Sometimes it is extremely difficult to realize that God often does things quite differently than we do them. It often throws us in a dizzying spin if it is even suggested that God is not bound by the constraints of human logic, the humanly devised scientific method, or the restraints of any form of human culture. Yet, we have no difficulty accepting as fact that God chose an extremely small nation as the vehicle for producing the universal Savior (Deuteronomy 7:6-11); or chose Jacob over Esau prior to birth which "just was not the way things were done" without any regard to merit (Romans 9:10-13); or pardoned the people of Judah who returned from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 55:6-11); or sent the infinitely Jewish Paul to be teacher to idol worshippers [gentiles] (Acts 13:1-3; Galatians 1:11-17); or that we are 'freewill' beings yet God has purposes for us.
It is precisely for this reason that we (1) let God speak for Himself and (2) never forget that our English translation is a translation. Never tire of allowing God to help you understand His priorities, His values, and His purposes. Be careful not to impose your reasoning on God and deceive yourself into believing it is His reasoning.
When we look at the past and watch God do the unexpected, we are tempted to say, "How could those people be so stupid as to think that God did not know what He was doing! The reason they failed is because they did not trust God!" However, we also say it is not nearly as easy or simple for us to trust God in our 'complicated and complex' world of today. How simple it is to see what should have been done in past centuries when we look through our rearview mirror! We need to realize [if this world continues] someday future generations will examine our choices in their rearview mirrors!
Too frequently in each generation God's expectations run counter to 'the way real life is.' Each generation is powerfully tempted to decide for itself when God makes sense to them. Too often our trust in God (1) fails to consider all God has revealed and (2) decides God's values must be reasonable to my human logic. Often our trust does not exceed our reasoning.
To many in Jesus' day, his ministry simply did not 'add up.' They did not agree with his concept of God. They did not agree with his concept of Israel. They did not agree with his view of religion, or the future, or the gentiles, or the judgment, or the after life. He had incredible power that fed the masses, raised the dead, and cast out demons. Yet he owned nothing, ruled nothing, started no social program for continuously feeding the poor, had no army, and had no palace.
Rarely do we realize how radical Jesus' views were in first century Palestine among the Jewish people. Rarely do we realize that Jesus' views will be radical in every generation because Jesus declares real life is life after our deaths. It is extremely difficult for all of us to consider physical realities as temporary realities.
He went to people rather than asking them to come to him. He existed in this world as a king without a kingdom, a master with slaves, and a teacher without a school. He selected only 12 men in a determined attempt to change the world. Though he had multitudes following him on occasions, he never used them for monetary or political advantage. What was the point of having that power and not using it to make money? What was the point of having enormous popularity and not using it for political advantage? Did he not know that was "how the game was played?" Did he not know that was a useless waste of power and popularity?
We think of popularity and power in this world as a means to physical advantages. Jesus thought of them as a vehicle toward eternal reality.
Not even his closest friends who were with him daily understood [the twelve disciples]. They frequently talked among themselves about which one of them was the most important (see Mark 9:33-37 and Luke 22:24-26). When James and John tried to gain the promise of the prestigious positions for themselves, the other ten resented their attempt (Matthew 20:20-24).
It is quite tempting even for those closest to Jesus to think only in terms of "now realities and fixes" rather than eternal realities and fixes. It is too easy even for the spiritually minded to think that the physical is real and the eternal is hypothetical.
Every time, Jesus in some way stressed the same point. People who do not know God [the gentiles] want to elevate themselves over other people. People who do know God serve other people. With God, greatness is found in serving, not in ruling.
It requires an entirely different means of measurement to begin to grasp the significance of serving for God's sake. Only the person who belongs to God can see the eternal value of serving.
People who did not know God were focused on possessing and exercising authority. God's kingdom was not based on possessing and exercising authority. God's kingdom did not measure significance by the yard stick of authority. God measures significance by the yard stick of service. If a person wishes to achieve greatness in King God's kingdom, the person learns how to serve. The most significant person in God's kingdom is the man or woman who functions as a slave to others.
In our reasoning, God's kingdom would collapse without humans exercising authority. It is as though we conclude God is not capable of taking care of His own kingdom. Ironically, it is we who will die. Ironically, it is we whose influence will end. For an illustration, consider past leaderships who wrote conditions in the church's will in an effort to control the future--only to have their 'insightful efforts' become irrelevant in a future age in ways they never considered.
Jesus, though he came to bring God's kingdom into complete existence, did not come to be served by others. He came to serve! He came to serve in an unimaginable ways: he came to surrender his life to be the ransom for all who would accept freedom through him. He came to be the Lord who served!
Because the faithful and dedicated exist to serve, it is easy to conclude that everyone in the past associated Jesus with serving. Jesus was an unlikely king! Jesus was an unlikely spokesman for God! Jesus might not be any more popular in the church today than he was among his own people 2000 years ago.
Significance in God's view is to (1) surrender to God's objectives and (2) serve other people as you surrender to God's objectives. By serving the creature you honor the Creator. If God could serve our needs by sending us Jesus Christ who serves our needs through being our ransom, why should we think it strange that God would want us to serve each other?
God and Jesus are the example of what they expect us to become.
To speak of 'serving' makes a great Sunday school class discussion topic. However, we often view 'serving' as an impractical lifestyle reality in real world experiences. Servants get stepped on. Authoritarians 'make things happen.'
When we allow God to lead by doing His things His way, His people prosper in His objectives. His objectives are centered in helping people use now to prepare to be with Him, not in our physical wealth, physical advantage, and physical well being.
Do we want to be a teacher to serve, or to be in charge? Do we want to preach to serve, or to command attention? Do we aspire to be a deacon to increase opportunities to serve, or to tell others in our ministry what to do? Do we want to be an elder to serve, or to hold the ultimate power of control?
The central issue in ministry is service. The central issue in all godly leadership is service. We need shepherds who can see past things to the realms of service. God's inquiries in judgment will not focus on the size of our buildings or the acres our parking lot covered. Great spiritual care needs to be exercised to see that we do not measure spiritual realties by the incorrect measuring stick.
For too long many aspired to positions in the kingdom for [at best] inferior reasons. For too long Christians rewarded poor motivations with kingdom advancement. For too long Christians placed leadership emphasis on authority rather than on serving others. For too long many asked the wrong question: "Does he/she know how to handle the authority of his/her position or work?" The issue question: "Does he/she know how to serve?" May we all see the day when all congregations' shepherds exist primarily to help people and to lead Christians in helpfulness to others!
One of the desires of all Christians should be forms of leadership that constantly challenge us to serve.
It should be obvious that people are extremely important to God. If God sent Jesus as a servant to be the Christ and open God's kingdom to all, it should be equally obvious that belonging to God's kingdom and accepting His rule over us must involve serving others.
We will never understand or value God's priorities until we value the role of service to others.
For Thought and Discussion:
Sometimes it is extremely difficult to realize that God does things radically different from us.
"Those people were stupid for not trusting God! Did they not understand God knew what He was doing?"
We are tempted to say that our world is too complicated and complex for God's ways to work now.
Jesus' ministry did not 'add up.'
Use paragraph 4 to form your illustration. Jesus used none of his popularity or power for monetary or political advantage.
They frequently discussed which of them was the most important person in Jesus' ministry/work.
He uses the yard stick of service.
Jesus came to serve.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 3