Who Are the Strong?

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WHO ARE THE STRONG written by Theodore Thompson

Matt 23:1-12

August 13, 1961

He who is greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. With these words Jesus sets the law of spiritual growth. But in our day, we have sayings also – meek as a mouse or we say, "meek as a lamb". We Americans don't believe much in this business of being meek or being a servant as our text. Jesus says we should be in our text.

We admire the strong, the brave, the aggressive. It’s a tough world, and if you want to get ahead you have to push – rugged individualism is our American motto – Every man for himself is also an American motto meekness – being a servant – these things are all right for women but we believe in the strong virile American male – the strong silent type that doesn't take anything from anybody and is able to handle himself in any situation. We see it in on T.V. Its 7:00 pm, – and all across the country all is quiet for the T.V. is on and entire families sit glued to the T.V. and out of the past come the heroes of the Old West – Paladin – Yancy Derriger, Riflemen, Matt Dillon. Here men are heroes – they take no back talk from anybody. The scene is playing in the saloon and Matt Dillon walks in – Black Ruff sees him and an argument develops – suddenly black Ruff reaches for his gun and bang – black Ruff falls dead – Matt Dillon has won again – You see the pattern – we admire the brave strong man who never take backtalk, who always gets even. We all admire the top dog.

This is our American philosophy – each man for himself – it’s a competitive business world – push and shove till you get to the top – But being meek – being a servant – that’s for the birds – American business doesn't operate that way – and this is right – you do have to work hard, you do have to dig for yourself – be it farming – office work – or any other type of business. American business is competitive and you won't get ahead by laying around. But Jesus isn't talking about business. He’s talking about our relations with one another in all areas of life. You might not feel being a servant is a good role – you might not feel being meek is very appealing – but Jesus says, "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant." This way run counter to the American way of get even – every man for himself – but let’s remember – the American way is not necessarily Christian.

Our whole training leads us to push – watch out for ourselves – be suspicious – Have western Cowboy attitude of we always getting even – but let’s remember – this is not the Christian way – Western T.V. programs maybe interesting – but they're not necessary Christian. "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant. – who ever exalted himself will be humbled; and who ever humble himself will be exalted."

Was Jesus right or wrong – do the humble get exalted? well let’s look at the record as President Kennedy says. What type of people do you like? Do you like the strong kind – the proud arrogant kind that always push themselves forward – the kind that always wants to get even. What type of people do you like to be around – Do you like to be with the type that are always ready to defend their rights and just wait for you to say something wrong to them. Let’s look at the record – What type of people do you like to be with – I would say that you like to be with people that are always ready and quick to defend their rights. I would say you like to be with kind considerate people. I would say you like to be with people that always have a smile and show a real interest in you. I would say that you like to be with people that will help you when you need help – Let’s look at the record – what type of people do you like – the proud get even type or the kind helpful forgiving type – Maybe Jesus wasn't so wrong "He that who is greatest among you shall be your servant."

now what does it mean to be a servant – well if yours going to be a servant – you're going to have to have that virtue called meekness and what does this virtue called meekness consist of – It goes back to a Greek word having to do with training of wild animals. The meek are the God trained – just as a wild force [horse?] must be caught and bridled and trained – so must a man be taught and trained by God. Saul of was like a wild animal before his conversion – Pushing about shouting – hunting down Christians. Christians breathing out his fury against Christian – and then on the road to Damascus there was a blinding light from heaven and Paul met Christ – and from that time on Paul became Meek in the sense of being God trained.

The meek are not only God trained but the word also suggests one who is humbled and submits to the will of God. You take cast iron is its rough and brittle – it has no flexibility – it hasn’t been tempered and processed – But process cast iron and temper it and you get steel which has flexibility and real strength – it can bend without breaking – well this is what it’s like to be a servant – to be meek – our raw crude brittle natures are taken by God and tempered so that we can be flexible and adjustable – so that we can bend over and serve others – so that we aren't brittle and break every time someone crosses our paths. Tempered. But just as steel is strong – so is the servant – the man of God – the meek who bows to the will of God Strong – for he controls at the critical points He fights valiantly for the right of others he stands up for the right – he stands up for the faith – he defends the brother that is being slandered. He has true strength that faces evil. Moses was meek [Page 6] but he stood up against Pharoah – Christ was meek – but he stood up against Satan himself – Meekness is not weakness but strength that being tempered so we aren't proud or arrogant always defending ourselves – but it is strength defending ourselves and the Christian Gospel – it’s being tempered so you can bow to the will of God. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

