A warning against selfish ambition, which fractures community
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series V, Cycle B
Theme For The Day: A warning against selfish ambition, which fractures community. Rather, Jesus teaches us to receive the kingdom like a child and find our joy in Christ--like service.
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Proverbs 31:10--31 (C)
This description of a more than capable wife contrasts with the position of women in most of the societies of the Middle East. In many cultures women were almost considered property. In this description, she is able to purchase property on her own and she has her own business. Four traits seem to dominate this description of the capable wife - she is trustworthy, industrious, caring and God--fearing.
Lesson 1: Wisdom 2:12, 17--20 (RC)
Lesson 1: Wisdom 1:16-2:1 (6--11) 12--22 (E)
Lesson 2: James 3:13-4:3, 7--8a (C); James 3:16-4:3 (RC); James 3:16-4:6 (E)
James calls upon the Christians to manifest goodness borne of wisdom and to divest themselves of envy and selfish ambition, which leads to disorder and wickedness. Divine wisdom is peaceable, gentle and willing to yield in a spirit of love. James believes that all conflicts and disputes issue from internal craving and desire. The lust of things leads to violence. Rather than take what we want, Christians should ask God for the things we need. The reason we don't receive what we pray to God for is because we only desire to satisfy our own selfish cravings. James issues a call to take sides. If we are friends with the world, we are enemies of God (v. 4). In summation, his advice: resist the devil and submit to God (v. 7).
Gospel: Mark 9:30--37 (C, E, RC)
Jesus issues the second announcement of his passion but the disciples do not seem to understand. When they get back to Capernaum, Jesus asks them what they were arguing about along the way. At first, they remain silent. They were ashamed to admit that they had a dispute concerning who among them was the greatest. Jesus counsels that he who would be the first must be the servant of all. To illustrate his point he takes a child in his arms and pronounces: "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me...." The Father extends his welcome not to those who are great but those who love his little ones.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 1 (C) - "Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked" (v. 1).
Psalm 54 (E)
Psalm 53 (RC)
Prayer Of The Day
Humble Lord, free us from selfish ambition and the pride that seeks to dominate others. Make our source of pride the glorious truth that we are your dear children in Christ. As you have received us, so open our hearts that we might receive your other children, in your precious name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Proverbs 31:10--31
The right kind of ambition. The woman described in this passage is very ambitious and industrious, which is not a virtue in and of itself. However, her ambition is indeed virtuous because she is not seeking wealth or power for herself; she is endeavoring to provide for her family. Her ambition is service--directed, rather than self--directed.
Busy hands, serving hands (vv. 19--20). The capable wife is not too busy providing for the needs of her family to open her hands and her heart to help the poor and needy. "She puts her hand to the distaff... She opens her hand to the poor...."
She's a good scout. The Boy Scouts have the motto "Be prepared!" The woman of this passage anticipates future needs. She is a good scout in this regard. Her family has warm clothing for the winter (v. 21). "She laughs at the time to come" (v. 25).
Lesson 2: James 3:13-4:3, 7--8a
Who is wise? (v. 13). That's a matter of opinion. Some people would point to those who have become eminently successful in business as being wise - the Bill Gates and Warren Buffetts and Donald Trumps. According to James the wise and understanding person is the person of good and Godly character. Such a person shows forth the wisdom from above (v. 17), which is essentially identical with those traits lifted up by Jesus in The Beatitudes.
A rich harvest (v. 17). Those who show forth the wisdom from above produce fruits. The apostle Paul would attribute these fruits to the Holy Spirit. The wisdom from above is a gift of God, which produces a rich harvest of goodness.
Chose your friends carefully (v. 4). Parents desire nothing more earnestly for their children but that they choose good friends. The wrong friends can lead us astray. James passionately teaches that we have two basic friendship choices - we can either be friends with the world or with God. We can't have it both ways.
Gospel: Mark 9:30--37
Tuning out the teacher (vv. 30--32). Jesus was trying to explain to his disciples his coming passion and death but they didn't understand. They were tuning out their teacher. We tend to tune out the teacher when the lesson is unpleasant or contrary to our cherished hopes and dreams.
Blind ambition (vv. 33--34). Ambition can be blind; those possessed of this malady don't see the people who love them and they don't correctly perceive the importance of things. All they see is that on which they have set their hearts. The disciples were so blinded by their pride that they did not see or hear the Lord as he shared his approaching death with them.
