The Lutheran Hour
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"The Greatest!!"
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Text: Matthew 18:1-4
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Grace and peace to you in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Do you remember who said this…. “I float like a butterfly and I sting like a bee?” Yes, those are the words of one Mohammed Ali. Now, for some people, Ali was the greatest heavyweight boxer who ever lived. For others, he was a controversial political figure, a lightning rod in the midst of Vietnam politics and the civil rights movement. Now, today, I’m not going to talk about his politics, or his religion. I’m not even going to give you “my opinion” of whether he was the best boxer that ever lived (because I’m probably more of a Joe Frazier, George Foreman fan). Now, what I do want to talk to you about, though, is his bravado, his braggadociousness.
Before his fight with Britain’s Henry Cooper, He said, “I’m not only the greatest. I’m the double greatest. Not only do I knock ’em out, I pick the round. I’m the boldest, the prettiest, the most superior, the most scientific, most skillfulest fighter in the ring today.”
Well, not too long ago, they made a movie about his life. It was called; you guessed it, “The Greatest.”
So, what is it about such bravado that seems to attract us to our heroes? Why do we elevate their status to such heights when it becomes apparent, as it always does, that our heroes have feet of clay? Why do we have scores of magazines whose only concern is “Who is the greatest, who is the most powerful, who makes the most money, who are the most beautiful,” when all of these things are temporal and fleeting?
Well, for many of us, that bravado attracts us because we hope that if we can glean merely a nugget of wisdom from folks like them, if we can mimic their successful actions, maybe, just maybe we can have control of our lives just like them. With the honor of being the greatest in our society or even among our family and friends, with that honor comes power, prestige, and status….even control. And isn’t that what life is all about?
That’s what Jesus’ Disciples were looking for from Him that day. I think they were sure that they had attached themselves to the next big thing. They had seen Jesus do miracles of healing and feeding. They had experienced the Mount of Transfiguration glow of His godliness. Peter, in front of all the others, had even for a moment walked on water with Him. This Jesus was something special and they had an inside track into His new kingdom. So, they were the chosen ones, and now they want to know what that might mean for them.
So they ask Jesus, a very modern question “Who is the greatest?” But, why? Do they really want to know if Jesus is proud of them? Do they really want to know if they have met His high standards for leadership and service? I don’t think so. I don’t think they’re concern is excellence, or holiness, or faithfulness from God’s point of view.
No, their desire for that answer is much like our desire for that answer. They want to know how they stack up among each other. They want to know “Who is the greatest among them” so that the others can get in line behind them. They’re hoping that Jesus will pick out the greatest ones (of course, hoping that He picks them), so that they can finally get the status and the influence they deserve.
James and John wanted positions of power in Jesus’ kingdom. Peter speaks up on behalf of the group, as if he’s already the one in charge. Earlier, he had even challenged Jesus’ kingdom leadership when he rebuked Jesus’ talk about suffering and crosses in His kingdom.
The question they, like we, often raise, is, “Who is in charge here? Who has the power to do as he or she pleases?” “Oops, Jesus, what we meant to ask is, ‘Who is the greatest in your kingdom.’ Please, tell us what you think!”
“And He said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'”
Jesus is very clear who is the greatest. Not the one whose whole goal in life is to go it completely on their own, to go it alone.
Now, I don’t want to be misunderstood here. Striving to be the best that God has created and redeemed you to be, to do your very best in Him for others, such things are very laudable. This isn’t that kind of discussion. This is more of a “Who has the ultimate power; who is in complete control;” or maybe say it this way, “who gets to tell everyone else what to do no matter what?” It’s that kind of question. It takes bravado to even think that you are that person, doesn’t it? Imagine the kind of bravado, then, it takes to ask the very Son of God that question, too.
The problem with such bravado is that it asserts our complete independence even from God. The first sin of humanity in the Garden of Eden was Adam and Eve saying, “Dear Father in heaven, I think we’ll go it alone.” The rebellion of humanity, the sinful condition of humanity in which we find ourselves today, is not merely about whether we do sinful things. It is about doing it our way, cutting ourselves off from the one in whom we live, and move, and have our being.
