Mark 9:9-50 True greatness

Mark 9:9-50

I have to admit that tonight’s passage really puzzled me. As I was working on it I realized that it didn’t say what I thought it said, and then I realized that I didn’t actually know what it said. And I’ve got to teach this in a few days time! Panic! Pray!

But how often do we just “read” something without reading it. Our brain is extremely efficient – it likes to create heuristics: shortcuts for familiar tasks. The first time you drive to a new job, you notice everything along the way. You focus on the road. You notice the view. You see the flowers and trees and shops and people and everything. 3 weeks later you register none of that. You arrive home and you don’t remember the drive. Your brain has shifted into “repeat mode” (heuristics).
The danger is when we do that to the Bible. It takes effort to read the Bible because our brain is lazy and just sees what it thinks is already there – it takes the short-cut! That’s why God repeatedly urges us to work hard, stay awake, beat our body into submission, make every effort. To hear his voice takes active effort on our part! The Holy Spirit doesn’t swan down and deposit wisdom in our minds! That’s why the apostles in the early church devoted themselves to teaching and preaching (and prayer!).

The big theme here in this section from 8:22 (the miracle of the blind man receiving sight in two stages) to 10:46 (blind Bartimeus receiving sight) is true greatness in the Kingdom of God.
What does it look like to follow Jesus? What does it mean to serve in the kingdom?

The disciples are being trained to follow in Jesus’ footsteps: how should they act as his representatives.
And what Jesus does is turn everything upside down (or right way up). True greatness is seen in service. Leadership is sacrificial love. Kingship is being treated as a slave. Victory is achieved through defeat, salvation for everyone through death of one man, Jesus. Christus Victor (the victorious Christ) is the one who is “suffering many things” and being “treated with contempt”.

Restoration of all things comes through things getting seemingly worse.

 1. True greatness starts with a declaration of humility: prayer 

We see this in v29 And [Jesus] said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

What is prayer? It is talking to God. It is asking him for things. It is acknowledging that he is greater than I, that he is more powerful than I am, that he is the Creator, the King, and I am a creature, a subject in his Kingdom.

We’ve got quite a cast of characters here in this story: The disciples, the demon-possessed boy, the father, Jesus, the crowd, and the scribes (teachers of the Law, religious leaders). When Jesus comes down the mountain there is a massive argument going on. The scribes are arguing with the disciples, and the reason is soon apparent – they were not able to cast out the demon (v18). We don’t know what the scribes were saying, but they were probably calling out the disciples as fakes, fraudsters. And, in this case, the scribes were right.

Listen to Jesus in v19 O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.

What was the disciples’ problem? They were trying to do this miracle by themselves. They thought that by virtue of their position as Jesus’ disciples that they had power. It was idolatry: they replaced Jesus with themselves as their authority and power. Just as in Exodus when Moses comes down the mountain after seeing God’s glory, Peter, James, John come down the mountain after seeing Jesus’ glory. The difference is that this time God is with them as the true Moses, coming down the mountain with the words of God – and faces the same issue: idolatry. The Israelites were worshipping a Golden Calf; the disciples worshipping their own power and position.

If that seems to you a bit of a stretch, or a bit harsh on the disciples, have a look at the context of this story. 8:14 Don’t be like the Pharisees. 9:34 the disciples argue about who is greatest. V38 John silenced someone because they weren’t following them! 10:35 James and John want to have the top positions. 10:13-17 the contrast of the rich young ruler depending on his own efforts for salvation, and the children dependant on others.

They could not cast out the demon because they did not pray. They did not declare their dependence on Jesus. They did not ask him to do what they could not. They were like the rich young ruler, like the Pharisees, great in their own eyes – instead of like children, asking Dad for help.

In contrast, the father of the demon-possessed boy, prays. Where? Have a look at v24. Jesus has just called him out on his lack of belief v23 ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes. And the man cries out “I believe; help my unbelief!”

