I want to be Great!
I started listening to a three part sermon series today by Andy Stanley and Clay Scroggins titled, "I want to be great!" What an awesome message!! Clay Scroggins preached part 1 of this series... and read from Mark 9:33, where the disciples were arguing on the road to Capernaum about who is the greatest. When Jesus questioned them about their dispute, he said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be very last and servant of all." (v. 35) Later, in Chapter 10 two of the disciples asked if they could sit at his right and his left in Jesus' glory. He again said to them, "...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (v. 43-35)
What does it really mean to be great? Does it mean "Oh she's a great pianist!" or "Man, he is a great football player!" Or, "Man, he is a great businessman" or "She is a great doctor!" Being great is not the same as being great at something. The disciples wanted to be great, and Jesus said to them, Hey... If you want to be great, GREAT!! Here's how: Leverage every opportunity to help someone out! Be a servant to those around you. Put their needs first. As Clay said, "Whoever wants to be great must be one who executes the plan of others, not just themselves."
In our society, being great means being famous, being great at something, having money, all the sort, but Jesus teaches us to be quite the opposite! To be great is to execute the plan of others... to say to them, I love you, therefore your needs come before my needs! Putting others above yourself! So often times, we would rather be the one who takes a slingshot to someones forehead (David and Goliath) than a towel to someone's feet! Jesus calls us to stand out!! And he is the ultimate example of greatness! The ultimate example can be found in Christ and Christ alone! As scripture says He "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." He did that for you and for me!!
What would it look like for you to be great? How would it change the dynamics of your life?
(His example is worth following!!!)
What does it really mean to be great? Does it mean "Oh she's a great pianist!" or "Man, he is a great football player!" Or, "Man, he is a great businessman" or "She is a great doctor!" Being great is not the same as being great at something. The disciples wanted to be great, and Jesus said to them, Hey... If you want to be great, GREAT!! Here's how: Leverage every opportunity to help someone out! Be a servant to those around you. Put their needs first. As Clay said, "Whoever wants to be great must be one who executes the plan of others, not just themselves."
In our society, being great means being famous, being great at something, having money, all the sort, but Jesus teaches us to be quite the opposite! To be great is to execute the plan of others... to say to them, I love you, therefore your needs come before my needs! Putting others above yourself! So often times, we would rather be the one who takes a slingshot to someones forehead (David and Goliath) than a towel to someone's feet! Jesus calls us to stand out!! And he is the ultimate example of greatness! The ultimate example can be found in Christ and Christ alone! As scripture says He "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." He did that for you and for me!!
What would it look like for you to be great? How would it change the dynamics of your life?
(His example is worth following!!!)
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