Greatness in the Kingdom – Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 20, verses 17 to 34
Toxic leaders
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”
Lord Acton: Letter to Archbishop Mandell Creighton (Apr. 5, 1887)
Jerusalem for Jesus (Matthew 20: 17-19)
He is going to death, so far from greatness in the eyes of Jews and Romans. But this is what is up next for Him.
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!’
Matthew 20 New International Version – UK (NIVUK) Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
True greatness (Matthew 20: 20-28)
A startling request. Breathtaking! They want the seats of honour. Never satisfied (but they are like us).
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.’
Matthew 20
Sight for the blind (Matthew 20:29-34)
Their model response to Him – ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ .
His model response to them – ‘Jesus had compassion on them’
Authority used in mercy. Greatness serving others.
Great men don’t always have to be bad men.
29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ 31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ 32 Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked. 33 ‘Lord,’ they answered, ‘we want our sight.’ 34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Matthew 20
