Who is greater?

The Great Commission

Part 18 – Who is Greatest?

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith – www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

ANNOUNCEMENTS

6:00PM Evening Service at the church –

“Seminary Students will be preaching”

May 11^th – Lori Ulman

May 18^th – Lynnette Higgins

May 25^th – Walker Spriggs

June 8^th – Deacon Kurt Ulman

June 15^th – Grace Steadman

WHERE WE ARE AT

† Jesus Pays the Temple Tax

† Jesus visits Martha & Mary’s home

† The Ten Lepers

† Who is Greatest?

SCRIPTURE READING

Mark 9:33-41

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."

38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

I. WHO IS GREATER?

Traveling to Capernaum, more than likely Peter’s house, where on the way there the Apostles argued about who was greater, and Jesus heard them.

a. Disciples arguing which of them is greater

As they entered the house, Jesus asked them “what are you arguing about on the road?”

But the kept quiet because they argued about who was the greatest.

Either ashamed or afraid.

Jesus called the twelve aside and rebuked them privately, just as scripture dictates the leaders of the church are supposed to do.

Sometimes an open rebuke is needed, such as in the case of blasphemy.

Jesus explains to them the way the Kingdom of God works, because it is backwards from the way the world operates.

Jesus states, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last, and a servant to all.”

Can you imagine running a race, coming in last place, and receiving the biggest prize?

A Pastor at Bible summer camp told the kids to line up for ice cream on the last day of camp.

As the line formed you could see the kids pushing their ways into the pecking order.

After they had determined where everyone would be in line, the Pastor instructed the children to turn 180, and for the ones serving the ice cream to begin at the opposite end of the line.

Thus, those who had pushed their way to the front, ended up at the end of the line.

If you want to be great, be a servant to all.

Jesus wasn’t the world’s greatest leader because He lived the life of a tyrant.

But because He served the lowliest and those most in need.

Dictators come and go, and how many continue to follow them unless another comes along to continue the tyranny?

Yet, over 2,000 years, millions still follow the one who came in utmost humility and servitude.

“Whoever welcomes a child in my name, welcomes me…and whoever welcomes me, is really welcoming the one who sent me.”

Jesus is saying that when we do things in the name of Christ, we are really serving Christ Jesus.

And when we serve Christ, we are not serving a man, But God Himself.

We must be humble and child-like, trusting our Father in heaven for everything, serving others, it is then we are serving Christ.

It is when we serve “self” that problems begin.

Jesus, the perfect example of selflessness, and we are the perfect example of selfishness.

Why are there disputes, discord or lack of unity in a church?

Because someone is being selfish.

And if that selfishness is met with selfishness, then discord will grow and there will be disputes.

It isn’t lack of unity that causes discord, it is lack of selflessness.

Discord in the last church was caused because of pride and selfishness in a handful of people who wanted to rule the church and the Elders.

Disputes are nothing new…

b. Disputes within the church

Arguing in the church about who is greater.

We have seen this attitude in the Sadducees and Pharisees. About tithe, about prayer, about the Law, etc…

Arguing in the body of Christ continues today about who is greater.

You know how the greatest is in the church, the one you don’t even think so because they humbly and quietly serve Christ everyday of their life and never say a word about themselves or their service.

Arguing happens about operations, functions, positions…

Isn’t there one spirit? One God? Aren’t we all serving the same Christ?

Not if we are arguing about these things.

c. Division caused by pride and arrogance

The true cause for division among the body of Christ is selfish pride.

Someone thinking they are better than someone else.

Closer to God than someone else.

I have seen this so many times in the church.

People think they are more spiritual or closer to God than anyone else.

What happens? They try to run the church.

They try to dictate how everyone should act, worship, or what they should be doing in the church, like they are God’s recruiting agent.

If you want to compare yourself to someone else so badly, then do it right and compare yourself to Christ.

Maybe you need a reminder of your righteousness.

Perhaps you need to renew your perspective of who you are without Christ?

Because when you attack the body of Christ, guess what? You have to stop being part of that body to do so.

Like cancer…it’s in the body, but it is foreign to it.

It’s in the body, but does nothing but damage.

And if left alone, it will grow and destroy the body.

And the second you attack the Body of Christ, you are against Christ, not for Him.

“But Pastor, Jesus said He would never leave me nor forsake me!”

He hasn’t, nor will He.

But people walk away from Christ all the time.

This is why it says;

James 5:19, 20

19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth (Saved) and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner (One who wanders away from the truth) from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Who’s multitude of sins??? The one who walked away from the truth.

The one who walked away from salvation.

His sins can still be forgiven if he returns to the truth!

Praise God for forgiveness!!

Even when we mess up and walk away from Him!

d. How to be first

Jesus said, if you want to be first (or GREAT), you must become a servant to others.

With child-like faith depending on your Father in heaven, serve others and treat them as if they are better than yourself.

Put yourself last.

II. IF YOU ARE NOT AGAINST US, YOU ARE FOR US…

38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

a. Many working for Christ

Do not attack those who serve Christ.

You may not like the way they are doing it, but if they are not blaspheming, or teaching anything that is contrary to the Word of God, leave them alone.

It was the Apostles thinking they were something more than others again that caused them to try and put a stop to someone else serving the Lord!

b. Jesus tries to create unity in the body

39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.

c. Anything done in the name of Christ

41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

III. CONCLUSION

a. Are you a servant of Christ?

b. Are you working dissension and discord or unity?

c. Are you doing all things in the Name of Christ?