I have been reading through Matthew’s Gospel, trying hard not to bring to my reading stuff I have believed for many years. One such story is when James and John’s mother comes to Jesus with a request that in the Kingdom one of the sons sit at Jesus’ left hand and the other sit at his right hand. I have always seen this as the ‘height of arrogance’, the disciples clearly saw it that way.
Matthew 20:24 NKJV And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.
Did Jesus see it that way? We have taken the response of the disciples as being Jesus’ response, but Jesus’ response was not a rebuke! He actually answered their request with a question.
Matthew 20:22 NKJV But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. 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.”
When they said, “We are able.” Jesus proceeded to tell them that they certainly would suffer but those seats of honour were not His to give.
Matthew 20:23 NKJV So 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.”
So Jesus is telling James and John and the other disciples it is alright to dream big, it is not arrogance or pride, in fact the person impacted by the Spirit of God cannot help but dream big because the DNA of a big God is in us. Jesus is telling them that dreaming big will have an inherent cost associated with it.
After that he tells the twelve what greatness in the Kingdom of God looks like and it is nothing like greatness in this world.
Matthew 20:25-28 NKJV 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. (26) Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. (27) And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— (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.”
It is ok to dream big, that is fine but there is no point dreaming big without counting the cost, and there is a cost. I have in my office a quote I heard and was given a framed copy of it reads:
The challenges of a big vision are worth it for the thousands that will come to Christ.
The other thing Jesus is saying is we ‘descend into greatness’, if you want to be great, you become a great servant.
Just a thought
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