Silent shame (v. 34). When Jesus asked the disciples what they had been talking about along the way, they were silent because they were ashamed to admit they had been discussing who was the greatest among them. When people are willingly or unwillingly involved in shameful activities, it tends to drive them into a stony well of silence. Jesus realized that the shame had to be brought into the open, into the light of God's grace.
Paying the piper. The disciples each wanted to be number one, but if you're going to be number one you have to pay the piper. The distinction of being number one comes only to those who are willing to pay the price. Jesus tells his disciples that if they want to be in the first position they must pay the price of being servant of all (v. 35).
SERMON APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Proverbs 31:10--31
Sermon Title: A Model Wife
Sermon Angle: The wife described in our pericope is a keeper, almost too good to be true. Yet my sense is that this narration is based on a real--life model rather than just a composite of the ideal wife. What does she look like? Well, physical beauty isn't that important, neither is charm (v. 30). The basic trait is that she's trustworthy (v. 11). Beyond that, she provides for her family (v. 15), she's a shrewd investor and businesswoman (vv. 16--19), she's strong (v. 17), compassionate (v. 20), wise (v. 26), kind (v. 26), and praiseworthy (vv. 28--30). The preacher needs to be careful in presenting this text, so as not to induce a sense of guilt or failure in those women who don't feel that they will ever be model wives.
Outline:
1. Talk about how our concept of the model wife has changed (Harriet Nelson, Jackie Kennedy, and so forth).
2. Talk about the characteristics of the model wife in our text.
3. Pull out of the model some timeless traits that will serve well the modern wife.
4. Point out that God loves us even when we aren't models of perfection.
Sermon Title: A Working Model
Sermon Angle: The model of womanhood presented in this text is literally a working model. This woman generates more power than Wonder Woman and Niagara Falls put together. But why does she work so hard? Is she trying to prove something? No, all her labors are directed toward the needs of her family and those of the poor. The source of her strength is her love for the Lord (v. 30).
Outline:
1. It is well known that a woman's work is never done.
2. As with the capable wife of Proverbs 31, she must balance the roles of mother, provider, wife, and career person.
3. Women need to ask themselves why they are working so hard.
- To prove one's self?
- Out of love for family?
- Pride in doing the job well?
- Love for the Lord?
4. Women and men both need to work wisely by not losing sight of their own needs, as well as those of their loved ones.
Lesson 2: James 3:13-4:3, 7--8a
Sermon Title: What Is The Aim Of Your Ambition?
Sermon Angle: James points to the dangers of envy and selfish ambition. One might receive the impression that ambition is itself suspect. This would be unfortunate; the writer only castigates selfish ambition. Without human ambition, the world would grind to a halt. A person can and should be ambitious for goodness, ambitious to provide for family, ambitious to serve the needs of brothers and sisters, to name only a few objects of worthwhile ambition. That which makes our ambition good or evil is its aim. What is the aim of your ambition?
Outline:
1. James points to the evil effect of selfish ambition (v. 16).
2. Lift up modern examples of selfish ambition.
3. Blind ambition seeks to possess and control (v. 2).
4. Godly ambition seeks to serve (v. 17).
5. What is the aim of your ambition?
Sermon Title: The Secret Of Unanswered Prayer
Sermon Angle: James states that Christians ask God for things and do not receive them because we ask wrongly (v. 3). Then he goes on to point out the secret of unanswered prayer. He says the reason God doesn't answer our prayers is that they are self--centered. We are not seeking God but the things that will gratify our pleasures and desires. Closely related to this, God does not answer us because we have unconfessed sin and continue to live in sin. Effective prayer always possesses the attitude that Jesus had when he prayed: "Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done."
Outline:
Why doesn't God answer some of our prayers?
1. We ask wrongly (v. 3).
2. We ask selfishly.
3. We do not draw near to God (v. 8).
__________
William J. O'Malley begins an article titled "Praying" in U.S. Catholic magazine with this analogy: "Praying is a bit like sex. If we engage in it, we're nervous talking about it, and parents wouldn't dream of telling their children what goes on when they do it." He goes on to explain that in other ways praying is not at all like sex. Not many of us submit alibis for not engaging in sex. "I'm really too busy; yes, I know it's important but...Work is sex." What O'Malley says is true of the Catholic Church is also true of most congregations. He believes that his church spends a great deal of time educating their youth ABOUT God, discussing the signs that point to God - sacraments, Bible, history, tradition - but it doesn't give much effort to helping its children get to know God himself. We need to spend more time teaching our people how to pray, not theoretical instruction but learning by doing. James teaches: "You do not have because you do not ask" (v. 2). And what is it that we need? We need to have God in our life and our life in God.
