Take your Bibles with me and turn to Luke 9. Luke 9. We are going to be looking at verses 46-50 this morning.

Last week, one of our deacons wasn't here. Playing hooky from church.

I'm just kidding of course - Brother Steve and Mrs. Lenora took some much needed time off and they went to one of the most beautiful places on earth - Colorado Springs, Colorado. I'm told they went up Pikes Peak - somewhere I've always wanted to go.

I love mountains. I've always loved mountains. I used to dream about being a professional ski bum (God had other plans.) And Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak has some of the best mountains vistas in America.

Now, I want you to imagine that I gave Steve one of those old disposable cameras for his trip and I asked him to take some pictures for me - and he came back and gave me the camera - and when I opened the pictures - all I got was pictures of brother Steve. No mountains. No waterfalls. No wildlife. No Air Force Academy. Just cheesy pictures of Steve Pullen - eating, brushing his teeth, winking.

I would not be happy. But what would that say about Steve? How much of an ego maniac do you have to be to stand in front of some of the most majestic scenery on earth - and try to put all the attention on yourself?

In our story today, that's exactly what the disciples were doing. Jesus has just shown three of them His heavenly nature up on the mountain of transfiguration. Then He's shown his majesty and glory at the bottom of the mountain by healing a boy who was horribly afflicted with demons. This display was so powerful that the Bible says (in verse 43):

And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God.

The whole crowd was just awe struck at Jesus' magnificent power and glory.

Surely, this is a mountain peak experience. Surely what you should do in a moment like this is give all your attention and worship to Christ.

But that is not what the disciples did. If you look at verse 46 you see something that makes no sense:

[!bible] Luke 9:46 - KJV 46. Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

Get this - When everyone was awe struck at Jesus' amazing glory and power - the disciples were focused on their own glory.

And Jesus took this opportunity to teach them a very important lesson about what it means to be truly great. Let's go ahead and read the whole text today, and we are going to learn two important lessons about true greatness today.

[!bible] Luke 9:46-50 - KJV 46. Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. 47. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, 48. And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. 49. And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

So Jesus is displaying his majesty and glory - and the disciples are over in the corner arguing about which one is the best.

I mean, imagine I was able to go the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and sit in the crowd while Micheal Phelps won an unprecedented 8 gold medals in a single Olympic games. And my kids ask me "Dad, that must of really been something, getting to see the greatest swimmer of all time do something no one will ever do again. Do you remember what you were doing?"

"Yes, I was arguing with your uncle about who could doggy paddle faster."

That's absurd isn't it - but that is exactly what the disciples were doing. They were witnesses the greatest display of glory that ever happened on this earth - and they were blind to it because they were arguing over which one of them - pathetic as they were in comparison - was greatest.

And we read it and it stinks. Doesn't it. Pride stinks. No one like someone who is proud. No one likes a braggard.

Pride stinks, but do you know what else pride does. It blinds. It's very easy to spot pride - in other people. It's almost impossible to see it in ourselves.

And so Jesus takes this opportunity to teach them about what it truly means to be great. He brings a little child next to him and tells the disciples that if they want to be great - they need to receive the little children.

And this is the first of two lessons Jesus teaches us hear about what it means to be great. The lesson is...

1. True greatness isn't associating with the big, but serving and loving the little.

When people want to be great - they often try to associate with great people. We show our importance by hob nobbing with the big wigs. With the important people.

Think about it. We see it everywhere.

• In Hollywood: Aspiring actors or producers are always trying to get into the "right" parties, meet the "right" directors, or get their picture taken with a major star. Why? Because proximity to fame and power is perceived as a pathway to their own success and significance.
• In business: Young professionals are told to "network up." Get a mentor who's high up the corporate ladder. Go to the conferences where the industry titans speak. Shake the hand of the CEO. The idea is that if you're seen with the important people, some of their importance will rub off on you.
• In politics: Campaign staff work tirelessly to get a photo op with a presidential candidate, or a senator, or a well-known political figure. Endorsements from powerful individuals are sought after because they lend credibility and influence. It's all about who you know, and who knows you among the elite.
• Even in everyday life: Sometimes we subtly drop names in conversation: "Oh, my friend, the doctor..." or "I was just talking to the superintendent the other day..." Why do we do that? To elevate ourselves, to signal that we have connections, that we're somehow more important because of whom we associate with.

