Title: The First Secret that God Wants
Content Example) The first good point
Ex) The vanguard of the tribe of Judah
body description
Disputes among the disciples (verses 33-34 - consciousness of superiority)
This is what Jesus is saying to his disciples who are having a foolish argument over who is the greatest.
"Look, do you want to be the best? Try using these methods." He said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the end of all and the servant of all."
The Gospel of Matthew says, "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your servant."
Today Jesus tells us:
"Do you want to be the best?" This road is the best way.
However, this path is different from what you think. It's not about getting ahead of others by pushing with ambition and drive. Also, it's not about dropping the people you're running with and getting ahead. Fighting and arguing with each other doesn't make you the first. The way to be the best is from the position of the servant. And they begin to serve each other."
Do you want to be the best?
Would you like to be first and enjoy those blessings that the first receives?
Here is the way to be first.
What is that road?
1. It is a road that goes down to a small place (verse 37).
Do you want to be the first?
Then go down to the plain first.
Meet small people, love small things and serve small places.
Abraham Lincoln said:
"Hana Nam loves ordinary people the most. That's why he made ordinary people the most."
God works a lot through serving the common things and the simple things rather than the special things.
Ex) Making people out of clay, defeating Goliath with ordinary stones, feeding 5,000 people with ordinary lunch boxes
There are few heroes or stars in history.
Of course they are great, but we can't all be like that.
Therefore, it is precious to serve people who are simple and faithful in small things.
2. It is to accept. It is a more inclusive way to live, a way to have an open mind.
A person must have a broad mind and a broad mind.
If you have a narrow mind, you will have a competitive spirit and a sense of inferiority towards the other person.
You have hostility towards your opponent.
When such a person stands in the field of service, the department is disturbed and people's hearts break.
*John's narrow-mindedness (explained verses 38-40),
John's Mistakes toward the Samaritans - John's Changes in Writing the First, Second, and Third Books of the Week
Example) Koreans' splitting, the Chinese restaurant owner's words, and the reaction to the Koreans' splitting.
3. To be first, you must have influence.
In verse 43 and below, there are many terrifying and terrible words.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.
If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Salt is good, but if it loses its taste, it is nothing. Put salt in yourselves and be reconciled to one another.
What does this mean by Jesus?
In a word, it means to be influential.
You don't need hands, feet, or eyes that can't influence. You must live a life of influence like salt.
Salt is what influences those around it.
Even with only 2.3% salt, seawater does not rot.
Just as a single drop of lemon in black tea changes the color of black tea to a lemon color, just salt prevents it from rotting.
We always have a lot to say.
But what really matters is not the many, but the few, and the influence that transforms the majority must be among us.
A large number is not a problem.
Having a large number of faculty is not something to be proud of.
Although it is a small number, the ability to lead the whole, its saltiness is the true shape of the church.
The beginning of the early church started with 12 salty Christians.
Those salty Christians evangelized Rome, the salty taste of Luther and Calvin in the Middle Ages caused the Reformation, and a few salty Christians in the early Korean church ignited the fire of the gospel in Korea.
We do not need Christians who have lost much saltiness.
Rather, they need millet but salty and influential children of God.