Mark 9:33-37

“The formula for greatness”

 

Intro

“The formula for greatness”

 

Why is this text important?

 

Whats this text about?

  1. To be great in the kingdom, we must be last
  2. To be great in the kingdom we must be a servant
  3. To be great in the kingdom we must practice our lastness and servanthood with the least of these

 

    1. To be great in the kingdom, we must be last
      1. What does it mean to be last?
        1. To not put yourself first
          1. 1 Corinthians 10:24 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
          2. Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
          3. As Christians, it is not only about us any more. Period.  
          4. Illustration of the body
    2. To be great in the kingdom we must be a servant
      1. Its easy to be a servant in the kingdom when you realize that you are nothing without Him
        1. Paul asks rhetorically in 1 Corinthians 4:7, what do you have that you did not receive?
      2. Luke 17:5-10 Jesus expounds on the idea of doing kingdom work with a servants identity
          1. You will not be position and title chasers
          2. You will not seek to have authority in the kingdom
        1. Youngest-least qualified
          1. Take this posture of humility
          2. Even though you are experienced, have conversations, listen as if you were the least experienced and least qualified
          3. Don’t flex because you can
          1. Jesus models this in John 13:12-17
    1. To be great in the kingdom we must practice our lastness and servanthood with the least of these
      1. Back to text vs 36
        1. Why a child?  Receiving this child, ministering to this child is a one way street.
          1. They can’t pay you back
          2. They can’t brag to others about how well you treat them
            1. James 1:27a Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction
          3. Seemingly insignificant, not receiving a king, not receiving the president, not receiving JD Grier, not receiving Lebron, but I care about how you receive the least of these
        1. We are all children of God, we are called His children, In fact throughout the gospels Jesus calls His disciples little children
          1. Jesus is saying, the way that you receive and treat one of my children, one of your brothers and sisters in Christ, you are treating me
    1. Luke 14:12-14 least of these

 

Now what?

Where’s the Gospel?

Sermon notes on Mark 9:33-37

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