WWUTT 2196 If Anyone Wants to Be First (Mark 9:30-37)

Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone wants to be great in the kingdom of God, he must become the least. Loving even a child, and whoever receives a child in my name receives me, Jesus said, when we understand the text.

Many of the Bible stories and verses we think we know, we don't. When we understand the text is committed to teaching sound doctrine and rebuking those who contradict it. Visit our website at www .wutt .com.

Here once again is Pastor Gabe.

Thank you, Becky. In our study of the gospel of Mark, we're right in the middle of chapter nine. And here Jesus is once again gonna tell his disciples that he's gonna be arrested and put to death, but will rise again on the third day, and then has a discussion with them about what it means to be the greatest in the kingdom of God.

Let me come back to verse 30, and I'll read through verse 37 out of the Legacy Standard Bible. Hear the word of the Lord. From there they went out and were going through Galilee, and he was not wanting anyone to know about it, for he was teaching his disciples and telling them, the son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him.

And when he has been killed, he will rise again three days later. But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask him. And they came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house, he began to question them, what were you discussing on the way?

But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. And sitting down, he called the 12 and said to them, if anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.

And taking a child, he set him before them, and taking him into his arms, he said to them, whoever receives one child like this in my name receives me. And whoever receives me does not receive me, but him who sent me.

Now, remember, we're coming into this account right after Jesus has really just had a time with his disciples, rebuking them for not believing as they should, not being able to do as they should have been able to do.

Jesus had rebuked the crowds and the disciples for not having faith. This was back in chapter nine, verse 19. He said to them, oh, unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you?

And he will eventually leave the crowd, but he's still with his disciples. The disciples, if you'll remember, could not cast out a demon that they should have been able to cast out. And they asked him, why could we not cast it out?

And Jesus said to them, because this kind cannot come out by anything but prayer. That was still part of his rebuke to the disciples because they did not ask God's help. And that should have been an obvious thing to them.

Why did you think after you're trying to cast this thing out and it doesn't get cast out, why did you think you could just continue to try to cast it out and not go to the Lord in prayer? The disciples should have known better.

Why didn't they think of that? Why didn't they pray to God and ask that God would be the one to cast it out? If they had done that, they would have succeeded in casting out the demon. And yet Jesus had said to them, you are part of this unbelieving generation.

When Jesus makes that rebuke in verse 19, the disciples were just as much included in that. Oh, unbelieving generation. They thought too highly of themselves and did not rely upon God. And so we see kind of a timidness here in this section, right?

The disciples are kind of hesitant to ask him a question or even say something to him when he asked them a question because they've been rebuked so many times up to this point. It's not like they don't deserve it.

But now the way that Mark is sharing this narrative here, you can see their hesitancy now in either wanting to ask a question or answer one because they keep getting rebuked. They're wrong every time.

They say or ask something. So here, let's come back to verse 30 again. You can see the two parts that this is divided into. Jesus talking once again about how he is gonna go and be crucified and then addressing his disciples about who is the greatest in the kingdom.

And this has a connection back to the last time that we read about Jesus telling his disciples that he is going to go and be persecuted, put to death, but will rise again on the third day. And I'll draw your attention back to that when we get there.

So once again, in verse 30, from there they went out and were going through Galilee and he was not wanting anyone to know about it. So we've had these occasions throughout Mark where Jesus just wants to go somewhere with his disciples and doesn't wanna attract the attention of the crowd because he has something that he needs to teach them.

And when the crowds are around, it's kind of difficult for him to be able to do that. We had read previously in Mark how in one place they went, they couldn't even sit down and have a meal together because the crowds are pressing in.

They either want miracles or they wanna hear him teach or something like that. So here on this particular stretch of their missions work, they're going throughout Galilee and not trying to be known, that people know where he is or what he is doing.

This is specifically for teaching the disciples. It's not for everybody else to hear, but for the disciples to know something. Now, remember these 12, we have the 12 mentioned in this section again, that number specifically.

There were many more disciples than just the 12, but sometimes Jesus focuses on the 12. Sometimes he focuses on three, Peter, James, and John. That was what we had in the transfiguration at the beginning of chapter nine.

So here he's got specifically the 12 with him. These are his 12 apostles. As we had seen earlier in Mark, these are the ones whom he is going to commission. These primarily that will go out with the gospel once Jesus is gone, once he is ascended back to the father.

So there are things that are important for them to know that he is going to teach them. And as we've seen, it's not all getting in, not all of it, they're not even able to retain all of it. Just thinking back to the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5 ,000 and then he fed the 4 ,000.

