Listen to the gospel lesson and sermon here.
Mark 9:30-37
30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it;31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again."32 But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?"34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all."36 Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them,37 "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."
Cassius Clay was months away from taking on Sonny Liston for the title of world heavyweight championship. In February of 1964, Cassius Clay defeated Sonny Liston in a boxing match. He defied all the odds. He won the match. Changed his name to Muhammed Ali, and let the world know, “I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”
In 1992, Ali’s wife, Lonnie, incorporporated his intellectual property and created G.O.A.T. Inc. GOAT - Greatest of All Time. I doubt many people would argue, especially with Ali when he was live, whether or not he truly was the GOAT..the greatest of all time. But perhaps one of the biggest blows Ali landed was to a society vulnerable to competition. Declaring himself as the greatest of all time fed a culture that valued being better than the other.
And so, now-a-days, one of the most contentious and popular discussions, especially within sports is to determine who the GOAT is. Who is the greatest of all time? The greatest team. The greatest football quarterback...is it Tom Brady? Joe Montana? John Elway? The greatest tennis player - Federer or Nadal? Serena or Vanessa Williams? Or golfer...arnold palmer? Tiger Woods? Basketball - Lebron James? Kobe Bryant? Michael Jordan?
There a passionate fan base in today’s culture that works tirelessly to elevate individuals to the status of GOAT. And on top of that, these passionate fans have set the bar for athletes. The new trophy or measure of ultimate success is to be considered the GOAT.
But it’s not just sports. This status of being the greatest permeates all walks of life. No job, hobby, passion, or person is free from the pressure, measure, and judgement of greatness in another's’ eyes.. In fact, our culture thirsts and thrives on trying to be the greatest. The best. The richest. The first, the fastest, and the favorite. And to be the greatest or best means that everyone else by comparison, is not.
Society measures us by success, status, and power. We are rated by lists and rankings. Resumes and referrals. We revere trophies, plaques, and awards. The world baits us into not just buying, but believing we need the newest, the shiniest, the biggest, the fastest, or the rarest thing.
Our world lives in spite of the 9th and 10th commandment, encouraging us to live lives by comparison. So that one day, with the biggest house, largest income, and shiniest stuff ..with the loudest voice, the most followers, and the highest title..we might just gaining the title of the greatest … the GOAT.
In today’s gospel lesson, the disciples are sizing one another up. Long before Ali became the GOAT, the disciples are in a verbal sparring match to determine who among them was the greatest. It is unlikely that their arguments for being the best were rooted in financial wealth, personal possession, or even education.
No, they were likely competing on the grounds of their own discipleship-ness. Comparing and contrasting who among them was the best disciple. Who follows Jesus the best. Who listens and understands the best. Who prays most faithfully. Who sacrificed the most to become a disciple. Who among them was the greatest and therefore most equipped to succeed Jesus when the time comes.
It’s moments like this that really give the disciples a bad wrap. You see as they left Galilee for Capernaum, Jesus taught them that the Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands. That human hands will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again."
This is the second time now that Jesus has plainly told them that he is going to be rejected and he’ll suffer. He’ll die and he’ll rise. And how do the disciples respond? “They did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
Silence, just silence. Jesus, their mentor, leader, rabbi, friend, and teacher...the one who bid them to come and follow on this unpredictable adventure instructs them that he is going to suffer, die and rise...and they have no response. And it’s more than just silence. The text tells us that their silence is rooted in fear, and rather than acknowledge that they don’t understand, or feel embarrassed in front of their friends, they remain silent.
And so after this moment of awkward silence, they hit the road again. This time off to Capernaum. And rather than concern themselves with the difficult truth that Jesus just told them about they argue within themselves about who is the greatest.
The disciples were concerned about themselves. Sparring over who is the greatest. It’s no wonder they get a bad wrap. Their dearest friend just told them he was going to die, and rather that share mutual concern or grief, it’s like they’re racing to place sticky notes on the furniture and family heirlooms as fast as they can.
And as they arrive in Capernaum Jesus turns to them and asks, "What were you arguing about on the way?"34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.35 So Jesus sat down, called the twelve over, and began to teach.
I think the implication here is that Jesus heard their conversation on the road. Jesus knew what they were arguing about and he was going to use this opportunity to teach them. So he sits down, calls them over and offers a table-turning lesson about first and last. About greatest of all and least of all. And to illustrate his point takes a child into his arms and instructs that that in order to be the greatest, you must welcome a child such as this.
