Ambition – Good or Bad?

Ambition is such a good thing. It has made people and the world better! But could it be a bad thing?

Over the past few years, I have been connecting with shipmates from the commissioning crew of the USS Cowpens. We were the thundering herd!! As I catch up with their career accomplishments, I have marveled at the quality of the great men I had a privilege to serve with. It was the finest group I worked with in my Naval career – and every man I have reconnected with has had that same sentiment.

In 20 years of military service, I worked with many men (and a few women) of great ambition and with some who had no ambition! I would much rather work with those who had ambition. For them, excellence is the only option!

Ambition in the Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of Heaven is no different. Although, we might define the terms a little differently for an eternal kingdom, ambition still goes a long way!!

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?”

She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”

Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?”

They said to him, “We are able.”

He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 

Matthew 20:17-28 (ESV)

We see in our scripture today three themes. Each one is important for us to understand.

Death

Jesus was diligent about informing his disciples about his impending death. Crucifixion was a common sight for the people of Jesus’ day and was a cruel form of death and torture.

Jesus’ death was the culmination of the emptying of his life. Paul expresses it beautifully in Philippians 2:6-8.

who, though he (Jesus) was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

He left glory and power in heaven and accepted all human limitations. He fully embraced the mission of salvation and reconciliation.

Resurrection

Jesus constantly demonstrated his power over death in his daily ministry. He raised the little girl, the widow’s son and Lazarus from the dead.

He repeatedly predicted his resurrection. It was a claim so fantastic his disciples could not comprehend it. Despite Jesus’ numerous predictions, they were slow to believe even after the resurrection. It took numerous appearances for them to finally grasp what God had done!

Ambition

After Jesus dramatic prediction, the request came. James and John were two of the inner circle of the disciples along with Peter. We all know that a mother wants the best for her sons. They perceived that greatness was on a throne, high and lifted up, above their contemporaries to be seen and admired and to have power and influence.

Their desire to be great was human, natural, even commendable under other circumstances.

However, the request was not well received. The disciples were understandably indignant  and probably a little jealous and certainly self-seeking. Jesus reminded them of the suffering he had just predicted and told them they too would suffer. He disappointed them by informing them that their request was not his to grant.

Our Lives

Turn it around and apply it to our lives as Jesus followers today and it looks something like this.

Ambition

It would be wrong to dismiss ambition as unchristian. Jesus himself said we would do greater things than he did. He also commended the hard working servant in his parable of the talents. The kingdom of heaven needs ambitious participants.

There are four things that help us define ambition in the Kingdom of God.

Motivation. We must be motivated to simply glorify God. It’s about him and his kingdom and glory.

Power. The power we exercise is the result of faith in God and his promises to empower us for the work of the kingdom.

Vision. Our ambition does originate from a vision we have for our lives, it comes from God’s Word. He reveals his will, his mission and purposes in his word then directs us to where we fit in his plan.

Endurance. Our endurance is fueled by the promises of God. We endure because of his presence, his continuing work in and through our lives and the energy he gives us to keep going!

Resurrection

Resurrection is a prerequisite for Kingdom ambition. You’ve got to have new life! You have to have a revived spiritual vitality. Jesus was glorified in his resurrection body. And we are glorified in our resurrection body. We have light and power based on our relationship with the Father of glory.  

Resurrection means new perspective and power (a conqueror of death).

Death

You cannot experience resurrection without death. There are three distinct experiences of death related to the Kingdom.

Death in salvation where we die to our pasts sins and surrender to Christ.

Death in consecration where we die to all our desires, the nature of sin and our personal agenda and plans.

Daily death where we consecrate our lives to God daily. We die to ourselves so we don’t get in the way. We carry with us then a renewed commitment that is essential to the Kingdom.

Your Turn

Get your ambition in order! The kingdom needs you! Join our conversation on Facebook if you haven’t already. Share you comments and story, too!