To be the greatest on these terms is to foolishly assert that you can go it alone; to be dependent only on what you can do, what you can say, what you can make happen with the resources under your control. If that’s who you are today, it won’t take you long to discover how tenuous your control of life really is.
As the saying goes, “Pride, human over-confidence, goeth before the fall.” And human history is littered with such self-destructiveness, but we never seem to learn from it, either for ourselves or for others. Such pride can even kill.
During a 1923 training exercise, a naval destroyer called the USS Delphy led a flotilla of seven vessels down the California coast. The USS Delphy was captained by Lieutenant Commander Donald T. Hunter, an experienced navigator and an instructor of the Naval Academy. Without warning, about half way on their training mission, a thick blanket of fog descended on the ships. In the midst of the fog, Hunter could not get an accurate evaluation of his location. Contrary to his calculations, the ship was headed right into Devil’s Jaw, a scant two miles off the California coast. But that didn’t stop Hunter from plowing ahead. Now, that is not surprising, for Hunter was known for his self-confident decisiveness and what others called his magic infallibility to guide his ship.
Traveling at 20 knots, suddenly the USS Delphy smashed broadside into the rocky Point Arguello shoreline. The force of the massive collision of welded steel and jagged rock split the hull of the Delphy in half. One by one, the other destroyers followed the Delphy’s lead and they smashed into the rocks as well. Twenty-two naval men died. The accident resulted in the loss of all seven ships. It still stands as one of the worst peacetime naval disasters in history.
But this is merely another example of human beings not realizing their limitations, their dependency even for the sake of excellence. Human overconfidence, plus human fallibility means that life’s questions need bigger answers than we can provide. Our greatness will not be up to the task, even for some of the things we can control. But such bravado is eternally deadly when our self-centered, over-confidence exists in the arena of our spiritual lives, our life with God. Such selfish, self-focus literally disconnects us from the One Who created and redeemed us to live life abundantly in His Name.
I hate to be the one to tell you this even if you are a powerful person today. The day is coming when you will be vulnerable again. Mohammed Ali can no longer “float like a butterfly or sting like a bee.” Frank Sinatra can no longer “do it his way,” and General MacArthur “will not be returning,” and even “Elvis has learned that Graceland is not something he could create, but something that one can only receive as a gift from the hands of a gracious God.”
Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
So, Who is the Greatest? Who is the Greatest in the kingdom of heaven? The One Who is totally dependent on God for His source of life and strength, like a little child.
Jesus calls a child into their midst. He calls a child forth as His example of Greatness. Now, He’s not saying “Be like this child” as if the child were blameless and holy.
I’m sure that kids in Jesus’ day were much like kids in our day. They have the same bravado issues as we. I was recently waiting several hours at an airport to catch my final flight home from the East Coast. On that trip, we had to wait for a plane to be fixed, so, you know, it took quite a while. While waiting, I got a chance to see several kids playing together at the airport gate. I don’t know what they were playing, but I could hear them saying over and over again. “Aaron, look at me. Mommy, Daddy, look at what I’m doing.” Do you see me; did you see what I did? And that game went on for at least an hour. There were those questions, “Am I the best? Am I better than you? Are we going to play the games I want to play, with my rules or yours?” It doesn’t take long for us, even when we’re young, to start asking those questions, does it?
So, Jesus isn’t putting a child on display for that reason. He’s trying to show these Disciples that their greatness and strength with God comes from “knowing your dependency on Him and trusting in Him for all things.” Yes, like a child. “If you want to see what greatness is in the kingdom of God, just look around,” says Jesus. “Be like this child!”
Kids? Yes, not the independently powerful, or the personally suave, or debonair? How can this be? Well, Jesus is clear, a child who trusts dependently on Him has more going for them than an adult who trusts in themselves because they are dependent on the One Who eternally loves them and completely provides for them. Children, from the very start, are dependent on their parents for food and protection. Their wisdom comes as they watch their parents and mimic what they see. Their confidence grows as they take up the challenges of life under a parent’s encouraging and resourcing eye.
