1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,840 And everything else. Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:22,390 chapter 20. We have preached 74 sermons 3 00:00:22,390 --> 00:00:26,230 through Matthew so far. We started in Matthew chapter 4 00:00:26,230 --> 00:00:30,000 one, verse one. Now here we are in Matthew 5 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,800 chapter 20. I've been telling you for a few 6 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,440 chapters now that we are in the final phase of the ministry of 7 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:39,920 Jesus, and I can now tell you with certainty we are in the 8 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:44,160 last 10 days before the cross. That context is helpful. 9 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:47,000 That context matters because it's going to help to shape all 10 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,120 the conversations that are happening, everything that's 11 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,520 happening here in this moment. We've seen his miraculous birth. 12 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,240 We've seen His baptism. We've seen his calls to 13 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:57,000 repentance. We've seen his preaching. 14 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:01,040 We've seen his miracle. And now we've seen the ultimate 15 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,280 man on a mission, Jesus Christ, about to complete his mission. 16 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,360 He has had his heart focus. He has had his face focused. 17 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,120 He has been prepared on the mountain of Transfiguration. 18 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,160 When Moses and Elijah came to him, He says they talked with 19 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:15,760 him about the things that he would suffer. 20 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:18,840 And now he's shared with his disciples multiple times about 21 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,360 his suffering. He's about to detail it more 22 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,200 than ever before. The cross is not years away. 23 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,520 The cross is not months away. The cross is not weeks away. 24 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,160 The Lord Jesus knows that he is days away from being beaten and 25 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,880 ripped open with the cat of nine tails, as it's often called. 26 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,960 He knows that soon nails are going to Pierce his hands and 27 00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:40,400 his feet. He knows that the crown of 28 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,640 thorns is almost on top of his head. 29 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:44,760 Have you ever felt visceral fear? 30 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,160 Can you remember? Can you think of a time when it 31 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,760 was just like gut wrenching? I feel it in my body. 32 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,360 Not like I'm afraid about worried about how that scenario 33 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,720 is going to turn out so much. But fear, my story is a bit of a 34 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,480 joke because it's, it's can in no way compare to what the Lord 35 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,000 Jesus suffered. But you've got a story, you've 36 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:04,880 got an example. The funny thing about fear is 37 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:07,720 it's irrational, right? So it doesn't care about what 38 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,360 the rules are. A little child, when you ask 39 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,680 them to jump off the edge of the pool into your arms, there's no 40 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:14,280 danger for them, there's no risk. 41 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,560 But to them it is. So to them it's fearful. 42 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:21,760 To them, it's terrifying. So cold water has been my 43 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,240 nemesis for a long time. And we had we had a men's event 44 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,600 a couple years ago and the guys knew that like JM doesn't like 45 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:30,280 cold water. So of course, what do they do? 46 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:34,680 As loving bro friends would do, they brought a cold plunge and I 47 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:36,480 laughed about all this is going to be funny ha ha ha. 48 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,000 Until it came time. And this is your first time cold 49 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,200 plunge. This is my first time cold 50 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:41,320 plunge. This is my first time in cold 51 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,200 water since I was 18 years old or something like that. 52 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:51,280 So I come down to the moment and it's time for me to go put on 53 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,880 trunks and come outside. There's like 60 guys there. 54 00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:56,240 I don't know, you know? And they're all like, nobody 55 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,120 else is doing it. It's all for me and I have to do 56 00:02:58,120 --> 00:02:59,280 it. But here's the problem. 57 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:03,280 There's no way in the world that I'm getting in that water. 58 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,840 I'm not. And my, my face was stoned. 59 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,640 It wasn't funny. It wasn't funny. 60 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,640 I went upstairs and I sat to go put on the trunks and I'm like, 61 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:19,680 what am I feeling? What's wrong with me? 62 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,920 And I was dread and it was fear. And it's like, this is so 63 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:25,520 stupid. Your story's dumb to Michael. 64 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:27,760 I agree. But still, in that moment, there 65 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:29,760 was no reasoning with me. There was like, dude, get in the 66 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,880 water. So there's no possible way I can 67 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:34,400 get in this water. And on the other hand, I'm in 68 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,120 front of 60 Bros. Like there's no way I can't get 69 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,280 in the water. So Long story short, I ended up 70 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:41,920 getting in the water. Hooray for me, right? 71 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,400 I'm a hero. Not exactly, but the point is 72 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,000 that's the last time I could remember, and that was in a long 73 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,080 time that I felt like this fear in my body. 74 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:52,000 When things go bump in the night, I don't feel that in my 75 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:53,640 body. When something goes bump in the 76 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,720 night, I go. I'm just alert, I'm ready, I'm 77 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,600 prepared to lunch on offense. But in this case, I just felt 78 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:05,440 terrified and afraid. I can only imagine the dread 79 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,840 that Jesus would feel. Jesus isn't afraid. 80 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,600 You'll never hear me call the Lord Jesus afraid because, 81 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,920 frankly, it's sinful to be afraid. 