Introduction-
I. We all want to be great!
1. We want to hear, "Well done...son...daughter."
2. We want to find the career where we will be at our best
3. We want to be excelling at a high potential—be it business, social, family, and spiritual
II. As we've been reading in Mark, our Lord achieved lasting impact—greatness far beyond any measurement of greatness
1. Paying the greatest price—a level of sacrifice no one could
2. Redeeming us out of spiritual death
3. Great enough to call His followers to give up everything
III. Jesus shows us the only greatness worth our greatest aim is Greatness through Service
Text: Mark 10:35-45
I. Greatness of the world
A. These guys (aka "Sons of Thunder") desired the seats of honor so much that they had the gall to approach Jesus with their request!
i. Their thinking was most definitely worldly not spiritual
ii. It took the all the disciples until after the resurrection and the Holy Spirit's light before they connected the dots with the spiritual kingdom of Christ
iii. They desired "greatness of the world"
B. They wanted to be great before putting in the level of sacrifice necessary
i. Jesus confirmed that they would eventually get there and be great (sum James and John's life)
ii. Can't we be like that too—wanting honor before doing anything?
iii. There are so many works of service in Christ that we have no clue about because we're so consumed by our self being great!
C. Vs.42 Isn't that how we see greatness in our world today?
i. "Lording over" -- "I'm the boss" mentality
ii. We might not be in touch with it, but we all want respect—it can be something we crave more than physical food
iii. I think in some ways it is a basic human need
iv. Philippians 2:5ff puts us to shame—greatly reveals my pride and how much I am more like Satan than God
v. I need to become nothing <transition with first point of next point>
II. Greatness with God
A. There is greatness in the world—follow those principles and you will achieve some level of worldly greatness.
B. What does God honor as being great?
i. God does not merit greatness like the world does!
ii. Not to say the world's idea is totally void of godly greatness (examples of Mother Theresa of Calcutta, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King JR, etc.)
iii. Jesus isn't giving us principles of successful living—not pragmatism or humanism—all about advancing His Kingdom.
C. When Jesus used the term "servant," it was a synonym with greatness. And it was a revolutionary idea at the time.
III. Greatness of Jesus
A. His example is the thrust of this passage: 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
B. How can we be served by His blood, cleansed by His sacrifice, served by the power of His mighty strength—then not give Him our everything?
i. My example of being lazy and selfish growing up with my mom doing so much for me
a) She is still an amazing servant, where I can go over to her place and take it easy
b) I'm convinced maturing is starting to serve her
· It is how I appreciate all the ways she has served me
c) Whereas I fail to appreciate her when I just sit back and selfishly let her serve me
ii. We can be like that with Jesus
C. Truth is that we can't out serve Jesus
i. But if I don't grow in my service than I'll fail to appreciate what He has done and does for me
ii. We never want to take Him for granted
IV. Great Summer
i. Let's make this a great Summer by serving one another more
ii. The activity we're going to do is a way to get the ball rolling in those efforts
a) Write down three things you would like to see us do together this Summer.
b) Also write down three disciples in our ministry (not Cahills' or Heins') who you think could "serve" as a club officers.
c) Lastly, put a star by the activity in which you would like to serve.
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