I suspect for most of us, there is nothing alarming or challenging about this instruction. After all most of us love children. Welcome a child is a privilege and honor. It’s a joy and delight. All week I was trying to think of a good illustration to offer you in light of this teaching. And for a moment I thought, I have a new child...I’ll just lift Bennet up in front of you all and say “Whoever welcomes this child in Jesus’ name welcomes Jesus and in turn welcomes the one who sent Jesus. And while it seemed like a relevant idea, I was worried for Bennet’s life because I think there might be a grudge match as to who gets to welcome Bennet first.
So why a child? What was the significance of Jesus embracing a child while teaching about first, last, greatest, and least. In Jesus’ day a child was the lowest of the low on the social ladder. A child had no legal rights or privileges. A child had no status, no power. They contributed nothing to society. Rather, they were a drain on resources. They couldn’t provide for themselves.
And until a child grew old enough to provide for the family, they were truly the lowest. Often even regarded below women. Children were often a reminder for poverty, and disease. Nearly a third of all children died at birth, and of those who survived, nearly half of them would die before 16. Children had the lowest place in society. They truly were the last the lost and the least.
So Jesus takes the child from the margins. Embraces the child and teaches. And Jesus didn’t embrace the child because the child represented cute innocence and curiosity. Jesus embraced the child because in order to do so he must bend down. Stoop low. Humble himself to cross all social boundaries and show affection for someone society otherwise discarded. He was elevating the child above his own status, teaching that to be first and greatest is truly to humble yourself to the last in order to be a servant of all.
For Jesus, being first, being the greatest, isn’t a badge of pride or success. It’s not achievement. It’s not glamorous. For Jesus, greatness means being humble. Putting the world before yourself. Crossing the margins and lifting up the ill and impure...the discarded outcast and lowest member of society.
Greatness lies in the weak, vulnerable, and tender. Greatness belongs to the hurt, the broken-hearted, and the lost. It is in humility and solidarity with those who would never, ever think of themselves as great in the first place.
And I think the hard truth from Jesus is that for the disciples or us to even be able to have a conversation about who is the greatest among us is a privilege. A privilege that isn’t available to everyone. Sure, you may never be the GOAT by worldly standards, but that fact that you even have a chance to be defined by the world as great is a privilege.
And I think Jesus is calling the disciples and us out on that privilege. Jesus embraces and elevates a child as our witness to greatness. A child who doesn’t even have a voice in the conversation is our model of God’s greatness.
So what is the good news from Jesus in this teaching moment? What good news is there for us today? Well the truth is, for most of us, it probably doesn’t immediately sound like good news.
For most of us, we come from and live within the culture of competition and worldly greatness. We work hard for what we have. We upgrade as we go. We notice the greatness of our neighbors and we make sure our neighbors notice us. We’re always, intentionally or not, in pursuit of being the greatest.
But the truth is my friends, while the world we live in thrives on rank and stature, the kingdom of God knows no standard by which one is greater than another.
And as long as we compete and elevate a worldly expectation of greatness, we abuse our privilege and make victims out of the powerless. The outcast remains outcast. The oppressed oppressed. Greatness in the eyes of the world comes only at the expense of those the world would never have us see.
And I don’t think Jesus is telling us not to celebrate success or strive for the best. After all, it is our God given gifts that allow us to succeed. But rather, I think Jesus is warning us that with worldly greatness comes much power and privilege. We are called to use that power and privilege, our greatness not for ourselves, but for the sake of the world. Arguing over who is the greatest means nothing if we ignore the lowest in our midst.
The author of James put it this way this morning, “For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.”
And I think the good news this morning is that Jesus has shown us a way...a way that is truly great.. A path by which we are all made great. A greatness that comes not in rank, power, or status...but rather a greatness that comes to us in a naming. A claiming. And rather than being defined as great by our accomplishments, earnings, achievements, or possessions...it is our identity in Christ that bestows greatness upon us. That makes us a servant of all.
For one day, all the things that we think define greatness will fall away. Status will fade. Power will recede. We can’t always be first.
But in the kingdom of God, Jesus turns the world upside down. Invites all to have a seat at the table. Jew greek, slave, free, child and king. All kneel humbly at the power of the cross. All have a voice and a name. All have a place in the kingdom. All are made one in the great love of Christ. Where the first shall be last and last shall be first. Where the greatest power is power over death and the greatest privilege is eternal life--life well beyond the world’s expectations.
And perhaps, that good news, is the greatest of all time.
© Pastor Daniel Locke, preached Sept. 23, 2018 @ St. Mark's Lutheran Jacksonville, FL
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