And it's like the disciples were almost clueless as to what happened before when he fed the 5 ,000. Jesus even rebukes them for it. Do you remember this when I fed the 5 ,000? Do you remember this when I fed the 4 ,000?

So they are having trouble even really retaining this information. But of course we know from what Jesus will promise them later when the Holy Spirit comes, he will bring back to your memory these things and even teach you more things.

Jesus says that in the gospel of John, but we know that all that's coming later. And even at the time that Mark was written, we know that eventually gets fulfilled. They receive the Holy Spirit and then they become the teachers that Jesus had commissioned to go out and teach all that Christ had commanded.

And they do. But at least here at this juncture is they're kind of new students in Jesus' school of ministry. They're having trouble holding onto this information and even responding to the questions that Jesus asked them.

So for the moment, for the time being, he's just focusing on the 12. And verse 31, he was teaching his disciples and telling them, the son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men and they will kill him.

And when he has been killed, he will rise again three days later. But they did not understand this statement and they were afraid to ask him. Now that's not just because of what happened previously in chapter nine or where we left off from last week.

That's even going back to the first time that they had this discussion about Jesus being persecuted and put to death and rising again on the third day. Remember, Peter rebuked him for that. So going back to chapter eight, verse 27, Jesus asked his disciples, who do people say that I am?

And they said, John the Baptist, others say Elijah, others one of the prophets. And he continued questioning them, but who do you say that I am? And Peter answered and said to him, you are the Christ.

And he warned them to tell no one about him. We kind of have that same sort of pattern there that we have in what we're reading here in chapter nine. Jesus talking about what's going to happen, but not wanting the people to know about what he's doing, at least this part of his ministry in Galilee.

So anyway, back to chapter eight, verse 30, he warned them not to tell anyone about him. He had warned Peter, James, and John not to talk about the transfiguration until after he had risen from the dead.

And surely the disciples are thinking, why? Isn't this exactly what we want to be telling people? Once Peter answers Jesus and says, you are the Christ, the son of the living God, and Jesus affirms that Peter is correct, the way that we have it in Matthew's gospel, flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my father who is in heaven.

And as soon as that is affirmed to the disciples, you think they would want to go, well, let's go spread the news because our Messiah has come. He's going to ascend to the throne of Israel. We're going to kick the Romans out and the Herods out.

And we're taking over this thing, baby. Israel is going to be great again. We're going to make Israel great again. That's what we're going to do. Because they think that their Messiah is coming in a victor.

Of course he is, he's going to be a victor over death, but that's not what they're anticipating. They're not thinking about death. They're thinking about a kingdom on earth. And yet Jesus says to them, don't tell anyone about me.

And then after the transfiguration, Peter, James, and John see him glorified before them. Peter becomes a bumbling fool and says, let's build some tents here. I'll make one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.

And then the voice of God, the father is heard from heaven saying, this is my beloved son, listen to him. And then suddenly everything was as it was. And Jesus tells his disciples to tell no one about the vision until after he has risen from the dead.

That's twice in a row now that surely Peter of all people has got to be going, why, why do we have to keep this quiet? This is what we've been waiting for. There are Jews waiting for this. We know from John's gospel, plenty of people have been questioning him about it.

Are you the one? Are you the Messiah? And yet Jesus is saying that it's not yet time for this to be known. Of course, Jesus knows the moment the word gets out like that, well, he's going to be put to death.

And that's exactly what takes place. So for now, he's telling them to tell no one that he is the Christ. Peter even rebukes Jesus. So the first time Jesus tells the disciples that he is going to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed.

And after three days rise again, Peter rebukes him. And then Jesus rebukes him right back, get behind me, Satan, for you are not setting your mind on God's interest, but man's, you know, here the disciples are thinking that our Messiah is here and he's going to ascend to the throne of David.

But Jesus is talking about going to, he's talking about going to Jerusalem and being killed. That's defeatist talk, Jesus. Why are you saying that? Don't you know that we win down here, that we make this thing big again.

You know, there's a lot of talk, even among some evangelicals today. Sounds just like Peter. We're not supposed to be talking about suffering and dying. We're not supposed to be talking about taking up a cross and following Jesus, which is where Jesus goes from here.

Right?

After rebuking Peter and saying, get behind me, Satan. He tells them that if anyone would be my disciple, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. But it's so sad that there are Christians in America right now that think that that's not the way that we should be talking.