This desire to "rub shoulders" with the great, to be seen in their company, is deeply ingrained in human nature. It's the world's definition of climbing the ladder.

And that's what the disciples were probably doing here. They, because of Christ's choice, got to rub shoulders with the Messiah - and Peter, James and John had just got to see Elijah and Moses. And so they were comparing themselves - trying to be great.

And of course, Jesus turned that right on its head. He went and grabbed a small child.

In Jesus day - children were seen as very unimportant and unimpressive people - and important people didn't spent time with children.

A rabbi of the day wrote this, which is typical of the attitudes of the day:

Morning sleep, mid-day wine, chattering with children and tarrying in places where men of the common people assemble, destroy a man.

So associating with children was seen as below most people.

Children were to be seen and not heard. They were to serve and not be served. If you were truly important, children could be taken care of by your servants. They were, in short, the least likely people to be chosen as a symbol of greatness.

But Jesus said, in direct defiance of every cultural norm and every human instinct for self-promotion, "If you want to be great - serve little children in my name."

Now, it's important that we not miss the main point here. Jesus was not saying that if you really want to be great - become a children's pastor or better yet - volunteer in the nursery. This isn't actually about children at all - it's' about pride.

Pride says "I want to be great, so I am going to associate with the great." But Jesus is saying "If you want to really be great, serve and love the little. Serve the lowly." That is where true greatness lies.

So, do you want to be great? Who is little that you can serve? Who can you serve and love that can give you nothing back?

• Maybe it is a bunch of snotty nose kids
• but maybe it's an older shut-in who everyone has forgotten about.
• Maybe it's a poor family who doesn't quite live up to expectations.
• Maybe it's the people who just got out of prison and is despised by others.

Jesus wanted these disciples - and us - to know that in God's economy - true greatness is found not in making a name for yourself, but in serving others for God's sake.

I know a man who for decades, has spent most of his Sundays driving around and bringing some of the most forgotten and lowly people to church. People with illnesses. People with mental issues. People the world stopped caring about.

That kind of thing might get no recognition here on this earth - but in God's eyes - that is true greatness.

And this leads us to the second lesson - but before I give that to you, we need to understand what happened next. At some point he apostle John comes to Jesus and has something he wants to get off his chest.

You see, there was a man they found who was casting out demons in Jesus name. This man, John said, had the audacity to do the job that God had sent the apostles to do. And so John told Jesus, (probably patting himself on the back), that he put an end to that - he forbad him to do that anymore.

And Jesus said "Forbid him not." Don't forbid him. Don't stop him. Because "he that is not against us is for us."

So here is a second lesson about what it means to be truly great. Not only do truly great people serve those who are little, the second lesson is:

2. Truly great people care more about the job getting done than who is getting the credit.

John had become protective. He wasn't protecting Jesus'. He was protecting his own job. His own importance. His own ego. He was protecting his own specialness. That is why he wanted to stop this man from casting out demons in Jesus' name.

John could have been focused on the fact that a demon was cast out, that Jesus' name was glorified, that the power of God was displayed. Instead, he was focused on his own importance.

And we can fall into the same trap can't we? We look at other people who share our mission as a threat to what is ours, instead of as fellow workers for our great Master.

But if you want to be truly great, you have to have the same attitude that John the Baptist had when Jesus started His ministry - He must increase, but I must decrease. You have to be willing to let other people do the work so that God can get the glory.

I'm going to be honest, sometimes I hear about what God is doing through other preachers or through other churches here in town - and my first reaction is to try to find something wrong with it. And I can justify that a million ways, but I'm afraid that if you peel it all back what's really there is just pride.

• Who cares who has the biggest church - so long as God is getting the glory?

• Who cares who is the best preacher - so long as people are hearing and understanding the scripture and having their lives changed by it?

This is a critical test of true greatness. Do we rejoice when the Kingdom advances, even if it's not through our hands, our programs, or our recognition? Or do we become territorial, resentful, or critical when God moves outside of our preferred channels?

That's how I'm tempted to this pride - but maybe the temptation is different for you.

