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SKETCHES
of Leadership o o o o >
A @
mbition and the Kingdom
Matthew 6:31-33
Therefore do not worry, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What
will we wear?"
32For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your
heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33But strive fi rst for the kingdom of
God and his righteousness, and
all these things will be given to you as well.
Mark 10:41-45
When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John.
42So Jesus called
@
What do each of these passages have to say
them and said to them, `You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize
about ambition?
as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.
43But it is
not so among you; but
whoever wishes to become great among you must be your
servant,
44and
whoever wishes to be fi rst among you must be slave of all.
45For the
Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.'
Luke 14:7-11
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.
8`When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the
place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by
your host;
9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, "Give
this person your place", and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest
place.
10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when
your host comes, he may say to you,
"Friend, move up higher"; then you will be
honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt
themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves
will be exalted.'
1 Timothy 3:1
The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the offi ce of bishop desires a noble task.
James 3:13-16
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works
are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
14But if you have bitter envy and selfi sh
ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth.
15Such wisdom does
not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.
16For where there is
envy and selfi sh ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
INTERVARSITY ®
Sketches of Leadership #15
SKETCHES
A @
of Leadership o o o o >
mbition and the Kingdom
Ambition
Selfi sh Ambition
Godly Ambition
Extrinsic results: the rewards of success--
Intrinsic results: the
value of success--Jus-
Impact
money, status, security
tice, compassion, service, improvement, knowledge.
Draw attention to yourself and seek places of
Draw attention
to God at work and seek places of
Honour
honor. You will be humbled.
service: God will reward you.
Examples of Ambition
Selfi sh ambition
Godly Ambition
Ambition to be a noted authority
in a fi eld of medicine
Ambition to be a hero to my
spouse and kids
Ambition to be the Most Valuable Player
(MVP) in a professional sports league
Ambition to be honored as the greatest
servant in my church
Ambition to be most improved player on
my high school sports team
Ambition to be voted "Most Likely to
Succeed" in my graduating class
Ambition to be a frequent respected
news commentator in the media
Ambition to write the newpaper story
that breaks the next "Watergate"
government corruption scandal
Your example here:
INTERVARSITY ®
Sketches of Leadership #15
©2007 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship 6400 Schroeder Road, P.O. Box 7895 Madison, WI 53707-7895
tel 608.274.9001
email info@intervarsity.org
web www.intervarsity.org
SKETCHES
of Leadership o o o o >
A @
mbition and the Kingdom
Matthew 6:31-33
Therefore do not worry, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What
will we wear?"
32For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your
heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33But strive fi rst for the kingdom of
God and his righteousness, and
all these things will be given to you as well.
Mark 10:41-45
When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John.
42So Jesus called
@
What do each of these passages have to say
them and said to them, `You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize
about ambition?
as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.
43But it is
Matt 6: There is something worth really striving
not so among you; but
whoever wishes to become great among you must be your
for: The Kingdom of God
servant,
44and
whoever wishes to be fi rst among you must be slave of all.
45For the
Mark 10:
Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.'
> Jesus doesn't judge them for wanting to be
great. He assumes they want to be great. His
teaching about servanthood doesn't apply to
Luke 14:7-11
them if they don't.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.
> He gives them advice on how to be great.
Don't be like the Gentiles! Rather serve!
8`When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the
> He uses himself as a model. Jesus wanted
place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by
to be great too! He was great through great
servanthood.
your host;
9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, "Give
this person your place", and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest
Luke 14: Jesus doesn't chastise the Pharisees for
wanting to be great. He simply gives them a more
place.
10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when
shrewd strategy for achieving greatness. Everyone
your host comes, he may say to you,
"Friend, move up higher"; then you will be
in the room wants honor--Jesus teaches them
how to fi nd lasting honor.
honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt
themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves
will be exalted.'
1 Timothy 3: We tend to be uncomfortable with
the notion of aspiring to leadership. Yet Paul
does not chastise this aspiration--he directs and
1 Timothy 3:1
informs it.
The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the offi ce of bishop desires a noble task.
