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Year B Trinity 15/Proper 20 : Mark 9:30-37

Mark 9:30 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 betrayed 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, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." 36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him 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."

 

Who is the greatest person ever? One website suggests Galileo, George Washington, William Shakespeare, Plato, Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein as the top seven.

Our answer to that question will be determined by what we understand as greatness.  The list I mentioned might suggest that the person who compiled it was influenced by the affect people have had on the human race or culture or understanding or the American people.

Some think that greatness is about achievement. About children doing well in their SAT's, GCSE's. A levels, degree. Or music exams or sport...

Or the job that people do, the amount of money they earn, or the car they drive or house or area they live in.

So called reality television shows are full of people seeking greatness through what is perceived as "fame".

In today's reading Jesus had just told his disciples that his kingdom would be brought about by his own betrayal, rejection, suffering and death. This is the ultimate example of his humility and service. After this Jesus discovered his disciples arguing about which one of them is the greatest. Perhaps they still had hopes of leadership in an earthly kingdom.

Jesus taught his disciples that humility and service is the path to true greatness. This goes against the world that we live in.

Jesus used two pictures of people to illustrate what he considers to be greatness.  Jesus said "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." Verse 35

The Greek word translates servant is diakonos.  Someone who would run errands or wait at a table or do some menial duty.  It was about subjecting yourself to another, meeting their needs.  In the Greek world this was shameful.  The duty of the Greek person was to himself, to achieve his potential for excellence. To be forced to subject his will or surrender his time and efforts for the sake of others was intensely distasteful, even humiliating.

Perhaps little has changed in 2,000 years.  We live in a world where people want what they want to do, sometimes with little thought on how it may impact others.

Jesus says if you want to be truly great you must be like a servant.  Ready to serve others.

He set an example of this through his life and death. 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  He was humble, considering others interests before his own. He served others. He served food to five thousand.  He gave health to the sick. Freedom to those imprisoned by evil. He was so devoted to God's will he served up his own life upon the cross.

A group of European theologians once visited Mother Teresa in Calcutta. She said to them, "You try to do what I am doing, then you will be able to enjoy what I am doing." She took them to one of her childcare centres and picked up a child who was playing in the mud and gave the child a kiss. She waited for her guests to do the same. None of them did.

We live in age when children are protected so much by legislation and political correctness.  It is right children are protected but this leads to many children think they are free to abuse and assault others, including those in authority such as teachers. They in turn are scared to exercise discipline in fear of prosecution and losing their jobs.  Yesterday's news carried a story of a mother who killed herself and her disabled daughter because of constant bullying of her children.

In Jesus' day a child had no status or worth. Jesus used a child as an example of those who are regarded as worthless. The word he used for children applies to those who were seven or under. They had no legal statues or protection in Jesus' day.

36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him 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."

The humility and service that is the path to true greatness is shown when we welcome and serve those who are not "great". Then we are welcoming Jesus and, therefore, God.

We could summarise this by saying:  "We are to be willing to be the last when it come to status and first to be concerned for others, especially for those who need help, like little children. "

We can be inspired to do this by the example and teaching of Jesus.  We can behave like this by being humble and relying on the Holy Spirit to help us

 

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A Father and his small son were out walking one day when the lad asked how electricity could go through the wires stretched between the telephone poles. "I don't know," said his father. "I never knew much about electricity." A little farther on, the boy asked what caused lightning and thunder. "That too has puzzled me," came the reply. The youngster continued to inquire about many things, none of which the father could explain. Finally, as they were nearing home, the boy said, "Dad, I hope you didn't mind all those questions." "Not at all," replied his father. "How else are you going to learn!"

Perhaps this joke is a little far fetched because nowadays few fathers walk and talk with their children.  

Last Monday, 18 September,  the Archbishop of Canterbury today warned family separations and commercial pressures are causing a crisis in modern childhood. He said a new generation of young parents fail to offer the right example to their children who, in turn, are becoming "infant adults". His comments come as an inquiry is launched into the state of childhood by the Children's Society, which is concerned about rising levels of child depression in the UK with about 10% of children being affected.

