Who is the greatest?

 James 3: 13 - 4:3, 7-8a     Mark 9: 30-37

Greatness

 

Imagine the scene: This week the ministers working in URCs in Pembrokeshire met to talk about how we work together in the future. 

How do we make sure we listen to the needs of all the churches, and the thoughts of all the ministers? Some of us have been ordained for decades – Kate has now been ordained for about 24 hours! But we need to listen to new ideas as well as old wisdom. 

We began by joining the midweek communion at Albany, and I was amused to find that Hugh-John had chosen today’s gospel reading as our reading.
Who’s the best? Who’s the greatest? Who should we be listening to most?

 

I wondered, for a moment, whether as ministers we might relate to the disciples – arguing about who’s in charge, who’s the most faithful, who’s been following Jesus the longest..

  

You’ll be glad to know that there were no arguments among us. But there was a beautiful moment. There was a baby in the service. In the pram at first, and then on her foster-mum’s knee, looking around at us all. We were all changed by the presence of a baby. I watched us all smile, relax, exchange little waves or looks with the baby. None of us could resist, when it was time for the peace, going over for a little ‘hello’.

 

Jesus said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

We’d heard the words – and now we met the reality. 

 

This is not the better known story (in Matthew ch 18) where Jesus tells his followers that unless they become like little children they cannot enter the kingdom of God. We can understand that we need to be more trusting of God, more accepting in our faith, perhaps simpler.

But here in Mark Jesus says ‘whoever welcomes a child welcomes me – and not just me but the one who sent me’. I think this is way more challenging – be loving, be accepting, be tolerant – and be ready to have your world turned upside down.

 

Because we were all happy to coo over a baby – but what if she had been bawling her eyes out.. or had been a demanding toddler..or a stroppy teenager.. or a wounded or angry adult? Jesus challenges us – whoever welcomes this child welcomes me.

 

We might all have gone gooey over the baby at Albany – but what Jesus says about welcoming a child is quite shocking to his listeners. The children of Jesus’ day were not thought to have any human rights, as we would think children should have today: until they reached adulthood children had very little voice in society. Life was lived more along the lines of the old saying that children should be seen and not heard. So many children did not live beyond the age of 5 – it was better to largely ignore them unless and until they survived into adulthood.

 

But Jesus says ‘welcome this child and you are welcoming me. Following Jesus means being ready to give a place to someone who is unimportant or even irritating in the eyes of the world. The disciples have been arguing about who is the greatest, but Jesus makes it clear they shouldn’t be looking for the greatest, but making sure they find a space for the least.

 

The letter of James is obviously written to a Christian community that were experiencing problems! James has already complained about the harm that the human tongue can do, and in today’s reading he turns to this age-old issue of rivalry and competition. ‘What causes this strife among you?’ he asks.
Perhaps this community was asking ‘who is the best?’. James attacks jealousy and bitterness and upholds values of modesty, wisdom, consideration, and kindness. The followers of the Way, says James, are to be peace-makers. This will transform their Christian Community, but it also has the power to change the world.

 

Because Jesus is not just talking about who should be welcomed into the group of disciples – or into church – or into your friendship circle. Jesus is upturning everything his followers thought they knew about the social order. Jesus starts by talking about his death – his Way is not to sweep to power and rule with mercy through earthly powers. Jesus’ power over our world will be displayed in the ultimate weakness – by allowing the authorities to take him and kill him – knowing that the power of God the Father would raise him to true and eternal life.

 

The power of God the Father, seen in the humility of God the Son, can change the world.

And how much our world needs changing! This has been one of the weeks where you might have wondered about the state of the world and what any of us can do about it.

 

The situation in the Middle East gets worse and worse – people have talked about escalation of violence and peace now seems such a long way off.

 

The US Presidential race at times seems like an unedifying spectacle: with Donald Trump determined to trade in insults, and in return some people turning to attempts to shoot him.

 

There have been reports of abuse in organisations – sexual, financial, physical.

 

We can see that wherever there is power it seems there is the potential for conflict, 

Or as the letter of James puts it “where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.”
For those who want to be the best at following Jesus, we need to forget ourselves, stop striving for accolades, seek peace instead of competition. When we follow Jesus more closely, we find him in the lowest and the least (just as we find him in broken bread & wine poured out). 
If we would be true followers we need to accept a role as servant of all, as Jesus did, and try to accept the rights and the contribution of others – even when we disagree with them.

Going back to Wednesday and our meeting at Albany – we all prayed for Palestinians and Israelis, and as the news came in that morning, for the people of Lebanon, too.

 

We could do very little, it seemed – but we remembered those suffering in the Middle East, and the people of goodwill trying to find good ways forward, and in standing by the suffering of Palestine I think we found we were standing by Jesus himself.

So we prayed – and we can all continue to pray – that the glory will be God’s, not ours. In this way we will be truly the best because we will be truly blessed. In Jesus’ name.
Amen.