The Lord Jesus desired all of his disciples to be great in the eyes of God. But the problem is that people in general want to be great in the worldly sense. Alexander the Great exemplifies someone that was considered to be one of the greatest men to ever live. He conquered and expanded his kingdom as he desired to spread Hellenism to the world. So, in many ways, he was considered great. But in God’s eyes, he is insignificant because he did not do great things for God. In today’s text, the Lord Jesus uses this moment to teach what it means to be great in the kingdom of God. Christians are to be ambitious but in the way of God. To be great in God’s eyes, Christians must avoid the hindrance of pride, invite Jesus into their hearts to have childlike faith, and have greatness assured when seeking it in the Lord.
Christians must avoid the danger of pride. When the disciples began to argue among themselves, the issue at hand was not who would be greater, but who would be considered the greatest. What was behind the disciples’ desire to be the greatest was driven by pride. Pride always put one’s own opinion above all, including the truth. In other words, pride causes blindness. But pride is most dangerous because it attempts to challenge God. Case in point, pride is what caused Lucifer to overthrow God, but rather leading to his fall and destruction (Ez. 28:17).
“Nothing comes more naturally to fallen human beings than pride, manifesting itself in self-centeredness, self-love, self-promotion, and self-fulfillment. Pride is the defining sin of fallen human nature, the soil in which all other sins sprout, take root, and grow. It is the damning sin that produced angelic rebellion against God and sought to topple Him from His throne as the sovereign ruler of the universe” (John MacArthur).
By the gospel of Jesus Christ, the proud are transformed to become humble. In the gospel, it is all done by God’s grace and work of salvation. For those that desire to be great in the kingdom of God, pride must be mortified through faith in Christ Jesus.
Inviting Jesus into our hearts with childlike faith. The problem is man’s corrupt heart that pursues pride and chooses self-will over God’s will. Why is Jesus’ knowledge so important? In verse 47, Jesus emphatically shows how to be great; that is, the Christian is changed by loving God and others. Prior to receiving a new heart, unbelievers love self. The least love the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:26).
How are Christians able to love fellow believers and where does it come from? Only true conversion enables the Christian to turn away from pride and living in opposition to the former life for the glory of God. True conversion results in childlike faith, which is simple faith. Childlike faith makes them the least, which ultimately makes them the greatest in the kingdom of God.
Greatness is assured when sought in the Lord’s way. The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest in the kingdom of God. Jesus is the only One who knows how to become great in the right way before God, so believers are to heed his words. What Jesus says is that “whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:4). Even though Christians cannot see God, their childlike faith will lead them to fully trust in Jesus to do great things for the kingdom. And childlike faith inevitably produces a gift of humility.
To have faith in God gives the believer assurance of the Father’s protection and guidance through life’s challenges and circumstances. Moses had childlike faith and God considered him to be great (Num. 12:3).
Greatness in God’s eyes is accomplished through humility and childlike faith following the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ. Greatness in the kingdom of God can never be achieved through man’s effort but through obedience and sanctification. God desires to be the source of our greatness for his glory and the growth of the believer’s faith.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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