Now, I understand that you respectfully call the pastors here, Pastor Paul, Pastor Vic and so on, with a title. I, I think that's out of your own respect for the office or the offices in the church, that's fine. It's perfectly cool, alright. Pretty cool with that, you know why? No way are any of the pastors superior to anyone. No way! If you are a child of God, you are a priest. You are a saint, you are a child of God.
We are all the same, different job functions, different roles but we are all really the same. In this church, we don't have pastors who have special car park lot, downstairs. B1, the one beside the lift - pastor Jason. Never have that! If there is, we spray paint that away or Pastor Paul or whatsoever. Nope, we, we don't have special queues for food. You want to get food, we queue like everyone else.
Now, it's important to understand that because it's very easy for the world and the culture of the world to be imported into the people of God. And that ought not to be. We are to live in a counter cultural way.
And it is to be seen in the way we value what's important in the kingdom. It's not control. What is greatness? It is simply humble service. Greatness equal humble service.
Greatness is seen in humble service. When I was younger, during about secondary school time, started to think about what kind of career I would have to take up eventually. So I thought everyone like myself, I would want a great career, isn't it? And what is a great career? Well, a great career will look like - it pays me a lot, it is respected, regarded in society. So, a great career will be one where I can be rich and famous and glamorous and prestigious.
Great career, right? Now, I'm not very good at a lot of things, but maybe science I'm still okay. And so I thought, out of the many options, medicine not bad.
Doctors rich what, doctors drive nice cars, live big house. So, let's do medicine. And that's where I went into medicine, studied, completed my course, came out to be a doctor, worked in the hospital. So, we were having our doctors rounds in the hospital wards, visiting patients and diagnosing their problems and trying to solve their problems. When we came to this elderly lady, she's really old, 80, 90 years old or so and she was curled up like a prawn. She is curled up like a prawn in pain.
She's miserable. And then was my first day there, first time seeing her, but she's been there for months already. So what's the problem? Well, she had chronic constipation. She has not passed motion for months.
Can't walk properly, you feel so awkward, have you had …? I'm, I'm sure you had, alright. So, if you have constipation for any period of time, it's super uncomfortable, but for her, it's months. And the doctors have tried everything. They have given her pills, syrups, solutions to drink, drink, drink, drink, drink to purge, doesn't come out. They have inserted medicine up and try to wash out the bowels, also cannot.
So, she's there struggling in pain. What is that? Nurses do lah. And so I have to, I have to take up that responsibility. They were very kind. They got me the apron, not one but two or three, you know, few layers. This one sure smelly — everything! Not so that I spread germs, but I cannot stand the smell, I'm sure! So the mask, at least has plastic or paper smell. The watery, semi-solid milkshake all come out. Wah, you can imagine the smell that filled the whole room. It's, it's all stuck there and fermenting for a long time.
And so it was, it was gross, it was smelly, it was messy. And when she said that, I realize something, I took out my mask and I took in a deep breath. Because I realized, greatness is in humble service. Greatness is when you're willing to stoop down and get involved with messy lives.
Greatness is seen when you're willing to get your hands dirty, although with gloves, but you're willing to get your hands dirty. I had a wonderful sense of joy and delight that I could serve this dear old lady. You know what's greatness in the kingdom? I think greatness in God's eyes is in humble service. What's a great church? Ah, a great church - big nice building, lots of money in the bank, beautiful looking people, successful people coming in fancy cars. Is that a great church? A great church is seen in humble service when God's people gather not to be served, but to serve.
And I think about the many great people here at Gospel Light. That guy! Wah, wah, wah, he came ah! What's impressive is, is in God's eyes are people who gather to dirty their hands to wash feet for one another. I, I think about our brethren, many of you. We, we don't hire people to do this, but we have many of you, some of you here who braved the sun and the rain in traffic marshalling out there.
And it's not easy, it's in the sun. Don't, cannot lah! My freckles! My, my SKII all wasted! They are out there in the sun, in the rain, directing traffic. But our marshals would still, still smile. You know what, that's humble service.
New International Version. Footnotes Matthew Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke Matthew The Greek word for brother or sister adelphos refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and Matthew Some manuscripts sins against you Matthew Deut.
Matthew Greek a hundred denarii ; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer see More on the NIV. In the context of the ancient world, honor and shame were extremely important social values.
A poor Galilean fisherman would be extremely low on the social ladder in the Roman Empire, so low that they may as well not exist. It is only natural for the disciples to ask about who the greatest in the Kingdom might be.
Jesus does not answer the question directly, but invites a child so stand in the middle of the group. He says the true disciple will become like a child. He tells the disciples the must change and be like a child. This is not a repentance word, the disciples do not need to repent of their sins and accept Jesus as savior. They are already insiders and followers of Jesus. But at this particular moment they are acting like the rest of the word.
That must change, Jesus says, if they expect to enter into the kingdom. Jesus has something about a child in mind, but not everything about children ie. Matthew ,20 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them , the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven….
Matthew Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Context Crossref Comment Greek. Verse Click for Chapter. Douay-Rheims Bible AT that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?
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