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Greatness in the Kingdom of God

Serving for the Faith, Growth, and Maturity of God’s People

Paul opens Titus with a startling self‑designation: “Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” This pairing—slave and apostle—captures the paradox at the heart of biblical leadership. In Scripture, to be God’s slave is not degrading but exalted. It is a title given to Moses, Joshua, and David—those entrusted with God’s purposes and accountable directly to Him. Yet Jesus warns His disciples that leadership must not imitate the nations who “lord it over” others. At first glance, these ideas of servicing and leadership seem contradictory. But when read together, they reveal the heart of biblical greatness: Leaders are slaves to God so they can be servants to his people.

The Old Testament Pattern: Slavery to God as the Foundation of Leadership

The Old Testament consistently overturns human assumptions about leadership. God does not choose leaders based on charisma, eloquence, or physical stature. He chooses those who belong to Him—those who will serve as His instruments.

Moses: The Leader Who Could Not Speak

When God chose Moses, Moses protested:

  • “I am not eloquent.”
  • “I am slow of speech.”
  • “Please send someone else.”

By worldly standards, Moses was unfit for leadership. Yet Moses becomes the paradigmatic “slave of Yahweh.” His weakness ensured that Israel’s deliverance could not be attributed to human skill but to divine power. Moses’ inability to speak well becomes the very stage on which God’s sufficiency is displayed.

Samuel and Jesse’s Sons: God Rejects Earthly Criteria

When Samuel saw Jesse’s eldest son, Eliab, he assumed:

  • “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.”

Eliab looked like a king. But God corrected Samuel:

  • “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

This moment reveals God’s leadership economy. He does not choose based on height, charisma, eloquence, or pedigree. He chooses based on heart posture. And he chooses the weak and what the world deems unlikely to succeed to confound the wisdom and strength of the world (1 Corinthians 1).

David: A Man After God’s Own Heart

David embodies this truth, scripture calls him “a man after God’s own heart.” This is not a statement about perfection but about orientation. David’s life was marked by:

  • responsiveness to God
  • repentance when confronted
  • humility in success
  • dependence in weakness

David understood that being a “slave of God” was both an honor and a burden. It meant:

  • carrying the weight of leading God’s people
  • serving those he led
  • ruling not for personal gain but for God’s glory
  • embodying the paradox of authority and servanthood

David’s kingship was not self‑exalting. It was God‑directed, God‑dependent, and God‑defined. His authority flowed from his knowledge of God.

Israel Rejects God’s Leadership Through the Prophets

Before Saul, Israel was led by judges and prophets—leaders who embodied the not lording over model. They mediated God’s will, spoke God’s words, and shepherded God’s people. But Israel grew dissatisfied. They wanted to be “like the nations.” They wanted a visible king, a military figurehead, a political symbol.

God tells Samuel:

  • “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.”

Israel rejected the very kind of leadership Jesus later affirmed—humble, God‑dependent, servant‑shaped leadership.

Saul: The King Chosen by Human Eyes

When Israel demanded a king, God permitted it—but the God gave them at first a man according to their own criteria. Saul was:

  • “a head taller than anyone else”
  • physically impressive
  • outwardly kingly

Yet when the moment of public anointing arrived, Saul was found hiding among the baggage. The man who looked like a king lacked the heart of one. His insecurity and disobedience would unravel his kingship.

Saul represents the failure of appearance‑based leadership. David represents the triumph of heart‑based leadership. Moses represents the paradox of weakness‑based leadership.

All three illustrate the deeper truth: God’s leaders are servants to Him, not products of human selection.

The Formation of God’s Leaders: Training Through Suffering, Obedience, and Refinement

Throughout Scripture, God does not simply appoint leaders—He forms them. The path to becoming a “slave of God” is not glamorous. It is marked by hardship, misunderstanding, loss, and deep dependence. God shapes His leaders in the hidden places long before He entrusts them with public responsibility. Their greatness is forged in adversity, not ambition.

