Who would you consider to be
the greatest person you know? If you had asked Muhammad Ali, he would have told
he was (“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”) Not
surprisingly, if you had asked Jesus, you would have gotten a completely
different answer.
Matthew 23:11
“The greatest among you will be called your servant”
Things to think about:
· The context
for this was the Pharisees trying to show off their importance
o
Best seats at the banquet table
o
Overt symbols of their prestige
o
Great titles of respect (rabbi, teacher, father)
· When do we
unwittingly act like the Pharisees?
o
Front-row seats to important events
o
Prestige symbols like houses, cars, whatever hobby we’re into
o
Striving for important sounding job titles
· Why is the tendency
of man to seek the approval and admiration of others?
o
How do people use social media in this way?
o
Do you know the term “humblebrag”?
§ “I am truly
humbled and honored to have been named the most amazing, successful, handsome
person the universe has ever known”
· Jesus said in
Matthew 23: “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who
humble themselves will be exalted.”
o
What reasons come into your mind as to why God has deemed this to
be His way?
o
When we seek or claim the honor for ourselves, where does that
leave others? Where does that leave God?
· Jesus tells
us that the greatest among you will be your servant
o
Philippians
2:3-11 says in part, “In your relationships with one
another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in
very nature God, did not consider
equality with God something to be used to his own advantage, rather, he made himself
nothing by taking the very nature of a
servant, being made in human likeness.
o
Why can it be so hard to make ourselves nothing?
o
How does seeing Jesus live this out inspire us to follow His
example?
· God exalted
Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name
o
what rewards accrue to us when we humble ourselves?
o
a quick tour of Proverbs offers some glimpses, which of these
sound like something you want?
§ Proverbs 3:34
– He gives favor to the humble
§ Proverbs 22:4
– the reward of humility is…riches and honor and life.
§ Proverbs 11:2
- …but with humility is wisdom
§ BONUS verse:
Matthew 18:4 - Therefore,
whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven.
· What are
practical ways you can think of to take on the very nature of a servant?
o
with your wife
o
kids
o
co-workers
o
neighbors
o
church
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the “random” people God puts in your way everyday