Mark: Requirements for Greatness [Mark 9:30-50]

Mark: Requirements for Greatness []

Stand for the reading of the word of God. []

Tiger Woods won this years Master’s golf tournament, it was the 5th time he’s won it and second most wins at the Master’s ever behind Jack Nicklaus who has 6. But what made this win for Tiger so great was the comeback [wins in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019] it had been 14 years since he won the Master’s last and 11 years since he won a major tournament. Plagued with personal problems and back surgeries most people thought Tiger Woods was done for in the golf world, but this come back put that GREAT status back on Tiger…but is that what greatness is really all about???

As I thought about what greatness looks like this week and studied our text for today, I recalled last year when my family and I went to the PGA championship in Bellerive golf course. It was the first time I’d ever been to a major golf tournament, and we got to see some of the greats. Tiger Woods, Rory Mcllroy, Jordan Speith, Dustin Johnson, etc. those are some top names in golf right now if you didn’t know that.

As we walked around and followed the golfers and watched their skill and ability on the golf course, I couldn’t help but notice all the things you don’t see on TV when you watch the golf matches. Number one thing was the caddie. The caddie, you see the golf pro doesn’t even carry his own bag…the caddie does. In fact what I noticed was the caddie was constantly coming in behind the golf pro and picking up or cleaning up after the pro.

One instance a golfer had hit into the sand bunker next to the green and after the golfer hit the ball out of the green and had made a great shot, the caddie went into the bunker with a rake and with great diligence raked out the bunker to where the sand was perfect and no flaws were in it at all you couldn’t tell anyone had been in there…but here’s the thing, his golf pro was done with the hole and moving on…the caddie was preparing the bunker for whoever would come after him. For whatever reason that image stuck in my mind as a picture of selflessness. A man walking around carrying someone else’s stuff, wearing clothes with someone else’s name on it, and taking care of things for those who would come after him with great care....that’s a picture of true greatness…it’s not as the world see’s greatness…but it’s how Jesus see’s greatness. The world says the pro is great…Jesus says the servant is great.

Jesus came and turned the world’s value system completely upside down. His teaching is radical and mind-blowing, it’s no wonder the disciples didn’t get it then and it’s no wonder so many don’t get it today. Jesus taught things like, if you want to be first, be last…if you want to be great serve others??? That goes against everything the world says and against everything we think. Ours is a world where everything is about me! Jesus died to free us from such slavery.

Our text today, I know we read a large number of verses, but they have the same kind of theme and gives us requirements for greatness and greatness is found in following Jesus. Let’s look at our first requirement [follow along in your bulletin].

Obedience to the will of God []

To know the will of God we must listen [v. 30-31]: There is often a lot of confusion today when it comes to knowing the will of God in our lives. I believe most of that confusion comes from listening to those yahoo’s that are always talking about, “God told me this and God told me that.” I like what Voddie Bauchman said, he said, “God told me is no replacement for the word of God says.” Here’s what I know for sure, if God told someone something and it doesn’t line up with the Word of God…God didn’t tell them that!

To be obedient to the will of God is to listen to the word of God. Take note first in our text. Verse 30, as Jesus and his disciples were traveling through Galilee it says he did not want anyone to know it. He wasn’t trying to keep people out of the loop, Jesus would use this time to teach and prepare the disciples for what lies ahead. In the big crowds and fast pace of ministry the disciples didn’t get much one on one with Jesus, so they move in secret. This is practical, if you want to know the will of God and deepen your relationship with Jesus, you’ve got to have alone time with Him in prayer and in the word of God. In our world of hectic schedules what is the focus of the schedule??? Me, let’s just be honest, it’s about me, my family, my hobbies, my job, my, my, my, me, me, me…Jesus says… “what about Me?” How much time have you spent with Jesus this week? How much time have you spent in the word of God and in prayer?

Notice what Jesus taught the disciples, v. 31, the gospel, you can never go over the gospel to much…that’s the will of God…the gospel and the spread of the gospel message.

