Greatness Redefined
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17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
A Mother’s Request
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21 “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Sermon preached at St Catherine's Midweek Communion: 4 March 2026
Introduction
In our Gospel reading Matt 20 we read about the mother of James and John asking to be left & right-hand men to the Lord. They were ambitious. In this reading we find 2 words that redefine greatness in God’s kingdom: Following and Serving
Following
Matt 20:20 Mother of sons of Zebedee – ‘In your kingdom can my boys be left and right hand men?’ Like Cabinet members. Their father Zebedee owned a fishing business…they were better off than the others…in the world’s ratings, they deserved more privileges.. Followers of Jesus saying to Jesus ‘Do us a favour!’ Their interest was self-interest. Mummy wanted them to be directors, not followers. In reply JC gives guidance that redefines greatness in his Kingdom. He says you are not followers of a cause, religion, but followers of a person. A person we call Lord. After J&J ask can we sit on your RH&LH in your kingdom. Matt 20v22 Jesus replied –‘you don't know what you are asking.’ Then Jesus asked them a question ‘Are you able to drink of the cup and baptism that I will drink from?’ They didn't understand. Jesus was speaking of the suffering he was facing. He said he would be mocked, flogged and crucified v19 But J&J didn’t get it. They wanted to be ‘Cabinet ministers’ LH&RH of Jesus. The equivalent of PM.Kier Starmer’s LH&RH. They said ‘yes, no problem.’ Jesus wanted them to weigh up the cost not a knee-jerk reaction. Jesus was asking about the very thing they lacked - self-denial, self-sacrifice. Next, see what happens, the other 10 get involved. ‘It's not fair; they tried to get ahead of us.’ These are the disciples, the future church, discussing who would be great in God’s kingdom. Jesus redefines greatness.
Jesus answers in Matt 20:26,27 whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
Followers of LJC must bear the title (not of grandeur but) ‘slave’, where obedience is the order of the day. It doesn’t sound so appealing, does it, but it is the pathway to greatness in God’s kingdom. Following involves self-denial self and often suffering too. In Matt 20:19 Jesus foretold that he would be mocked, spat on, flogged and killed.
Jesus asks us to count the cost. Following Jesus involves self-denial and suffering for the kingdom of God.
Ernie Blandy was a Salvation Army officer, we don’t know when he was born or when he died, we don’t know his life story except for this; he wrote a hymn when he was choosing between a comfortable post as a minister in a church in UK or to work in a New York slum called Hell’s Kitchen - in 1890 . He chose Hell's Kitchen and wrote ‘I can hear my Saviour calling, "Take thy cross and follow, follow Me" Chorus…. Where He leads me I will follow (x3) I'll go with Him, with Him all the way all the way.
Greatness Redefined in the kingdom of God is following Where he leads me I will follow
Serving
Jesus gives second word in redefining greatness in God’s kingdom - Serving.
Matt 20:26 Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. Matt 20:28 ‘Just as the son of man came not to be served but to serve and gave his life as a ransom for many.’
Crescendo of this passage. Jesus compares Godly greatness with worldly greatness. V25 ‘Rulers lord it over people and exercise authority v26 not so with you.’ There's a worldly greatness Jesus says - not so with you.
Jeremiah’s enemies attacked him with their tongues and plotted against him – Jer 18:18. Even though they were religious their greatness was worldly.
Our lives in Christ should demonstrate serving, not wielding power. This is the way of Godly greatness. You were ransomed, meaning freed from captivity. Freed from serving self to serving Jesus.
The world's greatness exercises authority and lords it over people to achieve and have others serve them. Matt 20:28 JC said ‘son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ Our calling is to serve. Matt 20:25 Jesus called the twelve ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be last and servant of all.’ Serving is the way of greatness in God’s kingdom.
Pushing to the front to be prominent has been an issue in the church for 2000 years it is still an issue today. Social Media has a lot to answer for today influencing & hits & likes& loves& emojis - if you have no idea what that means PTL.
Matt 20:26 Not so with you, whoever wants to be great among you must be a servant. I am God's slave when I am serving others.
Jesus was showing his disciples (and us) a vision of a church where everyone is serving others. I find that vision of church community exciting. We can’t get to the top because we're aiming for the bottom!
When I think of God’s kingdom greatness I think of Doris Roberts. [Extract read from Lake of Tears pg 134-135
The disciples, likewise, were called to follow and serve. In time, after the resurrection ascension, they began to imitate and follow their Lord Jesus.
The good news is J&J got a chance to put this right. (Acts 12:2) James was the first of the twelve to be martyred, executed by King Herod Agrippa I AD44 and John was exiled alone on Patmos. We are called to follow and serve that same Jesus who is with us and in us. Amen
