33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
Devotional
Now Jesus and the disciples came to Capernaum, and when they were in a certain house, Jesus asked them saying, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” vs. 33 Jesus’ inquiry is not for His understanding but ultimately theirs and ours. For with Jesus’ question the disciples do not respond. Instead they keep silent for they had disputed amongst themselves who would be the greatest. And this after Jesus’ openly declares His Person is now being betrayed. The disciples then had their priorities all turned around. For instead of seeking to know the Lord better and understand His will for themselves in light of this revelation; they became preoccupied with their own ambitious desires. Something after Christ’s resurrection and ascension they themselves would later come to understand the dangers of (Consider James 3:13-18). Yet Jesus is not “putting them to shame” for having done so. Instead He turns a negative into a positive. For the art of teaching is being able to instill values where once there were failures. And thus Jesus when He had sat down He calls the twelve to Himself, and He says: “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Vs. 35-37
In a radical departure then from what people naturally desire to do, or what the disciples here did. Jesus says that those who desire to be first amongst His followers shall be last of all, and servant of all. Not just last amongst His followers, but last amongst all; and not just a servant of those we like to serve, or by serving hope to forward one’s own ambitions or agenda’s, but a servant of all. Which itself is the antitheses of the world’s value system that makes being first and serving one’s own interests’ priority one. The Apostle Paul in light of suffering persecution from false brethren who preached Christ from selfish ambition (Phil. 1:16-18) wrote to the churches: "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Phil. 2:3-4
That is a command that the Lord Jesus has given by which both individual believers, and or church assembles will either grow spiritually or stagnate. Because you cannot be self directed and have your heart directed towards Jesus Christ’s priorities. Nor can you be an obedient follower of the Lord Jesus Christ while looking out for your own interests at the expense of others. Following Jesus Christ means following a pattern of self denial in respect of, and obedience towards the gospel, for the well being of others. For to deny that, is only to deny Jesus Christ’s own pattern of life and death. Therefore Godly ambition is not adversarial; it does not seek its own at the expense of, or without regards for others; it seeks to be the best that a person can be with whatever natural and spiritual gifts and talents God has endowed them with to be a blessing and service to others.
Unfortunately the disciples during a time when Jesus is preparing both them and Himself for His destiny on a cross were caught up in their own misguided ambitions. Therefore it must be said about such things that they are only born out of the sin nature that always says, even at its most rudimentary level, me “first” and me “lord.” However Jesus says all His followers must live differently. And with His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave the Lord Jesus has indeed provided a way for us to live differently and sacrificially, by His Spirit who indwells all who believe. Therefore the self serving ambitions and desires that are within our old nature must not direct our new lives. For in justifying these one only misrepresents what it means to follow Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul said: “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Gal. 5:13
Therefore Jesus having said “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” vs. 35 Now takes a little child and sets him in midst of them and when He take taken him up into His arms, says 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Vs. 37
It seems the child is an object lesson of our cherished person in the eyes of God. For we are all God’s children through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:26). Believers than are not to find their significance in holding positions of power or prestige, or anything else rather in belonging to Jesus Christ and being in the Kingdom of heaven. Consider the utter lack of ambition in a child, as well as the dependency of a child, which again stands juxtaposed to the self made or directed life. And thus is far more important to God to see that sort of heart in us, than our striving after what we think will make us significant or important or beloved in the eyes of God or accepted by others. In Matthew’s parallel passage Jesus makes it clear to His disciples when He says that unless you are converted and become as little children you will by no means enter the Kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3). For following Jesus Christ is not striving to get to the top, like someone struggling to climb the corporate latter of “success”. It is as Jesus says humbling oneself as a little child is how one becomes greatest in the Kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:4). Indeed that is how ones enters it, by child like faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Now Jesus says “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Vs. 37 People will stand or fall on their reception or rejection of God’s children. Not just little children, but all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are God’s child and thus when anyone receives one of us in Jesus Christ’s Name they receive the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; for we are His ambassadors offering peace to all through the blood of Christ’s cross. And thus when anyone receives the Lord Jesus Christ they receive God the Father Himself.
Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
Devotional
Now Jesus and the disciples came to Capernaum, and when they were in a certain house, Jesus asked them saying, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” vs. 33 Jesus’ inquiry is not for His understanding but ultimately theirs and ours. For with Jesus’ question the disciples do not respond. Instead they keep silent for they had disputed amongst themselves who would be the greatest. And this after Jesus’ openly declares His Person is now being betrayed. The disciples then had their priorities all turned around. For instead of seeking to know the Lord better and understand His will for themselves in light of this revelation; they became preoccupied with their own ambitious desires. Something after Christ’s resurrection and ascension they themselves would later come to understand the dangers of (Consider James 3:13-18). Yet Jesus is not “putting them to shame” for having done so. Instead He turns a negative into a positive. For the art of teaching is being able to instill values where once there were failures. And thus Jesus when He had sat down He calls the twelve to Himself, and He says: “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Vs. 35-37
In a radical departure then from what people naturally desire to do, or what the disciples here did. Jesus says that those who desire to be first amongst His followers shall be last of all, and servant of all. Not just last amongst His followers, but last amongst all; and not just a servant of those we like to serve, or by serving hope to forward one’s own ambitions or agenda’s, but a servant of all. Which itself is the antitheses of the world’s value system that makes being first and serving one’s own interests’ priority one. The Apostle Paul in light of suffering persecution from false brethren who preached Christ from selfish ambition (Phil. 1:16-18) wrote to the churches: "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Phil. 2:3-4
That is a command that the Lord Jesus has given by which both individual believers, and or church assembles will either grow spiritually or stagnate. Because you cannot be self directed and have your heart directed towards Jesus Christ’s priorities. Nor can you be an obedient follower of the Lord Jesus Christ while looking out for your own interests at the expense of others. Following Jesus Christ means following a pattern of self denial in respect of, and obedience towards the gospel, for the well being of others. For to deny that, is only to deny Jesus Christ’s own pattern of life and death. Therefore Godly ambition is not adversarial; it does not seek its own at the expense of, or without regards for others; it seeks to be the best that a person can be with whatever natural and spiritual gifts and talents God has endowed them with to be a blessing and service to others.
Unfortunately the disciples during a time when Jesus is preparing both them and Himself for His destiny on a cross were caught up in their own misguided ambitions. Therefore it must be said about such things that they are only born out of the sin nature that always says, even at its most rudimentary level, me “first” and me “lord.” However Jesus says all His followers must live differently. And with His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave the Lord Jesus has indeed provided a way for us to live differently and sacrificially, by His Spirit who indwells all who believe. Therefore the self serving ambitions and desires that are within our old nature must not direct our new lives. For in justifying these one only misrepresents what it means to follow Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul said: “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Gal. 5:13
Therefore Jesus having said “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” vs. 35 Now takes a little child and sets him in midst of them and when He take taken him up into His arms, says 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Vs. 37
It seems the child is an object lesson of our cherished person in the eyes of God. For we are all God’s children through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:26). Believers than are not to find their significance in holding positions of power or prestige, or anything else rather in belonging to Jesus Christ and being in the Kingdom of heaven. Consider the utter lack of ambition in a child, as well as the dependency of a child, which again stands juxtaposed to the self made or directed life. And thus is far more important to God to see that sort of heart in us, than our striving after what we think will make us significant or important or beloved in the eyes of God or accepted by others. In Matthew’s parallel passage Jesus makes it clear to His disciples when He says that unless you are converted and become as little children you will by no means enter the Kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3). For following Jesus Christ is not striving to get to the top, like someone struggling to climb the corporate latter of “success”. It is as Jesus says humbling oneself as a little child is how one becomes greatest in the Kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:4). Indeed that is how ones enters it, by child like faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Now Jesus says “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.” Vs. 37 People will stand or fall on their reception or rejection of God’s children. Not just little children, but all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are God’s child and thus when anyone receives one of us in Jesus Christ’s Name they receive the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; for we are His ambassadors offering peace to all through the blood of Christ’s cross. And thus when anyone receives the Lord Jesus Christ they receive God the Father Himself.
Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
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