Moving toward Greatness
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Key Verse: “So shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.” Selected Scripture: |
PRIOR TO OUR LESSON, as recorded in Mark 10:17-22, a rich young man ran to Jesus and addressed him, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” Jesus agreed with the man that he knew the commandments, to which the man responded, “Master, all these have I observed from my youth.” Jesus then said, first he must divest himself of his property, for a disciple cannot be a rich person but he must sell what he has, give to the poor and take up his cross and follow Jesus. Despite the rich man’s devotion to the Word of God, he could not bring himself to accept the call, “for he had great possessions.”
Many people naturally assume the wealthy were the recipients of God’s blessings and closer to God than other people, but Jesus said, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” (vs. 23) His disciples were astonished at his words.
Peter said, “Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.”—(vss. 28-31)
On the way going up to Jerusalem, he again began to tell the twelve what things should happen to him. Once more he predicts his betrayal, death, and resurrection. There is no hint that the disciples understood what Jesus was sharing with them.
“James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of: and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.”—Mark 10:35-40
Upon learning of all this, the other ten apostles became upset with James and John. Jesus said their great ones exercise authority over the Gentiles, “But so shall it not be among you.” (vs. 43) He said, “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (vs. 45) In Jesus and his followers, the measure of true greatness is found in their ministry to others.