How To Be Great!

BE GREAT TODAY!

When Jesus instructed His followers, He said in Matthew 23:11-12,

“But the greatest among you shall be your servant,  and whoever  exalts himself shall be humbled;  and whoever  humbles himself  shall be exalted.”

 SO, YOU WANT TO BE “GREAT,” THEN?

“He’s a great athlete… She’s a great singer … He’s a great student … She’s a great organizer … He’s a great  business man … She is a great lawyer… He is a great sales man… they have done great for themselves financially…. they live in a great house…  ” On and on the list goes. We tend to look at people and grade them by categories and hero  admiration, praise, even envious of them as successful and “great” people!

 We all have “ambitions” that may vary as life goes on. A young child playing wants to be a fireman,athlete, live in the biggest house, when they grow up. A little girl wants to  be a nurse, a ballerina, a pop singer, president. Life goes on and they may change what they want out of life. Perhaps as parents we want our kids to be healthy, happy and a good job, to be “secure,” so we push, prod to that end.

PARENTING AND MISSING THE POINT

Even when you listen to Christian parents often they will refer to how “great” their kids are doing in school, athletics, or in a job… they have been sucked up into “valuing” what the world system values as SUPREME and TRUE “GREATNESS!” We seldom ask or volunteer how are the children, adult children  doing with the LORD. Do they know Him? Are they seeking to advance His Gospel in the circumstances they find themselves in {Philippians 1:12}. Are they growing in humility and preferring others for Jesus sake? Are they “great servants of Jesus?” Are they being to others what He calls them to be? How can I pray for them? We are more concerned in what they “do” rather in “who the are,” namely- servants of Christ! Christ’s character being formed in them is secondary to comfort very often if we are honest.

DAVID’S OBITUARY- AND YOURS

There is nothing wrong with the above list of “achievements,” in and of themselves and if they are used as a means to love God and reach out to tell others of Him. But what is wrong  is if that is the goal, if that is what you are living for as the end of your life!  My goodness, what a waste of a life- to say at the end, at their funeral service they were a “great_________,” and it not be a GREAT LOVER  and SERVANT of the Lord Jesus Christ and others for His sake. Were they a GREAT servant?  Did they like David whom it is said “Now when David had SERVED GOD’S PURPOSE IN HIS GENERATION, fell asleep”{Acts 13:36}- David was not a perfect man, he was a flawed man in many ways like the rest of us, but he is called,” A Man after God’s own heart.” He had sinned, repented and he made choices to live to serve his LORD. And the obituary as it was is ‘He served the purpose of God in his generation and fell asleep.” Wow! What about that! Imagine God being the one writing your obituary and engraving that on your tombstone! This is TRUE GREATNESS- serving God’s purpose in your generation! No, you are not nor will you ever be “perfect” in this life, but you are a person who has fixed your purpose and intent to serve God in this generation, by choosing one decision at a time to serve others for Jesus sake in whatever circumstances you find yourself in. You know your station in life presently is to be His ambassador, His servant, seeking to serve His purpose and as you do so- it is you- yes you, who are truly GREAT among us. A mom, dad, student, factory worker, ball player, engineer, sanitary worker, fast food owner, fast food employee, retired. You are there by God’s design to serve, execute His purposes! Be GREAT for the LORD in the place you find yourself in. True, others may not recognize, acknowledge, appreciate you but God sees. He knows. He knows you are GREAT. His verdict is the only One that counts!

How sad, tragic even to step into eternity having wasted your life and nothing or little to show for it. Jesus does not make it hard for us to understand.

DOING LOVE!

He says, ” And If you give a cup of cold water to one of the least of My followers, you will surely be rewarded.”– {Matthew 10:42}. An act of kindness will not go unrewarded.

“This is HOW WE KNOW WHAT LOVE IS; Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought{morally obligated} to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and see a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,, HOW can the love of God be in that person? Dear children let us NOT love with words or speech BUT WITH ACTIONS AND IN TRUTH.” {1 John 3:16-18}

“Let us not become weary in DOING GOOD, for at the proper time we will REAP A HARVEST If WE DO NOT GIVE UP. Therefore as we have OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE, Especially to those who belong the family of believes. {Galatians 6:10}

God gifts people but if the purpose is not to love God, honor Him and reach out to others for His sake, then it is hollow, shallow thinking and misses the truth of what God calls His people to be- Servants of His, created for His glory, to serve His purpose in our life time with our lives! Doing His will from the heart on this earth so that He may be honored, His fame made known and shown.{Isaiah 43:7}

FILL IN THE BLANK-

What is it that makes you “great” or what if you could have anything THEN you could say, ” I am a great ______” or “What makes me great is______________”

 Jesus perspective needs to be ours if we are to be of eternal use. You may have heard the old saying, “Your so heavenly minded your of no earthy use!” But the reality is only those who are heavenly minded, viewing Life through the lens of the Scripture, living on this earth with an eternal perspective are- of any  earthly use! { See Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; Colossians 3:1-3}

 What TRUE GREATNESS IS

“The GREATEST among you shall be the SERVANT!” 

