I spent considerable time this week pondering the meaning of the gospel that we just heard. I was more concerned about the second half of the reading - the portion that deals with the disciples rather heated discussion about who among them was greatest and with Jesus' response to their bickering and arguing: "Whoever wants to first must be last of all and servant of all."

I found myself making a common mistake because it is a comfortable mistake, the kind of mistake that in the long run lets us off God's hook. The text seemed to say to me, as it as to millions before me, that I should be beware of personal ambition, that I should not seek to put myself first, that true greatness lies not in self promotion, but in self-denial.

It said to me that greatness is not measured by the power and influence we obtain over other people, but by how we serve others. In fact the meaning of the passage was so clear that I planned on sharing with you all this morning. That we should all strive for greatness in our own lives by striving to love and serve others to the very best of our ability.

September 2002- June 2003 I took a pastoral counselling course, an adult education at the Montreal Pastoral Institute. There were five students ….. Rev. captain of the Salvation Army, very learned Jewish Rabbi, educated, and well read an Anglican, ex-catholic now an atheist, and myself a Lutheran pastor. The “Perking order” begun as we got acquainted and comfortable with one another.

Christ's greatness, and glory came to him not by his seeking to be first among all people, but by his self-giving upon the cross. I think you will all agree that this is a good understanding of Jesus' words about what we should do if we want to be "the greatest among us"

Recall with me what happened next. It goes like this: "And then Jesus took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me, but the one who sent me."

Why, I wondered, did Jesus associate the act of receiving a little child in his name with being first in God's eyes? With being greatest? After all - children are wonderful are they not? We love them and care for them. Politicians win votes by hugging and kissing babies at various public events.

The more I thought about - the more I wondered - just what was going on that day in Palestine when Jesus spoke to his disciples about greatness and then used a child as an example of what it means to be great in the kingdom of God - as an example of what it means to welcome him.

We all know that Jesus normally turns things upside down when he speaks to people. He returns questions instead of answers to other people's inquires. He tells stories instead of giving the straight goods to people who try to pin him down. And above all - he defies conventional wisdom about how the world operates and suggests that we need to do things that are the exact opposite. ......