But Christ has just told us that the seats to His right and left in the coming kingdom are already reserved. Are those seats at the dinner table – like the place given to Mephibosheth in David’s kingdom? Or are they thrones like that which was given to Bathsheba when she visited her son Solomon? Will our “days” be filled with Heavenly responsibilities and duties, ending in each evening with us all seated around our Saviour in some sort of family gathering? Someday we will know, but that day has not yet arrived.
In the meantime, have you ever wondered exactly who will be those two nearest to Christ? I will certainly not be one of them, but what about you? Are they people that we find in the Bible? That may not actually be the case. And what sort of people will they be – what will be their character? What did they do to be worthy of such a reward, or is this position entirely of grace without any of their input? Could it possibly be that those seats of honor will rotate throughout eternity? I just don’t know.
When the ten disciples heard what it was that James and John had requested of the Saviour they were furious. Let’s think about Jesus’ new lesson on greatness which came out of that little conflict. We’ll consider offended greatness; gentile greatness; Christian greatness and Christ’s greatness.
Notice once again the disciples’ offended greatness.
I have to admit that logically, I don’t know why the ten were so upset. Did they actually hear the conversation between Zebedee’s family and the Lord Jesus, or did they just hear about it? It appears that they actually heard it, because I doubt that either the Lord or the two brethren would have repeated it. Assuming that some of the ten heard it, they must have heard the Lord’s comment about the reservations. So if James and John aren’t going to be rewarded with those seats, why were the rest angry? If James and John aren’t going to be seated the right and left of Christ, then there was still room for them. Nevertheless, they were angry. But they weren’t just perturbed or upset; they were filled with indignation – they were incensed, furious.
Other than the realization that all human beings are sinners filled with potential evil emotions, I don’t have an explanation for their behavior. Obviously, they all wanted those privileged seats next to Christ. And maybe some of the disciples even considered themselves worthy of those seats. Earlier they had been caught debating the question of personal greatness. They all believed themselves to hold to some degree of worth and greatness. Jesus said that John James weren’t going to occupy those two special seats, so who is to say that Peter and Andrew weren’t going to sit in them.
Again, what is the problem? Why are they angry? Maybe they considered it a low blow to get Salome involved. “That was a dirty trick; why didn’t I think of it first?” Could it be nothing more than the fact that the others didn’t think to ask? Could it be that they were angry at themselves, as much as they were the two sons of Zebedee? Is it reasonable to assume that most, if not all of the disciples, considered themselves to be among the great. And now in their greatness they were offended.
What about the Gentile version of greatness?
“Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.” What constitutes a “great” man in our society? This morning I defined a couple of the words that Jesus used. To “exercise dominion” is from the Greek word “kurios” – which speaks of a lord – as in THE Lord. And “authority” is “exousia.” The Gentile version of greatness includes political power, and in the days of Christ, the Gentile Romans exercised extreme political clout. They lorded over their subjects And of course those disciples knew all about that.
Is that the only kind of greatness in Gentile society – modern Gentile society? It appears that greatness can take several forms beyond the obvious political power. There is the power that a judge might wield, and to a lesser degree there is the policeman. But Americans are such idolaters today, that greatness is imputed to people in all kinds of situations – popularity is a kind of greatness; physical strength is considered greatness There is a bulletin board at the gym that I use, and a few months ago the management cleared it off and invited members to post the reasons that they exercise. There must be about 50 posts now, and the vast majority speak about strength, physical beauty, and winning at this or that – beating somebody else. Are these things the measurements of American greatness?
I heard a sportscaster say that this past week has been the darkest week in the history of professional football. First there was one star player – one of the notables – the famous – one of the “greats.” This man was accused of punching his fiancé a few months ago. The rumors died away until the video of an elevator surveillance camera was released showing this man knocking out his fiancé with a single punch to the face. That man has been kicked out of football. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. What constitutes greatness? Physical strength?
The second black mark on the National Football League may fall on the commissioner. The supreme director of the NFL is a very powerful man. He has the ability to determine the occupational fate of all the football players in the league. It is reported that his salary last year was $44 million. And now it appears that this “great” man may have known about the beating I just referred to, but covered it up. What constitutes greatness? The ability to enhance or derail the success of others?