 These are not the words of some society who have banded together and come up with what they view as true greatness. Therefore it is what they say it is! These are the words of Jesus Christ who is GOD! To His disciples, followers, some who when He told them He would die and be raised again- the ultimate sacrifice of His servant love all the way to the cross. The thing that was on their minds? Which of us is the greatest?

He was sharing His heart with them, serving the in telling them what would happen. Preparing them. They could not see past themselves and who was great and which one of them could sit by His side in heaven!

He would be maligned, but He would not speak back, tried and accused unjustly- He accepted and embraced it. Cruelly exposed and crucified and on the cross. He prayed for His enemies, He cared for the woman who had given birth and told a disciple to take care of her. He cried with a loud triumphant cry “IT IS FINISHED!’ and death came and He lay dead…. ‘BUT GOD…” raised on the third day- TRIUMPHANT SERVANT … and HE APPEARS not to those who crucified Him but to two despondent flowers on the road to Emmaus opening their minds to understand the Scripture and reveal Himself in all the Scriptures. – {Lake 24:27}. He showed up on the shore and cooked breakfast for the disciples who had gone back fishing. He served them! The resurrected Lord- HE IS THE SERVANT KING! THE SOVEREIGN KING AND as His recipients of His love, He calls us to… SERVE OTHERS- LOVINGLY, with our lives laid down for Jesus sake!

TRUE GREATNESS IS SUBMITTING TO JESUS CHRIST AND SERVING OTHERS FOR HIS SAKE!

 

Jesus said,“Just as The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for any.”-{Matthew 20:28}.

•  A servant lives to do the will of  the Lord Jesus,

•  Purposely

• Unquestionably. 

• Devotedly.

• Immediately.

• Wholeheartedly.

• As a matter of love for the LORD, out of appreciation for His love for them.

 If you are one of two people in a room, guess who is to be served? Guess who is to look out how to serve? You are!

 Jesus knew His assignment and embraced it. He came not to be served but to Serve and give His life a ransom for many.

 To serve the LORD and BE GREAT – You need to know what the LORD says in His Word- Know it- Obey it- out of love for Him!

You need to know this is His assignment for you in any and all circumstances.- is to be His SERVANT on the scene!

 He gave His life on across, you are called to “deny yourself” to disown your self, your rights, for your life have been given to Him and in doing so you are freed to serve others with a loving heart!

It is not part time service. It is not picky service. You pick who you will and wont serve. It is not manipulative service. I will serve you with the intent – you owe me!

It is service motivated by the love of Jesus and in obedience to Him you follow Him in serving others

How great we are from Heaven’s perspective is gauged by our attitude and action.

 Living to serve others for Jesus sake.

“We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus as LORD ourselves your servants For Jesus sake.”- {2 Corinthians 4:5}

 Note the order-

• Our Message- Is not about us but Jesus

• Our Ministry – “Ourselves your servants,”

• Our Motivation – “For Jesus sake.”

 Be great today- From God’s Perspective! Stoop to serve – are there people in your life? They are your  Opportunity to follow Jesus.- Serve them with love.

 Serve them not to gain from them but to give to them. True freedom is found in living in obedience to the Master. “ By this all men will KNOW YOU are My disciples by your…love….” – {John 14:21}

Perhaps you need to re-evaluate your “source” and “definition” of True Greatness?

 KEEP ON SERVING, it’s not Pay Time yet! The LORD sees and He will reward your love for Him….”For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do. ” {Hebrews 6:10}

 Your Loving service to others is in EXACT proportion to your treatment of Him and love for Him!

 “One life to live till soon be past, only what is done for Christ will last.”- CT Studd.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”- Jim Elliott

 Matthew 23:11-12, Jesus tells us – “But the greatest among you shall be your servant,…”

 Ultimately, it’s not who Society says is “GREAT,” that counts but who Jesus calls “GREAT!”

 

BE GREAT TODAY- IN GOD’S EYES!

GO FIND SOMEONE AND SERVE THEM FOR JESUS SAKE!