INTRODUCTION
• Who is the greatest? That debate rages on in the sports world. Is Tiger Woods the greatest golfer ever? Was Babe Ruth the greatest baseball player to ever play? Was Johnny Unitas the greatest quarterback to ever play the game? Who was the greatest of the presidents?
• Who has the greatest soft drink? Our society wants to know who is the greatest.
• How many people remember who came in second place? Who came in second during the past 5 World Series’? Who came in second in the batting title race? Who came in second place for the league rushing title?
• During Jesus day, the Jewish religion had the same problem. The religious leaders wanted to be seen as being the greatest in the kingdom of God. Preferential treatment for the religious leaders was the norm for the day. The disciples had been raised in a system that emphasized being the greatest.
• At one time the disciples had been hoping that Jesus would establish an earthly kingdom that would feature each of the twelve as leaders of this new kingdom.
• Jesus spent a lot of time trying to dispel that notion. The crowds were smaller and more hostile, but then something happened that is mentioned in Matthew 17. The transfiguration. Jesus appearance changed for a short time and Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. Peter wanted to make three tabernacles to commemorate the occasion.
• This event may have renewed the disciples hope for an earthly kingdom.
• Jesus and the disciples were heading to Capernaum when according to Luke’s account in Luke 9:46-ff, an argument broke out between the disciples.
• The dispute was about who was the greatest. I ca see Peter boldly saying it was him since Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom. I can see James and John jumping in as saying it was one of them since they were there to see the transfiguration.
• In Matthew 20:21 James and John wanted to be seated on the right and left hand of Jesus. This was a symbol of rank in the Jewish system.
• Jesus knew what was going on when finally the disciples asked Jesus the question. “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”
• Is the question a bad question? It is a logical question given the system these men were brought up in.
• Today we are going to see what Jesus does with the question, “Who is the greatest.”
SERMON
I. THE DISCIPLES WERE OFF FOCUS (V1)
• I am not so sure the question was a bad question because Jesus does not rebuke the disciples for asking the question.
• The problem with the question was what was behind it.
• As I said in the introduction, the disciples were part of a religious system that turned into one of setting the leaders’ way above the rest of the people. God did not intend for the religious leaders to have a pecking order.
• The disciples had a wrong focus when they asked this question. They were looking at greatness from a worldly view.
• What makes you great in the world’s eyes? Achievement? Doing something great for other people to see and marvel at? Accumulating possessions? Being at CEO at he right company?
• The world sees greatness because of your personal achievements. They see you as great if you are part of a winning team. Basketball star Patrick Ewing just retired and many debate whether he was one of the greatest big men to play in the NBA. Many will say no because his teams never won the big game, the championship.
• The disciples wanted to be considered the greatest so that other people would see them sitting on high with Jesus and marvel at just how great they were. I would imagine that they were tired of see the religious leaders being touted as being great. They wanted their turn at glory also!
• There whole idea of being the greatest was off focus. They had a worldly perspective of greatness.
• Today Christians struggle with the same thing. We want to be great in the world’s eyes. We so want the approval of the world we get off focus of what is important.
• Even after spending close to three years with Jesus, they still struggled.
• Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
II. THE PROPER FOCUS (2-4)
• Jesus knew what was in the heart of the disciples when they asked Him the question. He knew what they were arguing about.
• When the question was asked, Jesus did not tell them how dumb the question was or how selfish they were in asking the question.
• Let us read verses 2-4
• I wonder what was going through the minds of the disciples as Jesus called this little child to himself. Some commentators speculate this child belonged to Peter. We really do not know, and it is not that important.
• Jesus answers the question about who is the greatest in the kingdom by giving a three-fold response. He says that we must convert and be like children or we will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Then He tells them they must humble themselves like a child to be the greatest.
A. Be converted
• The first part of Jesus answer says in order to be the greatest, you must first get to heaven.
• When Jesus is speaking of conversion, He is speaking of making a change. We need a change of mind, will and status if we are going to enter into heaven.
• Faith in Jesus will cause a change in mind, repentance will cause a change of will and immersion will cause a change of status.
