WEBVTT 00:00:04.607 --> 00:00:09.474 The following resource is brought to you by Real Life Community Church in Richmond, Kentucky. 00:00:09.474 --> 00:00:14.470 We hope you're both challenged and encouraged by this message from Pastor Chris May. 00:00:16.481 --> 00:00:19.428 Matthew, chapter 20, beginning in verse 17. 00:00:19.428 --> 00:00:45.265 And Jesus was going to Jerusalem and he took the twelve disciples aside and on the way he said to them See, we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of man will be delivered over to the chief priest and scribes and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day. 00:00:45.265 --> 00:00:54.627 And then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to Him with her sons and, dealing before Him, she asked Him for something. 00:00:54.627 --> 00:00:56.865 She said to her what do you want? 00:00:56.865 --> 00:01:05.867 And she said to Him Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left in the kingdom. 00:01:05.867 --> 00:01:10.150 And Jesus answered you do not know what you are asking. 00:01:10.150 --> 00:01:14.308 Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink? 00:01:14.308 --> 00:01:18.146 And they said to Him we are able. 00:01:18.146 --> 00:01:29.432 And he said to them you will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father. 00:01:29.432 --> 00:01:47.311 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers, but Jesus called them to Himself and he said you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and their great ones exercise authority over them. 00:01:47.311 --> 00:02:06.132 It shall not be so among you, but whoever would be great among you, you must be great, you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:02:06.132 --> 00:02:18.662 It's the word of the Lord and you can be seated Well. 00:02:18.722 --> 00:02:22.132 Last night, Nikki and I just returned from Asheville, North Carolina. 00:02:22.132 --> 00:02:23.786 We took a little mini trip. 00:02:23.786 --> 00:02:31.772 One of the highlights lights of our trip was touring the beautiful and magnificent Biltmore estate. 00:02:31.772 --> 00:02:35.765 Who's been to the Biltmore and if you haven't been, you need to go. 00:02:35.765 --> 00:02:47.854 So in 1889, George Vanderbilt commissioned the building of this 250 room mansion. 00:02:47.854 --> 00:02:48.980 Listen to this. 00:02:48.980 --> 00:02:57.778 It has almost four acres of not land floor space, living space. 00:02:57.778 --> 00:02:59.443 Four acres of living space. 00:02:59.443 --> 00:03:01.550 I figured it up. 00:03:01.550 --> 00:03:04.185 You could fit well over a hundred houses of. 00:03:04.185 --> 00:03:06.229 My house is in the Biltmore. 00:03:06.229 --> 00:03:30.252 It's massive, and so we got to tour this beautiful estate and it's just full of exquisite art and it even had this is what I mean built it in late night in the late 19th 1800s, has an indoor swimming pool, Unbelievable and beautiful tapestries all over and, my favorite, a two story library. 00:03:30.252 --> 00:03:34.828 Deena the librarian, would you like that in your home? 00:03:34.828 --> 00:03:36.485 Two story library? 00:03:36.485 --> 00:03:39.508 I mean, I was just blown away. 00:03:39.508 --> 00:03:40.623 It's unbelievable. 00:03:40.623 --> 00:03:47.330 So George Vanderbilt he was a multi-millionaire and today he would be worth billions. 00:03:47.330 --> 00:03:56.306 And he built this mansion that to this day listen, it's the still the largest privately owned estate in the US. 00:03:56.306 --> 00:03:59.504 He spoke eight languages. 00:03:59.504 --> 00:04:10.413 He was said to be one of the most well read men in the US at that time, so that tells me we ought to maybe turn off Netflix and consider, every once in a while, opening a book. 00:04:10.413 --> 00:04:11.802 Come on, somebody. 00:04:13.060 --> 00:04:16.367 He built and funded an entire church. 00:04:16.367 --> 00:04:18.500 What is it All? 00:04:18.500 --> 00:04:19.562 Souls Cathedral Church. 00:04:19.562 --> 00:04:21.307 He paid for it, he built it. 00:04:21.307 --> 00:04:23.264 It was adjacent to his property. 00:04:23.264 --> 00:04:27.048 I need somebody like this in this church because we need a new building. 00:04:27.048 --> 00:04:35.552 I just I was dreaming as I, as I read this, I was like man, just imagine somebody showing up this morning and said, hey, I got some property out here. 00:04:35.552 --> 00:04:39.420 We want to build you a new church where you can grow a little bit more, have more parking and, by the way. 00:04:39.420 --> 00:04:43.791 I paid for it and I'm going to fund the complete building project. 00:04:43.791 --> 00:04:44.120 How many? 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:45.386 Would that be all right with some of you? 00:04:45.386 --> 00:04:49.326 Come on, let's, let's just pray that way. 00:04:49.326 --> 00:04:50.002 How about that? 00:04:51.439 --> 00:05:05.564 Between the ages of 12 and 51, Vanderbilt read Listen to this, these are all recorded in his journal 3159 books Throughout his life, George. 00:05:05.564 --> 00:05:14.170 He chose to be to share his wealth with, with the poor and and start kind of these literacy initiatives. 