The Greatest

Pastor Paul Waldschmidt delivers a sermon entitled “The Greatest” based on Mark 9:30-37 at Peace Lutheran Church in Hartford, Wisconsin.

Delivered on Sunday, September 23, 2018

I had spent many nights dreaming about it, psyching myself up. I was only in 3rd grade at the time, but something about the annual Grade School Cross Country Meet lit the competitive fires within me. And now finally it was the first year that I was old enough to compete. In my head, the night before the race, I could picture how it was going to go quite clearly. My competitors and I would start off evenly, but my torrid, steady pace would propel me to the front of the pack, and I would win the mile long race going away.

That’s how it played out in my dreams. My “cross country” brain however was writing checks that my “football” body could not cash. The day of the meet I learned two things: First: never wear jeans for a cross country race. Second: I learned if I was ever going to succeed in any athletic competition, it was not going to be as a cross-country runner. I had dreams of coming in first, but when all was said and done, I finished….well, assuredly NOT in first.

And that was hard. Cuz no matter what we do in life we want to place high. The high school senior sets his sights on being Top 10 academically in his class. The bride planning her big day wants to have the wedding that her friends and relatives talk about for years to come. And middle aged dude? He wants his lawn to be the greenest and the thickest, the envy of all his neighbors. No matter how old you are, how matter what area of life you’re talking about, nobody is going to turn down a place on the medal stand.

All that having been said, it’s still pretty hard for the disciples to come out looking good when we see them jockeying for position and ranking themselves 1-12 in our text. They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. It’s particularly a bad look for them when you consider the context. In the verses immediately before Jesus had just announced that it was time for him to walk toward Calvary, where his every thought would be utter sacrifice, his every action utter selflessness. While those somber and solemn words are still hanging in the air, the disciples move on to much more important matters. “Let’s decide once and for all. Which one of us is the smartest? Which one is the hardest worker? Who was the first one to come into the fold? Who’s the most eloquent? Who’s the most passionate?”

Can you imagine being so obtuse? So oblivious? That even confronted with someone in deep need of love and support, you can only talk about yourself? Actually…you probably can imagine that. We’re picking on the disciples because they’re easy targets in our text. But we spend so much of lives staking our claim to being the greatest. Think back to the last argument you had.  You probably didn’t use the exact words, but I bet it had something to do with who was the greatest. I clean the toilets, because apparently I’m the only one around here who cares what this house looks like. (In other words…I’m the greatest.)  You spend money like a sailor on leave and I’ve got to be the mature one who makes sure all the bills actually get paid. (In other words…I’m the greatest.)  Did you forget to take the clothes out of the washer and put them in the dryer? Now I’ve got nothing to wear! (I would never forget to do that, so I must be the greatest.)

Subconsciously we spend our days in the never ending quest to convince ourselves or convince the people around us how great we are. Even when it comes to the student with his grades, the bride-to-be with her wedding and the middle aged dude with his lawn, there is a razor thin line between using God’s gifts with gratitude on the one hand AND ego boosting, identity defining, grandstanding “I am the greatest” thoughts on the other hand.  It’s the line between being humbly thankful for what you have and being arrogantly prideful about what you have. It’s the line between seeking to glorify God and seeking to glorify me.

Like the disciples, we spend our days veering wildly over the line and back, over that line and back. Can you see why that’s so messed up? We’re trying to determine our worth by where we rank among their our. That number, whatever it may be, is subjective. (It depends on who you talk to) It’s arbitrary (it can vary from day to day). And it’s subject to flawed human reason. (What you might think is great might not be what God thinks is great).

Funny thing is, the disciples were going round and round on the road about who was greatest, when the answer was obvious. All they had to do was stop looking at one another and start looking at the guy who was walking on ahead of them. It’s understood, but it still feels pretty good to say—Isn’t Jesus the greatest?!

Consider that he knew what they were talking about on the road, he knew they were going to jostle for position in the most glory grabbing ways at the worst possible times. He knew that before he chose them as disciples, before they were even born and yet he chose them any way! Because Jesus is the greatest.

