I am the Greatest

Mark 9:30-37

“I am the Greatest”

 

        Sports fans love to argue. Was Babe Ruth the greatest baseball player of all time? Not according to some who argue he might not even be a designated hitter in today’s game. Could a 25 year old Tiger Woods have beaten Ben Hogan if they had played in the 1950’s with real woods and balata balls? Not according to my father. Could Broadway Joe start for anyone other than the Jets today? Perhaps Mohammad Ali was the greatest in boxing but can any other sportsperson claim that title? That is why the argument over who is the greatest has raged for thousands of years.

        In the text this morning the disciples are engaged in this very argument. Now when we read Luke’s version, the argument is over who is the greatest disciple. But the gospel of Mark gives us a different context.  Jesus had just asked them who they believe he was. The answers ranged from Moses to Elijah to the rest of the prophets. Then Peter dared to suggest, “You are the Messiah.” Jesus told them to stop talking. But they couldn’t. As they journey down the road through Galilee the competitive nature of 12 guys bored out of their minds began to kick in.

        James began, “I think on any given day no one was greater than Moses. He stood toe to toe with Pharaoh and did not blink. When they got to the Red Sea, he was the first one to step into the water. Those slaves weren’t going anywhere without Moses.  He even climbed Mt Sinai twice to get the 10 Commandments.”

Matthew interrupted him, “But what about David? I hear Goliath was ten feet tall. No one was smarter or braver than David. People feared Israel when David was king.”

“What about Elijah? Pharaoh was child’s play compared to Jezebel. Imagine standing on Mt. Camel surrounded by 300 prophets of Baal. Imagine having the gall to dump 12 buckets of water on the altar before asking God to ignite it with fire. Imagine facing the wrath of Jezebel right after you had just had all her prophets slaughtered.”

I imagine each disciple brought up their favorite Old Testament hero. They made the case for Joshua, Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, and probably even Amos. And then Peter added his voice. “I still say it is the Messiah. With the Law of Moses in one hand and the sword of David in the other he will strike down the enemies of Israel. Jerusalem will be purged of foreign rule. We will return to the worship of Yahweh and every nation and god will respect us.”

That’s when Jesus re-entered the conversation. “Peter, do you really think that is why I am here? Do you think I can overthrow the Roman Empire? I don’t own a sword and I certainly don’t know how to use one. Listen to me. If you want to be the greatest, you must become a servant to all.”

The jaws of the disciples must have dropped. Peter was the only one brave enough to speak. “Jesus, you need to explain yourself. We have been dreaming about the Messiah for 400 years. We have been told his coming will mark the day when we will rise up and rule the world. I don’t remember anyone saying anything about being a servant.”

Jesus picked up a child. This was not the act of a 21^st century politician kissing babies to prove his compassion. This was not the act of a helicopter parent protecting a child from all harm. This was not even a coach giving the third string left guard a trophy for participation. This was Jesus picking up a child that no one would even acknowledge until her 13^th birthday. A child in the day of Jesus was a liability. 35% of the children born did not see their first birthday. 30% of those survivors did not live to be five. Before they were ten, many girls were sold into prostitution and a similar number of boys were taken to work as slaves for foreign soldiers. Only when a child made it to the age of 13 were they even considered to be part of the community. No one invested in a child because too few children survived childhood.  Cattle and sheep were more highly valued. So imagine the shock of the disciples when Jesus picked up that child and said to the disciples and anyone within ear shout, “I have come to radicalize your religious and cultural expectations and I am starting with this concept of Messiah. You believed the Messiah will conquer the world. That is true. But the Messiah’s weapon will not be the sword. It will be compassion, justice and hospitality.”

The Gospel of Mark was not written to a 21^st century audience who spend a good portion of their day listening to the endless drone of TVs and other social media devises. The gospel of Mark was not written to folks who were economically or educationally advanced. The Gospel of Mark was written to mothers who had lost children, slaves who had never known freedom, and former Jews who had just witnessed the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.  They knew what it meant to be last and knew the ancient understanding of Messiah would not be realized in their lifetime. In their pain, in their sorrow, and in their desolation they cried out, “God, where are you?”

Gustavo Gutierrez claims, “Human suffering, whatever its cause, creates a major question for theological reflection. How are we to proclaim the resurrection of the Lord in a land where death reigns?”

The writer of the Gospel of Mark understands this dilemma. The ones hearing his gospel desperately want to encounter a word of good news. Yet life has left them suspicious of charlatans and pretenders. So Mark offers them the story of Jesus. What was so great about that?

Imagine, for the first time, hearing the story of one who believed every child was important. Imagine being told of a man who was called king but sat on no throne. Imagine being told of a teacher who claimed everyone was loved by God. Imagine being told this man’s life tragically concluded with humiliation and death. Then imagine being told that was not the end to the story.

More than any other gospel, the cross takes center stage in the story told by Mark. For Mark the cross represents a culture which thrived on power, humiliation and shame. In other words the cross stood firmly in the way of Mark’s audience achieving humanity.  When Jesus picks up a child, it was as if he was picking them up. Then he dared to proclaim, “I am willing to submerge myself in your darkness. I am willing to witness and share your shame. I am even willing to die because I know our God will not abandon any of us to the evils of life or death.”

So what kind of Messiah is that?

Was Jesus the greatest?

Only you can answer that question.

To God be the Glory.   Amen.