• Faith changes the present. Our outlook changes, we know we can make it through what ever comes upon us. Our faith gives us hope.
• Repentance changes our future because as our will changes to what God wants us to do it will change our future actions.
• Immersion will change our status and our past.
• ACT 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• ROM 6:3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death
• GAL 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
• COL 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
• 1PE 3:21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you -- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience -- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
• To be converted means a total change. We must have a change of mind, heart, will and status if we are going to even get to heaven.
B. Become like children
• When Jesus speaks of being converted and becoming like children, what is He speaking of?
• Jesus could be speaking of the eagerness to learn, the innocence (although you have to wonder about that one), the simplicity, enthusiasm, trust or love?
• I believe Jesus has all of these things in mind when He says we need to become like children if we want to get into the kingdom of God. For some of us we take it that we are to act immature like a child, but that is not correct.
• Have you noticed that Christians are called God’s “children” in many places in the New Testament? Acts 17:28-29, Romans 8:16-17 are just a couple of examples.
• Children were the weakest most vulnerable part of the Jewish society. They had no political clout and they had no rights. Children were TOTALLY dependent on others for their livelihood. They were in no way self-sufficient.
• These men wanted to be the greatest based on what THEY had done.
• Jesus wants people who will empty themselves and rely on God.
• When we are truly converted, we understand we rely TOTALLY on God for everything. WE use the talents we have, but they are talents God gave to us.
• There are too many of us who do not rely on God one bit. We are willing to even suffer loss to show God we do not need Him.
• When we are converted and become a new creation in Christ, that new person drops all ideas of going it on our own. We totally give ourselves over to God. We totally depend on Him.
• This is in total opposition to what the world tells you. Suck it up; pull yourself up by the bootstraps. Be your own person. You cannot be a long ranger Christian. You cannot be a Christian and live without be dependent on God.
• We need to quit going it alone and then ask God to bless the mess we make.
• We are CHEATING ourselves by forgetting about God.
• Children know (until they hit 11) they are dependant on their parents for everything. Where do they go to for food? Where do they go to for warmth, love and comfort? Parents!
• Where do you go to for comfort, strength and love? It needs to be Jesus.
• These men were still trying to go it on their own. You cannot do it.
• If you are hurting, do not run from God and the church. God gave us this great church in part so we can be there for one another.
• Do you have a childlike faith? Do you hunger to learn more about God? Are you enthusiastic for God? Do you really rely on God or is He an after thought?
• Today we think we are too sophisticated to really need God. We are not!
C. Jesus tells us we are to humble ourselves like a child.
• Orla C. Shup, Albion, PA. in an article in Today’s Christian Woman, "Heart to Heart” relays the following story:
• When I babysit for my minister’s 3-year-old, one of our favorite games is Go Fish. One evening, after winning several rounds, she kept bragging about how good she was. Jokingly, I said to her, "I’m going to have to teach you a little humility." Immediately she looked up and asked, "How do you play that?"
• Jesus tells us that greatness begins with humility. We need to get off the selfish wagon and get on the path of humility.
• If we are a person is going to rely on God, it will take humility. From the sports world Hall of Fame center Mike Webster of the Pittsburgh Steelers died this last week. He had many financial, family and health problem after his illustrious playing career ended. It got so bad he lost his family and he was living in his car for a long time. People wanted to help him, teammate, the Steelers, but all his friends said he had too much pride to accept any help.
• That is sad. How many of us have too much pride to reach out.
• Jesus humbled Himself. PHILIPPIANS 2:8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
• When Mike returned home from his first day in kindergarten, his mother asked if he’d had a good day. "I can’t read and I can’t write and they won’t let me talk, so what’s the use?" he replied.
• That may be a little extreme, but we need to be humble enough to know we NEED Jesus!
CONCLUSION
• Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? That is Jesus! Jesus is our example. Jesus is the standard we should strive for.
• Jesus wants us to realize we need Him. What have you done this week that makes you know you are truly relying on Him?
• When you let God take what little you have and use it, you will have something great!
• A child-like faith is a faith that relies on Jesus! Where are you? Is your pride stepping in the way?