Jesus is the greatest because he’s bottomless patience with the slowest on spiritual uptake. That’s you and me. Because his blood splattered a cross as payment for the most vile, the most repulsive, the most stubbornly rebellious. That’s you and me.

Jesus is the greatest because he finds the most insignificant, the most plain, the most rejected, the last place finisher and he says, “You have value. You matter to me no matter what anybody says about you. They will all go away. But I will never change how I feel, I will never leave, I will never go away.”

Jesus is the greatest because at your baptism he repeated what he did in our text. You were the child he took in his arms and he said, “I welcome this one—poor, insignificant, unworthy though he is. I will cover her with my perfection. I will give her eternal life. And that will make this little one truly great.” That’s you and me.

Jesus is the greatest. The key to greatness is found in being like him.  It’s not a ranking or even a respect given to you by your peers. It’s not the number of likes on your most recent Instagram post. That’s not what greatness is all about. 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.”

That’s exactly what he did! For a servant puts the needs of another ahead of his own needs. And that’s what Jesus did when he went to the cross. That’s another thing that makes him the greatest. He became the servant of all.

To illustrate the “all” for us he used an object lesson. 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.” It’s not just about being nice to little kids. It’s about seeing people as Jesus sees them. It’s about giving the kids’ table as much attention as you give the head table. It’s about seeing the seeing seedy one and the scruffy one with the same eyes that you see the CEO. It’s being willing to unclog the hair from the shower drain, it’s scraping the caked on food off the dishes, it’s about putting the new roll of toilet paper in the holder instead of leaving lonely bare cardboard there for the next person to deal with.  Imitating Jesus is not just about serving the insignificant ones—it’s about doing the insignificant things—and doing them for no other reason than the fact that you want to be like Jesus. He is the greatest and imitating his humility and service—that is the path to true greatness. Amen.

 

650 replies

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. canadian pharmacy no prescription https://buyviagraonlinet.com/

    Cheers. Lots of content.

  2. vipspark.vipspark.ru

    vipspark.vipspark.ru

  3. psychophysics.ru

    psychophysics.ru

  4. vitaliy-abdulov.ru

    vitaliy-abdulov.ru

  5. video.vipspark.ru

    video.vipspark.ru

  6. film.poip-nsk.ru – film online

    film.poip-nsk.ru – film online

  7. poip-nsk.ru – Movie Watch

    poip-nsk.ru – Movie Watch

  8. canadian pharmacies mail order https://hafbeltminla.zombeek.cz/

    Amazing advice. Many thanks!

  9. bit.ly/pamfir-pamfir-2023-ua-pamfir

    bit.ly/pamfir-pamfir-2023-ua-pamfir

  10. studio-tatuage.ru

    studio-tatuage.ru

  11. ipsychologos says:

    ipsychologos

    ipsychologos

  12. Äèçàéí ÷åëîâåêà

    Äèçàéí ÷åëîâåêà

  13. vsovezdeisrazu

    vsovezdeisrazu

  14. elizavetaboyarskaya.ru

    elizavetaboyarskaya.ru

  15. top rated online canadian pharmacies https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pharmacies

    You suggested it wonderfully!

  16. batmanapollo psychologist

    batmanapollo psychologist

  17. canadian prescriptions online https://www.brit.co/u/canadian-pharmacydrugs-online

    You actually stated that terrifically!

  18. batmanapollo.ru – psychologist

    batmanapollo.ru – psychologist

  19. canadian pharmacy viagra brand https://fnote.net/notes/7ce1ce

    Thanks a lot. Plenty of advice.

  20. canadian pharmacy viagra brand https://slides.com/bestcanadianonlinepharmacies

    Very good stuff. Thank you!

  21. list of reputable canadian pharmacies https://pharmacyonlineprescription.webflow.io/

    Well expressed truly. .

  22. canadian pharmacy online 24 https://myanimelist.net/profile/canadapharmacies

    Thank you. A lot of forum posts.

  23. How does viagra work https://fliphtml5.com/homepage/fhrha

    You actually stated that terrifically.