We need to be talking like winners. We need to like lay, we need to name it and claim it. They might not even be or profess themselves to be prosperity gospel preachers. They're not even following people like Ken Copeland or Creflo Dollar or Benny Hinn, Todd White, or, or Bill Johnson or any of these, these prosperity preacher folks.

They don't even talk like them. They might even claim to be reformed, but they still think we need to be speaking in such a way as though to say, we're taking this thing. This is our kingdom. This belongs to us.

It is ours for the taking. This is our inheritance. We have a right to it. And that's the way they talk. And we'll even put down Christians that talk about, don't you know that Paul told his own protege that anybody who desires to live a godly life in Christ, Jesus will be persecuted.

Do you not understand Jesus saying in the sermon on the Mount, blessed are you when people persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account, rejoice and be glad for. So they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

And Peter eventually comes around in this because in first Peter chapter four, he says the same thing there to the degree that you are sharing the sufferings of Christ. Keep on rejoicing so that at the revelation of his glory, you may rejoice with exaltation.

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. First Peter four 14, good one for you to underline. Good one for you to remember. It is actually for us as Christians to suffer, but to suffer for the sake of the name.

And we rejoice in suffering for the name of Christ. Everything in the new Testament indicates to us that we're going to suffer and maybe even be put to death, persecuted struggle, because we're followers of Christ.

This is not going to be an easy walk into heaven. Jesus even says in the sermon on the Mount, the easy way is the broad way. And many people take that route and will go to their destruction. Narrow is the way that leads to life and few will find it because that's the difficult path here.

Jesus is talking with his disciples once again, about things that they, they just, they just don't think that this is how this is supposed to go, but they're afraid to question it. Because the last time one of us questioned something about this, Jesus called us Satan.

Once again, he's going to be delivered into the hands of men. They are going to kill him. And when he has been killed, Jesus says he will rise again three days later, but this whole concept of rising from the dead, the disciples just cannot wrap their minds around it.

We're going to be following a zombie Messiah. Is that what you're talking about? So verse 32 says, but they did not understand this statement and they were afraid to ask him and they came to Capernaum.

And when he was in the house, he began to question them. What were you discussing on the way? But they kept silent for on the way they had discussed with one another, which of them was the greatest. Now they were probably a little sheepish here because they know, and you see, we're going to get rebuked for this.

It's almost as if in asking the question, it has come to their mind. Maybe we shouldn't have been talking about that. Maybe that isn't the right attitude to have, but once again, their mentality here is we're going to build a great kingdom on earth.

So which of us gets to be the greatest in that kingdom? They still have these minds that are ascending to some sort of earthly prosperity. And so what does Jesus do? Verse 35, he sits down, he calls the 12 and he says to them, if anyone wants to be first, he's going to have to be last of all and servant of all.

Now, what Jesus is doing here is the same thing that he did before when Peter had rebuked Jesus for saying that he was going to go and suffer and die. They know better than to do that again, but still Jesus followed that up by saying, if anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up a cross, an instrument of death.

You're not taking up your scepter. You're not putting a crown on your head. You're not sitting on a throne. You are denying yourself and taking up an instrument of death and following after me. You have to be ready to lose your life for my sake.

And whoever does this will save it. And so he's got them in front of him. And he says, if you want to be first, you have to be last of all and servant of all. Same as what he said before with you have to deny yourself.

You are putting the needs of others ahead of your own. You want to be great in the kingdom of God. You got to be least to be the greatest. That surely would have been a baffling idea to the disciples too.

How do I become the greatest by being the least? But Jesus takes a child and he sets him before them and taking him the child into his arms. What a picture would that have been? That's an amazing thing.

Think of Jesus, the savior of the world, the God of the universe who created all things. And by him, all things hold together is set in Colossians one. And the one who holds all things in his hands takes a child.

Jesus, the savior is holding a child. And he says to them, whoever receives one child like this in my name receives me. Who were children in Israel at that time? Children were the least. You know, when we read in James chapter one, that religion that God our father finds pure and faultless is this, to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

The reason why James singled out orphans and widows there doesn't mean that, hey, if your church wants to be a legit church, you better start going out and finding widows and caring for them and adopt all the kids in an orphanage.

That wasn't what James was saying. He's referring back to the old Testament where it is said in like Psalm 68, five, a father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows is God in his holy habitation.

The widows, the women whose husbands had died and they were up in age and could not care for themselves anymore and children who had no fathers. These were the least in the kingdom of Israel. These were the ones who could not provide for themselves.

They were the ones that were most in need. And if you really cared for and loved your neighbor, then you would be caring for the fatherless and the widow. So the fatherless and the widow were types, so to speak.