00:05:14.170 --> 00:05:15.925 So he helped out a lot of people. 00:05:15.925 --> 00:05:20.870 I didn't read about any controversy or anything like that, but he was very charitable. 00:05:20.870 --> 00:05:32.283 And all of that to say that Vanderbilt achieved a monumental amount of success and his success in this lifetime. 00:05:32.283 --> 00:05:38.428 He could be seen as one of the greatest and most accomplished man of his day. 00:05:38.428 --> 00:05:50.112 Today, about 1.4 million people every year visit his home and celebrate his legacy. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:06:03.612 You know, I was thinking about Vanderbilt and all the great things he accomplished, and I thought you know what I think in every one of us, or most of us at least, is this desire to be great. 00:06:03.612 --> 00:06:07.524 Does that, does that resonate with you, this desire to be great? 00:06:07.524 --> 00:06:15.632 We all want to leave our mark on this world, so to speak, and I would say this I was thinking about that. 00:06:15.632 --> 00:06:16.802 I was thinking, you know, is that? 00:06:16.802 --> 00:06:18.990 Is that a bad thing or an unspiritual thing? 00:06:18.990 --> 00:06:20.103 I really don't think it is. 00:06:20.103 --> 00:06:22.802 I think God is his. 00:06:22.802 --> 00:06:31.149 Put this desire in us to be great, and we are not the first generation to want to be great. 00:06:31.149 --> 00:06:43.892 By the way, In the text starting in verse Matthew 18, this section that we are in in the book of Matthew, we have seen that disciples being really concerned about their greatness in the kingdom. 00:06:45.021 --> 00:06:52.146 As a matter of fact, chapter 18 begins with the disciples arguing about which one of them, which one of the 12, are going to be the greatest. 00:06:52.146 --> 00:06:52.949 They come to Jesus. 00:06:52.949 --> 00:06:54.906 They say pretty much who is your favorite? 00:06:54.906 --> 00:06:56.944 John never got over this. 00:06:56.944 --> 00:06:57.360 You know. 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:02.682 He wrote the gospel of John and in it he refers to himself as the disciple Jesus loved. 00:07:02.682 --> 00:07:08.252 You know, like, like, they all wanted to be the best, the greatest, the favorite. 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:16.632 And in today's text we find the disciples again wanting to have positions of greatness. 00:07:16.632 --> 00:07:27.848 You have these two disciples, the sons of Zebedee, which who are James and John, and they want to sit in God's kingdom, one on the right and one on the left. 00:07:27.848 --> 00:07:35.305 And when the other 10 disciples hear this, they're indignant, and not because like, oh, how could you do such a thing? 00:07:35.305 --> 00:07:38.365 They're indignant because they want the positions too. 00:07:38.365 --> 00:07:50.642 And so there's this, there's this desire amongst the 12 disciples to have these positions of greatness Jesus challenged. 00:07:50.642 --> 00:08:00.189 He doesn't, he doesn't flat out say, don't, desire to be great, but what he does is he challenges their perception of what greatness is. 00:08:00.189 --> 00:08:05.528 They see greatness as position and prestige. 00:08:05.528 --> 00:08:10.889 That's not how the kingdom and Jesus Christ sees greatness. 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:26.166 And so what I want to do through this text today is is point out kind of contrast, the differences between what we might call greatness in the world or worldly greatness, and greatness in the kingdom of God. 00:08:26.166 --> 00:08:27.644 Are you with me? 00:08:27.644 --> 00:08:38.773 So there's a way that the world sees greatness and success, but then Jesus, who has inaugurated this, perhaps we could call it an upside down kingdom. 00:08:38.773 --> 00:08:51.513 It's culturally very different, morally very different from the kingdom of this world, and that kingdom, in that kingdom, greatness is completely different than greatness in this world. 00:08:51.513 --> 00:08:57.171 So so I would say to you today pursue greatness, but the right kind of greatness. 00:08:57.171 --> 00:08:58.501 Pursue kingdom greatness. 00:08:58.501 --> 00:08:59.667 Are you with me? 00:08:59.667 --> 00:09:01.325 So let's dive in. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:10.547 So I want to begin by looking at the measure of greatness the measure of greatness in the world and the measure of greatness in the kingdom. 00:09:10.547 --> 00:09:16.070 So in this world, I was thinking how do we measure greatness? 00:09:16.070 --> 00:09:22.327 Well, one way greatness is measured is by being the goat. 00:09:22.327 --> 00:09:28.020 Some of you are looking, some of you, older folks, are like what in the world? 00:09:28.020 --> 00:09:30.638 A young person helped me out. 00:09:30.638 --> 00:09:34.240 What does, what does it mean to be the goat Greatest of all time? 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:35.024 Greatest of all time? 00:09:35.024 --> 00:09:35.346 Right? 00:09:35.346 --> 00:09:36.110 So we have athletes. 00:09:36.110 --> 00:09:41.042 There's this debate who's better, LeBron or Michael Jordan? 00:09:41.042 --> 00:09:46.488 Neither, Neither, Okay, fair enough, Fair enough. 