Gospel: Mark 9:30--37
Sermon Title: Death And Denial
Sermon Angle: When Jesus was explaining his upcoming sufferings and death, Mark says that the disciples didn't understand him and were afraid to ask (v. 32). It seems likely that the disciples did not understand because they did not want to deal with the subject matter. They didn't want to deal with death. Instead they chose to deny this ultimate reality in hope that it would go away. Their denial isolated them from Jesus. Jesus was not able to share the burden of the cross with them in a satisfying way. Death is the last great taboo; we would still rather deny it than openly deal with it. The cross and resurrection of Jesus give us the strength to deal with death openly.
Outline:
1. Jesus shared his upcoming death with his disciples but they would not receive it.
2. Like them, we seek to shun the reality of death and deny it.
3. Denial isolates us from others and increases our dread of death.
4. Jesus openly confronted death and won the victory and so can we.
__________
An article I read in Christianity Today magazine struck home. The title: "Wise Christians Clip Obituaries" by Gary Thomas. It struck home because I have I lost my mother and father to death during the past two years. In addition, my youth group advisor when I was a teen, a woman of sixty well--lived years, died rather suddenly recently. The prayer service at the funeral home and the funeral itself were attended by large numbers of people. It seems that when a younger person dies, it hits us between the eyes. Death is a sudden, unwelcome reminder of our extreme vulnerability; it's an omen of our own fate. I do not yet clip the obituaries but I read them. Life can no longer be taken for granted.
Francois Fenelon, a seventeenth--century French mystic who wrote the classic Christian Perfection, spoke articulately of the denial of death: "We consider ourselves immortal, or at least as though (we are) going to live for centuries. Folly of the human spirit! Every day those who die soon follow those who are already dead. One about to leave on a journey ought not to think himself far from one who went only two days before. Life flows by like a flood."
When my father was nearing the terminus of his earthly life, he finally realized the gravity of his situation. "I got some bad news," he said. "What's that?" I responded. "I'm not going to make it," he retorted. Summoning my store of knowledge from my Clinical Pastoral Education course and years of dealing with sickness and death, I asked, "How do you feel about that, Dad?" My father, who was always loathe to reveal too much of his feelings, shot back: "How do you feel about it?" (my death, not his own). I remained mute. My first thought was, "But, Dad, I'm not dying, you are." On a deeper level I knew that he was right, I too was dying. I needed to deal with my death as well as his own. Yet I wanted to deny that the shadow of my own death was looming ever larger. In light of my reactions to the prospect of death, it's not hard to sympathize with the disciples of Christ, as Jesus shared with them that he was going to suffer and die. They could not, would not, deal with his death and their own. Denial had set in.
Sermon Title: How You Can Be Number One
Sermon Angle: Notice that Jesus doesn't outwardly chide his disciples for wanting to be number one in the kingdom. Instead he redefines the meaning of being number one. "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all" (v. 35). An example of being number one in God's eyes is welcoming children, loving those with no position or power or any of the things that this world counts as treasure. For Christians Jesus is number one, and we can be Jesus in the flesh when we are willing to give our lives as he gave his.
Outline:
1. It seems like everyone wants to be number one.
2. Things haven't changed; look at the disciples (vv. 33--34).
3. Jesus tells them and us how to be number one (be a servant).
Sermon Title: Children's Sermon
Sermon Angle: Many churches have children's sermons, usually an object lesson geared so that children might understand what the Word of God is saying to them. Jesus gave the first and the best children's sermon. He took a child into his arms and said that those who receive such children receive him and that those who receive him receive the Father (vv. 36--37). Jesus also taught that we must receive the kingdom of God like a child, simply, sincerely and without pretense.
Outline:
1. Many churches use children's sermons to make children welcome in worship.
2. Children's sermons must boil the gospel down to the essentials.
3. Jesus gave the first children's sermon, using a child as the object (v. 36).
4. Being his disciple has little to do with greatness and everything to do with being God's child and welcoming God's children (v. 37).