Joseph: Formed in the Furnace of Betrayal and Injustice

Joseph’s story is a masterclass in divine preparation. As a young man, he spoke openly about God’s purpose for him, and his brothers despised him for it. The preparation led to:

  • being thrown into a pit
  • being sold into slavery
  • being falsely accused
  • being imprisoned for a crime he did not commit

Yet every downward step was actually a step deeper into God’s training. Joseph learned:

  • humility in obscurity
  • integrity under pressure
  • faithfulness in suffering
  • wisdom in waiting

By the time Joseph stood before Pharaoh, he was no longer the naïve dreamer. He was a man shaped by God to preserve a nation. His greatness was born from suffering, not status.

Moses: Forty Years of Wilderness Training

Before Moses ever confronted Pharaoh, he spent forty years in Midian tending sheep. The prince of Egypt became a desert shepherd. The man who once acted in anger learned patience, obscurity, and dependence. His calling came only after decades of quiet refinement.

God forms leaders slowly.

Ezekiel: A Prophet Bound to God’s Word

Ezekiel’s training was extreme. God commanded him to lie on his bed for over a year, symbolizing Israel’s judgment. He was bound, unable to move freely, and God restricted his speech so that he could only speak when God spoke through him.

Ezekiel learned to discern God's voice thus prophetic obedience. His entire ministry was shaped by the reality that a true servant speaks according to God's will. Unlike Balaam who God had to restrain by a donkey speaking.

Samuel: Dedicated Before Birth

Samuel’s training began before he was born. His mother Hannah dedicated him to the Lord, and he grew up in the tabernacle under Eli’s care. As a child, he learned to recognize God’s voice. His first prophetic word was one of judgment, and he delivered it faithfully.

Samuel’s life shows that greatness is not self‑chosen. It is God‑initiated, God‑directed, and God‑sustained.

Paul: Hardship as Apostolic Curriculum

Paul’s apostleship was marked by extraordinary suffering. He lists:

  • beatings
  • imprisonments
  • shipwrecks
  • hunger
  • sleepless nights
  • constant pressure for the churches

He carried the weight of spiritual responsibility and the burden of intercession. His greatness was not theoretical—it was cruciform. Paul learned Christ not through comfort but through affliction. He even took on the extra burden of working with his hands, not living off of people so to honor the gospel and not be a stumbling block. Such kind of servants are needed today, not entitled to nor corrupted by the deceit of earthly riches.

Jesus: Learning Obedience Through Suffering

Even Jesus, the eternal Son, entered into the human experience of obedience. Scripture says He “learned obedience through what He suffered.” This does not imply imperfection but incarnation. As the Son of Man, He embraced:

  • humility
  • submission
  • suffering
  • sacrificial love

He modeled the very path He calls His followers to walk. Matthew 20:25–28 is not merely instruction—it is the shape of His own life. He became the servant of all, even to the point of death on a cross.

The Pattern: God Forms Greatness Through Burden, Not Ease

From Joseph to Moses, from Ezekiel to Samuel, from Paul to Jesus Himself, the pattern is unmistakable:

  • God’s servants are trained in suffering.
  • They are shaped in obscurity.
  • They are refined through hardship.
  • They grow in knowledge of God through trials.
  • Their greatness is born from obedience, not ambition.

To be “great in the kingdom” is a place of honor, but it is also a place of great burden. It requires:

  • dying to self
  • embracing God’s purposes
  • carrying responsibility for others
  • learning Christ through suffering
  • serving rather than ruling

God does not elevate His servants quickly. He forms them deeply.

The Paradox of Kingdom Authority: Truth That Leads Without Lording

Jesus forbids His disciples from exercising authority like the nations. He does not forbid authority itself; He forbids dominating authority, claimed authority, positional authority, and self‑exalting authority. 

Jesus Himself spoke with authority, yet never lorded over anyone. His authority was not positional but revelatory. It flowed from truth, obedience, and the Father’s will.

Paul follows the same pattern. He refuses to “lord it over” anyone’s faith. His authority is not exercised but recognized. It is not claimed but demonstrated. It is not enforced but embodied. He was accused of being powerful in his letter but weak in presence. Paul states he boasted in his weakness so Christ is exalted in him.

This is the kind of greatness Titus 1:1 describes — greatness that builds faith, reveals truth, and produces godliness. It is prophetic in nature: what is spoken proves itself by its fruit. It is shepherding in nature: leading by example, not by dominance. It is apostolic in nature: grounded in suffering, obedience, and revelation.

