Dear Christian friends:

Although we are Christians and many of us have been Christians for many years, we still have some misunderstandings about God and His Kingdom. One thing we easily misunderstand is about GREATNESS In God's Kingdom.

James and John, two of Jesus' twelve disciples also misunderstood about GREATNESS in God's Kingdom. So Jesus corrected their misunderstanding. We like James and John also misunderstand and need correction.

James and John came to Jesus and asked for great honor and glory in His Kingdom: "When you sit on your throne let one of us sit on your right hand and the other on your left hand." They wanted to be second and third greatest in His Kingdom and in heaven.

But Jesus said to them, "You don't know (understand) what you ask: You misunderstand about GREATNESS. Then Jesus said to them: "Can you drink the cup that I drink and get baptized with My baptism?" Jesus meant His suffering and death. A little before He told them about that bitter cup He must drink. (verses 33-34, read it!) Jesus meant to tell them: "If you want to become GREAT in My Kingdom you must prepare to suffer much trouble, shame, mockery and maybe death, same as I now intend to do."

James and John said: "We can." They said that without thinking, proudly and boastfully. But later on in the garden of Gethsemane when Judas came with the police and took Jesus and they saw Him suffering, they ran away like scared rabbits.

So often we are like James and John. We want to get honor in Church here. We want people to respect us and praise us. We want to become great, president. And not think about the work and the suffering and trouble connected with that greatness. Then we get elected and someone makes trouble for us or mocks us and we want to quit and give up, like scared rabbits.

When we join Jesus' Church and when we accept responsibility in His Kingdom we must not expect selfish honor and glory, but expect trouble suffering and even death.

You say: "James and John foolish, scared, not me. I can, I can." But often you fail too. When I first came here last summer many of you promised to help and work and do. Then we begin working and had lay - visitors. You went out and met some trouble and arguments and then you want to quit like scarred rabbits. You say: "No use!"

Now you have a beautiful new church building here and you are proud and want honor and praise of membership here. But you don't want the work and the trouble and suffering that is connected with this beautiful church. God did not give us this beautiful church so we could sit here and rest and play dart-ball once a week. And then have a party and invite our friends and show off.

No, He gave us this beautiful church so we can preach, teach correct sinners, baptize and improve ourselves to become better lay visitors, witnesses. That means work suffering, and trouble from the unbelievers.

When you pray: "Lord bless me." Do you expect only riches, honor and good health? But you need understand God's blessing may mean that He gives you a cross to bear, some suffering and pain, that you may grow in faith. When you pray "thy kingdom come" do you realize that you asking God to take away something you love very much - your sins?

Jesus makes it very plain here: Only slaves and servants are truly great and honored. (verses 42-45) In His Church we don't do like the proud world. In the world men want power and greatness for selfish reasons. That flatters them. They don't care about helping other people and serving. They want others to serve them. But in Jesus' Kingdom who wants to be great must serve others. (verses 43-44)

Jesus now refers to His own example. (verse 45) When the people wanted to make Him their bread king, earthly king He refused. When Satan offered to Him all the Kingdoms in the world and their riches, He said, "No!" He came here to serve us by suffering and dying on the cross for our sins. He even washed the disciples feet to impress that on them.

Jesus didn't think about himself but only of others and their troubles and needs He did that beautifully and perfectly even unto death for us. He is our example. He is our reason!

You and I will misunderstand about GREATNESS if we fail to learn from Jesus. Now again this Lent, especially on Wednesday evenings we have opportunities to attend to Jesus' beautiful example. How He didn't think of Himself but only of serving us and saving us. But many of our members fail to come and see that again. Last Wednesday only twenty-two gathered here.

And Jesus Himself is displeased if we don't care about His suffering for us. He says through Jeremiah the prophet: "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto Me, wherewith the Lord has afflicted Me in the day of His fierce anger." In Lamentations 1:12 Jesus said, "You don't care about My sorrow and suffering? Is it nothing to you?" It ought to be much and precious to us. He did it for our forgiveness and salvation.

If we let his sorrow and suffer be much and precious to us then we will have the right idea and understanding of greatness in His Kingdom and we will be able to drink His cup and bear His cross for to serve others - not ourself.

But if His sorrow and suffering is nothing to us. If we can forget it and miss it and not attend to it, then we will continue to misunderstand and be proud and want selfish honor and greatness and we will lose our soul through that.

But attending to Jesus you can say with Paul: "I can do all things through Christ, He strengthens Me."

Amen.