Scripture

“Whoever wants to be a leader among you must first be your servant.”

Observation.

Jesus and his disciples are on their way to Jerusalem. The disciples are filled with awe, but the people following are filled with fear

Jesus tells the disciples that he is about to be handed over to the Romans, who will mock him flog him and kill him, but after three days, he will rise again.

James and John come to Jesus to ask if they can have the places of honour next to Jesus when he comes into his kingdom. He tells them they don’t know what they are asking. To receive the place of honour, they must first share in his suffering.

The other disciples are indignant about what James and John have asked. Jesus calls them together and tells them that leadership in the kingdom is about serving others and not about loading it over them.

Application

Over the last decade or so, it seems that people have become aware of a self-appointed class that seeks to elevate themselves above ordinary people, imposing rules and values that are foreign.

They like their positions of importance, their titles, and the influence they have. They scorn those who disagree with them as deplorables and low information voters.

This is not the style of leadership which Jesus anoints. Our leadership comes firstly through servanthood.

In the Paradoxical Kingdom of God, we rise by lowering ourselves, we are honoured through serving.

The people of honour in God’s kingdom, are those who listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and busy themselves obeying him, The person who cleans the church building, or feeds the homeless or prays with the hurting, is at least as significant, if not more so, than the greatest celebrity preacher.

Listen

Lord, is there more you want to say to me about this passage?

Keith. it all comes down to attitudes .Proud people, entitled people, these people can never be useful in the Kingdom. Many of them cannot even be saved because they will not humble themselves to repent.

Many who are now considered great in the world and in the church have not learnt to serve, and so they cannot hold places of importance.