It's your Serve!

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.” 22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” 24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Jesus affirms the DESIRE to be successful in the Kingdom of God.

The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 2309. θέλω thélō

θέλω thélō; fut. thelḗsō. To will, wish, desire, implying active volition and purpose.

(I) To will, i.e., to have in mind, purpose, intend, please.

“What do you WISH?” θέλω thélō; To will, i.e., to have in mind, purpose, intend, please.

(I) To will, i.e., to have in mind, purpose, intend, please.

How to Be a Huge Success is a little book of quotations and tips from a variety of well-known ‘successful’ people. The back cover asks, ‘Are you on a collision course with fame, fortune or greatness?’ This is so often how ‘success’ is perceived in our society.

Perhaps because of some of its negative connotations, sometimes in the church we are a little wary of the word ‘success’. However, ‘success’ is not a dirty word in the Bible. However, the ministry of Jesus and the message of the Bible redefine success.

Success is a blessing from the Lord (vv.31,50). Success is a good thing. However, the ministry of Jesus and the message of the Bible redefine success.

a. Does your motive line up with His?

b. Do your methods reflect His?

Praise God for the success of his creation

2. Jesus’ “SECRET TO SUCCESS” turns the typical idea upside down!

a. The motive becomes SERVICE.

The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 1247. διακονέω diakonéō

διακονέω diakonéō; contracted diakonṓ, fut. diakonḗsō, aor. diēkónēsa, from diákonos (1249), servant, deacon. To serve, wait upon, with emphasis on the work to be done and not on the relationship between lord and servant. In doúlos (1401), slave, the work is involuntary, and also to a lesser degree in hupērétēs (5257), servant, one working under a superior in contrast to the voluntary service of therápōn (2324), attendant.

(I) In its narrowest sense, diakonéō means to serve by waiting on a table, serving a dinner (Matt. 8:15; 20:28; 27:55; Mark 1:31; 10:45; 15:41; Luke 4:39; 10:40; 12:37; 17:8; 22:26, 27; John 12:2). With the dat. alone in Acts 6:2, “to serve money tables” (a.t.), i.e., to have charge of the alms and other pecuniary matters.

(II) Generally it means to do anyone a service, care for someone’s needs

διακονέω diakonéō; To serve, wait upon, with emphasis on the work to be done and not on the relationship between lord and servant.

-In its narrowest sense, diakonéō means to serve by waiting on a table, serving a dinner (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; , ; ).

- Generally it means to do anyone a service, care for someone’s needs

b. The method becomes SACRIFICE.

In our galaxy there are probably over a hundred-billion stars like our sun. Our galaxy is one of a hundred-billion galaxies. When we consider the vastness of the universe it is easy to feel small and insignificant.

RANSOM: λύτρον lútron; to loose. Ransom or price paid for redeeming captives, loosing them from their bonds and setting them at liberty. In and , it applies spiritually to the ransom paid by Christ for the delivering of men from the bondage of sin and death.

David starts and ends this psalm by worshipping God for the success of his creation (vv.1–2a,9).

As he stares into the night sky, David says, ‘I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewellery, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?’ (vv.3–4, MSG).

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