00:09:46.488 --> 00:09:51.421 And so there's always this desire who's the best quarterback? 00:09:51.421 --> 00:09:55.821 I'm going to count the three and I want you to yell out who is the greatest quarterback of all time? 00:09:55.821 --> 00:10:02.807 One, two, three, oh, who, who? 00:10:02.807 --> 00:10:04.070 Who yelled that out? 00:10:04.070 --> 00:10:08.900 Peyton Manning, All right, I guess you get the win. 00:10:08.900 --> 00:10:14.640 You were the loudest, but there's this desire to be the greatest of all time. 00:10:14.640 --> 00:10:27.803 And here's what's interesting If you go back again to chapter 18 and Matthew, verse one, it says that the disciples came to Jesus saying who is the greatest in the kingdom of God? 00:10:27.803 --> 00:10:37.995 In Hebrew or in Greek or Aramaic, here's what they asked Jesus who's the goat, who's the goat? 00:10:37.995 --> 00:10:41.903 They're not notice what they don't ask. 00:10:41.903 --> 00:10:44.110 They don't say Jesus, how can we become great in the kingdom. 00:10:44.110 --> 00:10:49.698 Who's the greatest Now? 00:10:49.940 --> 00:10:52.945 How many of you grew up with siblings kind of close to your age? 00:10:52.945 --> 00:10:56.817 How many of you all remember sibling rivalries? 00:10:56.817 --> 00:10:59.923 How many of you still are in sibling rivalries? 00:10:59.923 --> 00:11:08.110 See, you didn't just want your parents to love you, you wanted them to love you more than your brother or sister. 00:11:08.110 --> 00:11:09.894 Come on somebody. 00:11:09.894 --> 00:11:16.517 How many of you are just the favorite Parents say I don't have a favorite. 00:11:16.517 --> 00:11:21.070 Come on, yes, you do, Because one of your kids is crazy. 00:11:21.070 --> 00:11:23.984 If you have more than one, at least one of them is crazy. 00:11:23.984 --> 00:11:25.090 You're like both of them are crazy. 00:11:25.090 --> 00:11:26.832 So I love them the same. 00:11:26.832 --> 00:11:36.942 But no, you have these sibling rivalries and it's like man, which one of us can be the greatest, which is the greatest athlete, which gets the best grades? 00:11:36.942 --> 00:11:39.049 And it just goes on and on. 00:11:39.049 --> 00:11:41.777 Who has the prettier girlfriend or boyfriend? 00:11:41.777 --> 00:11:43.120 And on and on and on. 00:11:44.730 --> 00:11:56.938 And so we have this desire, and I think this perhaps is when this desire for greatness becomes maybe sinful, is when we just want to be better than everybody else. 00:11:56.938 --> 00:12:05.364 Now there are times where I don't think that's a bad thing, with, like last night, EKU played Kentucky and man, they hung. 00:12:05.364 --> 00:12:06.571 What was it? 00:12:06.571 --> 00:12:07.873 27 to 17? 00:12:07.873 --> 00:12:12.340 Jeremy's not here this morning, is he Jeremy? 00:12:12.340 --> 00:12:13.341 You know we have in our church. 00:12:13.341 --> 00:12:15.831 He's the punter and man. 00:12:15.831 --> 00:12:16.552 He did great. 00:12:16.552 --> 00:12:17.754 What do you do for punts? 00:12:17.754 --> 00:12:23.163 He started last night and, yeah, just unbelievable, tied at half time. 00:12:24.190 --> 00:12:25.658 And you know, in sports it's not. 00:12:25.658 --> 00:12:28.110 You know, I don't think we have to take what I'm saying into the sports world. 00:12:28.110 --> 00:12:34.380 It's like, you know, UK gets ahead by a touchdown and it's like here, you all, it's your turn. 00:12:34.380 --> 00:12:35.663 We don't want to be the greatest. 00:12:35.663 --> 00:12:38.421 You know, give it over to EKU or whatever Like. 00:12:38.421 --> 00:12:40.110 So we don't want to take this too far. 00:12:40.971 --> 00:12:45.903 But generally I'm talking about our competitive spirit, where we want to be likes more. 00:12:45.903 --> 00:12:53.342 We want to be seen as greater than somebody else, because that is how the world measures success and greatness. 00:12:53.342 --> 00:12:57.836 It's also measured in the world by being known. 00:12:57.836 --> 00:13:00.702 We want to be seen right. 00:13:00.702 --> 00:13:10.403 I'm great when I know I've reached this level of greatness, when people know me, when I walk around town and people call me by name. 00:13:10.403 --> 00:13:13.014 See people in the world. 00:13:13.014 --> 00:13:14.376 You know what they're worried about. 00:13:14.376 --> 00:13:18.004 They want to make their name great. 00:13:18.004 --> 00:13:21.695 They want greatness associated with their name. 00:13:21.695 --> 00:13:27.423 It's about being listed in the Hall of Fame or winning the Nobel Peace Prize. 00:13:27.423 --> 00:13:37.731 It's about applause and accolades in hearing oh, you are great, you know that you've arrived. 00:13:37.731 --> 00:13:44.982 When your bio appears on Wikipedia, Some of you look confused. 00:13:45.023 --> 00:13:58.245 Again, Worldly greatness is measured by our name being known, and then it's measured by power and influence, and you could say money as well. 00:13:58.245 --> 00:14:04.697 We look at people who are in power and you can think, yeah, President, Governor. 00:14:04.697 --> 00:14:15.553 But then you can think, even on a smaller level the CEO of your organization, your manager, this is why people want to climb the corporate ladder. 