That’s one reason that Christians joyfully receive the title, “Children of God.” It’s not because we are young and naïve. It’s not because we are trying to avoid the tough questions and issues of adulthood. No, being a child of God means that we never forget the ultimate source of our forgiveness, our strength, our wisdom, our life, even our peace in this tense world. All of it comes from a simple trust in God who provides all things for us.
The famous theologian, Karl Barth, one of the great minds of the 20th century, was being interviewed by a group of seminary students one day. The question was asked, “What is the most profound thought that ever occupied your mind.” They thought that he might expound on existentialist theology. They thought that they would hear him speak about the power of faith to face down the evils of Nazism and secularism. But, after thinking about the question for a moment, Barth answered, “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.”
Childlike trust in the One Who died on the cross for you and rose from the grave for you, childlike trust in the One Who loves you with an everlasting love, Who is for you and all who believe, He is our righteousness, our holiness, our wisdom, this is not childishness, this is not child’s play, this is the beginning of living the powerful life of faith in Jesus now and forever.
I remember watching the TV show, “Savage Seas,” and on this particular show, a large ocean vessel was sailing in the Bering Sea. An ice-pack trapped a fishing vessel and literally began to crush it among its powerful waves. Huge “roll over” waves of icy salt water threatened to sweep the whole crew overboard. The captain tried in vain to steer the vessel to safety, but to no avail. And, finally, a helicopter arrived, pulling the crew to safety, one by one. Now, the very last person off the boat was the captain. As the weather started to close in, they had trouble even getting him into the basket. Then a wave threw him over the side of the boat onto the undulating ice flow. Totally exhausted, with no strength left, he was helpless. Fortunately, they were able to put the basket down close to him one last time and he was carried away, finally, to safety.
Now, I’m sure that captain felt as helpless as a child on that boat. I’m sure that he was trying as hard as he could to take full control of the situation. But, in the end, the most important thing that he could do was to recognize his utter need for help and let them pull him to safety.
Human beings always seem to worry about who is the greatest for the wrong reasons. But our lesson finally clues us in as to Who the greatest is of all times. The Disciples are literally standing in His presence. And His greatness is not defined by His personal status, though it could be since there is no One like Him. He would be great in and of Himself, that’s for sure. But, His true greatness is that He set aside that status for you. His ultimate greatness is defined by what He brings to you and to all who trust in Him. Jesus points to the child because the child points straight back to Him.
So, be careful then even how you define greatness and power. Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian of another century, tells the story of true greatness and love. He tells the story of a prince who was running an errand for his father one day in the local village. As he did so, he passed through a very poor section of town. Looking through the window of his carriage, he saw a beautiful young peasant girl walking along the street. He could not get her off his heart. He continued to come to the town, day after day, just to see her and to feel as though he was near her.
His heart yearned for her, but there was a problem. How could he develop a relationship with her? He could order her to marry him. It was in his power to do so. But he wanted this girl to love him from the heart, willingly. He could put on his royal garments and impress her with his regal entourage, and drive up to her front door with soldiers and a carriage drawn by six horses. But if he did this, he would never be certain that the girl loved him or was simply overwhelmed with his power, position, and wealth.
So, the prince came up with another solution. As you may have guessed, he gave up his kingly robe and symbols of power and prestige. He moved into the village dressed only as a peasant. He lived among the people, shared their interests and their concerns, and he talked their language. In time, the young peasant girl grew to know him, and then to love him, and with that all that he had became hers as well.
If you wish to define greatness, just look at this Jesus, Who He is and what He has done for you. When He stands before you, offering you His life and salvation as a gift, serving you with His blessings and peace, don’t be a stubborn, “I’ll do it my way, self-proclaimed greatest adult,” be like a child who smiles from ear to ear in the presence of the One Who loves you and makes His eternal life possible for you.
Receiving all that Jesus is, all that He has done for you with simple trust, using all that He has given you in thankfulness to Him and in service to others, without regard to how it stacks up among the brethren. Now that’s the kingdom greatness of God at work in your life, now and forever and go ahead, strive for that.
Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for September 4, 2011
Topic: Maimed to get to heaven?ANNOUNCER – Now, Pastor Gregory Seltz responds to questions from listeners. I’m Mark Eischer. Today a listener says this about our lesson for the day, “Pastor, in our lessons for this Sunday, it says, ‘If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, better to lose an eye and go to heaven than to have both eyes and wind up in hell.’ Now, since all of us are sinful, we give in to temptation, it seems like we’ll all be “maimed” by the time we get to heaven. The question is: do I really have to lose that eye in order to get in?” That’s not only an interesting question, but maybe even a painful one for us to answer.
SELTZ: Well, it sure is a graphic discussion that’s for sure and it’s got my attention.
ANNOUNCER: Mine too.
SELTZ – Well, and I, I think that’s the point, Mark. Jesus was using this absolute language to get our attention. This heaven and hell talk is not idle talk. So, from Jesus’ perspective, it is a life and death discussion for every person. So, it’s like having a discussion about cancer….you don’t take that discussion lightly.
ANNOUNCER – And in one sense, sin is something like cancer. So, maybe Jesus is saying, “Cut out that infected part of the body.” And as our listener says, “It’s better to get to keep living with one eye, one arm, whatever, than to be dead with both.”
SELTZ – Well, I hate to be the spoiler of the party, but I think it is even worse than that.
ANNOUNCER – Well, how could it be any worse than that?
SELTZ – Well, if sin were something that affected only one part of the body, mind, or spirit, then yes, cut it out. But the Bible is clear. We’re 100% sinners. So, God is not calling for some kind of medieval surgery without anesthesia, He’s calling for sin to be completely judged and life to be completely given as a gift.
ANNOUNCER – And I believe this is something He wants us to take very seriously, this discussion, right?
SELTZ – Absolutely. So, this is not some religious discussion about what things you should do or not do to get to heaven. This is a serious discussion of what God has done so that you can be “whole” again in Him.
ANNOUNCER: And thinking about it, Jesus was “maimed” in our place?
SELTZ: Right, and not only maimed, but completely cut off. You could even say He was literally sent to hell, if you will, or suffered hell in our place, so that His “wholeness” life and salvation could be ours as His free gift of grace.
ANNOUNCER – So then, what’s Jesus talking about when He says, “Cut this off, get rid of this part or that part?”
SELTZ – Well, it’s not something that you should do or not do to appease God. He’s not saying that, He’s saying don’t let anything in this world get in the way of receiving this wonderful, eternal, life-giving gift. Think about it. It was paid for with Christ’s life, death, and resurrection for you.
ANNOUNCER – So, taking it in that sense, it’s not a “morbid” discussion at all.
SELTZ – I don’t think so. Whatever we “don’t have in this life,” will be nothing compared to what we have with our eternal lives with God in Christ. So, there will not only be “no more tears and no more death there.” In the new heavens and the new earth, we will be the holy, sinless, healthy people, the people we were created and redeemed to be now forever and ever.
ANNOUNCER – All of which sounds like a celebration no one would want to miss!
SELTZ – That’s right. Now I think we have this view of God all wrong. We have this view that He wants His pound of flesh unfairly from us, as if we’re to give Him part of what He mercilessly wants and then maybe, maybe He’ll bless us.
ANNOUNCER: But, the message of Jesus, the message of the Gospel is radically different from that, isn’t it?
SELTZ: Absolutely. This is a graphic discussion to get our attention, that’s for sure. But even more importantly, it is an offer of grace that is so important we shouldn’t let anything in this world prevent us from receiving it.
ANNOUNCER – And really, what a great invitation that is, one that promises that all will be whole in heaven, no matter what we may have experienced here on earth.
SELTZ – Yes, because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, too, in your place, you can count on that as well. The point He’s making, don’t let anything steal away your focus on all of this, either.
ANNOUNCER – Thank you Pastor Seltz. It’s certainly great to know that even Jesus’ hard words, are still words of blessing for us. this has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music Selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.
“My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker” arr. Henry Gerike. Used by permission.
“My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House/SESAC)
“Fugue in g minor” by J.S. Bach. From Bach at the Sem, vol. 2 by the American Kantorei (© 1998 Concordia Seminary)