82 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:16,640 It reveals a lack of trust in the Lord. 83 00:04:16,959 --> 00:04:19,800 But could he feel dread? Could his body be dreading the 84 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,079 torment that he's likely seen with his eyes? 85 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,000 It would have been a common thing for Jews to have seen 86 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:26,120 crucifixion. The road. 87 00:04:26,280 --> 00:04:29,480 There's an uprising, 300 people crucified on the side of the 88 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,000 road as you travel between cities and villages. 89 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,200 They're begging, they're pleading for you to give them 90 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,040 something to drink as they hang for days naked, going to the 91 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,000 bathroom on themselves as their body just enters into the 92 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:42,760 different phases and stages of death. 93 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:45,840 Jesus might have seen this as a little boy and his whole life. 94 00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:48,000 He knows this is what I've come for. 95 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,880 And now Jesus, without flinching like me, I delayed getting in 96 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,520 the cold water. I sat upstairs in that bedroom 97 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,400 at that Airbnb for like 20 minutes trying to hype myself 98 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,080 up. I even filmed a video for my 99 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:03,720 dad. I was like, I've got to snap out 100 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,080 of it. Hey dad, I'm getting ready to do 101 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:06,800 this cold water thing. I'm doing this for you. 102 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,200 Ha ha ha ha. It's going to be cool and push 103 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:10,720 stop. And I was like, Nope, still got 104 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,640 no fuel in the tank, still can't move, still can't make myself 105 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,720 get up off the bed. Eventually I just had to force 106 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:18,720 myself. Jesus never flinches as he 107 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,920 approaches the cross. At no point does Jesus stop. 108 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:27,080 At no point does he get stuck. He says we are going up to 109 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,200 Jerusalem. Jesus is the ultimate man on a 110 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,000 mission. Jesus loves you. 111 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,640 It was for the joy set before him that he endured the cross, 112 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,480 that he absorbed all of the shame he carried, all the 113 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:46,160 mocking, the flogging, the piercing of the cross. 114 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:53,400 He never hesitated. In chapter 20, we're in verse 115 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:59,840 17, and as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the 12 116 00:05:59,840 --> 00:06:03,640 disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, see, we are 117 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:07,120 going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be delivered 118 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,600 over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn 119 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,600 him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be 120 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,840 mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised 121 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,280 on the third day. Hallelujah, keep going. 122 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:26,240 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her 123 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,600 sons kneeling before him. She asked him for something and 124 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,280 he said to her, what do you want? 125 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,960 She said to him, say that these two sons of mine are to sit one 126 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,560 at your right hand and one at your left in your Kingdom. 127 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,440 Jesus answered, you don't know what you're asking. 128 00:06:42,280 --> 00:06:44,560 Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink? 129 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:49,320 They said to him, we are able. He said to them, you will drink 130 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,480 my cup, but to sit in my right hand and my left hand is not 131 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,720 mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been 132 00:06:55,720 --> 00:07:00,080 prepared by my father. And when the 10 heard it, they 133 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,480 were indignant at the two brothers, but Jesus called them 134 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:07,200 to him and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord 135 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,480 it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over 136 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,280 them. It shall not be so among you, 137 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,880 but whoever would be great among you must be your servant. 138 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:21,680 Whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the 139 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,960 Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give 140 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:31,920 his life as a ransom for many. Lord, we thank you for Jesus, 141 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,960 for His perfection, for His goodness, for His glory, for His 142 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,080 strength. The perfect man, the ultimate 143 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,880 man, the one we love to submit to, the one we love to worship, 144 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,960 the one we love to trust, the one we love to take orders from. 145 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:49,040 God, we delight in Your delight. Your pleasure is our pleasure. 146 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,040 I pray that you would open up the eyes of our hearts now as 147 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,680 Your Word accomplishes everything you sent it to 148 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,000 accomplish. As you open us up, come in and 149 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:03,320 perform the surgery to bless, to strengthen, to heal, Build us up 150 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,040 in our minds. Continue to tear down 151 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:11,200 strongholds with your truth, with your anointing, with your 152 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,760 grace. We receive it as grateful 153 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,480 children, as as happy sheep in your pasture. 154 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:22,720 In Jesus name, Amen, He was going up to Jerusalem. 155 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,920 He pulls his 12 disciples aside. This is the third time he's 156 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:28,520 telling his disciples what was coming. 157 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,640 And now this time he adds the most detail that he's ever given 158 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:33,120 them. He said I'm going to suffer many 159 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,360 things at the hands of the scribes, the chief priests. 160 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,080 But this time he says exactly who's going to kill him and how 161 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,080 he's going to suffer. In Matthew 1621. 