The Scribes and Pharisees liked the praise of men – they loved the chief places at the feasts – they wanted salvation by men – they made of a show of their religion – they put themselves first – they said look at us – But here in our text Jesus says: whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

I said let’s look at the record – what type of people do you like to be with – and I think we all agree we like to be with kind, considerate friendly people – friendly people – the servant type – and lets also look at the record of history – who are the truly great men of history are they the Caesars, the Napolean’s, the Stalin’s, the Hitlers, the Mussolini’s no these are not the truly great men of history. The truly greats are the Paul’s – the Peters – the [Page 7] Moses, the Saint Augustine’s, the Luther’s, the Wycliff’s – the Davids Livingstons – marching arrow jungle sweating, getting malaria and dying away from home and family. And in our century – who are the truly great – Ghandi is one of the truly great – he suffered and died for India – he would go on 40 day fast for the people of India – he lived a very simple life with hardly any earthly possessions – he advocated passive resistance and finally he got independence for India – and he died by an assassins bullet – Ghandi was a true servant and will go down as one the greatest men of our century.

Schweitzer– you have all heard of Albert Schweitzer. He had 4 degrees – a degree in medicine, theology, music and philosophy. He is one of the greater organ players of the century – Schweitzer could have led a life of ease and culture brilliant and wealth in Europe – but he went off to hot steaming Equatorial Africa when he was 40 and became a servant – a medical Doctor to the Africans and today some 40 years later he is hailed as perhaps the greatest living man – who are the great – who are the strong – the pushers or the servants.

And consider our Lord. He was the son of God. He could have come into this world wielding thunderbolts – causing men to cower at his almighty power – an atomic bomb is nothing compared to the power he could unleash. He could have sat on a high throne and caused the Necroes and Pilates and Herod’s to lick his feet like dogs – but instead he was born in a manger – he had to be hidden from Herod’s with his parents. he was spit upon, slapped – laughed at and finally died upon a cross – Charging into this world like a conqueror demanding his rights or to die that cruel death on the cross – Let’s look at the record – the true heroes of history are the servants – the truly strong are the servants – the Paul’s and Peters – and Luther, and Ghandi and Schweitzer.

Americans we believe in rugged individualism everyone try he top dog – Matt Dillon and the cowboy heroes maybe interesting but all off this is not true in the way of the Bible. a bull in a China shop may have strength – a bully in a crowd may have his strength – But the truly strong is the servant of the Lord – the God Tempered – the one who can serve and humble himself – the one who can stop doesn't always say, me first and defends his rights – the one who is kind and forgiving – the one who can wash the others feet.

Who are the strong? Let’s look at the record – what type of people do you like to be with – Let’s look at the Record. Who are the strong – the truly great – let’s look at the record – the truly strong and the great are the servant type – the Mosses – Luther’s – Schweitzer and Above all we have our Lord as an example of true strength. What type are you – look at the record – examine yourself in the light of God’s Word – are you the "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant. For whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."

Thank you for choosing this devotional to enhance your spiritual journey. We hope it brings you peace and insight. The essence of spiritual growth, as taught by Jesus, is humility and servitude: "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant." This contrasts with the American ideal of rugged individualism and strength, often portrayed in media as heroes who never back down. However, true greatness lies in meekness and serving others, not in seeking personal glory or power.Jesus' teachings challenge the notion of strength as dominance. True strength is found in humility and service, as demonstrated by historical figures like Gandhi and Schweitzer, who sacrificed personal gain for the greater good. Even Jesus, the Son of God, chose the path of humility and service, exemplifying true strength through his actions.The truly strong are those who are tempered by God, able to serve and humble themselves, embodying kindness and forgiveness. The greatest among us are the servants, like Moses, Luther, Schweitzer, and above all, Jesus. Let us examine ourselves and strive to be servants, for "whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."