is defined by humility...Greatness is defined in our faith...Greatness is defined by the mercy we have and feel for others...Greatness comes from putting God in the center of one's life...Greatness is defined by doing the will of His Father, and not your own will and wishes...Greatness is teaching others about LOVE and forgiveness and then living it, and by doing it...
Jesus came to earth and became a Teacher and Servant...He humbled Himself on the cross and died for us...In the eyes of God greatness are these things that His Son teaches and taught His Disciples...