By Richard Crisco
Isn’t it amazing that most people want to sit in the Best Seat in the house, but few are willing to pay the price to sit there.
The Best seat in the house always cost the most! For example, if you go to a sporting event, the seats next to the sidelines of the field are extremely expensive while the seats in the nosebleed section are very cheap. Most are unwilling, or even unable, to pay the price to sit in a seat that is on the sidelines. But God has designed a system where anybody that truly desires to sit in the best seat can if they are willing to pay the price!
What is the price for the best seat in the house? The Price that Jesus placed on the Best seat is “Humility” and “Servant hood.”
I am reminded of a conversation that Jesus had with James and John just before He went to Jerusalem to be crucified. It is recorded in Mark’s Gospel:
Mark 10:35-38 — Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
I love how the Bible reveals the true nature of man through it’s historical records. James and John were no different than most of us today. They wanted the “Best Seat in the House.” Jesus’ response was, “Are you willing to pay the price?” Are you willing follow my example?
On numerous occasions Jesus tried to communicate to the disciples that the Greatest among them must be a humble servant.
Matthew 23:11-12 — The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
One gets to be invited to sit in the Best Seat in the House when they no longer have the ambition to sit there and genuinely desire to love and serve their fellowman. The American mind set of ‘clawing your way to the top’ is contrary to the Kingdom of God. In the Kingdom, the one who humbly serves is the one whom God exalts.
To many think that once they become great they will then serve; but one must learn to serve first, then God will elevate them to greatness!
This may be one of the main lessons that Christ tried to exemplify and teach:
Philippians 2:3-11
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. You do not become the greatest and then serve; You start serving and then God will elevate you!
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Richard Crisco is the Founder & President of Empowering Kingdom Leaders (www.empoweringkingdomleaders.com)Rev. Crisco pastored a youth ministry during the largest revival in America’s history at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, FL. His approach towards successful ministry is simply to ‘love God and love people.’ Richard’s burning desire is to train and equip spiritual leaders for the Kingdom of God. Drawing from over 30 years of ministry experience, Richard has a unique way of bringing his listeners back to the simplicity and power of the Gospel