The third rock to fall on the heads of the NFL arrived a couple days after those events. Another of the very best players in the league has been accused of child abuse. He is charged with whipping his 4-year-old son with a tree branch slicing the boy open as if it had been with a knife. Two separate doctors have called it “child abuse” – which may or may not be true – that is yet to be determined. But that football player was immediately made ineligible to play. Here are three people who are considered to be among the greats in sports, but who may or may not be good in general life.
In 1930 what did people call what we now know as the First World War? They didn’t call it “World War One,” because they hadn’t yet experienced World War Two. Many just called it “the War,” but gradually it became known as “the Great War.” What constitutes greatness in our wicked society? Can I say that generally-speaking, Gentile “greatness” somehow involves sin? Christ says, “But it shall not be so among you.”
This brings us to Christian greatness.
“But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” Christian greatness has nothing to do with Samson-like strength. And it doesn’t involve Moses-like, or Solomon-like, authority. A certain kind of fame may come from Christian greatness, but it’s not fame which makes a Christian great. And it’s not the result of extraordinary accomplishments.
Our Lord used two words to describe the road toward pre-eminence in Heaven – “ministry” and “service.” The word “minister” is “diakonos” (dee-ak’-on-os) from which the English word “deacon” is derived. In some Baptist churches, the deacon board rules the church, including the pastor, the Lord’s under-shepherd. That is contrary to the Word of God. Because the deacon isn’t to rule or manage; he is to serve. The word is accurately translated in this passage – a deacon is a servant. I snickered when I saw that Robertson in his “Word Pictures” thinks that the Greek word originally referred to someone who raises dust in his haste to serve. The chief seats in Heaven may belong to deacons – not to the office of deacon but to the attitude. And that could include ladies as well as men.
The other word which Jesus uses to qualify Christian greatness is “servant.” “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.”’ This word “servant” is very common throughout the New Testament. Very often it refers to “a slave” – it is the word used to describe Onesimus, the servant of Philemon. And it is sometimes translated “bond” or “bondsman.” I don’t believe that the Lord wants His people to be enslaved – but He wants us to have servant’s hearts. As Paul says in II Corinthians 4 – “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants of Jesus’ sake.”
What sort of servant are you? Yesterday was a day of service for the Lord, and we got a lot accomplished. Some of you got more difficult things accomplished, because you have more skill than the rest. And some of you have more strength and stamina than others, so you got more things done. But I’m not sure that the Lord uses those criteria for measuring our service. As I’ve already mentioned, the Lord is more interested in the heart of the servant rather than the extent or perhaps even the value of our service. Perhaps another real part of the equation would include the faithfulness and constancy of our service. And with these as our standards, will any of us be considered great in the Kingdom of Heaven – will any of us sit in the chief seats?
Now, let me try to thoroughly confuse you. The Lord exhorts us to serve Him by serving one another – “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.”’ And while we are serving one another, we may in fact be serving the Lord. We should probably always think of ourselves as the servants of Christ. But that may not be the term which He uses of us. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” It might be a little bold on my part to call myself “a friend of Christ,” but if the Lord wants to do that I will humbly accept that title.
And then beyond that, in John 12 Christ Jesus made the statement, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” Isn’t it wonderful to know that no matter if we are the Lord’s chamber maids, footmen, scullery maids or full-fledged butlers, the Lord intends to honor us all, calling us “friends.” Each and every servant will be rewarded by the righteous Judge. But obviously some will deserve more than you and me.
The last point of greatness in this scripture is that of Christ.
I could summarize the message from this morning, but I won’t do that. Suffice it to say that the highest of all examples of service and greatness is that of our Saviour. “Greater love hath no man than Christ; that a man lay down his life for his friends.” No greater sacrifice has ever been made than that of our Saviour. No greater victory has ever been won than that which was won at Calvary. To talk about our service in the same breath as talk about Christ, is almost blasphemous.
“Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”