Tag Archives: Matthew 23:11-12

The Greatest

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ - Day 305 - Matthew 23:11-12 - The Greatest - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 305 – Matthew 23:11-12 – The Greatest – Growing As Disciples

The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12 (NIV)

Great 

What does it mean to be great? Is it a sin to want to be great? Do you define greatness in a way that is unique, and different from the world? Do you want me to be great in some way? You have a lot of questions about greatness. I can see that you are more than a little uncomfortable with the idea of being great. Yes, I am, without a doubt. Well, I am going to ask you to answer your own questions for me. I thought you might say that. Go ahead, I’m listening. Your definition of greatness is far different than the world’s definition of greatness. How so? Being great according to the world’s definition is very self-serving, self-centered and self-reliant. Being great according to the world’s definition includes a desire to be better and have more than anyone else. The idea of being great is rooted in pride. It desires and demands attention. It wants to be noticed and recognized and applauded. The person wanting to be great, in the eyes of the world, can’t take their thoughts off of themselves. In fact, everything and all of life revolves around the worldly greatness seeker. Yes, it does. Your idea of greatness is the exact opposite. You want me to be great at loving and caring for others. You want me to be great at helping and serving people in need. Your idea of greatness is rooted in humility. A truly great person, in your eyes, has taken their thoughts off of themselves. Their focus is on you. They want to know and do your will. They want to follow your example. I know that you want me to follow your example. How so? You want me to take on the form of a servant. You want me to lay aside my rights and privileges. You want me to love like you loved. You want me to give like you gave. You want me to serve like you served. Yes, I do want all of these things for you.

How will you ever be able to be like me? How will you ever be able to be great as a servant? Not by my own power and strength that is for sure. But I know one thing. What’s that? You will change me. You will mold and shape me. You will make me as you want me to be. Yes, I will. What will you do? I will keep my heart and mind and life focused on you. In your presence I will be changed. It your presence you will make me to be like you. You will make me great in loving and serving you and those all around me in this world. Yes, I will. Keep on loving, following and serving me. Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.

Lord, I believe what you are saying about true greatness. I will follow your example. I will take on the form of a servant. I will humbly serve others. Help me to think and speak and act like you. Help others to see you in me. Use me to help draw others to you. Amen

Key Question… What has helped you to come to believe that true greatness is found in humbly serving others?

Living It Out… Follow Christ’s example by humbly giving yourself in service to others.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith to believe that true greatness is found in following Christ’s example of humbly serving others.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are following Christ’s example of humbly serving others.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you follow the Lord’s example by humbling yourself to serve others today.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Becoming Like Christ – Day 305 – Matthew 23-11-12 – The Greatest – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

The Greatest Among You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 136 - Matthew 23:11-12 - The Greatest Among You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 136 – Matthew 23:11-12 – The Greatest Among You – Growing As Disciples

The greatest among you will be your servant.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12 (NIV)  

Be Great

I know in the past, you have wanted to be great. You have wanted to stand out. You have wanted to be respected. You have wanted to be honored. You have wanted to win the applause of others in the world. Now, much of that desire is gone. Now, at times, you are repulsed by that old worldly and fleshly desire. Now, I know you are now wary of any part of that desire that remains in you. You think the only source of that desire has been your pride? You think nothing good can come of the desire, to be great, that is still within you. You believe that desire is worldly and can only come from your old sinful nature. Have I captured your thoughts and feelings about your desire to be great? Yes, you have, without a doubt.

What would you think if I told you that I want you to be great? What would you think if I told you that your desire to be great comes from me? I would be surprised. No, I would be shocked. I would need to completely readjust my thinking, if that were true. It’s true. Start readjusting. I want you to be great in humility. I want you to be great in being a servant. I want you to be great in going and doing all that I ask of you. I want you to be great in following my example. I want you to be great in thinking and speaking and acting as I did. I want you to be great in giving. I want you to be great in serving. I want you to great in loving. I want you to be great as a bright and shinning witness for me in the world. I want you to be great in bearing fruit for my kingdom. I want you to be great in bringing glory to my name. Can you see anything wrong with being great in these ways? I cannot. Would you want to be less than great in any one of these ways? No, I would not. Would being less than great in any one of these ways be pleasing to me? Certainly not.

So, how are your readjusting your thoughts? I am thinking that I want to be great in loving and following and serving you. I want to be great in humbly going and doing all that you ask of me. I want to be great in living the life you have called me to live. It is my prayer and hope and desire that you will make me able to humbly be and do great things with and for you. That is very good. 

Lord, I will follow your example. I will humble myself and take on the form of a servant. I will go and do what you ask of me. I will serve you and others with my whole heart. I want to do great things for you. Use me to bear abundant fruit for your kingdom. Amen

Key Question… When have you foolishly wanted to be great according to the world’s definition of greatness?

