Extreme Example
We live in a world obsessed with greatness. Aim higher. Climb further. Achieve more. Be someone. If you ask our culture what greatness looks like, the answers come quickly — success, influence, recognition, achievement, promotion, visibility, money. Worldly greatness is climbing the ladder, being admired, having followers, being noticed.
Even as Christians, we can quietly begin to measure our lives the same way the world does. Because deep down, most of us genuinely want to matter. We want to be significant. We want to make a difference with our lives. And that desire itself isn’t wrong.
But Jesus takes our understanding of greatness and turned it completely upside down when He told the disciples, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant (Matthew 20:26).”
Imagine a stepladder and a towel before you. The ladder represents the world’s way of greatness: climb higher. Get ahead. Be seen. Make your achievements shine. But the towel represents the way of Jesus: kneel lower. Serve quietly. Lift others up. Give instead of grab.
But then Jesus said a very profound statement, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 28).”
Jesus doesn’t just redefine greatness – He embodies it. The Son of Man, the rightful King, the One who holds all authority in heaven and on earth, and yet He comes not demanding service, but offering it. Not grasping for position, but giving His life. In fact, His path of service leads all the way to the cross. And the cross is not weakness. It is the greatest act of servant love the world has ever known.
Most of us will never have large platforms or impressive titles. Most of us won’t be known beyond our local community. But every single one of us has daily opportunities to serve powerfully in the name of Jesus! Remember that greatness in God’s kingdom often looks like ordinary, unseen faithfulness like, listening even when you’re tired. Forgiving when you’ve been hurt. Helping without being asked. And serving without the applauds.
When our identity rests in being seen by others, we need the ladder. But when our identity rests in Christ, the towel no longer feels like a burden – it becomes a joy. And the reason this is so refreshing and powerful is because we don’t serve to achieve security in this world, we serve because we are already secure in Christ!
On Sunday night, I ended my sermon giving our newly ordained Deacon, Kent, a towel that was in an old, wrinkled plastic shopping bag. I reminded him, as I remind all of us, that life and ministry are messy, and our lives are called to reach the messy and then let God do His work through us!
God bless you,
Pastor Paul
Even as Christians, we can quietly begin to measure our lives the same way the world does. Because deep down, most of us genuinely want to matter. We want to be significant. We want to make a difference with our lives. And that desire itself isn’t wrong.
But Jesus takes our understanding of greatness and turned it completely upside down when He told the disciples, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant (Matthew 20:26).”
Imagine a stepladder and a towel before you. The ladder represents the world’s way of greatness: climb higher. Get ahead. Be seen. Make your achievements shine. But the towel represents the way of Jesus: kneel lower. Serve quietly. Lift others up. Give instead of grab.
But then Jesus said a very profound statement, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 28).”
Jesus doesn’t just redefine greatness – He embodies it. The Son of Man, the rightful King, the One who holds all authority in heaven and on earth, and yet He comes not demanding service, but offering it. Not grasping for position, but giving His life. In fact, His path of service leads all the way to the cross. And the cross is not weakness. It is the greatest act of servant love the world has ever known.
Most of us will never have large platforms or impressive titles. Most of us won’t be known beyond our local community. But every single one of us has daily opportunities to serve powerfully in the name of Jesus! Remember that greatness in God’s kingdom often looks like ordinary, unseen faithfulness like, listening even when you’re tired. Forgiving when you’ve been hurt. Helping without being asked. And serving without the applauds.
When our identity rests in being seen by others, we need the ladder. But when our identity rests in Christ, the towel no longer feels like a burden – it becomes a joy. And the reason this is so refreshing and powerful is because we don’t serve to achieve security in this world, we serve because we are already secure in Christ!
On Sunday night, I ended my sermon giving our newly ordained Deacon, Kent, a towel that was in an old, wrinkled plastic shopping bag. I reminded him, as I remind all of us, that life and ministry are messy, and our lives are called to reach the messy and then let God do His work through us!
God bless you,
Pastor Paul
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