Last week a report was issued by the National Centre for Social Research on behalf of the Relationships Foundation based on a study of 11,000 people. It said eight out of 10 working fathers and more than half of working mothers work unsocial hours, reducing the time they can spend with their children.

Last week 110 academics, teachers, psychologists and authors  wrote an open letter published by the Daily Telegraph stating that modern life is compromising the mental health of unacceptably large numbers of children. They highlighted "the escalating incidence of childhood depression" and warned that poor diet, the rise of video games at the expense of outdoor play and modern education was stifling the natural creativity of many youngsters.

The previous week  a league table of child well-being, compiled by academics at the University of York concluded that Britain's 12 million children and teenagers are the unhappiest and unhealthiest of any wealthy European country. Comparing figures from all 25 member states of the European Union, ranked the UK 21st. Only children in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Slovakia were worse off.

Jesus had just told his disciples that his kingdom would be brought about by his own betrayal, rejection, suffering and death. This is the ultimate example of his humility and service. After this Jesus discovered his disciples arguing about which one of them is the greatest. Perhaps they still had hopes of leadership in an earthly kingdom.

Jesus taught his disciples that humility and service is the path to true greatness.

This goes against the world that we live in.

Some think that greatness is about achievement. About children doing well in their SAT's, GCSE's. A levels, degree. Or music exams or sport...

Or the job that people do, the amount of money they earn, or the car they drive or house or area they live in.

So called reality television shows are full of people seeking greatness through what is perceived as "fame".

Jesus said "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the slave (lit) of all."

A group of European theologians once visited Mother Teresa in Calcutta. She said to them, "You try to do what I am doing, then you will be able to enjoy what I am doing." She took them to one of her childcare centres and picked up a child who was playing in the mud and gave the child a kiss. She waited for her guests to do the same. None of them did.

We live in age when children are protected so much by legislation and political correctness that a police investigation is launched over a playful incident between a youth and the Prime Minister's wife. Many children think they are free to abuse and assault others, including those in authority such as teachers. They in turn are scared to exercise discipline in fear of prosecution and losing their jobs.

In Jesus' day a child had no status or worth. Jesus used a child as an example of those who are regarded as worthless. The humility and service that is the path to true greatness is shown when we welcome and serve those who are not "great". Then we are welcoming Jesus and, therefore, God.

There are two areas in which we can apply this teaching.

1) To welcome and care for children.

In families, and by this I mean not just the nuclear family, not even merely the extended family but also the church family. We should review what is important and seek to give time and love to children. Children need someone to listen to them, to help them, to teach them the ways of God by word and example.

Stephen, Judith and godparents Duncan, Suzanne and Samantha have agreed to do this for baby Anna when she was baptised today. This is a challenge to each of us in our care for our own children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

It is also a challenge for us as a church. What are we doing to help children and young families in our church.

There are two areas I think that we need to consider.

1) The Junior Church.

Those who do work in the Junior Church do a great job but they could do with more helpers. They could do with more helpers who are no parents of children who are in the Junior Church.

When I have discussed this matter earlier I remember one grandmothers saying that when she was a grandmother she had to help with the Sunday School and why shouldn't parents today?

This is not the humility and service that Jesus requires of his followers. Rather it is the sins of one generation being passed down to another.

Our services. How are they orientated towards young families and children?

I know that some people disapprove of noise created by children in church but Jesus says we are to welcome them. I would rather have noise in the church than a quiet church and no children and young families.

Our morning service alienates many people who are not used to or comfortable with a Holy Communion service. We cannot expect this church to have a future unless we are prepared to be welcoming to people who may be uncomfortable with the worship that we prefer. This is the type of thing that we need to be thinking about as part of the "have your say" initiative.

2) To welcome and care for those who are disadvantaged, regarded by some as worthless. This can have many applications.

Locally we can support organizations such as "The Living Room" which helps people whose lives have been affected by alcohol, drugs, food, gambling or other addictions.

