Mark 9:33-37, Greatness redefined

Well good afternoon!

So how is everyone doing today?

Everyone warming up from the last couple of days

I’ll tell you what

I have always been stationed in cold places

And I thought for sure that when I got stationed here

that those days of freezing were over!

Well let’s get into it before we run out of time today…

So just by way of review

And sometimes we need review because let’s face it

If you are coming to all the things we are doing here

It gets a bit confusing on which book of the Bible we are studying!

Amen!

But hey praise God we have the opportunity to study God’s word

3-4 days a week and on Sunday!

Hopefully by time I PCS you all will be considered seminary professors!

Able to run your own studies!

So here in chapter 9

The disciples have just witnessed incredible things.

Jesus has been transfigured.

He has cast out a demon the others could not.

He has again predicted His death and resurrection.

And what are the disciples discussing?

Greatness.

Now think about that real quick

Theyre not discussing humility

Not sacrifice. Not the cross. Not servanthood.

They are arguing about rank.

And before we are too hard on them — we must admit something:

We understand that argument.

Don’t we

Because I think its all to easy to put their shoes here in this story

I think we understand that argument all to well in fact

Who is most important? Who gets recognized? Who has influence? Who is first?

And so do me a favor

Buckle up

Because today might be a bit convicting

Now if you have your Bibles please turn to Mark 9

And we will be tackling verses 33-37 today

And what you’re going to see is that

Jesus responds in a way that completely redefines greatness — not only for them, but for us.

Mark 9:33–37 (NLT)

33After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” 

34But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 

35He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” 

36Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 

37“Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

Now the first thing I want you to notice

Is that there is a clear Danger of Self-glorification when it is disguised as Ambition (vv. 33–34)

And I really want you to sort of put this in your mind

And think about the conversation that they were having

Because the Bible tells us that

“On the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.”

Notice first: They argued on the way.

Now think on this

The road to Jerusalem was the road to the cross. Jesus is heading toward suffering.

He is getting closer and closer to the time of his death

and yet They are arguing over status.

Verse 32 tells us they didn’t understand Jesus’ prediction of His death — and they were afraid to ask.

and so Instead of asking about suffering, they argue about supremacy.

And I’ll tell you what the silence in verse 34 is powerful.

When Jesus asks what they were discussing, they say nothing.

Sort of reminds me when you got caught by your mom

with your siblings over doing something stupid and you just knew

You just knew you were about to get it

But when you really dig deep into the emotions

Into the thought process of these two

Their silence is speaking volumes

and you have to ask yourself Why?

Because prideful ambition exposed in the presence of Christ becomes embarrassing.

The Root Issue, to be honest is carnal thinking

This wasn’t healthy aspiration.

It was comparison.

Comparison that gives growth to pride.

And pride is the enemy of kingdom greatness.

James 3:16 says,

“Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder.”

And really think on this

The disciples are measuring greatness by:

Visibility

Authority

Recognition

But the kingdom does not operate on those metrics.

And so let’s take a look at our own lives

We may not argue out loud — but inwardly

If we are being honest

we compare.

Family comparisons

Career comparisons

Recognition comparisons

Even spiritual comparisons

Ambition becomes sinful when:

It seeks personal glory over God’s glory.

It desires prominence over faithfulness.

It values position more than obedience.

But I love what Jesus does here

Because I have to be honest it is polar

Opposite of what I would have done

And so notice he does not shame them publicly.

He doesn’t embarrass them He does something better.

He teaches.

What does he say?

He gives The Definition of True Greatness (v. 35)

By saying

“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

This is a kingdom paradox.

Because notice

Jesus does not condemn the desire to be “first.” He redefines how you get there.

And if we break it down

He does this by giving us Two Requirements

Last of All

Servant of All

But then notice the deeper meaning behind the two

Here because these works speak

To something is incredibly difficult for us

Because “Last” speaks of position. “Servant” speaks of posture.

Last of all and servant of all

In the Roman world, servants had no status. Children had no social standing. Authority flowed downward — not upward.

And the same could be said of our world

100%

All you have to do is look around

Everything in our world works that way

It’s only the rich and powerful that hold any true status

The rest of us are simply pawns in the game

And yet what Jesus does is reverses the pyramid.

And so really think about it

Because we are told that in order to advance

In any way In the world:

in order to Climb up the ladder of success

Step over others.

Protect your place.

Forget about the little people and ensure you focus on you

and yet In the kingdom its completely opposite

Step down.

Lift others.

Forget your place.

In the kingdom True greatness is not measured by how many serve you, but by how many you are willing to serve.

Folks This is not theory for Jesus.

Mark 10:45 says

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

It is in this moment that Jesus is describing His own mission.

He will become:

Last by way of suffering

Servant by way of sacrifice

Philippians 2 says He “emptied Himself… taking the form of a servant.”

Greatness in God’s kingdom always passes through humility.

And think about what is being asked of in this passage

Because

Servanthood is not:

Low self-esteem

False humility

Self-hatred

It is strength under submission.

It is willingly placing yourself beneath others for their good.

Ask yourself today

Where am I insisting on being first?

Where am I resisting hidden service?

Where do I crave recognition?

Greatness in heaven often looks like obscurity on earth.

My third and final point is the

Illustration of a child within this passage

Verse 36-37 says

“And he took a child and put him in the midst of them…”

This is shocking.

Jesus takes the lowest-ranking person

The most innocent in the room and says

The one with whom no benefit can come

The one who can’t do anything for you

And says :

Receive this one. Welcome this one. Value this one.

What Does This Mean?

The child represents:

The lowly

The dependent

The unnoticed

The powerless

To receive a child is to welcome someone who cannot repay you.

To receive a child as Jesus is instructing us

Is to love without condition

Kingdom servanthood is measured by how we treat those who cannot advance us.

Jesus says:

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.”

That is staggering.

To welcome the insignificant is to welcome Christ Himself.

But then think on it because He raises it even higher:

“Whoever receives me, receives not me but Him who sent me.”

Serving the lowly connects you directly to the Father.

The path to intimacy with God runs through humility toward people.

Kingdom behavior

Kingdom mindset is something that I could argue

Is far removed from everything we are familiar with

Think on this… Kingdom Greatness is revealed in:

How you treat the weak.

How you treat children.

How you treat subordinates.

How you treat those outside your advantage.

In a military context —

leadership often emphasizes strength and authority.

But kingdom leadership emphasizes responsibility and sacrifice.

The greatest leader in the room is the one most willing to stoop.

And so as we Bring It all Together

Maybe give you something to remember and take home today

Think about this

The disciples wanted a throne. Jesus pointed to a towel.

They wanted rank. He modeled surrender.

They wanted prominence. He embraced a cross.

And here is the beauty of the gospel:

The One who became last of all is now exalted above all.

Because He humbled Himself, God highly exalted Him.

The way up is down.

Folks I know a message like this

On the service

Might appear easy to some

Might appear impossible to others

But what I encourage to do today

Is to take some time

Really look within

And start to examine every motivation

Every thought

Every effort

Because I know one day we will stand before the king

And we will answer for ever thought

Every effort

and every self purposed motivation

We have the opportunity

To embody and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ

With everyone around us

Its a

message of eternal hope

To everyone we encounter

But we can’t do that if we:

look

talk

and behave like the world.

Lets close in prayer