Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Ministry,” pp. 426–431;“Who Is the Greatest?” pp. 432–442, in The Desire of Ages.“Before honor is humility. To fill a high place before men, Heavenchooses the worker who, like John the Baptist, takes a lowly placebefore God. The most childlike disciple is the most efficient in labor forGod. The heavenly intelligences can co-operate with him who is seeking, not to exalt self, but to save souls.”—Ellen G. White, The Desireof Ages, p. 436.“By all that has given us advantage over another,—be it educationand refinement, nobility of character, Christian training, religiousexperience,—we are in debt to those less favored; and, so far as liesin our power, we are to minister unto them. If we are strong, we are tostay up the hands of the weak. Angels of glory, that do always beholdthe face of the Father in heaven, joy in ministering to His little ones.Trembling souls, who have many objectionable traits of character,are their special charge. Angels are ever present where they are mostneeded, with those who have the hardest battle with self to fight, andwhose surroundings are the most discouraging. And in this ministryChrist’s true followers will co-operate.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 440.Discussion Questions:Ê Read again Mark 8:27–29. How often do you confess to othersyour belief in Jesus as the Christ?Ë What is the right balance between the mountaintop experienceof communion with Christ and the down-on-the-plain experienceof service to others’ needs?Ì In class, discuss the answer to the question about greatnessat the end of Wednesday’s study. What did you determine is thedifference between how the world views greatness and how Goddoes? Who are some of the people the world deems great that perhaps God doesn’t? In contrast, whom might God deem great thatthe world ignores or even disdains? What does this difference tellus about how warped and twisted the world’s ideals really are?Í How can we learn to take sin so seriously that, as Jesus said,you’re better off to be maimed than to sin?