00:14:15.553 --> 00:14:21.023 I mean, sometimes it's because they want to make a company better, but a lot of times it's money and power. 00:14:21.023 --> 00:14:23.573 Am I preaching this morning? 00:14:23.573 --> 00:14:25.097 Money and power. 00:14:26.510 --> 00:14:45.524 And so in verses 20 and 21, it says this the mothers of the son of Zebedee again James and John came up to Jesus with their sons and kneeling here's what she asked Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom. 00:14:45.524 --> 00:14:51.022 Jesus has come and he has inaugurated the kingdom of God. 00:14:51.022 --> 00:14:58.744 When we talk about the kingdom, we're talking about God's rule in rain, and there are two kingdoms in this world kind of growing together. 00:14:58.744 --> 00:15:09.620 You have the kingdom of the devil or the kingdom of the world or the kingdom of darkness, and you have many people, the majority of people, who are part of that kingdom. 00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:22.110 But then Jesus has inaugurated this kingdom of God upon the earth where he reigns as king, and you and I, if we are in the Lord Jesus Christ, he brings us by grace, through faith. 00:15:22.110 --> 00:15:27.721 He brings us out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light. 00:15:27.721 --> 00:15:32.841 He brings us out of the kingdom of death and into the kingdom of life. 00:15:32.841 --> 00:15:39.602 He brings us out of the kingdom of the devil and into the kingdom of God. 00:15:39.602 --> 00:15:50.639 And so the kingdom right now you've heard me say this, if you've been here any time, you've heard me say it over and over the kingdom of God is already, but not yet. 00:15:52.052 --> 00:15:57.110 The kingdom of God has been inaugurated through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. 00:15:57.110 --> 00:15:59.615 You and I are part of the kingdom now. 00:15:59.615 --> 00:16:02.461 We're part of the family of God now. 00:16:02.461 --> 00:16:05.457 Do you believe that You're quiet this morning? 00:16:05.457 --> 00:16:27.110 We're part of the kingdom of God now, but we still have to wrestle with some things in this world, Because there's still a devil who goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he made a vow, and we have many wicked people and we have much wickedness and evil that's just pervasive in our world. 00:16:27.110 --> 00:16:32.081 So we're having to deal with these two kingdoms together. 00:16:32.081 --> 00:16:35.740 But how many know that Jesus is coming again? 00:16:35.740 --> 00:16:53.943 And when he does, he will consummate his kingdom and his rule will be established on this earth completely and totally, and the wickedness will one day be completely taken care of, abolished. 00:16:53.943 --> 00:16:56.577 It will completely dissipate. 00:16:56.577 --> 00:17:05.042 Can you imagine this world, the new earth, not tainted by sin and evil? 00:17:05.042 --> 00:17:13.478 Can you imagine Satan fully and wholly and totally being bound Never to mess with us again? 00:17:13.478 --> 00:17:17.038 Can you imagine that world with no more sickness and no more pain? 00:17:17.038 --> 00:17:30.259 And so God is creating, he's going to renew the earth and we will all be raised bodily one day and we will dwell in the new heavens and the new earth. 00:17:30.259 --> 00:17:32.494 It's going to be a beautiful place. 00:17:33.109 --> 00:17:43.038 Well, the disciples want to rule in that kingdom, and James and John, their mother. 00:17:43.038 --> 00:17:53.002 She wants to know which of these two disciples, which of these sons, will sit on your left and which one on your right. 00:17:53.002 --> 00:18:02.082 And in the ancient world, sitting on the left or the right of a king, it was a position of great power and authority. 00:18:02.082 --> 00:18:04.596 You remember when Jesus ascended? 00:18:04.596 --> 00:18:10.417 Where does the Bible say that he is Sitting at the right hand of the Father. 00:18:10.417 --> 00:18:16.231 That's the place, that's the position, the seat of greatest authority. 00:18:16.231 --> 00:18:28.313 And so what the disciples are asking is hey, when Jesus comes and he consummates his kingdom, and he's on the throne and the kingdom is fully come, would it be okay? 00:18:28.313 --> 00:18:34.104 I mean, we've given up a lot and John's like I'm your favorite, Jesus, I know I'm your favorite, I'm the one you've loved. 00:18:34.104 --> 00:18:37.105 Can we sit on your right and left? 00:18:37.105 --> 00:18:43.313 The disciples are worried about position, because that's the way the world thinks. 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:44.986 But what about the kingdom? 00:18:44.986 --> 00:18:50.852 How is greatness measured in the kingdom of God? 00:18:50.852 --> 00:18:55.630 Well, it's not about being the goat the greatest of all time. 00:18:55.630 --> 00:18:57.864 It's actually about humility. 00:18:57.864 --> 00:19:01.384 Jesus says in Matthew 2026,. 00:19:01.384 --> 00:19:07.619 He says whoever would be great among you must be your servant. 00:19:07.619 --> 00:19:16.248 It's not the one at the top of the corporate ladder, it's the one at the bottom who's willing to do the job of a servant. 00:19:16.248 --> 00:19:22.348 We've seen this before in chapter 20, verse 16. 