The Greatest in the Kingdom of God

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Tim (Mark 9:30-37)

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 delivered over to human hands. He will be killed, 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, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

³⁶ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child 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.”

Reflection

When I was a little kid, I remember fighting with my sister about the stupidest things, especially when we were a little irritated with each other. One of the most ridiculous fights we had was about whether our mom and dad loved one of us more than the other.

Thinking back on those little arguments now, I feel a little ridiculous about the fact that we would argue about something so silly.

In the passage today, Jesus and his disciples are travelling down a road toward Capernaum At this point in their time together, Jesus had been with his disciples for quite awhile. Jesus had told them multiple times that he had to die on the cross and that he would rise three days later, yet they still did not get it.

As Jesus and the disciples walk, Jesus overhears his disciples arguing with each other, just like any good family does from time to time. It turns out that this was not the first time that Jesus had overheard his disciples arguing, and once again they were debating about who was the greatest.

After arriving at Capernaum, Jesus sits down the disciples like a parent sits down with their kids and says in a way only Jesus can, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Jesus then picks up a child who was in the crowd with them and places the child in his arms and says to them, “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.”

Now, this might catch us off guard. One might think to themselves, “I love little kids! They are so cute!” But trust me when I say that this thought did not even begin to cross the minds of Jesus’s disciples.

In today’s world, kids are glorified. Everyone thinks kids are cute. Everyone loves kids. This was not the reality in Jesus’s world.

During the time of Jesus, kids were viewed as stupid and annoying. In fact, their status was just above street beggars. Therefore, when Jesus takes a child and sets her in front of the disciples he is telling his disciples and us that the “greatest” is not the one who performs the best, knows more, or can memorize more facts. Instead, the “greatest” is the one who welcomes those who society looks down on. Jesus is telling his disciples that the “greatest” is the one who serves others.

What Jesus’s disciples do not realize at this point of their journey together is that Jesus will ultimately demonstrate what it means to be a servant by serving all of humanity by dying on a cross. As Paul points out, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:5-8)

Questions

1.     What were Jesus’s disciples arguing about?

2.     Who did Jesus say the greatest would be?

3.     How were children in Jesus’s day different from children in today’s world?

4.     What is Jesus saying by bringing a child in front of his disciples?

5.     As disciples of Jesus whom are we called to serve?

6.     Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God?

7.     Who is God calling you to welcome into your life to serve?

8.     How will you serve them?

9.     What does it look like for your family to serve God together?

10. What are some practical things you can do as a family to serve?