“They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:30-37
Isn’t it interesting how childlike the disciples were sometimes? Take Peter… So he, James, and John are with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Suddenly Moses and Elijah roll up, and Peter’s like, “Hey! You want a tent? Let us make you a tent!”
Where on earth did that come from?! What caused Peter to suddenly want to showcase his tent making skills? Wasn’t he a fisherman? Had he said, “Hey, you guys want some catfish? I can get you some catfish!” Maybe I give him a pass. But a tent?
And a day or so later, they’re heading toward Capernaum. At some point, maybe as they stopped for lunch or perhaps even while they were walking, Jesus gets serious with them. He’s about to give them some very sobering news. “You need to know this. Very soon, I am going to be handed over to the hands of some men who are going to arrest me. And they are going to kill me. But three days later, I will rise from the dead.”
Of course, the disciples didn’t understand what he was talking about, but they weren’t about to ask him for clarification. He’s not saying what I think he’s saying. We just saw him cast a demon out of this young boy yesterday. There’s no way this man is dying. He cannot die. It is impossible.
The disciples heard what he said. And deep down, I don’t think they really wanted him to clarify, because they were afraid of the truth. They were utterly incapable of fathoming the reality of what the future held for them. So they said nothing. And it’s understandable. They were with him only a few months at that point. They had yet to spend enough time with him to comprehend why he had truly come. And even then, some wouldn’t fully understand until after Jesus had arisen from the tomb.
And so they keep on walking a little ways and a spirited discussion breaks out among a couple of them that evolves into an outright argument. Jesus is on up ahead of them and they assume that he can’t hear what they’re arguing about. “You are out of your mind, John. You’re like 3rd or 4th, tops. I’m not even sure you’re in the top-10!” “You’ve got a lot of nerve, James. You’re not even a good fisherman. All this talk about being the number one disciple. Pfft…”
Just minutes earlier, Jesus had told them he was going to be arrested and executed. And now they’re arguing about who’s going to be the top guy.
This had to break Jesus’ heart. Imagine sitting down with your children and breaking the news to them that you’ve not got very long to live. And then imagine them arguing 5 minutes later over who’s getting your house. Could there be anything more disheartening?
Jesus knew what they were arguing about. But instead of rebuking them, he chose to teach them a lesson. And the way that he taught them, the principles of the kingdom… You want to be first? Here’s how you do it: Put others first. Love them. Feed them. Take care of them. Look after them. See to their needs.Serve them. This is how you become first in my kingdom – by putting yourself last. This little child… If you do something for him, you expect nothing in return, for he’s a small child. In the way you welcome this child, you welcome me.
And what a lesson it was for them. This was counterintuitive in the world they lived in, and it’s especially counterintuitive to the world we live in today. Recognition. Prestige. Authority. Money. Satisfaction. Pride. Position. Status. You deserve it. You work hard. Assume the credit. You’ve earned it.
Ambition isn’t inherently wrong. We all need healthy ambition. But selfish ambition leads to ungodliness. Arguments, disputes, shame, bitterness, envy, pride…
When we pursue the world, we forget all about what Jesus did on the cross.
Going Deeper: Read Matthew 20: 1-16
Former Blackout Artist 