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Subject: Devotional #21; August 20, 2001 Author: Gail [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 07:55:38 08/20/01 Mon Topic—Servant Leaders Power Point—To be first and the greatest in the kingdom, we must become last and the least in the kingdom. This Week’s Memory Verses—Matthew 20:27–28 Access Database—Matthew 20:1–16 L.A.S.T. But Not Least by Eric Partin In this country, we try to be first at any cost. Look at the success of shows like Survivor. Those people were obsessed with doing whatever it took to win the million dollars…even at the expense of others. This attitude is everywhere. Just last week, driving on the main drag in my city, a maniacal driver in a beat-up truck whipped his bucket of bolts in front of me so close that I had to slam on my brakes to keep from careening right into the back of him. Then to add insult to injury, he turned around, gave me the finger and laughed with this crazy, demonic, "ha-ha-I-showed-you!" laugh. This same attitude nearly gets me killed every week. When I announce in Sunday school that it’s time to go out to the playground, I practically have a riot on my hands from all the pushing, shoving and jostling to be first. Those first graders are no match for me though, and so I’m almost always first! God’s kingdom, however, is in complete opposition to this mindset. To go up, you have to go down. To be the greatest, you have to be the least. To be a leader, you have to be a servant. This flies right into the face of the world’s philosophy. Jesus said it Himself that "…servants are not greater than their master." If Jesus, our master, set the example by coming to serve, what makes us think that we can be a leader in the kingdom of God without serving? Jesus says several times in Matthew 19 and 20 that many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first. You see, it’s not how you start, but how you finish. Many times the first-place runner in lap one is the last-place runner on the final lap. It’s not to be so with us. God wants us to be victorious. To do that we have to be last, and we have to be least. This week will look at how to be L.A.S.T. When you do these things, you certainly won’t be least in the kingdom of God. Now go back and read Matthew 20:1–16 one more time. Identity Matrix—Disciples of Christ... Know God—In what way did God reveal Himself to you as you read His Word? Live for God—What one-lifestyle change is God calling you to make? Love Others—In what way is God calling you to minister to someone in need? Bear Fruit—In what ways will you set the example and the standard for others to follow? [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

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[> Subject: Last = First Author: Gail [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 08:12:26 08/20/01 Mon Yeah, this is neat. Many times, to be a leader or be first, you have to git down and dirty, heh heh. A king who sits on his throne all day and just rambles stuff doesn't do much for his country, right? That's why many kings will get down and fight with his fellow solders in a war-in fact, be in the very front, the first row most likely to suffer death! He's only seen as a worthy king if he involves himself in the works of his people and take charge and be willing to suffer what his people suffer. In Matthew 20: 1-16, it's not saying that the last and first trade places. In fact, both groups-the last and the first-both get the same amount of reward. I think what this is saying is that there is an equal amount of rewards for people who serve God, although there may be different times for when people serve God. Like a NEW Christian is not going to get LESS of a reward then someone who has been a Christian for a long time. The new Christian is not going to get to go to a place a little UNDER heaven, right? Both get to go to heaven, and both are thus rewarded. But in a way, it seems that the last gets first because he gets something that he may not seem to deserve as much as another. Heh heh, does that make any sense whatsoever? ^_^ [ Post a Reply to This Message ]