Jesus’ taught greatness as a need for Kingdom leadership. He emphasized two key traits that form the backbone of greatness common to all His disciples. Let’s study the DNA for greatness by examining diakonos and doulos as a servant to understand greatness values in the Kingdom.
Jan Paron/March 1, 2013
(Photo Credit: DNA Under the Magnifier, Presenter Media 2013)
A magnifying glass enlarges an object for the viewer’s eye. Typically, a magnifying glass provides two to six times the original visual power. When you view print through a magnifier you see larger and sharper letters and words. This enlargement enables you to negotiate textual meaning. Using this same principle, let’s enlarge the word great for a clear image of its DNA.
“But having called them, Jesus said, ‘You know that the rulers of the nations exercise lordship over them, and the GREAT ones exercise authority over them. But it will be not so among you. But whoever desires to become GREAT among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to become first among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt 20:25-28 LITV).
In the still of worship, I heard the Lord under His Spirit’s unction.—“In ME, you find freedom. In ME, you find all you need. In ME, you live. I AM THE LIVING GOD.” In that instance, the Lord enlarged, and then revealed the meaning of greatness! The Lord defines greatness by the manifested Promise from the inward interior, rather than the visible worldly accomplishments on the outward exterior. God came in flesh as Jesus to minister and ransom Himself for many (Matt 20:27; John 1:14). Jesus, God with us, desires to dwell in His beloved through the presence of His Spirit’s infilling (Acts 1:5; 2:38). We find freedom in Christ by chaining our will to Him. With this newfound freedom God’s Spirit reshapes and renews our character to Kingdom greatness as servants of Christ. He exchanges the old DNA of great as ‘ruler’ over the nations with ‘lordship’ (Greek: katakyrieuō) and ‘authority’ (katexousiazō), for the new DNA of great as a ‘servant’ (Greek: diakonos, διάκονος and doulos, δοῦλος). Servant includes two different traits: minister and bondservant. Simply stated, one with DNA of Kingdom greatness has leadership backboned by both.
The first trait shows the qualities of a minister (diakonos; Matt 20:26). A minister seeks nothing more than unselfish ambition to God’s service as His subordinate in all humility, love, and submission. A person who ministers waits on and carries out the commands from the King. “The greatest among you will be your servant” (Matt 23:11).
On the other hand, the second reveals a bondservant (doulos; Matt 20:27) with Kingdom criteria as first. A bondservant gives up self interests and will to advance God’s mission as a slave for the sake of Christ, approaching enslavement with joy, devotion, obedience, yielding, and sacrifice. “Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all’” (Mark 9:35).
(Photo Credit: Matthew 20:25-27 KJV Chart, Jan Paron 2013)
Common DNA of Greatness in Koinōnia
Partakers of Christ must activate their common DNA of greatness to strengthen koinōnia and create synergy for mission. Synergy occurs when the combined effect of two or more people is greater than the sum of their efforts. Members in koinōnia must converge in one mind and one accord, representing the authority of the name of Jesus in greatness. Think for a moment about geese in a shared flight formation. When geese stay in the “V” formation they move faster, more efficiently and go a longer distance as a team. Geese even share leadership this way. When the lead goose tires, it flies back into the “V” for another to take its place. All these different actions contribute to the synergy and subsequent success in completing their destination. Both traits of greatness in koinōnia, the two being diakonos and doulos, contribute towards the faith community successfully following God’s vision and mission for humanity. One trait without the other weakens the whole of koinōnia. When the common DNA of minister (diakonos) and bondservant (doulos) merge, they form a strong and unending chain that binds koinōnia to shared purpose in Christ. We become one in totality as ambassadors for Christ, seeking to reach all tribes and nations for the cause of the Gospel (2 Cor 5:20a).
Closing: Endued with Power for Greatness
The Amplified version of Matt 20:18b reads “All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” The name and authority of God is Jesus. Jesus commanded His disciples to wait for the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4) until they “were endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49 KJV). Jesus was going to transfer the power of God to His disciples through the Promise. The Book of Acts further tells that “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4). The same applies to today’s believers. What’s on the inside, the indwelt Promise through baptism of the Holy Ghost (as part of New Birth), empowers us to represent the Name in greatness with our outward expression. Reverend Terry Black says “When we signed on to this Holy Ghost thing, and when it began to fill us, something began to take over in us that’s more powerful than us. And, it has the ability to take over our weakness and supernaturally accomplish its divine purpose in our lives.” He describes it as 33 A.D. When 33 A.D. takes over, greatness becomes a reality in our lives to bring synergy to God’s vision and purpose…Amen! Let all God’s people say so be it.
 Jan Paron, “Heating Pad Prayer,” PerSpectives 12, n.p. [cited 3 March 2013]. Online: https://specs12.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/heating-pad-prayer-for-unity-of-the-body/
 Rev. Terry Black, Sermon, 3/2/13: 33 AD, (Alsip: Lighthouse Church of All Nations, 2013).