To understand the will of God we need to ask [v.32]: Notice the disciples response to Jesus teaching…they didn’t understand and instead of asking they remained quite out of fear. Why were they afraid to ask? I’d say it had something to do with Peter, the last time Jesus said he would die, Peter said not on my watch and Jesus rebuked him and said get behind me satan. So the disciples said, “I’m not asking.” How often do we take the same approach, we don’t know and we don’t ask. We’re afraid to ask God, we’re afraid to ask our pastor, we’re afraid to ask our brother or sister in Christ. If you don’t understand the will of God ask Him! Ask me, ask a brother or sister in Christ, you may be surprised how God will use someone to speak into your life as well. Ask! The next requirement...

Service to others []

To serve others we must…lay aside pride [v.33-34]. As Jesus and his disciples arrive in Capernaum, which will be his last visit here. He uses this time for some more private teaching. But in spite of Jesus teaching them about self-denial, dying to self, and losing their lives for Christ and the gospel they are still concerned with who’s the greatest as opposed to who can we serve. This nothing more than good old fashioned pride.

Matters of rank and recognition were a big deal to the Jews of Jesus day…not much has changed in the nature of man. Pride and recognition still arise in people, even among the people of God. Let’s take a pride test and see how we do?

Do I get upset if I am not praised for my work?

Do I like and even long to sit at the head of the table or in the seat of honor?

Do I seek credit for what others have done?

Do honorary titles pump me up?

Is popularity crucial to my sense of self-worth?

Am I a name dropper of those I know [or pretend to know]?

Do I think I have something valuable to say about almost everything?

How’d you do? You may be more pride-filled than you think.

To be a servant to others we must also put away desire for position [v.35]. With a heart of pride comes a desire for position. Jesus is not hard on the disciples but with grace and tenderness gives them a proverb about position… “if anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Jesus doesn’t reject greatness…he just redefines it. Be great in things that matter to God not to man. The Greek philosopher Plato said, “how can a man be happy if he has to serve someone?” But Jesus says, the only way you’ll find true happiness is by serving someone else, not because you have to but because you get to and want to?

When you serve at church how do you do it? Do you do it because you feel you have to or are supposed to or because you get to and you want to…it’ll make a big difference of your service. If you’re serving to please man then it’s not according to what God wants. Jesus did say there is a position you should strive for in , that was the position of [diakonos] it’s where we get our English word deacon…which we in the church even mess up. The biblical term deacon is not the leader, he’s the servant. Diakonos means a waiter of tables, one who washes other’s feet, or changes soiled undergarments. That work doesn’t seem glorious in man’s eyes..but to God it’s true greatness.

A servant turns away from the need for prominence [v. 36-37]. Jesus illustrates what it means to be a servant of all as he takes a child and stands him in front of them, but he doesn’t stop there Jesus picks up the child…this was not common in that day. Today that doesn’t seem strange, but in Jesus day children were not regarded as important, in fact children were among the lowest in rank in that society. i.e. a little child was a perfect example of being last or least of all. Jesus is pointing out to the disciples, as a follower of Jesus it’s not about your prominence, but it’s about treating well those who have no standing in our society.

Jesus points out the way to true greatness is die to self, serve others, care for those who no one else cares for in Jesus name. In Jesus economy, the way up in down, the way to get is to give, the way to be first is to be last. The next requirement...

Allegiance to Christ []

The 18th century pastor A. T. Pierson said, “The ideal missionary must have four passions: a passion for truth, a passion for Christ, a passion for souls of men, and a passion for self-sacrifice.”

At this point the disciples are just not there yet, they may be zealous, but it’s still out of selfishness. The disciples are about to learn that God’s kingdom is bigger than their own experience of it [there are probably man that need to learn that today as well]. What the disciples are going to learn and what we need to learn as well is, God’s kingdom is so large that the one who is for Christ is on our side [v. 38-40].

John comes across this man casting out demons in Jesus’ name [something they failed to do in 9:18]. They did not know him and he was not apart of their group-he’s not affiliated with their denomination-so they tried to stop him, because he was not following us? US? This gives us a little insight into John’s and the others thinking. Once again the disciples are filled with pride and not the will of God.

If John was looking for an “at a boy” he was never more disappointed. Jesus responds… don’t stop him, help him. If this man is doing these things in my name, he’s doing them in the power of God and the hand of God on this man’s life is apparent. Don’t restrain him, rejoice with him. It’s not about us and them, it’s all about Him, Jesus Christ the one in whom we should have allegiance to.

