Who is the Greatest?

0:45 We salute you, sir. I want to talk to you from Matthew chapter 20. If you have your Bibles, turn to Matthew chapter 20. I want to talk to you about greatness.

1:05 Who is the greatest? Look at your neighbor and say, it certainly isn't you. In 1964, Cassius Clay, later to be known as Muhammad Ali, engaged in a heavyweight fight against Sonny Liston. Some of y'all will remember that. And most of you weren't probably old enough or even alive on that day.

1:49 Cassius Clay was not given an inkling of a chance to win against the heavyweight champion of the world, Sonny Liston, but he won. He knocked him out. And at the end of the battle, of the fight, after he knocked him down, Cassius Clay stood over and declared over Sonny Liston I am the greatest that's what he said I'm the greatest I am the greatest he said I have shocked the world and in fact he had shocked the world because nobody gave him a chance to win and he won Between 1991 and 1998,

2:44 1991 and 1998, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls won the NBA championship and unmatched six times. No other team has won the NBA championship six times. Y'all acting like y'all don't know nothing about these sports things here. Michael Jordan was declared the most valuable player in the NBA five times. He won the scoring, scoring the most points 10 seasons. 10 years. He scored more points than any other NBA player in the NBA playing at that time. He is the GOAT, just FYI. Just FYI. I know y'all like, some of y'all like LeBron James, and LeBron is all right.

3:42 He's okay. He's all right. But he cannot match what Michael Jordan done this season. Yeah, that's just the facts. The statistics prove that out. I mean, LeBron James has played for 20 years. Michael Jordan played for 15. And Michael Jordan still has scored more points. No, not as many points as LeBron, but he's still got six championships. and he's considered the greatest of all time. Tom Brady. I know some of y'all don't like him.

4:27 But here's what you cannot take from Tom Brady. He has won the Super Bowl a record seven times. No other NFL player has won the Super Bowl in any position seven times. As a matter of fact, he went to the Super Bowl ten times. Can you imagine most players don't get to go once? And he went 10 and won 7 out of 10. And by the way, going back to Michael Jordan for a minute, he went to the NBA championship six times and won all six times that he won. Now that I got this sports stuff out of the way, these are men who are considered the greatest at their craft.

5:23 What are you considered great at? I asked you a question. Are you considered great at anything? I thought I wanted to talk about this today. I want to talk about greatness. This is the title of my message, Who is the Greatest? That's the title because I want to celebrate the ministries of congressional cares who reflect based on what I get ready to tell you that they too are great people. Amen. their names will never be called they will never get any special badge or awards for visiting the sick they won't be acknowledged for the classes that they teach they won't they they they just do what they do quietly they serve this congregation they pray for you they teach classes they help you become everything that god wants you to become they they do their thing without fanfare without recognition and they meet some criteria that Jesus describes as greatness.

6:28 Jesus has something to say about what's great. What the world calls great and what Jesus calls great are two different things. in luke chapter 22 just just jot don't i'm not going to turn luke 22 i'm just talking for just a second i'm just mentioning that there's a discussion going on jesus is about to be crucified in luke 22 if you're taking notes just jot it down go read it back when you get an opportunity jesus is talking to his disciples and the disciples are arguing amongst themselves about who is the greatest. And really what the argument is about, who's going to take over the ministry after Jesus dies. I know some of y'all are wondering who's going to take over this ministry when I die.

7:22 I ain't planning on going nowhere soon. And just so the record's clear, I'm not going to wait until I die to leave this job. Amen. Four years. The kid is out of here.

7:47 But while I'm here, I'm going to do the best job I can. In Matthew 20, let me read this passage to you in Matthew chapter 20, beginning at verse 20. 20, 20. Matthew chapter 20, verse 20. Let me read this to you real quick. then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons kneeling down and asking something from him and he said to her what do you wish? She said to him grant that these two sons of mine may sit one on your right hand and the other on your left in your kingdom. But Jesus answered and said you do not know what you ask.

8:40 Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said to him, we are able. He said to them, you will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give. but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my father and when the ten heard it stop stick a pen right there y'all say and when the ten heard it I when I was reading this passage I said well who are the ten he was he was talking to the disciples now but who are these ten jokers here I had never thought about the fact that earlier in the passage it says Jesus was teaching and talking to his disciples about his death.

9:38 So he was talking to the 12. And then when he talks about these 10, here's what is happening. What had happened was the 12, he was talking to the 12 disciples and up pops one of their mamas. Amen. Amen. Make it plain. Something is to be said about a man that can't speak for himself. He needs his mama to speak for him.

