Who’s The Greatest?

Who’s the greatest?

Mark 9:36-37AMP

These confessions and thoughts have been on my heart and mind for some time now, and I have a burden to plead with those of you who have followed the Lord Jesus for any amount of time to examine yourselves and perhaps engage in some spiritual "house cleaning" in order to see if you have gotten off track anywhere. If I knew or heard of anything I might have said or done that resulted in somebody rejecting and walking away from the message of the Gospel, then I would rather have the Lord Jesus remove all salvation and hope from me and throw me into hell to prevent the other person from meeting such a fate. I would rather have the flames of hell destroy me and I endure God's eternal wrath than to know that someone in hell was there due to my silence, hypocritical behavior, or indifference towards the condition of their soul. I could not live with myself if I knew that someone was suffering in eternity because I took the words of Jesus too casually and treated my faith and relationship with Him as if it were just another religious routine that demonstrated no change in my behavior, attitude, or worldview. I would cringe in abject terror were I to find out that something I might have said either behind a pulpit or a teaching that sounded as if I was in doubt about a passage of Scripture or expressed any kind of skepticism that could have turned an inquisitive listener back to the world's wickedness and ungodliness.

Some highlights- Jesus had just told His disciples that He would be betrayed and handed over to men [who are His enemies], He will be killed and 3 days later Jesus would be resurrected.

The disciples of Jesus didn’t understand, nor did they dare ask Jesus what He meant.

Did you know that, Children ask questions; children aren’t afraid to approach their subject. It might be the local janitor, or it could be the president of the United States, Children will approach whoever, and ask any question.

Mark 9:33-34AMP They arrived at Capernaum; and when He (Jesus) was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing and arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet, because on the road they had discussed and debated with one another which one [of them] was the greatest.

Who’s the greatest? Who among us has the most clout? Who gets to be close to Jesus? Who gets the money and the power?

Matthew 18:1-3AMP gives us the same account of this event but Matthew adds some more truth: 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child and set him before them, 3 and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Again, Jesus states, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you...” In other words, Jesus spoke these words with total confidence.

Jesus sternly warns His disciples, If you want to be great in My Kingdom, you come as a child.

A children’s Easter Play was in the stage of preparation. The director was supervising the cast to make certain that each child would feel comfortable with his or her assigned role. One young lad was offered a speaking part, but he turned it down, saying, "I would rather play the part of the stone guarding the entrance to Jesus’ tomb.” The play went well and, when it was over, the director asked the boy if he had been happy with his non-speaking role. "Why did you want to play the stone?" she asked. With a big smile, the boy replied, "Because letting Jesus out of the tomb really felt good."

Is Jesus living outside the tomb when it comes to your attitude, your words, your thinking, Is Jesus living outside the tomb when it comes to your heart for the church? Your heart for salvation, Your heart for others and children, Your heart for worship, Your heart for God’s word? P.H

Now listen to the text, Mark 9:36-37AMP Taking a child, He set him before them; and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives and welcomes one child such as this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives not [only] Me, but Him who sent Me.”

Q&A: How do you receive and welcome Jesus? Is my reception of Jesus based on my time table, or maybe your welcome of Jesus is based on how you feel?