A few years ago, there was a TV commercial that depicted a father and his young son leaving a baseball field. In all honesty, I can’t tell you what was being advertised. But what caught my attention was he interaction between the two characters. The son is carrying a trophy that is inscribed with the word, “Participant”. The father takes the trophy and covers the inscription with a piece of tape and with a marker writes the word, “Champion”.
Nobody likes to be second place. Even in a society where everyone gets a participation trophy, people like to stand out and be recognized. There is a place for winners, which means there also needs to be those who lose. I have heard it said that, “Second place is just the first loser!” Of course all of us wish to be on the winning team.
However, what if I told you that as men striving to please God, we are asked to accept second place? What if I told you that this is a God honoring position? Further, what if I told you that accepting second place actually makes you a winner? This sound confusing, but it is really not that difficult to understand.
To grasp this idea, we need to join Jesus and his disciples in the upper room for the Last Supper. It is referred to as this because it is the last time this group will celebrate the Jewish rite of Passover together before Jesus is crucified. Jesus knows his death is approaching and has some last-minute words for his team of men who have been following him. This teaching culminates with Jesus initiating the observance of Communion. This is a solemn moment, a holy moment in the lives of these men. Their attention should be on Jesus and what he is about to endure.
However, look at what they are talking about in Luke 22:24-27, Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
Jesus is saying, “Hey guys, the world is all about gaining prominence and superiority. The Kingdom of God is about submitting to the will of the Father.” Jesus is challenging these men to change their focus from what is best for themselves to what is best for God and his purposes. What he reveals is that seeking to honor God by allowing ourselves to take a back seat and become a servant, actually allows God to exalt us. We win in the only arena that will matter for eternity.
The most significant idea from this teaching by Jesus is that he has modeled what he is encouraging his followers to practice. Jesus is God. He has all the authority and power of God. He is the one who created the universe. He has power to calm storms, heal the sick, and raise the dead. If anyone deserves a pass on servanthood, it’s Jesus. But he put all that aside and humbled himself, not simply to a second-place position, but he allowed himself to be treated as the lowest of criminals. He took on the curse of our sin.
His point is clear. If the Almighty God became a servant so we could have all the riches of heaven on our account, we should be willing to set aside our rights to help others find the blessing of salvation as well. And when we do, we win!