33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”38 Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
Mark 9:33-41
Q & A：
- Have you been storing up heavenly rewards by serving God or have you been accumulating or too preoccupied by perishable or temporal rewards? Explain what it means to you with the scripture that “each will receive his own reward according to his own labor”? (Mark 9:33-34; Matt 10:40-42; 1 Cor 3:8-9)
- Discuss what may be the wrong motives for serving God as each man’s work will be revealed and tested by fire and what is your understanding for the Day of Judgment. Explain what servant leadership in church means and how can one be the greatest in the kingdom of God. (1 Cor 3:13-15; 2 Cor 5:10; Mark 9:33-35)