
Running on Empty
From Hope Downtown Minneapolis Sermons by Hope Community Church
April 19, 2026 · 39 min
About this episode
This episode explores the concept of greatness as redefined by Jesus in Mark 9, emphasizing love, service, and humility over ambition.
We all want to be great. Whether we admit it or not, there’s something in us that wants to rise above, to be seen, to matter. In Mark 9, the disciples finally say it out loud: “Who is the greatest?” Instead of shutting the question down, Jesus redefines it. In this message, we’ll see how our pursuit of greatness gets hijacked, why it ultimately leaves us empty, and how Jesus reveals a better way: not through climbing higher, but through descending in love, service, and ultimately the cross. Series: The Gospel of Mark Speaker: Davis Johnson Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Downtown, visit hopecc.com/downtown .
People in this episode
Host: Davis Johnson
Topics covered
- greatness
- humility
- service
- Christianity
- Mark 9
- Jesus' teachings
Keywords
- greatness
- humility
- service
- Mark 9
- Jesus
- Christian teachings
- Gospel of Mark
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Gospel of Mark
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- What if I'm Wrong About Everything? · March 29, 2026 · 43 min
- Finally, you are starting to see! · March 22, 2026 · 40 min
- Sigh No More · March 8, 2026 · 45 min
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