Who is the greatest?

Do you follow sports? Who do you think was the greatest athlete of all time? We see records broken in professional sports. Some athletes are achieving feats that may never be matched. However, most records are broken at some point. Many Missourians were happy to see the Kansas City Chiefs become Super Bowl champions for the second time in four years. However, the quest for the top spot will begin all over again next season.

Have you ever ranked yourself? Do you think you are the best in your field, or do you have feelings of failure and disappointment? Have you thought about how you stand on a spiritual level? Most people think they are going to Heaven if they are better than others.

During Jesus' ministry, the 12 Disciples asked Jesus who the greatest would be in his kingdom. There is an incident where James' and John's mother asked Jesus to give her sons a place on his right and left hand in his kingdom. The Disciples knew that Peter, James and John were present with Jesus during his transfiguration. It was Peter who first proclaimed, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matthew 16:16. They wondered how people would be ranked in Jesus' kingdom.

The disciples were not prepared for the answer that Jesus gave. In Matthew 18, we read that Jesus took a small child and told them that unless you become like a little child, you would not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Children were not valued in that society. However, Jesus regularly welcomed the children and was kind to them. Do we value children as a society? We must not ignore abortion and human trafficking as we consider the question.

Jesus gives a severe warning to anyone who would harm a child. He says, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away -- it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the sea." Matthew 18:6 CSB.

The reality is that there are people who want to interfere with childlike innocence and faith. Sadly, we have people who have agendas who are usurping the authority of parents in order to influence children to rebel against biblical values and to live lives that the Bible condemns.

We are blessed in this community to have many public school officials who want more parental involvement. The teachers I know appreciate opportunities to meet with parents and guardians during parent/teacher conferences. When parents become involved grades and behavior improve drastically.

Jesus continues to warn, "Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses will inevitably come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes." We must take seriously our roles as parents, guardians and educators. As a pastor, I must ask myself if my messages are leading our people, especially the children, in the path of righteousness. The Bible says teachers are under a stricter judgment because of this responsibility.

There are many people who use their influence to discourage people of faith. I thought it was interesting to watch the "He Gets Us" ad campaign during the Super Bowl. Both commercials made good points. We must be careful to conform our lives to biblical standards set forth by Jesus. The temptation is to say because I am feeling a certain way, Jesus felt that way too. While he understands the human condition, the Bible is clear that he is without sin.

Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He willingly died on the cross. Even though his arrest, beating and trials were unjust, his death was to fulfill righteousness. Jesus endured the wrath of God the Father against sin. 1 Corinthians 5:21 puts it this way, "He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Jesus took our sin and gave us his righteousness. We can be forgiven of sin and spend eternity in heaven because of Jesus. He was, is and always will be the greatest.