Servant Littleness

Taken from a WayForward training in 2022.

The Twelve Disciples saw discipleship as Jewish rabbinic training within institutional religion but Jesus flips it right side up. In Matthew 23:8, Jesus says you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. Discipleship is not even operational or even ministerial/charismatic (Matthew 7:15-23 – recognizing true sheep by their fruit, not their ministries or charisma).

But Matthew offers an alternative option from Jesus of discipleship as intentional community and mission paradigms. Disciples of Jesus are made to receives and proclaims the gospel and the gospel of Jesus edifies saints and regenerates sinners!

This is the grounds for why I like to teach the character of a disciple according to Matthew is Servant Littleness!

(1) Discipleship in God’s Kingdom, specifically the greatest, is modeled after a little child! (Matthew 18:1-5)

(2) Servant littleness is considered first in terms of others and then in terms of oneself. You must take a belittling mindset before taking belittling action as to not make others stumble. (Matt. 18:6-7)

(3) Offended disciples think of discipleship in terms of being brothers (Matt. 18:15-20) Matthew 23:8-11 also shows Jesus insisting on no hierarchy. To be wronged and then to be the one to go after the wrong doer and try to restore him/her is a form of becoming little in discipleship towards others, as the parable of the lost sheep equally illustrates.

Disciples are called to restore sinful brothers, even when they have sinned against you.

(4) God has shown us forgiveness and mercy, so we too are able to impart forgiveness and mercy to our brothers (Matt. 18:21-35)

(5.a) Matthew 19:1-12 – The kingdom of heaven calls disciples to acts of littleness, not for ascetic reasons, but for work in the kingdom. Disciples leaving their families to follow Jesus was a form of eunuch service.

The kingdom may mean giving up things that are perfectly good in God’s creation, such as marriage. This is not for ascetic purposes but because the kingdom and discipleship are understood in terms of service and missions.

(5.b) Rich young Ruler in Matthew 19:16-30 – Discipleship involves becoming little (interpret it literally…passing through the eye of a needle…which is an impossibility without the power of God) with respect to family and possessions in order to follow Jesus. Jesus’ followers have literally become last for Him and do not try to be first by jockeying for power. The logic of the Kingdom’s call is to being last.

(6) 20:1-16 – Laborers in the Vineyard show us the logic of the Kingdom’s call to being last. Service is not rewarded based on merit but based on grace. The objection from those who worked more in the vineyard and were paid the same is an objection rooted in an economy of merit (America). People strive to be first in the economy of merit BUT people strive to serve first in an economy of grace.

Littleness involves understanding service not in order to receive merit as itself a gift.

(7) In Matthew 20:20-28 the disciples dispute over greatness. Jesus’ stats littleness involves serving others, not perusing hierarchical authority. We are to not seek to be first but seek to be a servant/slave within the community of disciples, just like the Son of Man.

4 Conclusions by Rollin G. Grams

Jesus is the paradigm for servant littleness
- All this came from Matt. 17:24-20:28, where Jesus has been on his way to the cross the entire time…in the middle of His passion predictions.
- Jesus, who was facing death in Jerusalem, knows that being the Messiah means not defeat in death but restoration for the exiles entering God’s Kingdom.
The mission is characterized by littleness
- Littleness is interpreted in relation to mission and vice versa. Discipleship virtues such as love, forgiveness, faith, humility, and righteousness relate to both being the Father’s little ones and serving in mission.
Littleness is the key to our relationship with God
Littleness is the key to our relationship with one another
- Don’t despise other brother and sister disciples.