This week my thoughts have turned toward the idea of greatness. What is greatness? How do we attain it? How are its degrees measured? So, it was encouraging today to attend chapel and hear a sermon entitled “Living a Great Life.” I will include some of the preacher’s thoughts and add some of my own for this entry.
I think it would be pertinent for us to all be honest and admit that much of what “greatness” means today in the church is simply a baptized version of the world’s definition. We talk about submission to the Lordship of Jesus, about humility, about His kingdom being “upside-down” (a common term at my previous ministry), but do we actually live in such a way as to exalt Christ and belittle (in one sense of the word) ourselves.
There is no shortage of passages that teach us this truth, but perhaps the most pointed is in Matthew chapter 20. Verse 25 starts with:
You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so with you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (ESV).
The paradox of the upside-down kingdom is a common thread throughout the entire New Testament (and arguably the Old as well). But what does this look like for us, and why is it so difficult for us to follow?
It seems that the trend today, among pastors, speakers, and the like, is to desire to become the next Mark Driscoll, Andy Stanley, Billy Graham, or pick your celebrity. I see this among my fellow brothers in Christ (especially here at seminary), and I see it myself almost daily.
Imitation of mature leaders is a biblical concept. Paul affirms this in 1 Thess. 1:6 as well as other places. And while many of the men that we aspire to imitate are worthy of it, it seems that our desire is less to follow their example in discipline, humility, and Christ-like attitude and actions, and more to follow in their fame and success.
This is simply sinful. Many of the great men of God in the past and present have sought no glory from men but have received such as a result of the influence God has given them. I often hear many of my modern-day heroes say, “I hate this notoriety because it only feeds my flesh.” It reminds me of Paul’s battle with the thorn in his flesh in 2 Cor. 12. Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations he had received, God allowed this thorn (whatever it was) to remain ever before Paul as a device causing humility.
I find it interesting that Paul’s humility was caused not by an act of the Spirit but by the flesh. God allowed a physical or emotional (possibly psychological) weakness to be daily present in the apostle’s life so as to keep him returning to God in brokenness.
And while I do not believe that this passage gives us excuse to allow sin to remain in our life (in fact the thorn in the flesh was not even associated with sin specifically), I do think it is telling that one of the greatest of apostles was not allowed to overcome some weakness in order to teach him to fully embrace the grace of God and to return all glory to the Father through the Son.
From a practical standpoint, I think we ministers of the gospel (which is all of us to one degree or another), must actually SEEK the positions of servitude. Some might argue that Acts 6 says otherwise, but I would remind them that all of the apostles died martyrs deaths except for John. There were no book tours or 5-star suites awaiting the apostles at any part of their journey.
Somehow we must figure out a way to ACTUALLY live for the glory of God. I hear speakers say this all the time, but every external thing they do seems to remind people of them. I know that there are so many greatly gifted men and women out there that NEED to be writing books, teaching classes, preaching to the masses, and singing songs for the glory of God, but we as a church have got to learn how to exalt their message (the gospel) and the source of their message (God) above the servant messenger.
To my fellow ministers who are truly nowhere on the map in terms of “greatness” as defined by the world, REJOICE. Find joy in the one or two students to whom you are a hero, and POINT THEM to the one who will never leave them or disappoint them (because I promise you, you will, eventually). Do not search for “the next big thing” or the next “career move” in ministry as if we had our own corporate church ladders to climb. And don’t justify yourself in these meaningless pursuits.
If God is to exalt you, let Him. But do not seek to exalt yourself. Daily, remember to humble yourself in the sight of the Lord” (James 4:10). Seek the lowly positions. Seek to hide your own glory, and seek to reflect His. Be genuine. Do this as an act of the heart and not simply in false, outward humility.
This is all a painful challenge and reminder to myself. A verse/statement that is continually upon my heart lately is in John 3, when John the Baptist is asked about his relationship to Jesus. He simply states in verses 29 and 30: “Therefore this joy of mine is complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John found complete joy in becoming small (even though he was the Billy Graham of his day at that time) as Jesus, the one to whom all glory is due, came on the scene.
Let us actively seek to decrease, that Christ may increase, together.
In Christ,
Andy
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