Greatness Bible Study
The Great Houdini – magician, famous for sensational escapes,___ failed in an experiment trying to communicate with his wife from the grave. (Compare with Simon the magician in Acts 8:9-11)
Name some people alive today who might be considered “great”, and tell us why.
Do you think that anyone who you know will ever be written up in Who’s Who or in a history book? Anyone in this group?
Chances are that none of us will get our name in a history book, but that doesn’t mean that there are no great people in this group.
What does it take to be considered a great person in the eyes of God?
Jesus talked about greatness and gave us a formula for greatness in the Bible. Matt. 20:26-28 Matt. 23:11
If Jesus is our Lord and Master, then our desire will be to follow His example and please Him. He alone can lead us into the role of servant.
There is no chapter in the Bible entitled, The Road to Greatness, Servanthood in Ten Easy Lessons. But there is a verse in the Bible which can give us a hint as to why Jesus was such a perfect example of a servant. The verse is in John 13, just before Jesus washed his disciples feet. In John 13:3 we can see that:
Jesus knew where He came from (John 13:3b) John 17:3
Jesus knew where He was going (John 13:3c) John 17:13a
Jesus knew what His position was, and what his resources were (John 13:3a)
Also see Philippians 2 : 8-11, Colossians 1:17-19
Because Jesus knew the answers to these three basic questions:
Where did I come from?
Where am I going?
What are my resources?
He was able to focus His attention, not of glorifying or exalting Himself, but on serving others and glorifying God.
It will be helpful to ask ourselves the same questions and to explore the answers so that we, too, can be free to serve others.
Satan’s goal is to confuse us and give us false ideas about these three questions. Let’s take them one at a time.
Where did I come from?
The World says:
The Bible says: Psalm 139:13
Therefore:
Therefore: Ephesians 2:10
Where am I going?
The world says:
The Bible says: Daniel 12:1-3, Ecclesiastes 12:7, Mark 16:16, Matthew 26:31-34, 41-46; Revelation 21:1-8
Therefore:
Therefore: 1 John 5:11-13
What are my resources?
The world says:
The Bible says: 2 Peter 1:3-4. Colossians 1:21-23
Therefore:
Therefore: 2 Corinthians 6:4, 10.
2 Corinthians 9:8
When I find myself:
confronted by philosophies or theories contrary to Scripture
tempted to seek worldly acclaim
preoccupied by things that satisfy my selfish flesh
worrying about my future
faced with my human frailties
I can take comfort in the God who loves me, who forgives me, and who is able to set me free to be what He created me to be, His servant.
We were called to freedom-to serve one another through love.
Gal. 5:13
God is able to make all grace abound to us, that always having all sufficiency in everything, we may have an abundance for every good deed. 2 Cor. 9:8
© Sue Found 1995
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