James and John, two of Jesus’ first disciples, witnessed Jesus’ miracle-working power, and it dawned on them that they bet on the right Teacher to follow. This Kingdom of God project seemed to be going somewhere, and they were on the ground floor and in the coveted inner circle. Visions of grandeur quickly followed, and it seemed like the right time to secure key positions in the new administration. This was their opportunity of a lifetime, their shot at greatness.
Well, they made fools of themselves with their request, didn’t they? They missed the way of Jesus and the heart of Jesus by a mile! What they asked for was in glaring opposition to what Jesus taught leading up to this moment, and in doing so they provided the Rabbi with another teachable moment.
We might enjoy watching them fail, but let’s not be too quick to judge. Wouldn’t we think similar things if we were in their shoes? Don’t we all desire our own moment to shine, our own break in life, to be great or at least be a part of something great?
Live a Great Story – the title of Sunday’s message and our theme for this week – touches on that deep desire in each one of us. We recognize true greatness when we see it. We are attracted to it. We aspire to it. But how can it be attained? Everyone is living a story, but how do we live a GREAT story?
James and John thought they could achieve greatness through connections (a very culturally appropriate way in their world). The typical American way is to strive for greatness with every fiber of our being, but, contrary to the cultural narratives, our best effort isn’t always enough. In our search for greatness, we are often misled to chase inferior substitutes that promise greatness but can’t deliver on that promise. Some people try to fake greatness. Some give up on the possibility of greatness altogether.
Jesus redefines greatness and demonstrates a different path to greatness with his own life. His path might look to be “upside down” to the world around us, but it is actually “right side up” if we understand that the world around us is actually broken and built on lies. His way and His heart seem counterintuitive to us, but they lead to true greatness and glory that won’t fade.
As we begin a new year, this story is a good reminder for us all to pause and consider what greatness is and how we might go about pursuing it in 2025.
Outreach Team