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January 18, 2026
What is true greatness?
TRUE GREATNESS
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
“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.”
“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.
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.”
When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 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. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 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.”
– Matthew 20:20-28
- Jesus doesn’t REBUKE the DESIRE for greatness.
“What is it you want?”
– Jesus
I want…
SURFACE Desires → SIGNIFICANT Desires
- Jesus REDEFINES greatness.
Silicon Valley’s Definition of Greatness: SELF–SOVEREIGNTY
Jesus’ Definition of Greatness: SACRIFICIAL SERVICE
- Servant (diakonos) – works for the service of others
- Slave (doulos) – exists for the service of others
- Jesus is the REVELATION of TRUE greatness.
APPLICATION: Greatness is found in CROSS–SHAPED decisions.
Who can I serve today?
Memory Verse:
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 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.”
– Matthew 20:26-28
“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
