Jesus and True Greatness - Luke #90

Ballard Campus 9-11-11 Pastor Mark Driscoll
Tags: Leaders, Greatness, Serving, Comedy, Marriage
Luke 22:24-30
Jesus and True Greatness
Story of talking to a political manager, explaining the gospel's monuments as people
Mars Hill is just like a campaign manager, everyone remembers the candidate not the campaign manager
+We don't want to leave an amazing monument about us, but we will leave behind the people who met an amazing God
The dumbest argument in the History of the World
12 guys and Jesus in a circle arguing about whose the best
Instead of mocking and shaming them Jesus redirects their desires
The pursuit of greatness is not evil but we can't pursue it as the World presents it
Filter for good things that God has made that have been twisted by sin
+Receive Greatness - as the World sees it
+Reject Greatness - see it as bad even though Gpd made it to be pursued
+Redeem Greatess - Pursue greatness in the way that God would have you to, rejecting arrogance, but desiring the things of God
We ought not reject greatness but pursue redeemed greatness
Seek Godly Greatness
The non-Christians are using greatness as a means to rule and have authority for its own sake
+In the World, the job, ministry, organization, or movement is all about the Leader's glory
Today the goal is to have so much power that everyone serves you and provides you with awesome experiences
Experience Economy - from Commodities to good to service to experience
Barista is the Greek word for punching bag
The Clerks at the Bank and the Ticket counter clerks at the Airport
Jesus says that the greatest are the ones who serve others
+the implications from this statement: treating those in the service sector, we should tip well even if the service sucks
+Isaiah 44-66 is all about Jesus as the Suffering Servant
Greatness is simply service

Do you welcome Jesus to Serve you?
Jesus is not like the dad who says I will love you when/if you get your life sraight
Jesus delights to serve us and build us into servants to help and love other people
Do you humbly allow others to serve you?
+No.  I feel terrible when someone gives me anything.  My heart is hard and arrogant I the area of service.  A friend gave me $200 cash.  I couldn't even talk with it in my hand.  It was too much.  I am so arrogant that I feel like it's my job to give money to other people, to give them my hand-man skills, or to give them food, or to be the one who has it all together.
One of the ways we serve others is by allowing them to serve us.
Marriage: I will rob my spouse of the honor to serve when I act like I don't need anything from her. It's like saying, "There is no place in my life for you."
Do I humbly serve others with selfless motives?
+No. I want to be in control and have my life together.
Are you willing to do menial tasks?
+Yes.
Jesus started doing a menial job, then humbly served thousands for a brief time, then he served billions by dying on the Cross.
+The result of this service in the heart of a Christian is a new heart that desires to serve others.
+The same word where Jesus is talking about serving is the word Deacon
Am I lazy or disorganized?
+No.  I tend to organize everything.
Is my life marked more by getting stuff for myself or giving stuff away?
Would you rather achieve a status or make a difference?

Jesus lived a life that made a difference even though he died in dishonor

Seek Eternal Greatness
Do I practicly over look the truth that this life is only the beginning?
+A relationship is not that big of a deal, this life is just the beginning. I need to give this to Jesus, because he is strong enough to hold it. I need to be humble and accept Jesus' help.
The Big party at the end is like Julia and Bill Simmons' big 40th anniversary party.  Where I get to be in the same room with a truely great man and eat amazing food that is beyond anything I could imagine.
Where Am I on this Continuum?
Selfish          Servant
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I am a young single man, I am by definition a selfish jerk; it takes 7-14 years in marriage to go from me to we. But I try to help the Church.
Marriage? N/A
Kids? 1
Friendship? 2
Schooling? N/A
Work? 0
Church? 3
Neighbors? 1
Don't waste my singleness with selfishness, try to use it to grow in humble service.

I feel like a failure because I tried to serve someone and it feels like it was not enough. This is a lie, but damnit it's hard to reject this lie.  Jesus please help me surrender this to you. The truth is that God's plan is the best plan; he will provide at the right time in the right way for the right purpose.
Selfishness leads to misery, it just does, and servanthood leads to joy.