00:19:22.348 --> 00:19:25.147 Jesus says the last will be first, the first last. 00:19:25.147 --> 00:19:30.631 In Matthew 19, verse 30, many who are first will be last and the last first. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:39.122 So white Moody said these words the beginning of greatness is to be little, not to not one word, be little. 00:19:39.122 --> 00:19:51.551 But the beginning of greatness, let's say, is to be small, the increase of greatness is to be less and the perfection of greatness is to be nothing. 00:19:51.551 --> 00:19:54.064 Can I read that one more time? 00:19:54.064 --> 00:20:04.212 The beginning of greatness is to be little, the increase of greatness is to be less and the perfection of greatness is to be nothing. 00:20:04.212 --> 00:20:07.709 It's to say I've been crucified with Christ. 00:20:07.709 --> 00:20:13.943 It's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me In greatness in the kingdom. 00:20:13.943 --> 00:20:20.705 It's not about making much of our name, but it's about making much of the name of Jesus Christ. 00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:34.502 In Matthew 1929, part of the same section, Jesus says everyone who has left house, houses or brothers or sisters, or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake Did you get that? 00:20:34.502 --> 00:20:41.009 For my name's sake, He'll receive a hundred fold and will inherit eternal life. 00:20:41.009 --> 00:20:56.682 See, friends, if you want to be great, don't buy into the world's desire and pursuit of making your own name great, because greatness in the kingdom doesn't come by putting your name on top. 00:20:56.682 --> 00:21:04.605 Greatness in the kingdom comes when you're constantly pointing people beyond yourselves on to the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:21:04.605 --> 00:21:13.821 So no matter if you're a CEO or if you have the most base job in your company if you want to be great. 00:21:13.821 --> 00:21:29.403 It has nothing to do with your position, but it has to do with making the name of Jesus great, doing all you can to glorify him and to make his name known In the kingdom of greatness. 00:21:29.403 --> 00:21:32.170 It's not about power, it's about serving. 00:21:33.560 --> 00:21:37.430 I'll read this verse again in a moment, but it's verses 26 and 27. 00:21:37.430 --> 00:21:41.027 Whoever would be great among you must be your servant. 00:21:41.027 --> 00:21:44.646 Whoever would be first among you must be your slave. 00:21:44.646 --> 00:21:50.931 You know, we had one of our elders a couple of weeks ago. 00:21:50.931 --> 00:22:04.279 We had somebody in our church who was really sick and we have a plurality of elders here, pastors and we had one of the pastors go visit this particular lady and she was so sick, in bed ridden. 00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:10.981 And you know what the pastor did Mopped her floors, Mopped her floors. 00:22:10.981 --> 00:22:19.192 So what Jesus is not saying, listen you should never have a position of influence. 00:22:19.192 --> 00:22:22.968 What he's saying is you ought to use that position of influence to serve other people. 00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:29.810 Remember when Jesus was in the upper room with the disciples and he washed their feet? 00:22:29.810 --> 00:22:35.071 Peter saying no Lord, no Lord, no Lord, like you, shouldn't wash my feet. 00:22:35.071 --> 00:22:42.392 That was, that was the lowest job in that culture to wash the feet of someone. 00:22:42.392 --> 00:22:50.272 And yet Jesus humbled himself to that point and he says as I've done for you, you go do for one another. 00:22:50.272 --> 00:22:54.029 And it doesn't mean that literally, thank God, we have to go around watching each other's feet. 00:22:54.029 --> 00:22:59.171 What it means is that we have to be willing to serve, no matter what our position. 00:22:59.171 --> 00:23:03.827 We're not above doing what people might consider the lowest of jobs. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:14.868 You may look at somebody like me up behind a pulpit and go man, he's doing great things and I hope to achieve great things for the kingdom in this life. 00:23:14.868 --> 00:23:16.826 But you know who's doing great things this morning? 00:23:16.826 --> 00:23:23.231 The ones in kids church who aren't seen, who are missing out. 00:23:23.231 --> 00:23:24.766 They want to be in here worshiping too. 00:23:24.766 --> 00:23:29.803 They're tired because we can't get enough people to help, but they do it and they smile when they do it. 00:23:29.803 --> 00:23:37.003 My wife might get to attend a service once every six weeks, but she never complains. 00:23:37.003 --> 00:23:45.672 So when people come up to me and say, oh man, you're doing great things at the church, I want to point to my wife and say God is great as her. 00:23:47.135 --> 00:23:52.949 I mean that what's the method of greatness? 00:23:52.949 --> 00:23:54.834 That's the measure of greatness in the world? 00:23:54.834 --> 00:24:00.636 It's power and influence and being the best and all these things making your name great and the kingdom of God. 00:24:00.636 --> 00:24:03.038 It's about making his name great. 00:24:03.038 --> 00:24:03.865 It's about serving. 00:24:03.865 --> 00:24:06.951 What's the method of greatness, though? 00:24:06.951 --> 00:24:08.676 That's the measurement. 00:24:08.676 --> 00:24:09.946 What's the what's the method? 00:24:09.946 --> 00:24:13.817 In other words, how do we achieve, get to this status of greatness? 00:24:13.817 --> 00:24:21.077 Well, in the kingdom of the world, if I can put it simply, it's the strong eat the weak. 00:24:21.077 --> 00:24:24.147 Is that not true? 00:24:24.147 --> 00:24:29.325 The weak are exploited so that the, the, the powerful can become more powerful. 00:24:29.325 --> 00:24:31.294 That's the way of the world. 00:24:31.294 --> 00:24:43.327 And you know, one of the ways that the world achieves greatness is through manipulation, manipulation. 00:24:44.833 --> 00:24:46.919 I love verse 20 in our text. 00:24:46.919 --> 00:24:58.144 The mother of the sons of Zebedee, again James and John, came up to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling before him, she asked him for something. 00:24:58.144 --> 00:25:00.130 And again it's who's going to be? 00:25:00.130 --> 00:25:02.957 Which of my sons can be on the left, which on the right? 00:25:02.957 --> 00:25:05.028 I love this. 00:25:05.028 --> 00:25:06.151 These are disciples. 00:25:06.151 --> 00:25:09.442 They get their mother to ask Jesus a question. 00:25:09.442 --> 00:25:12.069 He's like you know, he's not going to be happy, he's going to be mad. 00:25:12.069 --> 00:25:15.767 If we ask him mama, would you ask him Mama? 00:25:15.767 --> 00:25:18.115 Your smile, he's not going to say no to you. 00:25:18.115 --> 00:25:21.468 And actually, in the ancient culture I didn't know this. 00:25:21.808 --> 00:25:30.574 Keener points this out, but he says the indirect intercession of a motherly woman was often more effective than a man's direct petition for himself. 00:25:30.574 --> 00:25:37.663 He writes in both Jewish and Roman circles, women could get away with making some requests that men could not. 00:25:37.663 --> 00:25:39.547 I think that's still true today. 00:25:39.547 --> 00:25:42.217 I mean, they're trying to manipulate Jesus. 00:25:42.217 --> 00:25:44.385 Mama, I know what he's going to say to us. 00:25:44.385 --> 00:25:45.890 Would you ask him for us? 00:25:45.890 --> 00:25:53.269 Beloved, this is the disciples, the forefathers of our church, minus Judas, right? 00:25:53.269 --> 00:25:55.996 I mean, this is unbelievable. 00:25:55.996 --> 00:25:59.807 And this is how people get ahead today in the world. 00:25:59.807 --> 00:26:01.230 It's through manipulation. 00:26:03.556 --> 00:26:07.968 You know, we learn manipulation tactics from an early age, don't we? 00:26:07.968 --> 00:26:11.500 If you have kids, you know that man, they can, they. 00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:14.308 It's like they're born with the gift of manipulation. 00:26:14.308 --> 00:26:26.008 My mom recently told me that when my niece was a toddler, she wanted to spend the night with my mom and my mom was really tired and she said you know you better do it another night. 00:26:26.008 --> 00:26:39.771 She burst out my niece into tears, crying her heart out, and my mom then looked at Tim, my stepdad, after looking at my niece, and thought oh, we can't say no. 00:26:39.771 --> 00:26:40.555 And they gave in. 00:26:40.555 --> 00:26:46.368 And here's what happened immediately, my, my niece stopped crying and said there, I feel better now. 00:26:46.368 --> 00:26:52.597 I remember my kids. 00:26:52.597 --> 00:26:54.000 Actually, I used to do this as a kid. 00:26:54.000 --> 00:27:03.323 I would go to the parent who I knew was going to say yes to something and I hope, like if one parent said no, I would think, man, I hope they don't talk. 00:27:03.323 --> 00:27:07.864 I'm going to go to the other one in, ask and see if I can get a yes and then watch them fight it out. 00:27:07.864 --> 00:27:13.615 You know, you know manipulation, taxes. 00:27:13.615 --> 00:27:17.304 They don't leave when we become adults, Don't? 00:27:17.324 --> 00:27:20.373 We all have those people at work who suck up to the boss all the time? 00:27:20.373 --> 00:27:22.538 Can I get you coffee? 00:27:22.538 --> 00:27:25.928 Oh, you're this the best boss ever? 00:27:25.928 --> 00:27:29.034 Am I lying? 00:27:29.034 --> 00:27:31.159 Am I preaching truth this morning? 00:27:31.159 --> 00:27:33.262 What's it about? 00:27:33.262 --> 00:27:34.265 It's about manipulation. 00:27:36.828 --> 00:27:42.398 Politicians, politicians, politicians. 00:27:42.398 --> 00:27:47.509 It blows my mind that that people believe what's coming out of their mouth, like they're for the people. 00:27:47.509 --> 00:27:53.407 You know what they're for themselves power and prestige and you go. 00:27:53.407 --> 00:27:54.691 Well, that's that one party. 00:27:54.691 --> 00:27:56.054 No, it's your party too. 00:27:56.054 --> 00:27:58.526 It's your political party as well. 00:27:58.526 --> 00:28:04.395 I'm not saying that that's every single politician, but it's a rare one. 00:28:04.395 --> 00:28:06.838 It's a rare one to find. 00:28:06.838 --> 00:28:14.036 You know the way that we would find someone who is truly about the people, because the way you get to the top, you've got to manipulate. 