The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-04-28
Christ's Standard of Greatness

OIll LSI SNSSAlN~'AN
Sunday. April %. .
Matthew 20:l7-2S.
Golden Teyt-The Son Of man
came not to be miniStered unto,
but to minister, and to give his
rife ransom for many.-Mat-
thew 20:2S. -.
For the last time Jesus on his
way through Perea to Jerusalem.
In the present scene we glimpse
the Sorrowirg Saviour, the two
ambitious disciples, and the dis
pleased ten.
SALVATION BY THE
SORR0WINC ONE
Greatness through salvation is
the achievement of Christ. "Up
to Jerusalem" he was going,
where they had mobbed him,
sought to assassinate him, order
ed his arrest, practically Danish
ed him, and were determined to
kill him. The disciples were awed
by the majestic heroism which
moved grandly toward the hostile
capital. But Jesus knew that "up
to Jerusalem meant "on to Cal
vary" Hence in a private in
terview with the twelve he drew
aside the curtain of the future.
In the clearest possible terms he
told them how at the end of the
present journey would be de-
livered up to the ecclesiastical au-
thorities who, after condemning
him to death, would deliver him
over to the Gentle or Roman
authorities, by whom, under show
of law, he would be Knocked, spit
upon, scOurged, and slain; but
beyond the awful storm of hui
man fury he would rise from the
dead on the third day.
SUFFERING FOR THE
AMBITIOUS TWO
Greatness through suffering is
the lot of martyrs for Christ. (D
The request of James and John,
intimate associates Of Jesus, was
courteously presented by their mo-
Their, Salome, who was probably
a sister of Mary, the mother of
Jesus. They still held a material
view of the kingdom, and perhaps
misinterpreted what Jesus had
just said about the twelve on the
thrones of the tribes. Hence their
desire to sit next to him, right
and left, in his coming glory.
They sympathized with his mis-
sion and were willing to endure
privat;on, but their ambition was
unworthy. (2) The respose of
Jesus was neither an express de-
NAL nor a stern rebuke. To show
them they did not know what
they were asking, he inquired if
they were abe to drink with him
his cup of sorrow and undergo
his baptism of suffering. Was
there a tinge of presumption in
their affirmative answer? At any
rate, looking onward to the death
of James, first of the apostolic
martyrs. and of John, after sur
viving fiery prosecutions, he told
them in the fullness Of time they
would drink the same cup as
their Lord. Let them know that
precedence in the kingdom is de-
termined not by any arbitrary
appointment on the part Of the
Messiah, but as a matter of re-
ward tot hose for whom it is pre-
pared on the basis of their fidel-
itv and sacrifice.
SERVICE FOR THE
INDIGNANT TEN
Greatness through service is
the path open to all. Jesus had
not only to rectify the ambitious
two, but also to pacify the in
dignant ten. And he did it by
contrasting greatness in civil and
spiritual life. Among rulers i'll
this world the great ones are es-
teemed great simply because they
exercise authority over their sub
iects or subordinates. But in the
kingdom he who becomes and re-
mains great must do so by being
servant and helper of others. He
who is foremost in the realm Of
the good must be first and fore
most in sacrificial service. No
other path leads to the summit of
true greatness. Jesus himself is
the eternal example and illustra-
ton of what he said. He is the
greatest earth ever knew because
by life and death he rendered the
gratest srvice.
SERVE AND BE GREAT
% Serve by Following. "Jesus