Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Your Secret to Greatness

Did you read chapter 3 yet?

Ever noticed how upset people get when someone cuts in line? In elementary school, it was a great offense! Watch a driver’s reaction when someone cuts them off in traffic, and you’ll realize things haven’t changed much since school. We don’t like people getting ahead of us.

Jesus knew this. He talked to His disciples about it in his last few days before His crucifixion.

In Mark 8, Jesus predicts His death for the first time. Then He calls His disciples to His side and says: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it” (vs. 34-35, NLT).

Soon after, on the road to Capernaum, Jesus told them again of his coming death, but they didn’t understand. They began talking among themselves as they followed behind Jesus. They were arguing about which of them would be at the front of the line in God’s kingdom.

Once they arrived, Jesus asked them, “"What were you arguing about on the road?" But they kept quiet because they had argued about who was the greatest. Then Jesus sat down and called the Twelve to Him and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all" (Mark 9:33-35, NLT).

After leaving Capernaum, the group met a wealthy young man of status on the road - the one we read about in chapter 2. He asked Jesus what he could do to gain eternal life. After a short discussion, Jesus told him to sell his possessions and follow Him. However, the man did not wish to give up his elite life of comfort and power … even if it would lead to eternal life. And he walked away, depressed.

The disciples, while not nearly as wealthy to start with, had done what Jesus told this rich man to do. They had left everything to follow Christ. And Peter mentioned this to Jesus - we saw this in the last chapter, remember? So Jesus' reply will sound familiar - but read it thru though b/c I'm quoting here from Luke rather than Matthew and there's some extra parts I want you to see.

Jesus replied: “And I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then (Mark 10:29-31).

Soon after, on the road to Jerusalem, Jesus predicted His death a third time. Then James and John told Jesus, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” My how we jockey for position. Jesus told them they didn’t understand what they were asking for and He added, “I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen” (Mark 10:40).

Wasn't that parable about the wedding feast seating powerful in chapter 3?




“When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many’” (Mark 10:41-45, NLT).

Jesus was teaching them the essence of true greatness – serving others with a humble, God-centered heart. He was letting them – and us – know that greatness in His kingdom is not determined by status but by service. Let's marinate on that divine truth today.

Meanwhile, tell me, if you could have dinner with anyone famous dead or alive (except Jesus!), who would it be and why? You already know who I'd have meatloaf with.

11 comments:

  1. I might want to have dinner with Mary. Jesus's mom. I'd want to hear the stories from her viewpoint.

    Loved chapter 3.

    Kimber

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  2. I would love to have dinner with Ruth and Billy in their home at Little Piney Cove and then have coffee/tea with Ruth rocking in the chairs on the porch at dusk.
    I grew up with BGEA on TV and at a conference I told Anne that her mother reminded me so much of my mother. I loved Patricia Cornwell's biography and discovered and admired Ruth's wisdom, wit, parenting antics, and most of all her faith. My dream is to one day visit The Cove and BGEA museum.
    Jane

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  3. I have to fully read chapter three again, but theres two Mary, and Deborah. Deborah because I'd l;ike to see what qualities she had that became the reason my dad named me after her. He must have seen something in me to have given me a name from the greatest book ever.

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  4. I would love to have dinner with Amy Grant. Her music has been a huge part of the Christmas traditions at my house for years. I would love for her to read my blog "Ah Moments" so she could see how much a part of my family she has become. I would also like to hear her story in her own words and tell her about the young lady who plays in Michael W. Smith's "How To Say Goodbye" video, since I have been told she wrote the lyrics. Maybe one day..........

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  5. I would love to have dinner with Amy Grant. Her music has been a huge part of the Christmas traditions at my house for years. I would love for her to read my blog "Ah Moments" so she could see how much a part of my family she has become. I would also like to hear her story in her own words and tell her about the young lady who plays in Michael W. Smith's "How To Say Goodbye" video, since I have been told she wrote the lyrics. Maybe one day..........

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  6. sreneetucker@yahoo.comApril 06, 2011

    Rachel, I feel so blessed at this moment from you writing and teaching that I'd love to have dinner with you :)

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  7. I'm honored,sreneetucker!

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  8. There are many that I would like to have dinner with but the 2 that come to mind right away are Mary and Martha. They hung out with Jesus a lot and Mary sat at His feet so I'm sure they would have a lot to talk about.

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  9. I would love to dine with Mary. As a mother I want to know first hand about her love and raising of Jesus. The opportunity she was given to carry Jesus. The pain she must have felt when Jesus was rejected his brutal beating. The moment she saw him after his brutal death. I want to know what she felt on her entire journey raising our Savior.

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  10. Hi Rachel,

    For some reason Chapter 4 is speaking to me louder than Chapter 3. I'm sure it's probably because I have so much to work on in regards to Chapter 3 that I'm spiritually deaf to the message! Oh well, the Spirit will eventually thwack me over the head with it if that's the case. I was inspired to write a devotion after reading the first part of chapter 4, however. Thank you for your wisdom and discernment! They get my "ah hah" machine firing out all sorts of messages :-)

    I agree with your wish to have dinner with C.S. Lewis. There have been times when I've pined to have a spiritual mentor like him. His wisdom speaks right to my heart every time! I think that's why I'd probably choose Solomon from the bible to chew the fat with. Wisdom and discernment is very precious to me.

    Thank you again for sharing yours with all of us!

    Leah

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  11. It's not really a Sunday School answer, but I would love to have dinner with George and Laura Bush at their ranch in Crawford, Tx.

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