  24. top rated online canadian pharmacies https://rabbitroom.com/members/onlinepharmacydrugstore/profile/

    You mentioned this exceptionally well.

  25. 24hours-news says:

    24hours-news

    24hours-news

  26. bit.ly/3GQNK0J

    bit.ly/3GQNK0J

  27. bit.ly/3ig2UT5

    bit.ly/3ig2UT5

  28. bit.ly/3ARFdXA

    bit.ly/3ARFdXA

  29. bit.ly/3gGFqGq

    bit.ly/3gGFqGq

  30. bit.ly/3OEzOZR

    bit.ly/3OEzOZR

  31. canadian rx says:

    canadian pharmacy https://brujagflysban.zombeek.cz/

    You actually said it superbly.

  32. matchonline2022.ru

    matchonline2022.ru

  33. serialhd2023.ru

    serialhd2023.ru

  34. hdserial2023.ru

    hdserial2023.ru

  35. no 1 canadian pharcharmy online https://sanangelolive.com/members/contikegel

    You actually explained that very well!

  36. canadian online pharmacies https://obsusilli.zombeek.cz/

    Regards, Loads of write ups!

  37. cialis canadian pharmacy https://peatix.com/user/14373921/view

    Amazing knowledge. Appreciate it!

  38. canadian pharmacies online prescriptions https://conifer.rhizome.org/pharmaceuticals

    Wow many of excellent data.

  39. Buy viagra https://search.lycos.com/web/?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    With thanks, A good amount of stuff!

  40. Interactions for viagra https://www.infospace.com/serp?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    Tips clearly considered.!

  41. edu-design.ru

    edu-design.ru

  42. ivermectin says:

    treating scabies with stromectol https://sanangelolive.com/members/thisphophehand

    Appreciate it, A good amount of material.

  43. newsukraine.ru

    newsukraine.ru

  44. history-of-ukraine.ru news ukraine

    history-of-ukraine.ru news ukraine

  45. 3o9cpydyue4s8.ru

    3o9cpydyue4s8.ru

  46. Viagra vs viagra vs levitra https://results.excite.com/serp?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    Superb data. Thank you!

  47. Viagra pills https://www.infospace.com/serp?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    Wonderful stuff, With thanks.

  48. canadian pharmacies mail order https://results.excite.com/serp?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    Regards, Loads of facts.

  49. canada pharmacies online

    Incredible all kinds of amazing data.

  50. canadian online pharmacies https://www.bakespace.com/members/profile/Сanadian pharmaceuticals for usa sales/1541108/

    Good material, Kudos!

  51. canadian cialis https://search.givewater.com/serp?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    Thank you, Lots of content.

  52. canadian pharmacys

    You suggested it really well!

  53. canada online pharmacies https://www.dogpile.com/serp?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    Position nicely used!!

  54. Viagra 20 mg best price https://swisscows.com/en/web?query=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    Terrific facts. Thank you!

  55. drugstore online https://search.seznam.cz/?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    You actually revealed it very well.

  56. Viagra 5mg https://search.gmx.com/web/result?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    Many thanks. Excellent information.

  57. Viagra rezeptfrei https://www.ecosia.org/search?q=“My Canadian Pharmacy – Extensive Assortment of Medications – 2022”

    You made your position extremely nicely!.

  58. wwwi.odnoklassniki-film.ru

    wwwi.odnoklassniki-film.ru

  59. online pharmacies 500px.com/p/phraspilliti

    You said this wonderfully!

  60. canadian pharmacies that are legit https://bursuppsligme.bandcamp.com/releases

    Cheers! Plenty of information!

  61. socionika-eniostyle.ru

    socionika-eniostyle.ru

  62. psycholog-moskva.ru

    psycholog-moskva.ru

  63. psycholog-v-moskve.ru

    psycholog-v-moskve.ru

  64. purchasing cialis on the internet pinshape.com/users/2441621-canadian-pharmaceutical-companies

    Cheers. Loads of posts.

  65. programma peredach na segodnya

    programma peredach na segodnya

  66. Dim Drakona 2022

    Dim Drakona 2022

  67. Usik Dzhoshua 2 2022

    Usik Dzhoshua 2 2022

  68. tadalafil without a doctor’s prescription http://jso7c59f304.iwopop.com/

    You revealed it superbly!

  69. psikholog moskva

    psikholog moskva

  70. ìûøëåíèå

    ìûøëåíèå

  71. online prescriptions without a doctor https://buyviagraonlinet.wordpress.com/

    Valuable write ups. Cheers.

  72. cialis purchase online without prescription https://noyano.wixsite.com/buyviagraonline

    Whoa tons of excellent information.

  73. medication without a doctors prescription https://linktr.ee/canadianpharmacies

    You actually expressed that exceptionally well.

  74. medication without a doctors prescription https://kwenzx.nethouse.ru/

    Thank you. An abundance of knowledge!

  75. buy generic cialis https://kalwer.micro.blog/

    You actually revealed that very well!

  76. cialis generico online https://tadalafil20mg.proweb.cz/

    With thanks! Excellent stuff!

  77. stat.netstate.ru

    stat.netstate.ru

  78. cialis tablets australia https://buycialisonline.fo.team/

    Thank you, Quite a lot of knowledge.

  79. generic for cialis https://alewrt.flazio.com/

    You actually expressed that effectively!

  80. rodnoe-kino-ru

    rodnoe-kino-ru

  81. filmgoda.ru says:

    filmgoda.ru

    filmgoda.ru

  82. cleantalkorg2.ru

    cleantalkorg2.ru

  83. smotret-polnyj-film-smotret-v-khoroshem-kachestve

    smotret-polnyj-film-smotret-v-khoroshem-kachestve

  84. canada drugs online https://www.divephotoguide.com/user/drugs

    You made your position extremely effectively..

  85. liusia-8-seriiaonlain

    liusia-8-seriiaonlain

  86. buy generic cialis https://pedrew.zombeek.cz/

    Wow many of valuable information!

  87. medication without a doctors prescription https://www.divephotoguide.com/user/pharmacies

    You revealed this effectively!

  88. Canadian Pharmacies Shipping to USA https://selaw.flazio.com/

    You’ve made your point.

  89. canada drugs online https://drugscanada.teachable.com/

    Effectively expressed certainly. !

  90. cialis 5mg http://kwerks.iwopop.com/

    Amazing a good deal of beneficial info.

  91. canadian pharmacies online prescriptions http://kwsedc.iwopop.com/

    You mentioned this perfectly!

  92. buy cialis https://kvqtig.zombeek.cz/

    You suggested that terrifically.

  93. cialis without a doctor’s prescription https://www.formlets.com/forms/FgIl39avDRuHiBl4/

    You actually suggested that perfectly.

  94. film.8filmov.ru

    film.8filmov.ru

  95. mir dikogo zapada 4 sezon 4 seriya

    mir dikogo zapada 4 sezon 4 seriya

  96. cialis 20mg prix en pharmacie https://agrtyh.micro.blog/

    Fantastic material, Appreciate it.

  97. Ukraine-war says:

    Ukraine-war

    Ukraine-war

  98. buy viagra now http://lsdevs.iwopop.com/

    Regards. An abundance of stuff!

  99. canadian pharmacies online prescriptions http://lwerfa.iwopop.com/

    Nicely put, Thanks a lot.

  100. tadalafil generic http://site841934642.fo.team/

    You actually suggested that perfectly.

  101. prescription drugs without prior prescription https://site955305180.fo.team/

    You explained this perfectly.

  102. canadian pharmacy uk delivery https://kwersv.proweb.cz/

    Thank you, Ample stuff!

  103. purchasing cialis on the internet https://hertb.mystrikingly.com/

    You definitely made the point!

  104. online pharmacies canada http://pamelaliggins.website2.me/

    Seriously lots of terrific advice!

  105. tadalafil tablets https://kaswesa.nethouse.ru/

    With thanks. I appreciate it.

  106. canadian drugstore https://swenqw.company.site/

    You actually suggested it fantastically.

  107. canadian government approved pharmacies http://site592154748.fo.team/

    Good write ups. Cheers.

  108. cialis purchase online without prescription https://lwerts.livejournal.com/276.html

    Appreciate it. An abundance of advice!

  109. generic for cialis https://site561571227.fo.team/

    Effectively expressed certainly. !

  110. canadian pharmaceuticals online https://site273035107.fo.team/

    Appreciate it, A good amount of forum posts!

  111. tadalafil without a doctor’s prescription http://ime.nu/cialisonlinei.com

    Nicely put, Regards!

  112. buy cialis without a doctor’s prescription https://kerbnt.flazio.com/

    Thanks a lot. I enjoy this!

  113. canadian rx says:

    canadian prescription drugstore https://kertyun.flazio.com/

    Seriously quite a lot of helpful material!

  114. online prescriptions without a doctor https://deiun.flazio.com/

    Many thanks! Ample postings.

  115. canadian pharmacies without an rx https://online-pharmacies0.yolasite.com/

    Wow tons of beneficial information!

  116. tadalafil without a doctor’s prescription https://sehytv.wordpress.com/

    Many thanks! Useful stuff.

  117. purchasing cialis on the internet https://site373681070.fo.team/

    This is nicely put. !

  118. cialis 5mg https://fwervs.gumroad.com/

    Seriously all kinds of very good knowledge!

  119. canadian pharmacy online https://gwertvb.mystrikingly.com/

    Effectively expressed truly. !

  120. online canadian pharmacies https://kertvbs.webgarden.com/

    Cheers. Ample forum posts!

  121. … [Trackback]

    […] Read More on on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  122. relx says:

    … [Trackback]

    […] There you can find 55237 more Info to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  123. … [Trackback]

    […] Read More on to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  124. … [Trackback]

    […] Find More on on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  125. paypound says:

    … [Trackback]

    […] Read More to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  126. … [Trackback]

    […] Read More here on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  127. … [Trackback]

    […] There you will find 76163 more Information to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  128. … [Trackback]

    […] Here you will find 98345 more Info on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  129. Energy Plans says:

    … [Trackback]

    […] Info on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  130. … [Trackback]

    […] There you can find 67532 more Info to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  131. … [Trackback]

    […] There you will find 84863 additional Info on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  132. … [Trackback]

    […] Find More to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  133. … [Trackback]

    […] Find More to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  134. … [Trackback]

    […] Read More to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  135. … [Trackback]

    […] Read More Info here on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  136. … [Trackback]

    […] There you will find 73194 additional Info on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  137. … [Trackback]

    […] Read More Information here to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  138. … [Trackback]

    […] Information to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  139. … [Trackback]

    […] Info to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  140. t shirt says:

    … [Trackback]

    […] Find More on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  141. … [Trackback]

    […] Find More Information here to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  142. ห่วย says:

    … [Trackback]

    […] Find More on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  143. … [Trackback]

    […] Info to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  144. … [Trackback]

    […] Information to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  145. wig says:

    … [Trackback]

    […] Read More here on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  146. … [Trackback]

    […] Find More here on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  147. … [Trackback]

    […] There you can find 58837 more Information to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  148. … [Trackback]

    […] Information on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  149. … [Trackback]

    […] Info on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  150. … [Trackback]

    […] Find More on on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  151. … [Trackback]

    […] Info on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  152. 19올넷 says:

    … [Trackback]

    […] Here you will find 29166 additional Information to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  153. Chloe says:

    … [Trackback]

    […] Read More here on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  154. … [Trackback]

    […] Read More on to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  155. … [Trackback]

    […] Here you can find 95615 more Info to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  156. … [Trackback]

    […] Read More Info here to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  157. … [Trackback]

    […] Find More here on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  158. … [Trackback]

    […] Find More on on that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

  159. … [Trackback]

    […] Find More on to that Topic: peacehartford.org/the-greatest/ […]

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply