Relationship Between Service and Greatness

Prov 31:10-31, Js 1:13-18 & Mk 9 :30-37
The Rev'd Dr Bernhadt Y. Quarshie preached this powerful sermon on the Relationship Between Service and Greatness.
Tomorrow is the 100th birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana, he reminded us. We assign many great things to him but there are two definitions of greatness: one that defines it according to position, and the other that defines it according to service.When we define greatness by position, as the world does, we are prepared to worship people in position and we make them think that they are too big to serve; they must rather be served. Jesus's encounter with his disciples in Mark 9 gives us a new insight into what greatness means. His disciples were arguing among themselves as to who should be the greatest. Jesus explained that greatness comes out of service and so the greatest person is the one who serves. He said in vs.35 that 'If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all and servant of all' KJV.
Rev'd Quarshie continued that real service does not expect to be paid back. There is so much corruption in our system because those who serve do so expecting to be rewarded or paid back.
Greatness therefore comes out of the service we are able to offer through the positions we are privileged to hold.
Qualities NOT to be seen among people who belong to Christ:
1. Selfishness - what motivates us to serve determines whether or not we belong to Christ. Selfishness makes us think only about ourselves and our family when we occupy a position.
2. The 'know-it-all attidude' - when we think our position makes us indispensable, and whatever we say must be carried out. We tend to demand worship from the people we are to serve. It is only God who demands worship from his creation.

Qualities of Greatness
1. Selflessness which graduates to sacrifice. Jesus's greatness lies with service, which is his death. Selfishness is not enough, that is, we do not gain anything when we are selfless BUT we must sacrifice in addition. Sacrifice means we lose something; and so in service, we do not gain anything but we lose everything.
2. Yielding to God - the complete dependence on God - and our wiilingness to do His will - as Jesus said "...not my will but yours be done.."
3. Humility: above all we must have the disposition of humility. A servant who is not willing to take instructions from the person he is serving is not prepared to serve. Philippians 2:5-11

'Last of all and servant of all'
In conclusion, Rev'd Quarshie said we must measure our greatness in terms of service. We must always remember that Jesus's definition of the greatest is 'last of all and the servant of all'.

The Rev'd Dr B.Y. Quarshie is a Snr Lecturer at the Dept of the Study of Religions, Univ of Ghana and the Rector of the Akrofi Christaler Institute of Theology, Mission & Culture, a Postgraduate Institution at Akropong Akwapim. He is a former Lecturer at the Trinity Theological Seminary.