10:05 In fact, it's not one of them. It's two. It's two brothers, James and John. These two brothers. Their mama said, can you let my boys be your right hand and on your left hand? That's what's happening. And when the other ten heard it, verse 24, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. but Jesus called them to himself and said you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and those who are great exercise authority over them yet listen to verse 26 yet it shall not be so among you let me break that down for you this is how this is supposed to be in people who are going to be a part of my kingdom yet it shall not be so among you but whoever desires to be great among you, if you want to be great in my kingdom, is what he's saying, let him be your servant.

11:02 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. Just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Do y'all see that right there? Are y'all following me? Have I confused you yet? Okay, let me try a little harder. Jesus is dialoguing with his disciples and here's what he is saying. If you're going to be a part of my kingdom and you want to be great, there's so much discussion about who is the greatest and who's going to be great and who wants to be great. There are three words he uses to define what can't constitute a person being great. And these are three words I want you to evaluate about your own life. Go ahead, lean over to your neighbor and say he's talking to you. the first one is in verse 26 are y'all with me in verse number 26 he says yet it shall not be so among you but whoever desires to become great somebody say desires can i stick can i stop right there god doesn't condemn them for wanting to be great I want to be great.

12:17 I want to do great things. I want my kids to do great things. I brag on when my kids do good things. Yeah, I'm always telling y'all about what my kids do. I'm proud of them. Amen. Aren't you proud when your children do something significant? Amen. Amen.

12:39 Ain't nobody bragging about my son's in jail right now. Nobody bragging my son got fired, my daughter got fired because she didn't go to work every day. No, you want your children to do great things. I want my children to do great things. And guess what? Our Father in heaven wants his children to do great things.

13:01 There's no condemnation in desiring to be great, but how do you get to be great? But God gives all of us the opportunity to be great. And then he tells us what we need to do to be great. Unfortunately, I'm going to tell you what it is, but most of you are not going to do it. Let me let that sink in for a minute.

13:24 He uses three words in this passage of scripture that gives us some indication of what you need to be and do to be great. I'm glad you asked the question, what is it? Verse 26, whoever desires to become great among you, here it is, let him be your servant. There's the first word, servant. You gotta be a servant. You have to be willing to serve others. Most people want to be served, but they don't want to serve. Look at your neighbor and say, don't you know you want to be served? Try that again. Look at your neighbor and say, don't you want to be served? You know you do. Now here's what the word servant means. I'm glad you asked the question. It is a Greek word that is used 36 times in scripture. 36 times that word is used in the New Testament.

14:19 And here's what it means. It means to wait tables. In other words, it means to be a waiter, a waitress. See, most of us go to the restaurant to be served and we don't want to be waiters. But God says in my kingdom, if you want to be great, if you want my recognition, if you want me to see what you're doing, if you want me to reward you, if you want me to smile upon you, if you want me to open up doors for you, if you want me to bless you, if you want me to reward you, you got to be a servant. You gotta wait tables.

15:01 It means the word servant there means to execute the commands of another. To care for the concerns of another. To run someone else's play that they called and not your own play. In other words, let me do what makes somebody else successful and that's what's not what's going to make me successful. Did y'all notice that the claps are getting lower and lower and lower? And the question is, are you willing to focus on serving the needs of someone else rather than your own needs? Our culture today fails to understand that in order to be considered great in God's kingdom, that you must be willing to go and help somebody else be successful. And unfortunately, sometimes people serve tables with an expectation that they're going to get a tip.

16:09 hang with me I'm gonna be finished in a few minutes and I when I get done y'all ain't got to deal with me no more today But the reality is a tip is only supposed to be given. Let me back up. Can I say, let me back up for a minute. I'm going to mess up. I'm going to make somebody mad right here. What I'm getting ready to say.

16:39 When you are, when you go to a restaurant and you have a meal, you want a servant. Listen carefully. You want a waitress or waiter who anticipates your needs and gives you what you need before you have to ask for it. That's when you deserve a tip. When you bring me back my Diet Coke after I done almost drank up all of my Diet Coke and you bring me some more Diet Coke before I have to ask you for some more Diet Coke. The claps are getting lower and lower and lower. But we live in a culture where people expect the tip even when they ain't even bought you no more diet coke. I'm trying to teach you how to be great.

17:40 You anticipate a need of someone else and meet that need before they ask. that's good whether y'all know that or not that's good right there somebody look at your neighbor say that's good that's good that's good that's what an excellent waiter does they anticipate the need and they meet the need and that's what we're trying to do as a church we're trying to be a great church with great servants and we say that because we look to meet your need even before you ask us to return. We seek to have the building cooled off when you come in here before you come in here. We don't wait till you get in here and it's hot and stuffy. Then we turn to air conditioning on to save money.

