TOPIC: JESUS TEACHES ABOUT TRUE GREATNESS
BIBLE TEXT:
Mark 9:35-50; 10:35 - 45
MEMORY VERSE:
If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all, (MARK 9:35 KJV).
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CENTRAL TRUTH:
Jesus exemplified true greatness.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Consider the vanity of the
world's view of greatness.
2. Recognize the benefits of
practicing humility and
peace.
3. Choose to follow Christ's
model of servant-hood.
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THE LESSON OUTLINE
1. REJECT VANITY AND SECTARIAN PRIDE
A. It's about Giving, Not Getting Mark 9:33-37
B. Avoid an "Us Versus Them" Mentality Mark 9:38-40
2. COMMIT TO HUMILITY AND PEACE
A. Reward and Judgement Mark 9:41, 42
B. Purification and Peace Mark 9:43-50
3. ACHIEVE GREATNESS THROUGH SERVICE
A. Self-Seeking Request Mark 10:35-40
B. Selfless Service Required Mark 10:41-45
INTRODUCING THE LESSON
Greatness is often defined by excellence and success, which usually accompanied by fame and fortune. But as is often the case, God has a different perspective on things. Today's lesson focuses on what Jesus taught is true greatness.
1. REJECT VANITY AND SECTARIAN PRIDE
A. It's About Giving, Not Getting–Mark 9:33-37
People have been seeking fame and prominence since time began; it is not just a contemporary issue.
Those with some form of power or influence often enjoy popularity among the people in any society.
It was that way in the time of Jesus. He and His disciples had entered a house and He asked them what they had been debating about as they travelled. Their argument had been about which of them would be the greatest. Obviously, they did not wish to tell Jesus what they had been discussing (Mark 9:33,34).
Although they remained silent, Jesus knew what had taken place on the road. As teachers often did at that time, He sat down and gathered His disciples around Him to teach a lesson (verse 35). The mark of true greatness is not to be found in the domineering attitude that often characterises worldly leaders. This arrogant leadership pattern does not have a place in the kingdom of God. Those who desire true greatness must adopt an attitude of service.
Ministering to the needs of others must become of greater concern than self-promotion.
To illustrate what He was saying, Jesus had a child stand among the disciples (verse 36). Then He embraced the child and let the disciples know that greatness comes by caring about people especially those who tend to be thought of as insignificant. How
can a child advance someone's career? Why waste time and energy on someone who can't help you get ahead? Yet Jesus said that those who would welcome a child in His name are welcoming Jesus and His Father. And God is able to exalt those who humble themselves.
Question for Application
What can be done to ensure that believers practise humility and servanthood?
We must reject self-promoting actions and attitudes and put the welfare of others first. We must embrace Jesus' teaching that it's about giving, not getting.
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B. Avoid an "Us Versus Them" Mentality–Mark 9:38-40
It seems as though John
interrupted Jesus to report that the disciples had seen a man driving out demons in Jesus' name. They "forbade him," because he was not
one of the Twelve (Mark 9:38, KJV).
Question for Application
Why do Christians sometimes fall prey to sectarian pride?
God often blesses Christians in a way suited to their own needs, personality, and background.
Forgetting that God loves variety, they take their own experience and make it a pattern for others. They make their own ways of doing things authoritative. They then feel that their authority has been spurned and their religion insulted when Someone serves the Lord and exalts the name of Jesus without joining with them in all particulars. They forget that the kingdom of God is bigger than any one church or denomination.
Jesus used John's confession to teach about the unity He desires in the kingdom of God. The man had used Jesus' name to bring deliverance, and God had honoured the man's prayer with a miracle (verses 39,40). It would be hard for someone who ministered in Christ's name to speak against Him. Jesus' view of who could participate in the mission of the Kingdom was bigger than that of the Twelve.
The desire to be part of an elite, Superior group was not what Jesus was trying to shape in the lives of His disciples. Arrogance has no place in God's kingdom. Those who follow Christ must work together in the name of Christ for His greater glory.
An "us versus them" mentality within the body of Christ hinders the advance of God's kingdom. "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3, KJV), strengthens the Church and can result in the world's observing the love of God in people (John 17:23).
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2. COMMIT TO HUMILITY AND PEACE
A. Reward and Judgement– Mark 9:41,42
Jesus continued to teach the
disciples, stating that if a person gave just a cup of water-a small gesture in His name to one of His followers, that person would be rewarded (Mark 9:41). There is an intimate connection between Jesus and His disciples, so much so that what is done for them is the same as doing it for Him (see verse 37).
And just as there is a reward for those who do good to one of His disciples, so there is punishment to those who harm cne of them (verse 42). The phrase "little ones that believe in me" (KJV), is best understood to refer to followers of Jesus, not just children. For any who would cause a person who believes in Jesus to sin, it would be better for that person to be thrown in the sea with the heavy millstone used for crushing grain around his or her neck.
Jesus was commending
humility to His disciples. They were not to look down on the smallest act of kindness nor hinder others who act in His name, that is, by His authority.
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B. Purifícation and Peace–Mark 9:43-50
At this point in His teaching, Jesus moved from the danger of causing others to sin to the danger of allowing oneself to fall into sin. In Mark 9:43-48, He mentioned three parts of the body that lead us into sin: the hand, the foot, and the eye.
