The Nature of True Greatness

In this part of the sermon: This section details the essence and cause of the ten disciples' indignation, revealing it as a sinful anger rooted in frustrated carnal ambition, not righteous concern for Christ.

Martin uses the story of children cheating to be first in line at a camp candy shop to illustrate the sinful, frustrated ambition of the ten disciples who were indignant because James and John 'beat them to the punch' for places of prominence.

I've seen it happen at camps. An announcement is made that when rest hour is over at two o'clock and the bell out in the field or the playground is rung, that all of the kids can get up off their bunks and run to the candy shop, and it's first come, first served. And I've seen it happen that some of the kids cheated, and they told their counselor they had to go to the bathroom. And so they sneaked out about three minutes to two, and instead of going to the privies and to the outhouses, what they did is they sneaked over close to the candy shop, and the moment the bell was rung, they thought th...

10:59 - 11:42 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jesus interrupts the disciples' brewing conflict, then asserts that Gentile rulers 'lord it over' and 'exercise authority down upon' their subjects, a common observation among…

Martin uses the analogy of politicians having 'weak spines on sensitive issues during an election year' to explain how Jesus's assertion about Gentile rulers was a general rule based on common observation, not an absolute condemnation of every individual ruler.

They knew what it was to live under an alien government with its governors and with its appointed officials, with its lords and with its masters. They knew by experience and our Lord asserts, you well know that those who are rulers among the Gentiles rule in a way that is characterized by an oppressive lordly rule and by an authority that presses down upon its subjects. For example, if I were to say in your hearing, you know that politics have a weak spine on sensitive issues during an election year. Now you'd understand perfectly what I was saying. Anyone who went out and said, Pastor Martin ...

21:20 - 22:20 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Now Jesus turns the pyramid right upside down. And he says, the way to greatness is to put yourself here to be servant to others.

Martin uses the metaphor of a pyramid to contrast the world's concept of greatness (sitting at the top, lording over others) with Christ's (putting oneself at the bottom to serve others), illustrating an absolute reversal of values in God's kingdom.

One of the commentators first introduced the concept and others copied him, or whether they all spontaneously came to it, I don't know. But in the 15 or 17 or so commentaries that I read in preparation for the ministry this morning, at least four or five of them used the image of a pyramid. And they said the world's concept of greatness is the pyramid in the way you see it in the National Geographic magazines. The base is broad at the bottom and it moves up in triangular shape to the top.

30:09 - 30:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Everyone in positions synonymous with service should be greatly encouraged, as they are in the most likely position for true greatness and primacy.

Martin uses the example of motherhood, from conception and birth to nurturing and emotional support, to illustrate a position that inherently embodies self-giving service and thus the path to true greatness and primacy.

everyone who by providence, choice, and the directions of the word of God, in some cases all three have conspired, anyone who by providence, providence plus personal choice, plus the precepts of the word of God, anyone who finds himself in positions synonymous with service should be greatly encouraged, because you are in the most likely position to true greatness and true primacy. And I want to speak first of all to those who by choice, providence, and the word of God are in the most servant position that I know of, and that's mothers. By its very definition, motherhood has written all over it...

48:36 - 49:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Teenage girls should not let worldly messages about greatness get into their souls, but instead seek greatness in Christ's eyes through service and giving.

Martin uses the example of women 'pumping iron until they look like grotesque animals from Mars' and adopting masculine behaviors to illustrate the world's distorted view of greatness and the pressure on women to conform to it, contrasting it with Christ's call to service.

Oh yes, they're looked upon as the powerful ones because they've got men beneath them. Anything they can do, we can do better. That song was sung as a joke when I was a kid. I tell you, it's serious business now.

52:58 - 53:22 Read in full sermon