Nationally we can support organizations such as the Children's Society who help disadvantaged young people in the name of Jesus.

Internationally we can lobby politicians to help those whose lives are impoverished or endangered by unfair trade, unpayable national debt, a lack of aid, or civil war.

We can also support in prayer, financially and by giving our time to, organizations like Christian Aid and Tearfund.

In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Malvolio comments: "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."

This is not the way of Jesus. Greatness is something deeper, it is brought about by a faith in Jesus that expresses itself in true humility and service, especially to those who are looked down upon.

 

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Mark 9:30-37

The huge royal navy ship, HMS Ambition, ploughed effortlessly through the stormy seas. The captain proudly looked out from the cabin to the waters ahead. Suddenly he saw a light in the distance. The ship was heading directly towards it. Then through the morse code came a message, "Change your course by 20 degrees or you will crash into us".

The captain turned up his nose and said to his staff, "Who does this ship think they are, this is the HMS Ambition, no one asks us to change course, send back a message asking them to change course by 20 degrees."

Obediently the message boy tapped out the morse code message as ordered. However the same message was received as before, that they had to change course or they would collide.

The captain grew enraged and tapped out the next message himself... "This is Captain Proudhead , I order you to change course immediately".

The return message was interpreted as ...."This is ordinary seaman Bloggs, I repeat my request for you to change course or you will crash into us!"

The captain was now fuming , "What! Ordinary seaman ordering me to move. This cannot be!"

He banged out his next message.." THIS IS HMS AMBITION, THE QUEEN'S OWN SHIP. SHE TURNS FOR NOBODY. CHANGE YOUR COURSE NOW!"

After a while the final message came through...

"This is a LIGHTHOUSE.. please change course now or you will crash into us!"

Last week we saw what happened when Peter's ideas clashed with God's plans for Jesus to go to the cross. Peter couldn't bring himself to believe that Jesus, the Messiah would be killed. This went against the popular belief that the Messiah would establish a prosperous earthly kingdom through military victory. Jesus rebuked Peter, only moments after he had confessed that Jesus is the Christ.

There is a conflict between what human beings expect, and the will of God. We see this in today's passage which focuses on true greatness.

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.

After Peter's confession of Christ in 8:29 Mark's gospel concentrates upon the route to the cross. Jesus is going to Capernaum, not to minister to the crowds, but to teach his disciples privately. They are probably going to the family home of Andrew and Peter.

Jesus has already told the disciples once that he will suffer, be rejected, killed and rise on the third day, 8:31.

He repeats this, but in a slightly different form. 31b, He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise."

Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man, looking to the prophecy of Daniel 7:13f which foretells an heavenly figure bringing in the future kingdom of God. This was a messianic phrase used by Jesus on many occasions and is linked to suffering and death that came from men's hostility. This prediction, unlike the previous one in 8:31, features the betrayal of Jesus into the hands of men.

This phrase carries with it the idea of coming into the power of these men. But this is part of God's purpose to redeem the human race, one that is found in Scripture. Isaiah 53:12, 'For he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.'

32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

What did the disciples not understand, and why were they fearful of asking ? Clearly, Peter understood some of what Jesus was predicting as we saw last week ( 8:32 ).

Perhaps the disciples were unclear about all of the details. Their failure to question Jesus could have arisen from the way that Jesus rebuked Peter, although I think this is unlikely. I think that the disciples knew enough to realise that Jesus would not fulfil their hopes of a prosperous, earthly kingdom, and they didn't want to know any more for fear of further disappointment.

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" Jesus knew that his disciples had been secretly discussing something on the road to Capernaum. Perhaps some of them hung back from him, talking in animated whispers. When Jesus asks a question, this is often followed by him teaching about the subject that is raised by the question. We saw this last week when he asked, 'Who do people say that I am ? ', 8:27.

Whose motto was "I am the greatest!" ?