As one commentator put it, “here is a nobody exalting Somebody while the somebodies are worried about who is following a bunch of nobodies” I see this today as Christian denominations are unwilling to work with each other for the sake of Christ because of their own pride, “we’re right, you’re wrong” It’s the gospel that unites us…the one who is for Christ is on our side!

The servant of Christ will be rewarded [v.41]. Jesus’ words in verse 41 illustrates for us the point.

“whoever” is all-inclusive

“gives you a cup of water in my name” serves Christ and shows allegiance to Christ by serving in Christ name

“he will by no means lose his reward” Jesus sees and rewards the smallest and humblest acts of service done in His name. When we reflect love and concern for others in Jesus name we then reflect the gospel, in which Christ came to serve and give His life as a ransom.

The next requirement...

Fear of Hell []

The final requirement for greatness is…Fear of hell. While this man seem as an odd requirement…don’t blame me…it’s Jesus’ words not mine. This section could easily be it’s own sermon, but in the context it serves us better to tie it in with this lesson. Jesus taught more about hell than anyone else did in the bible. Jesus had a strong message about judgment and hell…it is real and it last forever. In the context it serves as a warning and a motivation to follow Jesus in devotion and discipleship, not a scare tactic.

The lesson of the millstone [v.42]. This is a hinge verse, it brings to an end the themes found in v.35-41. It picks up on the theme of a child and those who belong to Christ. “Little ones” here does not refer to children but to those who follow Jesus. Verse 41 speaks of doing well to followers of Jesus verse 42 is the opposite. If you cause one of the followers of Jesus to stumble [skandalizein] it would be better to have a millstone around the neck and thrown into the sea.

Jesus is still speak to the issue of pride here. God’s wrath is so against pride because it is so harmful. It was the sin of Satan and Adam, I can be like God. If we do not rid ourselves of pride we become stumbling blocks to others and we will be held accountable .

The lesson of self-mutilation [v.43-48]. A saving faith is a fighting faith. A faith that will engage the battle against sin in our lives. Out of gratitude for a new life in Christ the believer pursues God’s will and agenda instead of their own. Jesus uses three hyperboles [hy-per-bo-les] figures of speech to point out the danger of sin in ones life. We know these hyperboles are not to be taken literally because the bible forbids bodily mutilation. John Stott was right on when he said, “The Lord was not advocating self-harm, but a ruthless moral self-denial. Not mutilation but mortification is the path of holiness he taught.”

{Hell is the NT word used for the place of eschatological punishment. The Greek word for hell ‘gehenna’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘ge-hinnom’, “valley of Hinnom” a valley south of Jerusalem where king Ahaz and king Manasseh [2 Chr.] offered child sacrifices to the pagan god Molech. King Josiah declared the valley unclean and it became a place to burn refuse and dispose of corpses. it became a place and symbol of doom and final judgment. The bible refers to hell as a place of unquenchable fire, a lake of fire and brimstone, an eternal fire, a furnace of fire, outer darkness, and eternal punishment. So a fear of hell is the right response.}

The lesson of good salt [v. 42-50]. Jesus says everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is a preservative, therefore all will be salted or seasoned with fire in a manner consistent with their relationship with Christ. For the unbeliever it will be perpetual fire of final judgment in hell. For the believer it will be the preserving and refining fires of trials and suffering that mark the road to greatness. Fire has a twofold purpose…either judgment or refinement.

simply put, salt is good as long as it serves its purpose. If it loses its preserving value then it’s worthless. Sinclair Ferguson sheds light on this better than I can, he said, “unless we maintain the purity of our own lives and are purified by the flames of testing and remain faithful to Christ, our lives will have no preserving influence on this corrupt world.”

In light of the disciples dispute over who’s the greatest and John’s opposition to another doing the work of the Lord. Jesus draws the lesson closed with one simple point… “be at peace with one another.” Be humble, avoid stumbling or causing others to stumble. Quit fighting and fussing over positions and status. Root for and help your brothers and sisters in Christ. Then you’ll be truly great in the eyes of God. You want to be truly great in the eyes of God? Follow Jesus!