That is prayer! “I believe; help my unbelief!” I can’t do it. I need help. That is why prayer is so vitally important. Not to give God information, like God’s sitting up in Heaven waiting for the daily news bulletin from Daniel, with no idea what’s going on! This is the Creator and sustainer of the Universe we’re talking about, the one who rules by absolute decree, where a he knows the number of hairs on your head, and a sparrow does not fall without him knowing, where he knows the words that you are going to speak even before you speak them. Prayer is not for God’s sake, to impress him or whatever. No, prayer is for our sake.

Every time we pray we declare to ourselves, to the spirit world, to the watching universe, to those around us, that we are dependent on God. We cry “I believe; help my unbelief!” Jesus, we need you.

In the Batman movie “The Dark Knight” we find a couple of people dressing up like Batman to take on criminals. Of course, these guys aren’t Batman. They don’t have the training, they don’t have the gadgets, they don’t have the skills. And so, when they go up against the baddies, they lose. They’re not Batman. They might have a similar costume, they might be pretending they’re Batman – but they are not. They need the real Batman to come and rescue them! The disciples here are dressing up like Jesus, pretending they’re Jesus. But they’re not. They need the real Jesus to come and rescue them.

If the disciples had prayed, declared their dependence on Jesus, they would have been able to cast the demon out. They would have been great! But they were arrogant, tried to do it in their own strength, and so were caught out.

Application: If we want to be great in the Kingdom of God, do great things for God, we need to start by humbling ourselves in prayer before the only one who truly is great: Almighty God.

Impossible application: We don’t need God to be great in his kingdom. I can live a good Christian life without God.

Possible application: Find times for regular prayer. Set aside time each day to read the bible and pray. Pray after dinner with your children. Pray with your wife. Have times of extended prayer (I’ve found walking in the forest helps me to concentrate. Notodden is great for this – so much beautiful nature!). Plan to pray – make it part of your schedule, otherwise you won’t.


2. True greatness is humbly serving, not bossing people around 

There is great irony in this passage, we should see the humour! In v31 Jesus is describing his supreme act of service: the Son of Man, the great figure in Daniel 7 being given all power and authority over all the earth, a kingdom without end; this Son of Man stoops down to serve, even to death on a cross. Wow. “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.”

But the disciples? They are arguing about which of them is the greatest (v34)! Doh! They do not want to serve, but to be great. Jesus says to be great in His Kingdom, you have to serve: 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Last week we heard Jesus say , “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”. If that is true of every follower of Christ, how much more of the leaders of the church!

Because here they are acting like the Pharisees! Arrogant, self-righteous, think they deserve reward and recognition because of their position. They are not considering themselves as servants of Jesus, but princes in his kingdom.

So Jesus shocks them out of their grandiose daydreams by taking a child – a child! – and saying you need to serve such as these. 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

This would have shocked the disciples! Grown men “receiving” a child?! Treating a child like an honoured guest. You must be mad Jesus! Children were not exactly at the top of the pecking order in society. Deny yourself. Be the last of all. The servant of all. The least in society you receive, because the way you treat others, whatever their status, is the way you treat me.

In South Africa friends of ours adopted a little girl called Poppy Honey. They are white, she is black. They are rich, she is poor. They are healthy, she is disabled with Cerebral Palsy. She is utterly helpless, utterly weak, a burden on society. Yet Ross and Lindy Andersen are looking after her. Feeding her, clothing her loving her. Using time and energy and love. Why? Because to receive such as these is to receive Jesus.

What we do with others reflects how we feel about Jesus. The disciples are called to honour Jesus in their lives so much that they are willing to be last, willing to serve even the lowest in society. And so are we.

Impossible application: We can be great in the kingdom by refusing to serve, by standing on our rights, by lording it over others.

That’s why John’s response is so hilariously inappropriate. It is an absolute clanger! Irony! He completely misses the point of Jesus’ words and proceeds to proudly tell Jesus how he put this guy in his place. How dare this guy go around casting out demons when the disciples, the Twelve Apostles, Jesus’ closest followers, couldn’t do it…. Perhaps a bit of embarrassment lay behind the disciples wanting to stop this guy? It was certainly selfish – listen to what John actually says “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name (what they should have been doing!), and we tried to stop him, because he was not following [what would you expect here? Jesus. But, no, he says:] us.”
The man was obviously a believer, he was dependant on Jesus (praying), and the demons were obeying, so the man wasn’t simply invoking Jesus’ name as a chant but really trusted in Jesus. But the disciples are angry, not because the man is not following Jesus (because he is), but he’s not following THEM. He’s messing up their neat little organisational Chart of Greatness that they were drawing up on the road.