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Proverbs 31:10--31 (C)
This description of a more than capable wife contrasts with the position of women in most of the societies of the Middle East. In many cultures women were almost considered property. In this description, she is able to purchase property on her own and she has her own business. Four traits seem to dominate this description of the capable wife - she is trustworthy, industrious, caring and God--fearing.
Lesson 1: Wisdom 2:12, 17--20 (RC)
Lesson 1: Wisdom 1:16-2:1 (6--11) 12--22 (E)
Lesson 2: James 3:13-4:3, 7--8a (C); James 3:16-4:3 (RC); James 3:16-4:6 (E)
James calls upon the Christians to manifest goodness borne of wisdom and to divest themselves of envy and selfish ambition, which leads to disorder and wickedness. Divine wisdom is peaceable, gentle and willing to yield in a spirit of love. James believes that all conflicts and disputes issue from internal craving and desire. The lust of things leads to violence. Rather than take what we want, Christians should ask God for the things we need. The reason we don't receive what we pray to God for is because we only desire to satisfy our own selfish cravings. James issues a call to take sides. If we are friends with the world, we are enemies of God (v. 4). In summation, his advice: resist the devil and submit to God (v. 7).
Gospel: Mark 9:30--37 (C, E, RC)
Jesus issues the second announcement of his passion but the disciples do not seem to understand. When they get back to Capernaum, Jesus asks them what they were arguing about along the way. At first, they remain silent. They were ashamed to admit that they had a dispute concerning who among them was the greatest. Jesus counsels that he who would be the first must be the servant of all. To illustrate his point he takes a child in his arms and pronounces: "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me...." The Father extends his welcome not to those who are great but those who love his little ones.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 1 (C) - "Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked" (v. 1).
Psalm 54 (E)
Psalm 53 (RC)
Prayer Of The Day
Humble Lord, free us from selfish ambition and the pride that seeks to dominate others. Make our source of pride the glorious truth that we are your dear children in Christ. As you have received us, so open our hearts that we might receive your other children, in your precious name. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Proverbs 31:10--31
The right kind of ambition. The woman described in this passage is very ambitious and industrious, which is not a virtue in and of itself. However, her ambition is indeed virtuous because she is not seeking wealth or power for herself; she is endeavoring to provide for her family. Her ambition is service--directed, rather than self--directed.
Busy hands, serving hands (vv. 19--20). The capable wife is not too busy providing for the needs of her family to open her hands and her heart to help the poor and needy. "She puts her hand to the distaff... She opens her hand to the poor...."
She's a good scout. The Boy Scouts have the motto "Be prepared!" The woman of this passage anticipates future needs. She is a good scout in this regard. Her family has warm clothing for the winter (v. 21). "She laughs at the time to come" (v. 25).
Lesson 2: James 3:13-4:3, 7--8a
Who is wise? (v. 13). That's a matter of opinion. Some people would point to those who have become eminently successful in business as being wise - the Bill Gates and Warren Buffetts and Donald Trumps. According to James the wise and understanding person is the person of good and Godly character. Such a person shows forth the wisdom from above (v. 17), which is essentially identical with those traits lifted up by Jesus in The Beatitudes.
A rich harvest (v. 17). Those who show forth the wisdom from above produce fruits. The apostle Paul would attribute these fruits to the Holy Spirit. The wisdom from above is a gift of God, which produces a rich harvest of goodness.
Chose your friends carefully (v. 4). Parents desire nothing more earnestly for their children but that they choose good friends. The wrong friends can lead us astray. James passionately teaches that we have two basic friendship choices - we can either be friends with the world or with God. We can't have it both ways.
Gospel: Mark 9:30--37
Tuning out the teacher (vv. 30--32). Jesus was trying to explain to his disciples his coming passion and death but they didn't understand. They were tuning out their teacher. We tend to tune out the teacher when the lesson is unpleasant or contrary to our cherished hopes and dreams.
Blind ambition (vv. 33--34). Ambition can be blind; those possessed of this malady don't see the people who love them and they don't correctly perceive the importance of things. All they see is that on which they have set their hearts. The disciples were so blinded by their pride that they did not see or hear the Lord as he shared his approaching death with them.