James 3: The only passage here that speaks about
"selfi sh ambition" which itself acknowledges that
the adjective selfi sh is not redundant--there is
James 3:13-16
another kind of godly ambition
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works
are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
14But if you have bitter envy and selfi sh
ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth.
15Such wisdom does
not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.
16For where there is
envy and selfi sh ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
INTERVARSITY ®
Sketches of Leadership #15
©2007 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship 6400 Schroeder Road, P.O. Box 7895 Madison, WI 53707-7895
tel 608.274.9001
email info@intervarsity.org
web www.intervarsity.org
SKETCHES
A @
of Leadership o o o o >
mbition and the Kingdom
Ambition in scripture is not painted as wholly bad or selfi sh, though in our context it often is seen simply as negative.
Ambition
Selfi sh Ambition
Godly Ambition
Extrinsic
Extrinsic
results: the rewar
r
ds
ewar of success--
Intrinsic
Intrinsic
results: the
value
value
of success--Jus-
ds
Impact
money, status, security
tice, compassion, service, improvement, knowledge.
Draw attention to yourself and seek places of
to yourself
Draw attention
to God at work
to God at work and seek places of
Honour
honor. You will be humbled.
be humbled.
service: God will reward you.
1. Ask people to rank these in order from
2. Then ask them to think about and discuss how each
most to least godly.
ambition could be seen in a selfi sh or godly way.
Examples of Ambition
Selfi sh ambition
Godly Ambition
Desire to learn, to teach, to deepen
Ambition to be a noted authority
Envy of others' success, denial of the success
understanding and knowledge, to press
in a fi eld of medicine
of others
ahead the frontier of science, to understand
God's creation
Desire to be honored by the three that really
Ambition to be a hero to my
Desire to be the noted as a great dad or
matter--my wife and children, for the sake
great husband. Envy of parents who seem to
spouse and kids
of the kinds of relationships that they will be
be able to "have it all"
able to have one day
Desire to work hard and to be seen as
Ambition to be the Most Valuable Player
Desire to be valuable to a team, truly
working hard for a team, to be the critical
valuable, by bringing natural ability, skill and
(MVP) in a professional sports league
player--envy of others who make critical
effort together to make a great contribution
contributions
Recognition of the ways that I am built to
Ambition to be honored as the greatest
Envy of other "servants" who are honored
serve, sometimes publicly, sometimes behind
but who don't serve nearly as much or
servant in my church
the scenes, and grateful for the chances to
consistently (or without whining)
do so
Eager to be seen as improving, envious of
Eager to actually improve, to better your time,
Ambition to be most improved player on
the perception that others have improved.
your weight, your endurance. Sees individual
my high school sports team
Tempted to use short-cuts, like performance-
improvement as a contribution to the overall
enhancing drugs.
team effort.
Eager to be known as a very successful
Eager to succeed, willing to go the extra mile
Ambition to be voted "Most Likely to
person, academically, socially, a "real go-
to get the job done right or to bring the effort
Succeed" in my graduating class
getter", willing to take go the extra mile to
together for a successful accomplishment of
make good impressions
any task, regardless of who notices.
Eager to serve the wider public with one's
Ambition to be a frequent respected
Eager to be seen as competent in some fi eld
knowledge built up over a lifetime of
of endeavor and noted and appreciated for
news commentator in the media
excellence & diligence in some fi eld of
timely and helpful commentary.
endeavor.
Ambition to write the newpaper story
Eager to tell a story that no one is paying
Eager to be able to be known as the person
attention to but that addresses real
that breaks the next "Watergate"
who broke the story, and to profi t from it
corruption and abuse of power in ways that
both professionally and fi nancially.
government corruption scandal
hurt those at the bottom of society.
Your example here: Feel no need to cover all the examples--examine a couple of them to help people get a feel for the difference.
INTERVARSITY ®
Sketches of Leadership #15
©2007 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship 6400 Schroeder Road, P.O. Box 7895 Madison, WI 53707-7895
tel 608.274.9001
email info@intervarsity.org
web www.intervarsity.org
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