How to Be Great in God's Kingdom*

At the Passover meal, Jesus’s disciples were so triggered by the idea that one of them might betray Jesus, that they began arguing over which one of them was greater—which one was least likely to fail Jesus, which one had accomplished the most for God. Frustrated, Jesus interrupted their conflict to tell them that they were mistaken about the nature of true “greatness.”

In our heart of hearts, most of us want others to see our greatness, but Jesus says it’s hidden in our humble posture toward others. Palm Sunday invites us to consider the humility of Jesus as he broke bread with his closest friends, including the ones who would break his heart. We’re invited by Him to share this humility, demonstrating the love of God for others and participating in God’s redemption project for the whole world.

Scripture passage: Luke 22:14-34

*This message was preached on April 10, 2022, on Palm Sunday at CityChurch in Iowa City.

Hey! Thanks for being here. I’m a book-obsessed pastor, author, and holistic life and leadership coach. Find out more about coaching and my other creative projects at www.heatherweber.org. For blog posts that come straight to your inbox, subscribe to this Dear Exiles newsletter in the subscription box above. Fun fact: I’m also the author of Dear Boy:, An Epistolary Memoir and the host of the Your Pastor Reads Books podcast.