The hands can be thought of as the wrong things that ambitions drive us to do. The foot could be understood as the wrong things that pride will lead you to do. And the eye could be regarded as covetousness, our desire for things in this world.
Jesus stated that each of these things that lead to sin have a single solution: remove the member that causes you to sin. This seems like a very drastic measure, but Jesus told His hearers that it would be better to be maimed by cutting off a hand or a foot, or to remove an eye than "to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched" (verses 43,45, KJV).
Questions for Application
Was Jesus stating that we should literally maim urselves in order to avoid sinning?
Absolutely not! Jesus was using hyperbole -the use of exaggerated examples--to draw attention to the very serious issue of sin. Sin is destructive anda life of sin leads to eternal death and hell. Jesus used this radical language to stress the importance of doing whatever is necessary to enter into life-paticularly eternal life.
Our attitude toward sin must not be casual. As we seek to know and please God, He will enable us to overcome sin.
Jesus spoke of there being times in all our lives when there would come a testing, a salting with fire for purification (verse 49). Just as we must take steps to cut out sin from our lives so we can be totally devoted to God, the fire of trials and persecution can cause us to rid ourselves of any desires other than living in total surrender to God's will.
Jesus' desire is for His followers to be like good salt (verse 50). Salt was used in ancient times much as it is today to flavour and to preserve food. If the salt lost its saltiness it would become useless, no longer good for purification or flavouring. In the same way, if we lose our self-sacrificing devotion to Christ, we become useless to Him.
We are to be influenced by the Holy Spirit to preserve peace wit one another through His divine grace.
Questions for Application
How can believers have peace one with another' (Mark 9:50, KJV)?
Humility and the desire for peace are essential for healthy relationships. As we humble ourselves before God and others, the Spiit brings about a sense of unity that cannot exist when selfish pride is present. Those who desire peace are willing to work through disagreements in order to secure better relationship. They are willing to forgive, and forgiveness is vital for peace and unity.
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3. ACHIEVE GREATNESS THROUGH SERVICE
A. Self-Seeking Request–Mark 10:35-40
Later on during the ministry of Jesus, He and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem (Mark 10:32-34). At this time, Jesus again told the disciples that He would be killed, but then raised to life. From the incident that follows Jesus' declaration, it is obvious that the apostles did not understand what Jesus had said.
James and John asked Jesus if one of them could sit on His right side and one on the left when He become the ruler in His glory (verses
35-37). These were places of authority they desired in their self-seeking request.
Jesus questioned their desire, asking if they could drink the cup He would have to drink and be baptised in the same way as He. Jesus' path to glory war through ultimate servanthood. He would achieve greatness through humil:ation, suffering, and willing self-sacrifice.
Did James and John want to accompany Him through this (verse 38)? In their hearts they believed they could, for most likely James and John still believed the Messiah would rise up in God's power and overthrow Israel's oppressors (verse 39).
Jesus knew that His cup held horrible suffering, something they could not yet grasp, but that they would suffer for Him as well (verse 39). Yet Jesus told them that only the Father could grant the positions of authority they requested (verse 40).
Question for Application
How can we determine if our requests and desires are self-seeking?
B. Selfless Service Required–Mark 10:41-45
The other disciples heard about the request of James and John and became upset with them (Mark 10:41). Using this uncomfortable time as a teachable moment, Jesus gathered His disciples together to share with them about leadership and greatness from God's point of view (verse 42). The disciples were aware of how Gentile rulers lorded it over their subjects. Too often rulers misuse authority to advance themselves, not henefit those under their authority.
Jesus strongly opposed this type of leadership as inappropriate in His kingdom. Rather, those who wish to be great are those who serve and who humbly fulfil their calling.
Those wanting to be first and primary in leadership must submit themselves to be slaves (verses 43,44). Greatness involves service to others. Serving others can break down barriers caused by wealth and position.
Being a servant is so contrary to our society as to be considered nearly absurd, but this is God's world and sin has turned it upside down for a time. Jesus is our example of true greatness, for He came from heaven's glory as a servant, to serve humanity by giving His life as a ransom for us all (verse 45). A ransom is the payment to free another from prison or slavery. Jesus Was our ransom to free us from slavery to sin.
Question for Application
How can we live out the servant leadership style of Jesus in a world so contrary to His views?
We can do this only by
practising the qualities of servanthood Jesus displayed: humility, meekness, obedience, self-denial, selflessness, and service. We must not focus on what we may lose, but on how we may benefit others. By acting out of genuine love to meet genuine needs of any neighbour we can live out the servant-leadership model of Jesus.
Achieving greatness in God's kingdom is summarized in the word "servant." Will we trust God to exalt us if we will humble ourselves? Will we follow the example of our Master and Savior who "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many" (verse 45, KJV)?
Call to Discipleship
Take time this week to think about what you consider to be of value in Your life. Who have you esteemed as great over this past year? What have you valued most in yourself? Can these things you have valued compare to Christ's view of greatness?
Determine to become, through humility and service, the one God will honour. Make a list of characteristics a person like that might have; then make the effort to become that kind of servant. What might you need to change at home or in the office? How can you make those changes?
It is not easy to live a life of humility in a world so opposed to God's way, but the Spirit of God will be your strength and reward.
Ministry in Action
Plan a time for class members to volunteer their time and abilities in service to others. Many opportunities are usually available in most communities. Consider helping at a local food pantry, visiting in a nursing home, or other ways to practice Christlike servant-hood.
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