• Maybe at work you are tempted to refuse to help a coworker who has a good idea because you care more about your own advancement than the advancement of the company. Perhaps you subtly undermine their efforts or take credit for their contributions, not because their idea is bad, but because it wasn't your idea, or because they might get recognized instead of you. True greatness in the workplace celebrates collective success, not just personal wins.

• Maybe God has blessed your children with some friends, mentors, or youth counselors who are having a profound, positive influence on them - and you find yourself jealous of their connection or influence. You might even subtly discourage your children from spending time with those people, or make dismissive comments about them, because your own ego wants to be the sole, primary influence. But true greatness in parenting rejoices when anyone pours into your child's life for good, even if that person isn't you.

• Perhaps you're a volunteer in a ministry here at church, and you see new people come in, full of energy and fresh ideas. Instead of welcoming them and empowering them, you find yourself resistant, protective of "how we've always done it," or even critical, because you feel your long-standing contribution is being overlooked or challenged. True greatness in service welcomes new hands and new ideas, knowing the work is bigger than any single person's role.

• Or maybe it's simpler: you're just not excited about the good news happening for someone else because you think you deserve it more. They got the promotion, the blessing, the answered prayer, and you're left wondering, "Why not me?" This kind of comparison is a subtle form of pride that blinds us to God's generosity and the joy of others.

The core issue is always the same: do we truly care more about God's glory and the advancement of His Kingdom than we do about our own recognition, control, or personal validation? Which is another way of saying this: the core issue is pride. It is always pride.

In one of the commentaries I was reading this week - Kent Hughes made this powerful observation about dogs and cats:

There is a huge difference between dogs and cats: When you show love to a dog, when you pat its head and give it attention - the dog looks up to you with admiration and thinks "My master must be God."

But it's not so with cats. When you pat a cat, feed a cat, and give a cat your attention the cat looks up and you and thinks "My human is taking such good care of me. I must be God."

Now what about you? God is good to you. God gives you His salvation. God provides for you. God blesses you in countless ways.

Do you look up at Him with worship and think, "You must be God"? Or, unfortunately, do too many of us have the cat in us, responding to God's goodness not with humble adoration, but with pride – which is another way of saying, "I must be god"?

This is the very essence of pride: taking the glory that belongs to God and redirecting it to ourselves. It's looking at all that He has done, and instead of being amazed by Him, we get caught up in our own importance, our own efforts, our own perceived greatness.

You know, there are some sins I can preach on that you might not struggle with. But every human struggles with pride. Every one of you and certainly me - we have to check our pride.

Imagine going to the rockies, standing before that grandeur, and taking pictures of yourself. Our pride is just as foolish - and one of the things our worship should do is to take our eyes off of us - and put it on Jesus.

So, what does this mean for us today? How do we put these lessons into practice? Let me close this message today by suggesting some things you can do with this:

1. Humbly Serve the "Little." Look for opportunities to serve those who are overlooked, those who can't repay you, those whom the world deems insignificant. Find that "child" in your life – not literally always a small person, but anyone the world dismisses. When you serve them in Jesus' name, you are serving Christ Himself, and that is true greatness.

2. Actively Rejoice in God's Work, Regardless of Credit. Let go of your need for recognition and control. When God moves, when His Kingdom advances, when lives are changed, celebrate it! Whether it's through your hands, this church's ministries, or another church across town, rejoice! Take on the spirit of John the Baptist: "He must increase, but I must decrease."

3. Keep Your Eyes Fixed on Christ. Our pride makes us self-focused, but worship redirects our gaze. The more we behold Jesus' glory, His humility, His sacrifice, and His boundless love, the less room there is for our own ego. Spend time in His Word, in prayer, and in fellowship, letting His greatness eclipse your desire for your own.

4. Humbly Accept God's Gift of Salvation. Perhaps for some of you, the greatest act of humility you can perform today is to simply acknowledge your need for a Savior. Pride keeps us from admitting our brokenness, our sin, and our inability to earn God's favor. But true greatness in God's eyes begins when we surrender our pride and humbly receive the free gift of salvation offered through Jesus Christ. If you've never done that, if you've been trying to be "good enough" or "great enough" on your own, today is the day to lay down that burden of pride and accept His grace.

Friends, the world offers a tempting, yet ultimately empty, definition of greatness. Jesus offers a path to true, eternal greatness that is found in humble service and selfless devotion to His Kingdom. Let's choose His path today.