Being a Christian is so weird. We do so many things differently than other people. We have bumper stickers about sin and salvation. We decorate our houses with crosses. We use some of our precious free time to do things like go to church or pray. We do a lot of things differently than the world does.

       This can be difficult at times. Peer pressure is a thing for people of all ages, not just kids. It’s less vocal when it’s with adults, but underlying a lot of what is said and done around us is the pressure to conform, to be, think, and behave like everyone else. That’s why what Jesus says next is hard to fathom, even for Christians. It’s so weird. Mark 9:33-35, “33 After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” 34 But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

       Jesus’ own disciples were having a “discussion” about who was the most important in the group. Peter said, “I’m clearly Jesus’ right hand man because I walked on water.” John says, “There’s no way you’re second to Jesus when I’m the one he loves!” Arguing about who gets to call the shots, about whose opinion matters the most, about who was most important. Jesus’ own disciples fell prey to this version of greatness that the world has. The world says the great ones are the ones who are in charge, listened to, and served.

       But Jesus says that’s not how it works in my kingdom. Here, the great ones are those who serve, who are last, who sacrifice their way for the way of others. This is so weird. The world doesn’t do that. The world is grossed out by service. But here, we celebrate it. We lift it up. We follow Jesus and say, “Those who serve are the great ones!”

       Thank you for serving this weekend. Thank you for contributing to our church. Thank you. You are weird. But we like that here. We think you’re the great ones for serving when you could be doing something else. Thank you for being weird and great and everything that you are in the service of Jesus!