Today’s Devotion
Topic: Who Is The Greatest? (Self Assessment)
Background: Right before the eyes of Peter, James and John, Jesus had been transfigured with Elijah and Moses on a mountain. When they descended, Jesus delivered a young boy possessed by an evil spirit whom the other disciples could not cast out. Then as Jesus moved with them to Capernaum, the disciples thought it necessary to argue about who the greatest among them was.
Who wouldn’t love to be the first and not last, the head and not tail, the leader and not servant? But Jesus offers us a sure way to the top through the very bottom. Let’s delve into our Bible study for today to see how this is possible.
Text 1: Mark 9: 33- 35
33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Text 2: Mark 10: 42- 45
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Amen
Questions:
i) What does it mean for one to be the greatest among his/her colleagues?
ii) According to Jesus, the surest way to become the first is to be the “very last, and the servant of all.” What does this mean?
iii) What do you think are some of the reasons that make serving others so difficult for many, although we all want to be great?
iv. In Jesus’ day, “the rulers of the Gentiles did lord it over them, and their high officials exercised authority over them.” Is this the case in our present world? Please explain your answer.
v) In your opinion, what did Jesus mean when He said that “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many”? Can we, as modern day believers, do same? If so, in what practical ways?
vI) What have you learnt from today’s Bible study?
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