Muhammad Ali, (born 1942) was one of the greatest United States heavyweight boxing champions, and was also one of the nation's most controversial figures. He was almost as renowned for his flamboyant personality as for his boxing ability. In 1960 he won Olympic Gold. He became the first boxer to win the heavyweight title three times in 1964, 1974 & 1978. He lost his title on one occasion when he refused to be conscripted into the U.S. army. He was recently voted the Sports Personality of the Century. But he has lost his ability to move with speed and to speak clearly due to Parkinson's disease.

34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Jesus is not trying to embarrass his disciples, although they certainly would have felt embarrassed. This led to their second period of silence. The first, in verse 32 was prompted by a reluctance to know more. The second was because they did not want Jesus to know what they were discussing.

Their heated discussion could have been prompted by a desire to succeed Jesus as leader of the disciples after his death. It showed a failure to understand God's ways, and that the disciples were still bound up in their earthly culture.

35 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."

Sitting down was a traditional pose adopted by teachers at this time. Jesus is saying that true greatness is not to be measured by eloquence, the ability to defeat another, wealth, success, fame, intelligence, or status. True greatness is being a servant of all, a reversal of worldly values. It is about obeying the commandment to love others as we love ourselves.

We live in a society where some people will insult and belittle others to get their own way, to earn a promotion, gain some prestige, or save face. True greatness is not about putting others down, but putting others first. We see this in James 3 when he tells Christians to watch their tongues and avoid conflict.

We have the example of Jesus as the one who became nothing, a servant. Washing his disciples feet, dying in our place on a cross.

36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him 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."

I was recently in a shop and witnessed a young child, perhaps only two years old, ordering it's mother about in a rude manner. In our culture today some children are revered, protected, exalted to a position where they are indisciplined and disrespectful to anyone who stands in the way of their selfish desires.

In Jesus' time children had the status of a servant. In fact the Aramaic word for servant and child is the same. Children were treated as things, possessions. Not possessing the rights and status that they do today. Without any aspiration to greatness.

Jesus uses the example of a child who was in the house, perhaps a relative of Andrew and Peter, to show that greatness is about service.

Jesus shows his tenderness and affection by taking the child in his arms. He is saying to them that, in his service, they are to welcome children who have little or no status. In so doing, they are welcoming Jesus and God.

In a culture that treats children better we should still stick to Jesus, then radical, teaching to welcome children. We seek to do this by visiting the four local schools in the Parish, welcoming them to church, for example as the Hill Top Harvest this Thursday. We also have Adventurer's on Thursday evenings, a Children's Church, an integrated teaching programme for adults and children, and the children sharing what they have learned at the end of some of our 10.45 a.m. services. Please pray for our important work with children.

We should not lose sight of the principle that, as Christians we are called to welcome anyone of any status or none, something James deals with in Chapter 2. The idea of encountering Jesus in those we welcome is found in the parable of the sheep and goats that Jesus tells in Matthew 18.

34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

Anthony T. Hanson, The Church of the Servant, "How did Jesus show his authority? Not by making vast claims for himself, though such claims were implicit. His authority seemed to reside in what he was and what he did rather than in what he specifically claimed to be. Especially in Mark's Gospel there is an elusive quality about his authority, the mystery of the hidden Messiah. His authority was at the same time most deeply hidden and most clearly expressed by his servanthood... The more the Church in its life shows forth the character of the Servant, the more will its teaching bear the marks of the authority of the Servant."

I am now going to hand out Dietrich Bonhoeffer's seven principles for erasing selfishness in churches. He was a German Lutheran theologian who opposed Hitler, and died as a result.

1) Hold your tongue and refuse to speak uncharitably about a Christian brother or sister.

2) Cultivate humility by understanding that you, like Paul, are the greatest of sinners. You can only live in God's sight by his grace.

3) Listen long and patiently so that you will understand your fellow Christian's need.

4) Refuse to consider your time so valuable that you cannot be interrupted to help with unexpected needs, no matter how small or menial.

5) Bear the burden of your brothers and sisters in the Lord, both by preserving their freedom, and by forgiving their sinful abuse of that freedom.

6) Declare God's word to your fellow believers when they need to hear it.

7) Understand that Christian authority is characterised by service and does not call attention to the person who performs the service.