Who is the Greatest?

Short Talk (SHT120a) Who is the greatest? © Jane Hulme 2018 Aim of Short talk: Use of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Lectionary: Props: To challenge people with the truth that Jesus’ way of defining greatness is completely different from the world’s way of defining greatness. This is a short All Age talk picking out one issue from the Lectionary Gospel reading of the Sunday main service. The talk stands alone and assumes that the Gospel Bible reading may not yet have been read to the congregation. It could be used for example, for the whole congregation before the children go out to their age specific groups, leaving the adults with a full sermon later. Greatness, Service Mark 10:35-45 Year B – The 20th Sunday after Trinity 4 pieces of A4 card with the following words written on them: 1) POWER 2) WEALTH 3) FAME 4) PERSONALACHIEVEMENT One long piece of paper, that can be held by 4 people, with the SHORT TALK: “Who is the greatest?” word SERVE written on it. .................................................................................................................. Today we are going to work out which people in our world are the greatest, so I need four volunteers to come and help me please. (Receive 4 volunteers and stand them in a line at the front of the church facing the congregation) In order to work out which people are the greatest we are going to use the world’s scale of greatness. This scale says that people are great if they have: 1) Power – in other words being able to tell lots of other people what to do. (Give card with the word “Power” on it to volunteer 1 to hold up) 2) Wealth – in other words having lots of money and possessions. (Give card with the word “Wealth” on it to volunteer 2 to hold up) 3) Fame – in other words having lots of people who recognise them, (Give card with the word “Fame” on it to volunteer 3 to hold up) and 4) Personal Achievement - in other words having done something better than someone else. (Give card with the words “Personal Achievement” on it to volunteer 4 to hold up) So using this scale of greatness (Point at the words) who is the greatest between? a) TheForeignSecretaryor b) An Aid Worker in Syria (Receive answers) Most of you would probably say that on the world’s scale of greatness the Foreign Secretary is the greatest because they have massive power. 2 © Jane Hulme 2018 On the world’s scale of greatness, who is the greatest between? a) A Celebrity who has 2 million likes on their Instagram account or b) Apersonwhoservesinasoupkitchen Most of you would probably say that on the world’s scale of greatness the celebrity with the 2 million likes is the greatest because they are really famous. And finally using the world’s scale of greatness, who is the greatest between? a) The richest man on earth or b) Ahomelesspersonwhoshareshalfasandwichtheyhavebeengivenwithanother homeless person. On the world’s scale of greatness we would have to say the richest man on earth. But Jesus has a completely different scale of measuring greatness. • His scale doesn’t say that people are great if they have Power, Wealth, Fame or Personal achievement. • Listen to what Jesus said: “Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.” (Mark 10:43) When we serve someone else we are not lording it over them and bossing them around. • Power is turned upside down. (Volunteer 1 turns “power” card upside down) When we serve someone else we are looking to give to them; of our time or of our money and it costs us. • Wealth is turned upside down. (Volunteer 2 turns “wealth” card upside down) When we serve someone else we are not thinking about ourselves and how great we are, but we are putting the other person first. • Fame is turned upside down. (Volunteer 3 turns “fame” card upside down) When we serve someone else we act out of compassion; doing things that will make a difference to them. • Personal achievement is turned upside down. (Volunteer 4 turns “personal achievement” card upside down) God’s Kingdom turns the world’s standards of greatness upside down! • You see the standard of greatness in God’s Kingdom is the standard of the cross where Jesus served to the ultimate; • giving up everything, even His life, so that we might be brought into God’s family. So if we want to become great we need to learn to serve (Volunteers put down their cards. Unroll paper with the word “Serve” on it and get your 4 volunteers to hold it between them) This week who do you think you could serve? What could you do for that person? PAUSE • Do it and you will find that you are walking on Jesus’ path to true greatness. © Jane Hulme 2018 3