Living It Out… Humble yourself and take on the form of a servant so God can powerfully use you to bear fruit for Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will exalt you when you humble yourself and take on the role of being a servant.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how humbling yourself has made you able to do what God asked of you.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you follow Christ’s example by humbly being the servant of others.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 136 – Matthew 23-11-12 – The Greatest Among You – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

He Who Is Greatest

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The Virtuous Life - Day 220 - Matthew 23-11-12 - He Who Is Greatest - Growing As Disciples

The Virtuous Life – Day 220 – Matthew 23-11-12 – He Who Is Greatest – Growing As Disciples

But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12 (NKJV)

True Greatness

How would you define true greatness? What will you do to live a life that could truly be called great? Sometimes, I have wondered if desiring to live a life that could be called great is desire that is pleasing to you. Do you think I want you to live a life that isn’t great? Do you think I want you to live a life that would be called average or maybe even below average? Well, that sounds ridiculous. I’m glad that you think so. I’m sure that defining greatness is the key. It is. The world defines greatness in a way that I am certain is at odds with your definition of greatness. How so? The world’s definition of greatness is not rooted in humility. The world’s definition of greatness is not centered in serving others. The world’s definition of greatness revolves around rising above others. It is rooted and centered in a prideful desire to get ahead, and be better, and have more than others. If you are rich, the world would call you great. If you are powerful, the world would call you great. If you did something spectacular and especially noteworthy, the world would call you great. The world would never regard humbly serving others as being great. The world would never regard quietly loving others as expressed by humble acts of service as being great. Greatness according to the world is rising above others to be served by them. It is never following your example of humbly and selflessly loving others with no thought of return. True greatness never expects to be paid back. True greatness loves and gives sacrificially because it is following your example. True greatness does what is pleasing to you. True greatness stores up treasure in heaven with you. The efforts of true greatness bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. I want to live a life that is truly great. I want to follow your example. I want to think as you thought. I want to speak as you spoke. I want to act as you acted. I will humble myself as I serve you and others. That will be true greatness. Thank you, Lord

Lord, you have given me an example to follow. You have shown me what it means to humbly serve others. I will follow your example. I want to live a great life of humbly serving others. I want to bear lots of fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Amen

Key Question…  What will you do if you want to live a life that could be called great?

Living It Out…  Follow the Lord’s example and live a great life of humbly serving others.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that you will live a great life as you follow the Lord’s example of humbly serving others.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are currently engaged in humbly serving others.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you exhibit true greatness by humbly serving others.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

The Virtuous Life – Day 220 – Matthew 23-11-12 – He Who Is Greatest – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                Copying not permitted                                           www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Your Servant

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Be - Matthew 23:11-12 - Your Servant - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Be – Matthew 23:11-12 – Your Servant – Growing As Disciples

The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12 (NIV)

Serving 

Have you humbled yourself? Have your set aside your privileges and expectations. Have you let go of your rights? Have you given up on your demands? How do you regard yourself? Have you thought of yourself as being better and more important than others? Have you exalted yourself and all your wants and needs and desires above anyone, above all else? Those are tough questions. Why is that? I cannot give myself a passing grade on any of your questions. I have been filled with pride. I have carried my rights, privileges, expectations and demands around with me like a set of well-worn luggage. That’s a heavy load to carry. Yes, it is. Worse than that, I have thought of myself as being better and more important than others. I have wanted all my wants and needs and desires to be met while I have barely thought of the wants and needs and desires of those around me. That’s not good. It is more than not good, it is pathetic. Yes, it is. 

What has happened to you as a result of your pride? That’s a good question. A prideful, self-centered, self-exalting, self-indulgent life is not sustainable. A prideful life coming to a humbling crash is as predictable as gravity bringing a heavy object back down to earth. You have been humbled? You have been brought back down to earth? Yes, I have experienced the error of my ways. I have suffered for my sinful pride. I have been brought far lower than I have ever exalted myself. Are you sure? No, I’m not sure. That’s good. 

There is one thing of which I am sure. What’s that? I no longer want to live a prideful, self-centered, self-exalting, self-indulgent life. There is no joy in that. This is not the life that you have called me to live. No, it is not. You have given me an example to follow. You humbled yourself. You gave up all your rights and privileges, demands and expectations. Yes, I did. You considered others as better than yourself. You did not think about all your wants and needs and desires. No, I did not. You came into this world to give of yourself. You held nothing back. You kept nothing in reserve. You joyfully laid down your life to serve others. You fulfilled the purpose and plan that your Heavenly Father had for your life. Yes, I did. You never retreated from your call. You had no regrets for how you lived your life. No, I did not. That is what I want. I want to follow your example. I want to do what you did. I want to love like you loved, give like you gave and serve like you served. I will humble myself. I will listen for your call. I will humbly go and do all that you ask of me. I will live my serving others. That will be every good.

Lord, I have been proud. I have thought of myself as being more important than others. I have put myself first. I have exalted myself and all my wants, needs and desires. Forgive me. Help me to follow your example. I will humble myself so I can serve others. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Be – Matthew 23-11-12 – Your Servant – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com