The words, leadership, even "spiritual authority" and “servant leadership” do not really speak to this kind of greatness.

The Language of Greatness, Not Authority

A crucial nuance in Jesus’ teaching is that He never tells His disciples they will have “authority” over others. Instead, He uses a different word:

  • “The great among you…”
  • “Whoever wants to be first…”
  • “must be your servant.”

Greatness in the kingdom is not a rank. It is not a position. It is not a hierarchy. It is not a spiritual office. 

Greatness is usefulness to God expressed through service to others.

Jesus does not say:

  • “The greatest will have authority.”
  • “The greatest will rule.”
  • “The greatest will exercise authority.”

He says:

  • “The greatest will be your servant.”
  • “The first will be your slave.”

This is why the New Testament does not speak of:

  • “apostolic authority”
  • “pastoral authority”
  • “prophetic authority”
  • “spiritual authority”

These are later human constructs.

The New Testament speaks of:

  • gifts
  • service
  • administration
  • stewardship
  • ambassadors
  • messengers
  • slaves of God
  • workers for your joy
  • examples to the flock

These are not positions of authority. They are functions of service.

Paul’s Apostleship: Greatness Rooted in Slavery

Paul’s self‑description in Titus 1:1 contains two inseparable truths:

Slave of God (Identity)

  • He belongs entirely to God.
  • His life is not his own.
  • His greatness is rooted in obedience.

Apostle of Jesus Christ (Commission)

  • He is sent with a message, not a rank.
  • His teaching carries weight because it is true.
  • His role is foundational because it is faithful.

Paul’s greatness is derivative, not autonomous. He serves because he is understands his position with God.

Titus and the Elders: Greatness as Shepherding

Titus 1–2 describes elders using overlapping metaphors:

Elder (πρεσβύτερος); Maturity, stability, wisdom.

Overseer (ἐπίσκοπος): Stewardship, guardianship, accountability.

Shepherd (ποιμήν):

Though not named directly in Titus, the responsibilities mirror shepherding language elsewhere:

  • protect the flock
  • feed the flock
  • guard against wolves
  • guide with gentleness

Elders do not “lord it over” the flock. They lead as examples, not overlords. Their greatness is pastoral, not political.

The Paradox Resolved

The tension between “slave of Yahweh” and “servant of all” dissolves when we see the pattern:

  • Upward slavery → total allegiance to God
  • Downward servanthood → sacrificial love toward people

Worldly leadership flows from self and toward others for personal gain. Kingdom greatness flows from God and toward others for their good. Peter explains they are examples to follow, 1 Peter 5, not an authority to submit to.

This is why Paul can speak with weight without violating Jesus’ teaching. His greatness is cruciform—shaped by the cross.

Conclusion: Greatness That Reflects the Great One


Greatness in the kingdom of God is not measured by authority, position, or even an earthly education. It is measured by Christlikeness in serving—by the degree to which a servant reflects the humility, truth, love, and obedience of Jesus Himself. The world defines greatness by rising above others; Jesus defines greatness by lowering oneself for the good of others. The world pursues authority and seeks recognition and earthly entitlement to wealth. In God's kingdom the great do not exalt themselves but become last, servants of all to build up others.

Every example in Scripture confirms this pattern. Joseph, Moses, Samuel, Ezekiel, Paul, and even Jesus Himself were shaped through suffering, obedience, and hiddenness before they were entrusted with visible responsibility. Their greatness was not self‑chosen or self‑claimed. It was formed by God and expressed through service to His people.

After His resurrection, Jesus alone was exalted above all rule and authority. He alone is Head of the church. He alone gives gifts. He alone gives growth. Human servants do not possess authority—they submit to authority. They do not claim greatness—they receive it as they walk in the way of Christ.

Thus, the purpose of greatness is not personal elevation but the growth of God’s people, the church. It is easy to know the great in His kingdom. As Paul writes in Titus 1:1, the aim is “the faith of the elect of God and the knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness.” True greatness strengthens the weak, builds up the saints, reveals truth, models godliness, and boasts entirely in Christ.

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