Men yearn for power and jockey for position. The disciples of Christ were not immune to this temptation. They seemed always to be asking, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Mt. 18:1).
While great men exercise authority over their subordinates, Jesus reveals a different path to greatness. He says, “whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant…” (Mt. 20:26). Then, he points to His own example, saying, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (vs. 28). This was not a meaningless platitude, but a way of life for Jesus. Though recognized as “the Lord and the Teacher”, He girded Himself with a towel that He might wash the feet of His disciples (Jn. 13:4-5, 14).
This is not political—where one might anticipate several paths to victory. There is only one path to eternal glory. The Pharisees who thought of themselves as sitting in the chair of Moses (Mt. 23:1), thought they had discovered another path—the path of self-exaltation. Putting themselves forward, they overlooked the most basic principle affecting our relationship with God—that He is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble (Jas. 4:6). The only path to greatness lies in service to God and our fellowman. Jesus says, “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (Mt. 23:12).
This principle is illustrated in the life of our Lord who “existed in the form of God…but emptied Himself…”, taking on the likeness and appearance of man (Ph. 2:6-7). As a man, Jesus “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (vs. 8). The inspired writer continues and says, “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Ph. 2:9-11).
As “Lord of lords and King of kings” (Rev. 17:14), Jesus has been given “all authority…in heaven and on earth” (Mt. 28:18). His power as the Son of God is forever proven by His resurrection from the dead and subsequent exaltation to the right hand of the Father in heaven (Rm. 1:4; Acts 2:33, 36; Hb. 1:3). He is head over His body, the church, and must be given “first place in everything” (Col. 1:18). He is “head over all rule and authority…” (Col. 2:10). His words matter and they will be our standard of judgment on the last day (Jn. 12:48). Christ’s exaltation required humility, self-sacrifice and surrender to the will of God. We dare not settle for anything less.
–Glen Elliott–