The Greatness God Is Looking For
To listen to today’s Deeper Devo click HERE. Also, here’s my latest Revive Our Hearts post: The Compassionate Pursuit of a Holy God
Devotional Scripture: Mark 9:30-41
Key Verse: “And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”” Mark 9:35
Do you know what’s really hard for humanity? Humility. Pride is what we fancy. We’re more at home with appreciating our significance than we are at recognizing our insignificance. I mean how many of us enjoy being passed over for the next guy? I rest my case. Watching someone else gain what we want is about as fun as having a colonoscopy. And if you think that’s fun then, well, we should probably be having a different discussion.
Anyway, even the disciples had trouble with pride. After spending so much time with Jesus, finding themselves privy to His private teachings, successfully going out on missions, casting out demons, and being the center of attention almost every place they went—their heads were swelling.
It was to the point that while traveling from Galilee to Capernaum one last time before heading to Jerusalem, they were busy arguing with one another about who was the greatest (Mark 9:34). Seriously, that’s what it says. Jesus is about to be crucified and they’re feuding over which one of them deserves Disciple of the Year.
Now if anyone could make a case for that title it was Peter, James, or John. They were the chosen three whom Jesus took up the mountain to view His transfiguration. And also, they were the only three allowed in the room when Jesus resurrected Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Mark 5:37). (Click HERE for that story.)
Who Among Us Is the Greatest?
Peter, in particular had reason to argue for the gold medal of discipleship. He was the one to whom Jesus was going to build His church (Matt. 16:18). Also, Jesus had promised to give Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 16:19). All that to say, I’m not surprised they were having this discussion. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard similar arguments when my kids are “discussing” whose turn it is to ride shot gun.
But it gets better. James and John, brothers who were also maybe Jesus’ cousins, even had their mom ask if they could sit on Jesus’ right and left once He took to the throne (Matt. 20:20). That’s some bold asking, by their mom. But to their credit Jesus had at one point said these words to them: “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:28).
So clearly, status and rank may have been on their minds, especially since the disciples are still stuck on the idea that Jesus is headed to Jerusalem to take the throne. The thing is, Jesus had just told them otherwise for the second time. Three times in the book of Mark Jesus plainly states that he is about to be killed but will rise again.
The first time Peter rebukes him for such a ghastly idea. And Jesus in turn tells Satan to get behind him. The second time is in our passage today. And the third is on their way to Jerusalem not long after these events (Mark 10:32-34). In fact, Mark places James and John’s request to sit next to Jesus directly after Jesus’ third death and resurrection proclamation to show us they just didn’t get it.
Greatness in God’s Kingdom Involves Service
So, what’s the deal? Were they just not paying attention? No, they were paying attention. The disciples heard every word Jesus said. “But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him” (Mark 9:32). Afraid it might actually be true? Afraid of what it might mean for them? Afraid Jesus might respond to them like He did Peter? We don’t exactly know what they were afraid of but sometimes it’s just easier to ignore the not so fun parts of Scripture, right?
Skipping over the verses that talk about the hard things is much easier than contemplating them. Like all those verses about suffering being good for us. I’d rather just skip to the part where Jesus says well done my good and faithful servant. And I don’t think I’m alone. We’re just as guilty of filtering out the less desirable words of Jesus as they were.
And yet, our exceptional ability to ignore the things we don’t like doesn’t make them any less true. Including, Jesus’ word to the disciples regarding greatness in the kingdom of God. After finally hearing them fess up to their embarrassing debate, Jesus says this to the disciples: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (v. 35).
In other words, if you want to be great in God’s kingdom then go stand at the end of the line. On purpose! That’s what Jesus is saying here. Get your arms flapping and start waving everyone else ahead of you.
Go ahead people. Yes, even you, says the servant of God to the weak and the forgotten and the outcast and the poor. Please, step on ahead—all of you. This is the visual Jesus is painting for the disciples by taking a child into his arms. Children were not revered in Bible times. They were viewed as lesser citizens—perhaps even expendable—much as unborn babies are viewed by some today.
God’s Search for Greatness
Then Jesus goes on. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me” (v. 37). God is indeed looking for greatness. But He’s not looking for the kind that glorifies us—He’s looking for the kind that glorifies Him.
The kingdom of God is not about status. The kingdom of God is about service. God is watching for the person who’s truly loving their neighbor, no matter their nationality or socio-economic status or what’s in it for them. He’s watching for the one who does nothing from rivalry or conceit, but with humility counts others as more significant (Phil. 2:3).
Setting aside our own wants and desires in order to accomplish God’s is carrying our cross, remember? (Click HERE for a refresher.) “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” (James 3:16). We won’t accomplish greatness in the kingdom of heaven by looking out for number one.
And yet we still seek to serve our own appetites because that’s our sin nature. This is why accomplishing the opposite is so great in God’s eyes. Selfish ambition is constantly sneaking up on us just like it did Peter soon after this conversation when he saw a guy who wasn’t one of “them” casting out a demon in Jesus’ name. Peter assures Jesus that he tried to stop the guy. But Jesus says, “No way, don’t stop him,” illustrating our point perfectly. Encourage him, Peter. Cheer him on, Peter, but don’t stop him.
Christ Is the Ultimate Example
Godliness isn’t about getting people to follow us because we’re something great. Godliness is about getting people to follow Jesus because He’s so great. The goal is less of me and more of Jesus.
I’m not saying it’s easy. The temptation to continually put ourselves first is like a strong rip tide constantly pulling us out to sea. Our only hope is abiding in Jesus because it goes against every fiber of our flesh to stand at the back of the line. The encouragement we can hold onto is that God sees our choices. And not even a cup of water given in Jesus’ name will go unrewarded (Mark 9:41).
Jesus is the ultimate example. He absolutely put himself at the very end of the line, on purpose, when He absolutely deserved to be first. Therefore, anyone willing to go and do the same will be called great in the kingdom of God—an accomplishment so much greater than anything this world can offer. And that my friend is God’s truth whether we ignore it or not.
Contemplate and Evaluate:
How do we become great in the world’s eyes?
How do we become great in God’s eyes?
Which one is ultimately better and why?