Jesus’ rebuke is stark. Your desire for power, your wanting to lord it over people, your arrogant assumption of authority, your bossing people around - can lead people to hell. V42 Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.


3. True greatness is pointing people away from hell, and to Jesus 

It may seem to us that Jesus is overdoing this point a little bit. Ok, we get it, but 2 chapters of “Kingdom greatness is seen in service” seems a little much. But in vv42-50 we see why it is so essential. Because if they get this wrong they could be condemning people to hell.

Christianity is not just a bunch of intellectual doctrines – it is a complete change of lifestyle. From self-service and self-centeredness to Christ-service and Christ-centeredness, which is shown in how we treat others. You see, the way we act has consequences. As someone has said “You may be the only Bible people ever read”. You represent Jesus.

Here in Norway we have a fantastic society – the best in the world. It is built on values of compassion, other-person-centeredness, service of the weak. It is built on a thousand years of Gospel witness shaping and changing our society: men and women modelling the Upside-down kingdom.

Nowhere in world history is compassion seen as a strength in leaders – except for areas influenced by Christianity. Our natural instincts are to make ourselves great, to use our strength to crush, to intimidate, to rule with the iron fist. But if we do that, if we do that particularly in the Christian church, we soil the message, we destroy the work of Christ, we rubbish the Gospel. Cut it out, cut it off, throw it away -. Whatever causes you to sin, get rid of it. For your sin can cause others to stumble and fall into sin.

Dear friends, we have a responsibility to follow Christ. In our own town our churches have terrible reputations amongst non-believers, because of Christians squabbling among themselves, trying to be the greatest. Too often have I met people who want nothing to do with the church because of Christians. Too often have I met Christians deeply scarred by the sins of other Christian leaders. Brothers, this should not be so!
Our town, these people, our neighbours, our brothers and sisters, are a gift to us. Notodden is a gift. Let us honour Christ in Notodden. Let us shine like lights in Notodden. Let us be salty salt, being at peace with each other (not fighting, trying to be great), eager to serve, eager to do what is right.

Why? Because the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.
Jesus has made us right with him. He is the Messiah, the rescuer. We are right with God. We are made as righteous as Jesus. Let us act like it. And we have declared our dependence on him, declared him as our Lord – so let us obey him. Let us throw away our “rights” and our demands for how our life must be, and serve wherever He sends us, and whoever is there.

This is not just applicable to the church, but wherever we are. At work, we serve our boss, the shareholders, our customers by working hard – for Jesus. At home we serve our wives, our children, our husbands – for Jesus. We open our home to people – for Jesus. We invite the lonely to join us – for Jesus. We look after orphans and widows – for Jesus. We witness – for Jesus. We take every opportunity to tell people about Jesus – for Jesus.

No matter the cost. Who cares! Who cares about our reputation ("people think I’m a God-botherer, a fanatic"). Who cares about how much money it costs to support Gospel work. Who cares how hard it is to walk away from the flirtatious woman at work. Who cares how weird people think we are for our stance on sexuality. Because we belong to Jesus. And if we have to “cut off” our hands or feet, reputation, rights, desires we will do so! (Just to clarify: Jesus is using an illustration here, we're not actually called to start literally cutting off arms and legs and eyes)! Whatever is causing you to sin, and therefore mislead others, cut it off. For it is better to enter life “crippled” than to keep hold of that which we think is oh so valuable and go to hell where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.

Impossible application: We can lead people to Christ while seeking for self-glorification, while bickering over who’s the greatest.

Summary:
To be great in the Kingdom is to reflect Christ. We follow in his footsteps: the Servant King.
We pray, declaring our dependence upon him.
We humbly serve people instead of bossing people around.
We lay aside our rights and our demands in order to lead people from the precipice of hell and point them to Jesus.

 May God grant us the grace to show Jesus in our lives to those around us.
May we be an advert of grace.
In Jesus Name. Amen.