12-21-18 Today in the Word

The Gospel of Matthew: The King Has Come
GREATNESS IN GOD’S KINGDOM
Friday, December 21, 2018 | Matthew 20:17–34

After becoming the king of Macedon in 336 B.C., Alexander III undertook an industrious campaign to consolidate and extend his power. Beginning by uniting the Greek city-states under his leadership, Alexander later conquered Persia, Egypt, and large parts of Asia. In recognition of his power, those who addressed him were required to kneel and kiss his hand; history would remember him as Alexander the Great.
In the world in which Jesus and His disciples lived, few would have shaped the common understanding of greatness more than Alexander. He was perhaps the quintessential Gentile ruler who lorded power over his subjects (v. 25), and he had inspired the cult of Caesar worship enforced by Rome. One could scarcely imagine Alexander willingly accepting the position of servant.
And yet, it is those who accept such a position, Jesus teaches, that are truly great. Like Alexander, so many of us attempt to prove our greatness by asserting our supremacy, by coming in first, by towering over others. The mother of James and John seems to have de-sired such supremacy for at least one of her sons (v. 20). To such desires, the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed feels upside-down, for in that kingdom “the last will be first, and the first will be last” (20:16). Those regarded as great are not the ones who have conquered others by striking fear in their hearts. Rather, the great are those who have imitated Jesus in loving and serving others.
This means that greatness is open to all of us. As Martin Luther King Jr., noted, “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. . . . You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” How great is that?
APPLY THE WORD
Many parts of our lives depend on the service of people we routinely overlook. In the days ahead, try to be more aware of such persons. Give God thanks for their service. As you do so, try also to look for ways in which you might serve them and others, such as by praying for them, lending a hand, or offering an encouraging word.

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