The Greatest

 

In Mark 10 James and John come to Jesus and ask Him if He would do whatever they ask Him to do. Jesus asked them what they wanted and they said they want Him to grant them to sit at His right and left when He comes in His glory.

 

James and John wanted to be the greatest in God’s kingdom.

 

When the other ten apostles heard about what James and John had asked, they became indignant with James and John.

 

What does it mean to be great or the greatest?

 

The world sees great as:

Being Wealthy

Being in a Powerful Position

Being Famous

Having Others Serve You

 

Jesus shows us that His view of great and greatest is very different than the world’s view.

 

In 1 John 2:15 John writes, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

 

We as followers of Jesus cannot love the world, meaning we are not to love the principles of the world or the values of the world or the material things of the world.

 

We as followers of Jesus are to be different and have the values of God’s kingdom and love the things of God.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living differently by loving God and the things of God and not loving the world or the things of the world.

 

Jesus tells the Twelve that if they want to be great then they have to be servants and if they want to first then they must be servant of all.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being willing to serve others.

 

Jesus then tells the Twelve that He came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

 

Jesus says that He came to be a servant.

 

If anyone who has ever lived had a right to demand that He be served, it was Jesus.

 

Jesus is:

The Messiah

The King of kings and Lord of lords

The All-Powerful God in the Flesh

 

Jesus chose to give that up and become a servant. Jesus as a servant provided food for thousands, healed many with diseases, and washed His disciples’ feet.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being willing to give up any rights we have or think we have so we can serve others.

 

Jesus also says that He will give His life as a ransom life for many. Jesus chose to become the sacrifice for sin.

 

Jesus is our example for service and sacrifice.

 

Jesus serves others no matter who they are and we are to serve others no matter who they are.

 

Jesus sacrificed His life for humanity and we are to be willing to sacrifice to help people come to know and follow Jesus.

 

Jesus’ invitation to James, John, Andrew, Peter, Matthew, and Philip is to come follow Him.

 

When we accept that invitation we are committing to:

Living life not loving the world but loving God

Being willing to serve others

Being willing to sacrifice so others can know and become followers of Jesus

 

The people of the world will never care what we believe until they see that we care about them.

 

Jesus loved people, served people, and sacrificed for people. In doing so, He attracted people to Himself.

 

He attracted:

The Sick

The Outcast

The Weary

The Hurting

The Hopeless

The Sinful

 

We are to follow Jesus and serve others and sacrifice for others so that they can come to know and follow Jesus and receive forgiveness and eternal life.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is following Jesus.

 

Serving and Sacrificing with Jesus

by Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                  Joe