Four years ago in September we met for the first time. Four years ago I was serving at Peace in Arvada and with the retirement of Pastor Voigt just a few months before this you were looking for a new pastor. I came down and met you and you met me. You interviewed me and I had loads of questions for you.

During this dating process one of you came up to me and started bragging on the members. He didn’t spend any time on talking about the staff but he said that the membership is the strength of this parish. He told me that we have folks that have served as leaders in just about every type of business possible – banking, professional, military, the trades. I think he told me this so I would know that you would be doing most of the work around here. With that in mind I came.

And during these past few years I have learned that there is quite a pedigree among you. Some of you have advanced degrees, have held or hold positions of importance and influence, some have some money, (even after this past year). I spoke to a few people recently who may make Ascension their church home. And these are folks who were CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies. Their companies employed thousands of people and they were the top dog!! Wow!! I remember when I did my student pastoring up in Wyoming the congregation that I served had at least 7 millionaires. They had gone from dirt poor ranchers to rich ranchers when Texaco and Exxon wanted to buy some of their land.

That is greatness, isn’t it? Positions of trust, responsibility, wealth. It all makes one great, doesn’t it? Maybe.

Greatness was on the minds of the disciples in our text. Jesus had just told His followers about His intended crucifixion and they were all silent. But the silence didn’t last. We read this, “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.” (Mark 9:33-34) On the road they got loud and argumentative trying to determine which of the Twelve was the greatest!!

So, what would make them the greatest? Would the greatest be the one who would ever be true to Jesus? Like Peter. “Everyone else might fall away from you, but not I!!” That would be greatest – the one who is faithful. Of maybe it is the one who gave up the most to be the follower. Like Matthew. As a tax collector he was one rich dude!! He left all to follow Jesus. That would be the greatest – the one whose following cost him. Or maybe it was the inner circle – Peter, James and John - who must have been the greatest. After all, Jesus took them with Him to some very important places. Or maybe it was just James and John that would be the greatest among the Twelve, after all they had the guts to ask Jesus to sit right next to Him, on His right and on His left in His kingdom.

So on the way, after hearing about the sacrifice of Jesus they changed the subject and talked about being great. They didn’t talk about Him and what He said – they wanted to talk about something more important – themselves!! In the Epistle for today we hear about the trouble that self-imposed greatness brings, “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but it is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (James 3:14-16)

So Jesus to answer the question about who is really great gives a children’s sermon. Now this is different than our children’s sermons. Our children’s sermons are sermons or messages directed to children (though I have heard some say they get more out of a children’s sermon than one of these!!). His children’s sermons were sermons about them. They were the object used to teach. “Sitting down. Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, the servant of all.’ Then He took a little child and had him stand among them.” (Mark 9:35-36) That was the children’s sermon!! The one that wants to be first must become last.

This was not the first time that Jesus gave a children’s sermon. In Matthew’s gospel we hear this, “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child and had him stand among them. 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.’” (Matthew 18:1-4)

So what is so great about a child? I know they are cute – most of the time. But they can’t run our companies, they don’t have a lot of money, they can’t fill the biggest stadiums to have us watch them play professional sports. But Jesus calls them the greatest in the Kingdom. Why??

He talks about their humility. The greatest in God’s Kingdom is the one who has a need for God. Children have a great need. Two weeks ago following the late service a number of our youth were heading downtown to the Taste of Colorado. They were hopping on the light rail and were going to get some great food while listening to some music. The entire Bob Johnson family was going and I saw quite a sight before they left. Bob had his wallet out and was asking his kids, “How much do you need?” Wrong question, Bob. He was broke almost immediately!! And there was nothing left when I got into line.

Kid’s need!! That is what Jesus teaches us in His children’s sermon. The person, whether they are young or old, who has no need for God cannot be great in God’s eyes. They may be strong and capable people – some of our greatest leaders – some of the wealthiest and most powerful people that we have – but in God’s eyes they are not great.

I have learned something about you, and I think that you have learned something about me in the past few years. I have learned that that guy who was bragging about you was right. You have been gifted in many ways. But I have also learned that you have many needs, many pains, many burdens. And you know that about me. And that is not bad. When the disciples were proving their greatness to each other it might have been quite a funny conversation. Show your greatness by stating your need – just like a child. In humility we ask God to forgive our sins and give us a new heart. In humility we say, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner!!”

Pastor Randy Golter, the President of our District, has a quote that I have heard him use more than once – “May God give us the faith of a seven year-old child.” I think that is what Jesus is alluding to when He gives His children’s sermon. A child will trust and believe and take one at their word. We have to have such a heart!! The promises that God has spoken to us are many. He promises that we have forgiveness of sins by simply trusting that the death of Jesus is the full and complete payment for them. Do you believe it? Can your heart say that all sins are buried? Can your conscience be clean? Can you be at peace? The promises of God say that if you believe in Jesus you will have eternal life. Do you believe it? Can you have every confidence that heaven, not hell, will be your eternal gift? You can look forward to that day when you will you meet your creator and judge!! Do you believe that in everyday life God has His hand upon you, that you are precious to Him, that He has your good in mind as you live life? Can you have the faith of a seven year-old child?

Jesus Himself gave us a children’s sermon, a sermon about humility and greatness through the example of His own life. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God and Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11) Jesus was great in who He was and what He could do, but His greatness was most especially seen in His service and sacrifice and humility. He was a walking children’s sermon.

So God has brought to this congregation people of all types of talents, people who have done great things in their life, people who are blessed by God in wonderful ways. How good. But there is a greatness that is much greater than that. Everyone one of us must have the greatness that God considers great!! The greatest is the one who has a genuine need for God, who seeks Him and desires His will. The greatest is the one who can trust His Savior with the most simple of faith – the greatest of confidence. The greatest is the one who can see that Jesus is our Savior and Lord, our teacher and example.

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last and the servant of all.’ He took a little child and had him stand among them.” Jesus gave a children’s sermon that day. And He is still giving them. Amen!!