Silent shame (v. 34). When Jesus asked the disciples what they had been talking about along the way, they were silent because they were ashamed to admit they had been discussing who was the greatest among them. When people are willingly or unwillingly involved in shameful activities, it tends to drive them into a stony well of silence. Jesus realized that the shame had to be brought into the open, into the light of God's grace.
Paying the piper. The disciples each wanted to be number one, but if you're going to be number one you have to pay the piper. The distinction of being number one comes only to those who are willing to pay the price. Jesus tells his disciples that if they want to be in the first position they must pay the price of being servant of all (v. 35).
SERMON APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Proverbs 31:10--31
Sermon Title: A Model Wife
Sermon Angle: The wife described in our pericope is a keeper, almost too good to be true. Yet my sense is that this narration is based on a real--life model rather than just a composite of the ideal wife. What does she look like? Well, physical beauty isn't that important, neither is charm (v. 30). The basic trait is that she's trustworthy (v. 11). Beyond that, she provides for her family (v. 15), she's a shrewd investor and businesswoman (vv. 16--19), she's strong (v. 17), compassionate (v. 20), wise (v. 26), kind (v. 26), and praiseworthy (vv. 28--30). The preacher needs to be careful in presenting this text, so as not to induce a sense of guilt or failure in those women who don't feel that they will ever be model wives.
Outline:
1. Talk about how our concept of the model wife has changed (Harriet Nelson, Jackie Kennedy, and so forth).
2. Talk about the characteristics of the model wife in our text.
3. Pull out of the model some timeless traits that will serve well the modern wife.
4. Point out that God loves us even when we aren't models of perfection.
Sermon Title: A Working Model
Sermon Angle: The model of womanhood presented in this text is literally a working model. This woman generates more power than Wonder Woman and Niagara Falls put together. But why does she work so hard? Is she trying to prove something? No, all her labors are directed toward the needs of her family and those of the poor. The source of her strength is her love for the Lord (v. 30).
Outline:
1. It is well known that a woman's work is never done.
2. As with the capable wife of Proverbs 31, she must balance the roles of mother, provider, wife, and career person.
3. Women need to ask themselves why they are working so hard.
- To prove one's self?
- Out of love for family?
- Pride in doing the job well?
- Love for the Lord?
4. Women and men both need to work wisely by not losing sight of their own needs, as well as those of their loved ones.
Lesson 2: James 3:13-4:3, 7--8a
Sermon Title: What Is The Aim Of Your Ambition?
Sermon Angle: James points to the dangers of envy and selfish ambition. One might receive the impression that ambition is itself suspect. This would be unfortunate; the writer only castigates selfish ambition. Without human ambition, the world would grind to a halt. A person can and should be ambitious for goodness, ambitious to provide for family, ambitious to serve the needs of brothers and sisters, to name only a few objects of worthwhile ambition. That which makes our ambition good or evil is its aim. What is the aim of your ambition?
Outline:
1. James points to the evil effect of selfish ambition (v. 16).
2. Lift up modern examples of selfish ambition.
3. Blind ambition seeks to possess and control (v. 2).
4. Godly ambition seeks to serve (v. 17).
5. What is the aim of your ambition?
Sermon Title: The Secret Of Unanswered Prayer
Sermon Angle: James states that Christians ask God for things and do not receive them because we ask wrongly (v. 3). Then he goes on to point out the secret of unanswered prayer. He says the reason God doesn't answer our prayers is that they are self--centered. We are not seeking God but the things that will gratify our pleasures and desires. Closely related to this, God does not answer us because we have unconfessed sin and continue to live in sin. Effective prayer always possesses the attitude that Jesus had when he prayed: "Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done."
Outline:
Why doesn't God answer some of our prayers?
1. We ask wrongly (v. 3).
2. We ask selfishly.
3. We do not draw near to God (v. 8).
__________
William J. O'Malley begins an article titled "Praying" in U.S. Catholic magazine with this analogy: "Praying is a bit like sex. If we engage in it, we're nervous talking about it, and parents wouldn't dream of telling their children what goes on when they do it." He goes on to explain that in other ways praying is not at all like sex. Not many of us submit alibis for not engaging in sex. "I'm really too busy; yes, I know it's important but...Work is sex." What O'Malley says is true of the Catholic Church is also true of most congregations. He believes that his church spends a great deal of time educating their youth ABOUT God, discussing the signs that point to God - sacraments, Bible, history, tradition - but it doesn't give much effort to helping its children get to know God himself. We need to spend more time teaching our people how to pray, not theoretical instruction but learning by doing. James teaches: "You do not have because you do not ask" (v. 2). And what is it that we need? We need to have God in our life and our life in God.
