Outsiders Become Insiders
This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 9/22 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was Mark 9:30-37. After Jesus had taught the disciples, he gives them a demonstration. He takes a small child to illustrate what he is trying to teach them. Our response is, “Oh, how sweet!” Our ideas of children and childhood are far different from those of first century Palestine. Parents loved their children, but in general, small children were considered non-persons. The Greek word used by Mark indicates a young child.There was no reason to interest oneself in serving a small child. There was nothing they could do for you. Children represented “the least.” By embracing a child, Jesus is demonstrating his love of the unlovable. Now the answers to who is the greatest. The first answer Jesus gives the disciples is “Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all.” It is servant leadership that is the path to greatness. In contrast to the disciples’ ideas of greatness, J