18:36 This is our COO right here, Dr. Jones. Thank the Lord for Dr. Jones taking care. Y'all sitting in comfortable seats right now. We want you to be comfortable. Y'all could be sitting in some folding chairs sitting up in here right now. but we want you to be comfortable we anticipated the need amen I prepared this message before today I didn't wait till it was preaching time today what am I going to preach about today let me make up some stuff Ooh, can I get an amen right there from anybody? And so Jesus, if you want to be great in my kingdom, anticipate the need and wait tables. Serve the needs of someone else. Help somebody else to win. Help somebody else's needs to be met. Help somebody else to be able to be successful in whatever they have to do. That's what being great is. but unfortunately too many of you are so focused on getting your own needs met and what you want to have that you ain't got time to find out and help somebody else to get their needs met you're too self-focused i'm preaching better than y'all are saying amen i'm a preaching joker here today i'm in the word right here right now but hold up that's not the only word he said i got nine minutes to give you these other two words. Here's the other word. It's right here in verse number 27.

19:58 He gave us the first word. What was it? Serve. Here's the second word. It's in verse 27. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. There's a second word, slave. Slave in our context is in our culture considered negative. Nobody's a slave. And it's true that Slave is not a good word in most circumstances, in most contexts, because why? Because it's not good, because God has never called a human being to be a slave to another human being. As a matter of fact, here's what the word slave means. It means to be devoted to another, to the disregard of your own interest. That's what a slave is. A slave is a person who is devoted to helping somebody else's program be successful, somebody else's concerns regard. It means to give up oneself to another's will.

20:58 It means to push your agenda to the side and meet the needs of somebody else's agenda. So, yes, that's negative. And it is true that that's not something we want to happen among human beings. but we are, I don't know about y'all but I'm willing to be a slave to God. Let me come to that person who is saying that right there. I want somebody to say amen to where it's at. Where are you? Where are you? She's all the way back here.

21:41 I need to sit you up front. Come down here and let me find a seat for you. Come on, bring your stuff. Come on, I'm going to give you a... Come on. Ain't nobody else saying amen. You are helping being a servant. You are being a servant. You're helping me win. You're helping me be successful. You're helping fulfill my assignment. Here you go, right here. Brought you all the way up to the front. Thank you. Keep on saying amen. Help me to win. Be a servant. Thank you. Amen. Amen. get you to lay your hands on the rest of these jokers that ain't saying nothing. Are you willing to be a slave, not to another human being, but to the God that you say that you're serving? Are you willing to push your agenda to the side? Are you willing to push what you want to the side to do what he calls you to do?

22:40 And I know you're not because we have a church with 10,000 people that come here every week, but most of them ain't helping to serve or be a slave to God in any shape, form, or fashion. Thank you. You come here to get your blessing, get your praise on, get your good feeling, and as soon as church is over, sometimes before it's over, you pack up your stuff and leave. You will never be great. God will never be able to open up doors for you because you too focused on your agenda. I'm trying to preach. I'm trying to do it. Do y'all understand what I'm saying to you today?

23:32 And God says you, God gives all of us the opportunity to be great. According to his agenda. According to his agenda, according to what he defines as great, He gives all of us the opportunity to serve and to be a slave to him. Hallelujah. And yet it's what it's called. When you become a part of God's kingdom, it is what he's called us to do. Amen.

24:18 I know you got your aerobics class. I know you got to go to your thing, do your piece, what you like to do. But being great in the kingdom means setting aside my agenda for someone else's. Lean over to your neighbor and say, he's preaching better than you're saying amen. It's okay to be a slave if you're being a slave to the right master. Am I preaching up in here today? I'm saying amen to myself. I'm preaching so good today. Here's my third and final word. Y'all got my first word?

25:10 Second word? Here's the third word. It's in verse number 28. just as the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many here's the third word it's the word ransom Here's what that means. The word ransom means to give something in exchange. It means to release something that has been held captive. Ransom. It means that a person has been a prisoner. A person has been a captive. A person has been in debt. And ransom means somebody else made the payment in order for you to be released from the debt. Ain't that power?

26:14 Do y'all get that? Somebody ought to run around here with me on that point right here. Let me try to make it even more plainer to you. And I'm finished. I'm going to stop right here. This will be my final thing to say right here. In other words, here's what he says is great. Great is that you are a servant.

26:39 You're going to anticipate the needs of somebody else. Anticipate their needs and meet that need. Serve that need. You're going to be a slave to another master, to a God that wakes you up every morning. You serve and a slave and you go ahead and pay the bill. Y'all ain't hear what I'm saying.

27:07 I don't know where y'all are, but that's exactly what makes Jesus great. Because he was a servant. He was a slave to his father.