Saint James UCC of Hamburg, NY

Mark 9:30-32, 33-37

Preached by Rev. Robert Matlack
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As Jesus traveled to Jerusalem on His final journey their, He sought to teach His followers about what was to happen there and why, but they were not ready to hear this message. As our text says, "they did not understand what this teaching meant". In spite of all the preparation that they had been through, in spite of all the teaching that Jesus had done, those closest to Him were still not prepared to hear the truth about what would happen in Jerusalem.

In fact, their level of misunderstanding is so great that we're told that when they get to Capernaum, Jesus asks them what they have been arguing about along the way. In their shame, they are silent, because they had been arguing among themselves as to who was the greatest.

When Jesus heard what His disciples had been arguing about, He responded by saying to them, "Whoever wants to be first must place himself last of all and be the servant of all." That's an amazing concept that turns upside down the course that we so often follow, the course that generation after generation in nation after nation have followed. You see our usual route has been to try and achieve greatness by setting ourselves above others - by achieving recognition in a particular position, by gaining wealth or fame. These are the routes that we have pursued for greatness, that we have pursued in an effort to "make our mark".

Jesus takes all of those efforts and turns them upside down. Jesus shows how misguided they are, by saying that the way to greatness is through the path of servanthood. You don't make yourself great by climbing over other people in an effort to get to the top. You don't make yourself great by putting other people down. You make yourself great by the way that you serve, by welcoming the children - the weak, the neglected, the powerless in our midst.

Think about what he says! This is a far different model than what we usually see in the world around us. A football or baseball or hockey player can leave one team where they've been quite happy to go to another - strictly because they're offered more money. Three or four million dollars a year isn't enough, when another team will pay 5 or 6 or 7. That's how we usually look at greatness. It's rewarded with big dollars, with lots of publicity, with fans flocking all around.

But that's now how Jesus talks about true greatness. When He talks about greatness He uses words like serving, welcoming children, living out our faith - and even mentions God's intentions for us. Jesus draws a picture of someone very quietly and lovingly trying to be faithful, day after day, and says that this is true greatness.

This story could describe a number of the leaders that we have been fortunate to have over the years for Boy Scout Troop 525 - or I'm sure leaders of many other troops around the country. This story could describe a group of people right within our congregation who have given of themselves to help people young and old in a variety of ways. This story actually describes the reunion of a Boy Scout Troop down in Austin, Texas. The reunion was highlighted by the four older men at the head table. One had been scout master, two had been committee members, and one the institutional representative. Across 13 years of its activity, the 55 members of Troop 11 had earned countless merit badges, made numerous camping trips, seen 24 members become Eagle Scouts and a like number receive the God and Country Award.

After the meal the program consisted merely of remarks by each of the former Boy Scouts. One theme echoed through all of the men's comments: gratitude for the four men who were at the head table. One fellow summarized the sentiment this way:

"It wasn't that they taught us how to tie a square knot. It wasn't that they showed us where to pitch a tent. It wasn't that they taught us how to tie a square knot. It wasn't that they showed us where to pitch a tent. It wasn't that they helps us master the art of building campsites. It wasn't that they encouraged us to earn another merit badge. Those things were important - but they were not all-important.

"What was most important was that these four men gave us their time. Of course they were busy, overextended in their work, loaded with family responsibilities, juggling tight schedules. Still, they gave us their time. Looking back from the perspective of 25 years I see what that meant. They gave themselves to us, and that has made so much difference in our lives - and the differences have been all for the better."

That description of the Boy Scout leaders is a description of what Jesus is talking about when He talks about greatness. It's a description of the path that each of us is called to follow. It's a path of quietly, faithfully, with great dedication, seeking to live out our faith by genuinely caring about the people around us. It's a path where we give not only our time but ourselves to those around us. It's a path where we give not only our time but ourselves to those relationships and to that caring. It's a model of servanthood in which we don't set out seeking to be great, but greatness happens because of what we have done.

Jesus remind us that those things that people often pursue in the efforts to "make their mark", to be great - those things they pursue are often fleeting. Their value is only temporary, and of this life. Their value is never as great as it seems, and those who achieve those things are seldom satisfied with what they have. True greatness reaches beyond the things of this life to values that are eternal. True greatness is not dictated by our desires, but by the will of God. True greatness comes not in being served, but in serving, not in being loved, but in loving, not in being famous, but in living out our faith.

Amen.