Mark 9:30-37.                    What is greatness??                                       20/9/15

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Here today in our readings we are challenged by an issue that is very much in the headlines at this time: who and what makes for greatness?  It is interesting to see once again how the human worldview is so at odds with what God has in mind and which ultimately makes for true greatness. Worldly greatness has to do with political manoeuvring, manipulations and deceit. It is about false impressions and is what looks good and promises what people would like.

When it comes to greatness sinful humanity seems to have a propensity to deliberately do the opposite to what God tells us is good. The flow on then of course, is that it all goes horribly wrong and we wonder why. People are left disillusioned and down-hearted and helpless. To make matters worse our modern media is doing its utmost to further heighten this very worldly and humanistic aspect to it and derides those who seek to be servants of that which is good and right.  And we are paying the price for it.

Now there are many aspects of this coming to the fore in our present time in the political sphere, but I don’t want to get into that here, other than to say that here we are see the consequences of this sinful worldly view. But the same thing is happening right across our society in every aspect of life. The world’s view of greatness is a long way from what God has to say in his Word. We change what it really is and then bring untold harm to ourselves and our world as a result.

Now here in this reading Jesus turns our views of greatness on its head. He says: Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”  He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them,  “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

How shocking this is in face of our reasoning today! Seeking to be last and being a servant of all does not sit well in our thinking. We want to be first; up front, on top and over everyone so that we can be looked up to, lauded and admired for our visions of grandeur. We want our views to dictate what everyone else should do.

Again take note of where the focus is: on us and who we are and what we do. However in just that one verse we see that Jesus shifts the focus to the other person and what we do for them. Throughout the Scriptures that is God’s view of where greatness lies. Our service to others is what is important and great. Our willingness to be last so that others can receive first, is what God sees as good.

He places the little child in front of us and says:  Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”  Even though the little child cannot do anything to return our favour and care, this act is seen as greatness , because it is simply done as a response to what Jesus has done for us and his call for us to do.

The James reading adds to this thinking when it says:  ¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

How at odds is this thinking with what we see around us today? Again we place ourselves and our wants and desires at the top of our thinking.  Being served is more important than serving:  Doing things so that we can climb the ladder of popularity. Ambition and self-confidence is all important. Wisdom is about telling others what they should be doing. Sincerity is about appearing sincere, when out of the public eye you are anything but sincere. And I could go on.

Here the sad thing is that these things are held up as being good and that which we are to strive after. We only need to look at the current political scene to see all of this at work. At the same time we there can also see the destructive nature that inevitably comes when we follow this path.

But the greatest tragedy in all of this is the attitude taken toward God and what he has to say and the part that he plays in all of this. We can see what has happened to one of our leaders who has sought to much more follow Gods ways for our nation and how then he has been hounded out of office. Many today are looking for a great leader who will allow us to live and do as we please and give us what we want, no matter what.

Here let us be quite clear that the more that we take on board those things that God emphatically says is not good and right, the more we will bring greater trouble and difficulties on ourselves and our nation. The less that we are willing to serve God and others the more disharmony and brokenness will happen. The more we put ourselves on a pedestal the greater the fall will be.

On the other hand we need to take careful note of the one who has and is the greatest here on this earth.  Again we need to look to him and follow his lead and in that then be able to be truly great. Here note that Jesus in this reading does not condemn seeking greatness or even being first. In fact he is encouraging and wants all to be great. Hear what he says: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

He doesn’t condemn it, but instead tell us how we can achieve it: By being last; by being a servant of all; by welcoming those who are of no consequence in our world’s eyes; by doing it all in Jesus name and as a result of who he is and what he has done for us. Here take note of the context of this whole issue coming up.

Jesus was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

Jesus is talking about dying and his disciple start thinking about who is going to be his successor. When he is gone who is then going to be their leader and the greatest among them. Jesus is teaching them what it is that is going to make for their greatness, but especially what is greatness, and they just don’t get it.

You see greatness has to do with Jesus’ death and resurrection: it has to do with him doing what was necessary for us to be great; greatness has to do with ‘welcoming’ the little ones who can do nothing toward saving themselves. The disciples and we today do not understand this thinking; yet there is the answer. There is what enables us to be great – there is what enables us to be with God in heaven as part of God’s family.

Because of Jesus giving his life as punishment for our sin we are now enabled to be first in God’s kingdom. Through his death and resurrection we are able to know that we have the certainty that everything will work out for us for all eternity. We know that even our troubles, hardships, and even death, are his means of freeing us from sin and its focus on self, to now look to and trust in him who has made all this possible.

 Now we are enabled by Jesus to serve others and give our life for their benefit. Now, being last, or little, or a nothing in this world’s view of things, counts for nothing. We know that in connection with Jesus we are first and great, so we can give our all to help others be a part of this greatness and to share in eternity with our Lord and saviour. Through it all now we have every reason to give him all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish