greatness – Gird Your Mind

“…whatever we ask” Mark 10:35-45

James and John, those two sons of thunder who have already asked to call down fire from heaven and have forbidden outsiders to cast out demons, now have a special request to make of Jesus for themselves. Coming up to him apart from the others, they say, “Do for us whatever we ask.”

Now you don’t need omniscience to realize there are certain kinds of questions you don’t entertain without more information. And this wasn’t even a question. Jesus asks for some details before responding. These two want a reserved position in the coming kingdom. And they want to start out right at the top.

Jesus must have sucked in a quick breath before replying. Should he be gracious and tactful? Not this time. He chose to be direct: “You have no idea what you’re asking.” To be “on staff” in this kingdom means taking everything thrown at Jesus. It means being despised and rejected of men on his behalf. “Are you able?” he asks.

“Of course!” is their quick reply. Jesus recognizes their faith, despite their egos getting in the way. That faith may be blind just now, but he knows it will hold true in the coming persecutions. However, he points out, the Father makes the appointments to specific positions and they will have to wait and see.

By now the other disciples have figured out what’s going on and they are indignant. Jesus calls them all to himself. This is significant – their focus has wandered from Christ to themselves. To be part of his kingdom is not about self-promotion or the gaining of influence over other people. The world around them, both religious and secular, has presented the wrong model for greatness, and they are following it without questioning. It is not to be so for them.

Jesus tells them that whoever would be great among them must become their servant. Anyone wishing to be prominent or noteworthy needs to become the slave of all. And Jesus himself would be their primary example: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Who is the greatest? Mark 9:33-41

Jesus and the disciples arrive in Capernaum and settle down at the house. Apparently, they’ve kept their distance from him as he is curious as to what they have been talking about on the road. No one is willing to speak up, but Mark admits to the reader that they had been discussing who was the greatest among them.

The last words Jesus had spoken to them were about his coming suffering and death, followed by his resurrection. Now they were competing for greatness in his coming kingdom! No wonder Mark says of them, “they did not understand” (9:32).

Jesus sat down and began to teach them that the kingdom’s system of values was unlike that of the earth. To be first in that kingdom is to be last here, to serve and not to be served. A small child is to be received with more dignity and love than the greatest of kings. It is among the small and weak that Jesus is to be found. And where Jesus is found, so is the One that sent him.

John speaks up. Whether he felt guilty or just missed Jesus’ point we are not told. He relates how the disciples stopped a man from casting out demons. His reasoning is telling. He does not justify this prohibition by declaring the man was not part of their group. Instead, he calls on the rules of rank and order. This man should be stopped because “he was not following us.” A small distinction, yes, but one that puts John and the disciples one notch above this man.

Jesus will have none of it. He points out the flaw in their puffed up reasoning. No one doing such a miracle in his name would soon speak evil of Jesus. He applies a simple rule of thumb: He who is not against us, is for us. To serve the Master in doing his work is more important than trying to figure out who’s in and who’s out. Leave that to Jesus. Focus on doing what he would have you do instead.