00:28:14.036 --> 00:28:16.000 There's got to be some level of corruption. 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:22.155 Remember the days when we could trust journalism. 00:28:22.155 --> 00:28:25.106 You could read the paper and assume what you were reading was true. 00:28:25.106 --> 00:28:29.133 Not anymore. 00:28:29.133 --> 00:28:34.421 I think one of the greatest examples of manipulation comes from the media. 00:28:34.421 --> 00:28:47.410 We're fed misinformation constantly by media outlets that are controlled by big pharma, by the FDA, and corrupt politicians. 00:28:48.451 --> 00:28:49.073 Listen to this. 00:28:49.073 --> 00:28:54.135 I found this article last night on scientific American website. 00:28:54.135 --> 00:29:08.030 This article says that NPR National Public Radio there was a bargain made between them and the FDA. 00:29:08.030 --> 00:29:12.101 Listen to this and there was a leak about this. 00:29:12.101 --> 00:29:15.228 This is true, I think, if they're telling the truth. 00:29:15.228 --> 00:29:24.349 The article says this NPR, along with a select group of other media outlets all very liberal media outlets. 00:29:24.349 --> 00:29:29.965 Here was the deal made between FDA and NPR and these other groups. 00:29:29.965 --> 00:29:38.647 They would get a briefing about an upcoming announcement in the US Food and Drug Administration a day before anybody else. 00:29:38.647 --> 00:29:40.332 They get the early story. 00:29:40.332 --> 00:29:48.635 But in exchange for the scoop here were the terms NPR would have to abandon its reporting independence. 00:29:48.635 --> 00:29:55.371 The FDA would dictate whom NPR's reporter could and could not interview. 00:29:55.371 --> 00:29:58.278 And they took the deal. 00:29:58.278 --> 00:30:13.167 And the article goes on to say by using these and other methods, the FDA, like other sources of scientific information are gaining control of journalists, who are supposed to keep an eye on these institutions, and I love this line. 00:30:13.167 --> 00:30:17.136 It says the watchdogs are being turned into lap dogs. 00:30:19.724 --> 00:30:21.588 Beloved, we're being manipulated every day. 00:30:21.588 --> 00:30:31.211 Your Facebook feeds are designed to manipulate you by these robust algorithms. 00:30:31.211 --> 00:30:33.636 They know what's going to make you click. 00:30:33.636 --> 00:30:36.428 They know what's going to make your emotions rise up. 00:30:36.428 --> 00:30:41.698 Politicians and governmental institutions all the way down. 00:30:41.698 --> 00:30:46.720 They're using manipulation to gain power because that's the way of the world. 00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:58.156 Listen, I've seen this in the church not this church, thank God, but through the years I've been in ministry at several larger churches and you've had some money people and the money people. 00:30:58.156 --> 00:30:59.169 You know what they do. 00:30:59.169 --> 00:31:07.778 When they don't get their way this has happened many times they say, well, I'll just take my tithe elsewhere and they try to manipulate the pastor. 00:31:07.778 --> 00:31:21.396 I haven't been manipulated here in that way, but early on people try to manipulate me into doing what they wanted, and I just decided early on. 00:31:21.396 --> 00:31:29.704 You know what, if you want me to follow your way rather than what God's laid on my heart the door's right there let me get it for you. 00:31:29.704 --> 00:31:34.692 That's just how I feel, because I'm not going to be manipulated. 00:31:34.692 --> 00:31:39.019 Amen, All right, I need to wrap up. 00:31:41.045 --> 00:31:43.411 Worldly greatness is achieved by manipulation. 00:31:43.411 --> 00:31:44.914 You know how us it's achieved. 00:31:44.914 --> 00:31:47.967 It's achieved by tearing down other people. 00:31:47.967 --> 00:31:57.391 In Luke 18, 10 through 12, Luke writes two men went up to a temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 00:31:57.391 --> 00:32:05.031 And the Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed like this God, I thank you that I'm not like other men. 00:32:05.031 --> 00:32:10.007 Extortioners, unjust, adulterers are even like this tax collector. 00:32:10.007 --> 00:32:14.973 I fast twice a week and I give ties of all I get. 00:32:14.973 --> 00:32:23.810 You know there are people all over the world who are like this, that they get ahead by tearing other people down. 00:32:26.200 --> 00:32:29.490 I mean we're enduring this political tension right now. 00:32:29.490 --> 00:32:36.366 I mean we've got a governor election this what November and a presidential election next year. 00:32:36.366 --> 00:32:39.429 And have you noticed the ads that we're already seeing? 00:32:39.429 --> 00:32:44.230 I have no idea what either candidate believes. 00:32:44.230 --> 00:32:49.352 I just know how much they hate the other candidate. 00:32:49.352 --> 00:32:50.063 That's all we hear. 00:32:50.063 --> 00:33:06.648 I watched the debate you know the prime areas of the presidential candidates of our own Republican party and all they did was tear each other down, particularly one making fun of one of the candidates names and silly. 00:33:06.648 --> 00:33:12.122 I'm like goodness gracious, why don't you talk about what you can do for the country, Not what. 00:33:12.122 --> 00:33:15.770 You know how horrible every other candidate is. 00:33:15.770 --> 00:33:18.765 That's the world in which we live. 00:33:21.579 --> 00:33:27.868 So greatness is achieved in the world by those ways, but how's it achieved in the kingdom of God? 00:33:27.868 --> 00:33:30.906 Number one through honesty, not manipulation. 00:33:30.906 --> 00:33:37.528 When Jesus went around to establish his kingdom, did he sugar coat the truth to get followers? 00:33:37.528 --> 00:33:40.647 Did he tell them what they wanted to hear? 00:33:40.647 --> 00:33:46.827 No, he went to the most powerful of the religious leaders and he says repent you, brood of vipers. 00:33:46.827 --> 00:33:49.645 The kingdom of God is at hand. 00:33:49.645 --> 00:33:51.626 He called them white washed tombs. 00:33:51.626 --> 00:33:59.005 They look good and spiritual on the outside, but on the inside they're like a coffin full of dead men's bones. 00:33:59.005 --> 00:34:02.307 They're dead on the inside, far from God. 00:34:02.307 --> 00:34:06.631 Jesus never, ever tried to manipulate to gain followers. 00:34:06.631 --> 00:34:07.483 He told the truth. 00:34:07.483 --> 00:34:13.125 And that's how greatness is achieved in the kingdom by the truth. 00:34:13.125 --> 00:34:14.885 And then it's the kingdom. 00:34:14.965 --> 00:34:20.626 Greatness comes by building one another up, not tearing one another down. 00:34:20.626 --> 00:34:21.704 Oh, I can't stand it. 00:34:21.704 --> 00:34:29.041 Everybody who goes around calling themselves a Christian always tearing people down, one person after another, nan, nan, nan. 00:34:29.041 --> 00:34:37.409 They're always offended by everything, always telling you how awful everybody else is and trying to make their selves look super spiritual. 00:34:37.409 --> 00:34:40.168 I'll tell you, I doubt the salvation of that person. 00:34:40.168 --> 00:34:55.068 Because in the kingdom of God, you come in with humility and you realize that you're nothing apart from Christ, that you have no spiritual merit in and of yourself. 00:34:55.068 --> 00:35:03.586 And then you who have received grace you've been saved by grace alone you start to see other people differently. 00:35:03.586 --> 00:35:15.572 You never look at somebody as being below you, because you know now that the ground at the foot of the cross is level ground. 00:35:15.572 --> 00:35:19.159 You know that you got into the kingdom just like the drug addict. 00:35:19.159 --> 00:35:23.980 You know that you got into the kingdom just like the prostitute. 00:35:23.980 --> 00:35:28.239 There's no judgment, there's no, I'm better than you. 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:37.594 You don't try to tear other people down, but first Thessalonians 5, 11 says build one another up, just as you're doing. 00:35:37.594 --> 00:35:41.010 That's the greatness of the kingdom. 00:35:42.286 --> 00:35:44.639 And so, finally, what is the manifestation of greatness? 00:35:44.639 --> 00:35:47.599 When greatness is achieved, how does it manifest in our lives? 00:35:47.599 --> 00:35:52.550 Well, in the world, in the world. 00:35:52.550 --> 00:35:54.496 I want you to listen to how it manifests in verse 25. 00:35:54.496 --> 00:36:01.512 Jesus called to his disciples and here's what he said. 00:36:01.512 --> 00:36:06.309 You know that the rulers of the Gentiles so think Rome here. 00:36:06.309 --> 00:36:14.351 They lord it over their people and their great ones exercise authority over them. 00:36:14.351 --> 00:36:21.376 How does greatness in the world manifest itself? 00:36:21.376 --> 00:36:25.295 How does greatness in the world manifest itself? 00:36:25.295 --> 00:36:35.257 Very simple by strong authority, by tyranny, many times by tyranny. 00:36:35.257 --> 00:36:47.269 We've got people, we've got leaders in this country manipulating right now the people, saying hey, we're on your side, we're on your side, we're all about you. 00:36:47.269 --> 00:36:51.338 But you can see this moving in, because history tends to repeat itself. 00:36:51.338 --> 00:36:55.255 They're wanting tyranny, they're wanting complete power. 00:36:55.255 --> 00:37:05.266 It's unbelievable, but that's how greatness in the world power and influence, how it manifests most of the time. 00:37:14.565 --> 00:37:19.887 Greatness in the world also manifests itself by being served. 00:37:19.887 --> 00:37:24.909 When you're at the top, everybody else serves you, Everybody else serves you. 00:37:24.909 --> 00:37:33.378 But you know, let's talk about the manifestation of greatness in the kingdom, Verses 25 and 26,. 00:37:33.378 --> 00:37:35.525 I'll read this text one more time. 00:37:35.525 --> 00:37:41.313 Jesus called out to his disciples, remember, and he says the rulers of the Gentile. 00:37:41.313 --> 00:37:43.505 They lord it over their people, they exercise authority. 00:37:43.505 --> 00:37:49.456 And here's what he says it shall not be so among you. 00:37:49.456 --> 00:37:52.931 It shall not be so among you. 00:37:52.931 --> 00:37:59.670 Well, how shall it be? 00:37:59.670 --> 00:38:02.545