“If anyone wants to be first,
he must be the very last and servant of all.”

While I was watching ESPN last week they gave the latest college football team rankings. After listing the top 25 they mentioned there were several other teams that got votes. Believer it or not Rutgers was one of those schools. Try wrapping your mind around the thought of hearing the Scarlet Knight faithful shouting, “We’re number 1.” I know it may seem preposterous yet with a 4 and 0 start, they still are in contention for the National Title.

There are many people who would argue with me. Who would want to compare the strengths and weakness of Rutgers to teams like Ohio State, Auburn, Penn State, etc. all in an effort to prove other teams are greater.

Being number 1 and being the greatest is part of everyday life in every area of life: sports, business, historical events and sadly even churches.

This was so evident six years ago when we were approaching the year 2000. Magazines such as Newsweek, Time, and Life published special editions highlighting the greatest moments of the last century. It seems every television network ran their own version of the greatest moments of the last 100 years.

In light of this morning’s scripture story I wonder if Jesus was editing those shows how many clips would have wound up on the cutting room floor. Jesus said,

“If anyone wants to be first,
he must be the very last and servant of all.”

What prompted Jesus to say these words?

Mark tells us that Jesus and His disciples had just arrived in Capernaum. This suggests that they were obviously traveling. This fact is supported by the previous story in Mark where it stated,

“They left that place and traveled through Galilee.”

Affirmed by the words of Jesus,

“What were you arguing about on the road?’”

Upon not getting an answer to His question Jesus said,

“If anyone wants to be first,
he must be the very last and servant of all.”

Tells us something about the disciples.

The disciples were human beings just like you and me. We tend to see them as best friends with their motto being,

‘One for all and all for one.’

But as we see with the help of this morning’s scripture obviously there was a rivalry. They were jockeying for position, struggling for the seat of honor. They were thinking down the line.

Let us not forget they weren’t chosen by Jesus because they were virtuous, or righteous, or outstanding citizens. They were not in the top Escalante of society. They were not chosen because they were on a list of the top 50 men in Israel. They were 12 men called by Jesus to follow Him, to live with Him, to travel with Him. Like any family, church, community, or team they had their disagreements and arguments.

Since they didn’t answer Jesus’ question,

“What were you arguing about on the road.”

It would seem to suggest they were embarrassed. Embarrassed perhaps because instead of arguing over what Jesus meant when he said,

"The Son of Man
is going to be betrayed into the hands of men…”

They are arguing about which one of them is greater than the other.

Let’s face it we all know the embarrassment that comes with walking into a room that becomes quiet upon our entrance. Remember his asking,

“What were you talking about?”

And getting the same response that Jesus got.

The only difference between you and me and Jesus is that Jesus really didn’t need to ask. He knew what their argument was about and that is why he said,

“If anyone wants to be first,
he must be the very last and servant of all.”

Sadly this is not the only time Jesus has to deal with His disciples arguing about who is the greatest. As a matter of fact He even has to deal with the mother of two of His disciples who is appealing to Jesus to elevate her two sons to the status of being the greatest.

Conversations such as these between the disciples or between any of us prove the fact that we do not understand Jesus’ teaching or mission. I don’t know if Jesus could have been any more clear as he took a child and said,

“If anyone wants to be first,
he must be the very last and servant of all.”

Jesus took a child into His arms and said,

“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.”

The point Jesus is making is that God’s kingdom is an upside down kingdom. Greatness doesn’t belong to the first and greatest but to those who are least and the servant of all.

Jesus is not taking issue with the idea of measurement to determine greatness. He is simply saying that the disciples were measuring in the wrong direction.

It is not wrong to be industrious or ambitious or competitive, BUT when ambition pushes obedience and service to one side it becomes sin. Pride causes us to overvalue position and prestige.

A great church should not be measured by how many people are sitting in the church, but by how many people the church is sending out to do ministry, to welcome the child, the poor, the outcast, and the least important. A great church is a servant church.

James said,

“Who is wise and understanding among you?
Let him show it by his good life,
by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.”

The biblical writer James places a slightly different twist on the term: wisdom involves gentleness, mercy, willingness to yield, peacefulness, and the absence of malice and envy (vs. 16-18). All of these are, first of all, beneficial to others.

Wisdom is often understood to mean making good decisions — making wise choices, for instance, in such things as investments, vocations, friends, and lifestyle — all of which are beneficial to us and others.

Seeking God’s wisdom delivers us from the need to compare ourselves to others and to want what they have. Seeking God’s wisdom delivers us from self centeredness to servanthood.

Do you want to be great?
Become a servant of God.