They were literal, you know, care for the orphan, care for the widow, but it was also to symbolize anyone who was in deep need. And the fatherless and the widow symbolized that. And so here Jesus is holding a child, a child who is innocent in a lot of things, does not know the world, has not experienced certain things, doesn't have the same kinds of temptations of the flesh that an adult has.

So they would be considered, although, you know, you know as well as probably anybody, especially if you're a parent that a child can be just as sinful as anyone. But for the most part, we think of children as innocent because there's so much of the world that they have not yet experienced, so much greed that has not yet come into their minds that they have gone after.

At the same time, a child is unable to care for himself without the care of their parents. I just said to my dad on the phone a few days ago, you know, if Becky and I were to kick off my children would die.

And he laughed and he said, why do you say that? And I said, they're just, they're not very self-sufficient. And it was more of a joke than anything, but our two-year-old especially, you know, my two-year-old son, he would not be able to survive without his parents.

There's been occasions where if I wasn't there to catch him, he probably would have killed himself doing something clumsy that two-year-olds do. Children need their parents. A child needs his father.

And children can't give you anything in return, can they? What sort of benefit do you get caring for a child? Caring for your own? Well, yeah, sure. They grow up and eventually they're going to give you grandkids and they're going to take care of you when you're old.

Maybe you get that sort of return from your child. But for the time being, caring for a child, what does your child give back to you? You don't get anything back from a child. So here the disciples are talking about who's going to be the greatest in the kingdom.

What sort of praise and accolade are we going to get from the people as we ascend to these positions of power that are so rightfully ours as we're serving the Messiah who has come? And Jesus says, no, no, no, no, no.

You want to be great in the kingdom? You serve the ones who can't give anything back to you. You can gain nothing from them. Whoever receives a child like this in my name, you love this child, you care for this child and provide for this child.

And if you receive this child, you receive me. And then Jesus says, and whoever receives me does not receive me, but him who sent me. You care for this child in my name, you receive me. And if you receive me, you receive even greater than that, the father who is in heaven.

And then you become a child of God because you can't make it without the love of your heavenly father. So how do you expect to make it? How do you expect to even make it into this kingdom that you say you're going to be the greatest in?

Who's going to be the greatest in this kingdom? How can you even get there without the father? You must love this child. You receive this child in my name, you receive me. You care for those people who can give nothing back to you.

And it will be the same as if you have served the Messiah himself. And whoever receives me receives not me, but my father, even greater, my father who is in heaven. This is about glorifying God. And what is it that the disciples are talking about?

Their own glory, glorifying themselves. Jesus says, your priorities are mixed up. You got this upside down. You care for the child who can give nothing back to you in service to the father whom you glorify.

And my friends, that same thing is true for us. Who is going to be the greatest in the kingdom of God? It's who is least here on earth. It's not the person that's writing the best books, making the best philosophical arguments, getting the most attention because they're pushing back on the political regime.

It's not the person who is able to gain the most followers on social media, is getting the most traffic YouTube page. And these are the people that we're looking up to in these days, right? They don't even have to be rich or make lots of money.

It's just who can get the most attention. And this is not who's going to be the greatest in the kingdom of God. Greatest in the kingdom of God are going to be people you've never even heard of. The one who's not looking for accolades from anybody, but it's just serving people in Jesus' name.

You know, a child, we're going to see this later on because Jesus blesses the children in chapter 10. A child is also representative of someone who is young in faith. Jesus calls his own disciples children, but somebody who is young in faith is a child.

An 80 year old man could be a child in the faith because he just comes to know Jesus Christ as savior, but now he's born again, but feels like he doesn't know anything at all. Receive him and love him, care for him, grow him, teach him about Christ, fellowship with one another, love each other in the body, growing one another together in love.

That's even a picture of what Jesus is talking about here about receiving a child in his name. And again, all of this is to the glory of the father. We may have recognition from no one on earth for the things that we have done, for the love of God that we extended to others, but it doesn't matter.

We're not looking for earthly accolades. We do it in the name of Christ and to the glory of our father who is in heaven and for them, great is your reward.

Amen.

Heavenly father, I thank you for what we have read here and what we have been taught here. And I pray that we would humble ourselves. And for, as it is said in the scriptures, whoever exalts himself will be humbled, whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Peter saying in 1 Peter 5, 6, therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you at the proper time. For now, let us be humble and serve one another with gladness in the name of Christ to the glory of the father who is in heaven.

Forgive us our sins and help us to consider the needs of others ahead of our own. It's in Jesus' name we pray, amen.

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