Who is the greatest? Whether it be sports, national greatness, talent or celebrity, we have heard that question answered with numerous opinions. In sports the rivalry is most often just a conversation starter. In national bigotry it is just a variation on old the worn out theme of why our country is the “master race.” Sometimes the sentiment is disguised in terms of “manifest destiny” and other times it is expressed bluntly in exaggerated terms such as ours is the “greatest country in the world.” All this is the exact opposite of the true greatness that Jesus described in
Mark 9:30-37. If anyone desires to be first, they must be last of all, and servant of all. That does not seem to fit personal fame, covetousness or national military might, but it does fit anyone who selflessly serves others.
In Mark 9:38-50 the disciples stopped a man preaching in Jesus’ name, as they said, “because he was not following us.” This has continued for two millennia. The church grew large in the Greek and Latin-speaking worlds. After a thousand years of disagreement, they divided, each vilifying the other because they were “not following us.” In recent centuries Rome and Constantinople have only slightly modified their exclusive claims because of these Jesus’ words. Anciently, there were many churches outside the Roman Empire in places like Britain, Ethiopia, India, China and Armenia who had no part in the Great East-West Schism. In recent centuries there has been an explosion of churches following the teachings of Jesus. There is no need to offend them or point them to us, but point everyone to Jesus and be at peace with each other.
I was once part of a movement that followed Christ, but misunderstood his teachings. Patiently Jesus led many of us into the Gospel’s truth. In 
When Jesus warned against causing little ones to stumble (
Her baby was born with good hearing but without ears. She knew her son would struggle. As he grew into a handsome young man, the boy’s father asked about an ear transplant, but he needed a donor. Eventually one was found and the operation was remarkably successful. The young man married and had a successful career, but he wanted to know about the person who was an ear donor. An agreement had been made to keep the donor’s identity secret. Then the young man faced that dark day that we all face when a mother dies. As father and son approached the casket, the father reached forth his hands and raised his wife’s beautiful, thick hair to reveal to his son that she no longer had outer ears. Truly the first are those who sacrifice for others (
Those who watch and protect are quiet heroes. Susan had gone blind in her thirties. She was angry and bitter and deeply depressed. When she was ready to return to her job, her husband Mark drove her to work faithfully. He knew she would eventually need to take the bus on her own. In anger, Susan refused, but Mark gently insisted and rode with her the first week. Eventually, she ventured out alone. After a week, the bus driver said he envied her. Why? She was blind and felt useless. The driver explained that each day she got off the bus, a handsome young man was watching from the side and when she got off safely he silently saluted and left her. It was her husband Mark. Truly the first are those watching and waiting to serve (
What makes us first, nationally or individually? In heaven the first are “last of all and servant of all” (
What kind of Jesus do we worship? There is a Jesus of the Bible and any number of Jesuses of pop culture. Often the two are very different. 
How does a throwaway society treat God? We package things in throwaway containers. Our cars are designed to be thrown away rather than continually repaired and renewed. We throw away spouses like old clothing. We toss aside loyalty to family members in our lust for status and money. Some people are more loyal to a sports team than to God. Do we worship a throwaway God? In