The disciples are arguing. “Who is the greatest?” Who matters most? Who’s closest to Jesus? Who gets to set the agenda?
It’s a familiar argument. The church has been having it ever since. Who’s the most legitimate here? Who really belongs? Who gets to decide how we should be?
And too often, the ones lifted up have been the powerful, the eloquent, the charismatic. The leaders who draw a crowd, who seem successful, who look impressive. But we’ve seen where that road leads.
Think of Chris Brain and the Nine O’Clock Service—once praised as the future of the church, now remembered for exploitation. Think of Mike Pilavachi—celebrated for drawing thousands of young people, now exposed for manipulation and abuse. These were ministers the church held up, trusted, followed. And the damage they caused has left wounds that may never fully heal.
It isn’t just them. Time and again, we’ve aligned ourselves to power and money. Time and again, we’ve confused size for faithfulness, wealth for blessing, influence for legitimacy. And every time, we end up far from the kingdom of God.
But Jesus says, “You are not to be like that. The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.”
So what does that mean here at St Margaret’s? It means the greatest aren’t the ones at the front, or the ones with titles, or the ones making the decisions. It’s the ones who put out the chairs without anyone noticing. It’s the people who make tea and coffee, who sit and listen when someone’s hurting, who keep praying when no one else sees. It’s the ones who stay faithful when life is hard, who serve with love in their workplaces, who choose kindness in school when no one thanks them for it.
That’s where greatness is found—in the small, hidden, faithful acts that mirror Jesus’ way. Not in power, not in position, but in service.
And here’s the good news: Jesus himself has already walked this path. “I am among you as one who serves.” He takes off the robe of power and kneels with a towel. He rejects the throne and goes to the cross. The King becomes the servant, the Master becomes the slave, the Son of God becomes the crucified.
That is the pattern for us. Success in God’s kingdom doesn’t look like climbing higher. It looks like becoming more like Jesus.
So if we want to know who is greatest among us, don’t look to the loudest voices or the most powerful leaders. Look to the ones who quietly serve. Look to the overlooked, the faithful, the kind. And as a church, let’s measure greatness not by numbers or money or influence—but by how much we resemble Christ.
Because the kingdom is not built on celebrity. It is built on service. It is not built on the powerful. It is built on the powerless. And in that upside-down kingdom, Christ is already among us—the servant King who makes all things new.
Further Study
Reading
- Jeremiah 1:4-10
- Luke 22:24-30
Ponder
- Reflect on a time when you felt the need to prove your importance or greatness. How did it affect your relationships and self-view?
- What is your current understanding of what it means to be “great” in the context of your faith community?
Scripture Exploration
- In Jeremiah 1:4-10, what does God’s call to Jeremiah reveal about how God perceives our potential and purpose?
- How does Jesus’ response to the disciples’ dispute in Luke 22:24-30 challenge the conventional understanding of greatness?
- Examine the roles of “servant” and “leader” as presented in Luke 22:26. How do these roles compare to societal expectations?
Personal Reflection
- What theological principles can be drawn from Jeremiah’s calling about God’s sovereignty and human agency?
- How does the example of Jesus as a servant leader in Luke 22 inform our understanding of leadership in the church today?
- Consider the implications of Jesus’ statement, “I am among you as one who serves”. How does this shape your view of power and service?
Personal Application
- What steps can you take this week to embody servant leadership in your personal and professional life?
- Identify a “hidden” act of service you can perform in your community. How does this align with the sermon’s message on greatness?
- How can your church community better reflect the values of service and humility discussed in the sermon?
- Plan a specific way to support someone who is often overlooked or undervalued, reflecting the upside-down nature of God’s kingdom.
0 Comments