Gospel: Mark 9:30--37
Sermon Title: Death And Denial
Sermon Angle: When Jesus was explaining his upcoming sufferings and death, Mark says that the disciples didn't understand him and were afraid to ask (v. 32). It seems likely that the disciples did not understand because they did not want to deal with the subject matter. They didn't want to deal with death. Instead they chose to deny this ultimate reality in hope that it would go away. Their denial isolated them from Jesus. Jesus was not able to share the burden of the cross with them in a satisfying way. Death is the last great taboo; we would still rather deny it than openly deal with it. The cross and resurrection of Jesus give us the strength to deal with death openly.
Outline:
1. Jesus shared his upcoming death with his disciples but they would not receive it.
2. Like them, we seek to shun the reality of death and deny it.
3. Denial isolates us from others and increases our dread of death.
4. Jesus openly confronted death and won the victory and so can we.
__________
An article I read in Christianity Today magazine struck home. The title: "Wise Christians Clip Obituaries" by Gary Thomas. It struck home because I have I lost my mother and father to death during the past two years. In addition, my youth group advisor when I was a teen, a woman of sixty well--lived years, died rather suddenly recently. The prayer service at the funeral home and the funeral itself were attended by large numbers of people. It seems that when a younger person dies, it hits us between the eyes. Death is a sudden, unwelcome reminder of our extreme vulnerability; it's an omen of our own fate. I do not yet clip the obituaries but I read them. Life can no longer be taken for granted.
Francois Fenelon, a seventeenth--century French mystic who wrote the classic Christian Perfection, spoke articulately of the denial of death: "We consider ourselves immortal, or at least as though (we are) going to live for centuries. Folly of the human spirit! Every day those who die soon follow those who are already dead. One about to leave on a journey ought not to think himself far from one who went only two days before. Life flows by like a flood."
When my father was nearing the terminus of his earthly life, he finally realized the gravity of his situation. "I got some bad news," he said. "What's that?" I responded. "I'm not going to make it," he retorted. Summoning my store of knowledge from my Clinical Pastoral Education course and years of dealing with sickness and death, I asked, "How do you feel about that, Dad?" My father, who was always loathe to reveal too much of his feelings, shot back: "How do you feel about it?" (my death, not his own). I remained mute. My first thought was, "But, Dad, I'm not dying, you are." On a deeper level I knew that he was right, I too was dying. I needed to deal with my death as well as his own. Yet I wanted to deny that the shadow of my own death was looming ever larger. In light of my reactions to the prospect of death, it's not hard to sympathize with the disciples of Christ, as Jesus shared with them that he was going to suffer and die. They could not, would not, deal with his death and their own. Denial had set in.
Sermon Title: How You Can Be Number One
Sermon Angle: Notice that Jesus doesn't outwardly chide his disciples for wanting to be number one in the kingdom. Instead he redefines the meaning of being number one. "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all" (v. 35). An example of being number one in God's eyes is welcoming children, loving those with no position or power or any of the things that this world counts as treasure. For Christians Jesus is number one, and we can be Jesus in the flesh when we are willing to give our lives as he gave his.
Outline:
1. It seems like everyone wants to be number one.
2. Things haven't changed; look at the disciples (vv. 33--34).
3. Jesus tells them and us how to be number one (be a servant).
Sermon Title: Children's Sermon
Sermon Angle: Many churches have children's sermons, usually an object lesson geared so that children might understand what the Word of God is saying to them. Jesus gave the first and the best children's sermon. He took a child into his arms and said that those who receive such children receive him and that those who receive him receive the Father (vv. 36--37). Jesus also taught that we must receive the kingdom of God like a child, simply, sincerely and without pretense.
Outline:
1. Many churches use children's sermons to make children welcome in worship.
2. Children's sermons must boil the gospel down to the essentials.
3. Jesus gave the first children's sermon, using a child as the object (v. 36).
4. Being his disciple has little to do with greatness and everything to do with being God's child and welcoming God's children (v. 37).