162 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,440 From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that He must 163 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,800 go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief 164 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:52,240 priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be 165 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,040 raised. Matthew 1722 as they were 166 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,880 gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, the Son of Man is about 167 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,720 to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him 168 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,120 and he will be raised on the third day. 169 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:05,760 And they were greatly distressed. 170 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,120 And now Matthew 20 See we are going up to Jerusalem. 171 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,800 The Son of Man is will be delivered over to the chief 172 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,120 priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, 173 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:17,720 and they will deliver him over to the Gentiles. 174 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:22,320 So they know this means to the Romans and he will be mocked, he 175 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:27,840 will be flogged, He will be crucified and he will be raised 176 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,680 on the third day, mocked, flogged and crucified, all 177 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:34,440 things that have been unbearable for the disciples to hear. 178 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,960 Jesus being mocked is unbearable enough. 179 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:38,880 That gets my blood boiling. I don't know about you. 180 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,240 Don't that boil your blood. When somebody mocks the Lord 181 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,720 Jesus Christ, you realize this is my enemy now. 182 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,080 Now the next temptation I have is to hate my enemy. 183 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:50,040 The Lord forbids that. I have to love my enemy, but I 184 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:51,680 hate what they're doing. Why? 185 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:54,920 Because I love my Master so much and I'm very jealous for His 186 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,080 glory. I take it personally because I 187 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,800 love Him, and yet I have to still also love my enemies, the 188 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,080 people he died for. Because except for the grace of 189 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,800 God, there go I. So I remember that it's by his 190 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,640 grace, it's by his goodness, it's only by his love that I'm 191 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,360 not in that position. But to see Jesus mocked, what a 192 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:19,280 tragedy, what a miscarriage of justice to see Jesus flogged. 193 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:25,240 So the flogging probably a a wooden rod with 9 leather straps 194 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,080 connected to it with pieces of metal and broken bone spread 195 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:32,560 throughout the leather straps. So the Roman soldiers would take 196 00:10:32,560 --> 00:10:34,960 turns because giving the beating is too exhausting. 197 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,360 Even giving the beating of the of however many lashes, Jews 198 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,720 could only give 39 lashes. Romans had no such limitation on 199 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,800 how many lashes they could give. So as the beating was delivered, 200 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:48,200 they took turns and shifts because it's exhausting beating 201 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,280 this man to death. So the Jews knew what this 202 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,000 looked like. They could imagine this. 203 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:54,800 Jesus, of course, knows what all this looks like. 204 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:56,880 And then finally to be crucified. 205 00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:01,280 And he'll be raised on the third day, mocked, flogged and 206 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:03,520 crucified. And still he marches on. 207 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:08,120 But notice what he says, We are going up to Jerusalem. 208 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,480 He's giving commands, He's giving instructions. 209 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:14,400 Hey, you are coming with me. We are going up to Jerusalem, 210 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:16,480 not I'm going to Jerusalem and you're hanging back. 211 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,280 We are all going to Jerusalem together. 212 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,440 This was his calling for his disciples. 213 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,320 This is still Jesus is calling for his disciples that we would 214 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,880 follow him anywhere and everywhere that he leads. 215 00:11:32,680 --> 00:11:34,920 Read to Matthew chapter 16. You can turn there. 216 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:48,270 Just turn left a couple pages. I want to read verse 21 to 26. 217 00:11:48,390 --> 00:11:50,910 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he 218 00:11:50,910 --> 00:11:53,350 must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things from the elders and 219 00:11:53,350 --> 00:11:56,910 chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be 220 00:11:56,910 --> 00:12:00,350 raised and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying 221 00:12:00,430 --> 00:12:03,550 far be it from you Lord, this shall never happen to you. 222 00:12:03,790 --> 00:12:07,640 But he turned and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan, you are a 223 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,160 hindrance to me, for you're not setting your mind on the things 224 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:11,960 of God, but on the things of man. 225 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:16,280 Then Jesus told his disciples, if anyone would come after me, 226 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,840 let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 227 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,120 For whoever would save his life, we'll lose it. 228 00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:26,560 But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 229 00:12:27,560 --> 00:12:30,240 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and 230 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,680 forfeits his soul? So not only does he tell the 231 00:12:32,680 --> 00:12:34,840 disciples I'm going to Jerusalem to suffer. 232 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:39,360 When Peter objects to Jesus going to suffer, Jesus says not 233 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:42,560 only do I have to suffer, you also have to take up your cross 234 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:45,720 and follow me. That's the invitation on the 235 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:47,360 moment. He doesn't do a bait and switch 236 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,320 with anybody. He doesn't say follow me and you 237 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,280 have your best life now and then overtime he starts to introduce 238 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,320 a bit more challenging ideas. It was always honesty from the 239 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,680 very beginning with Jesus. I'm going to go be crucified. 240 00:13:01,680 --> 00:13:03,160 No, Lord, that should never happen to you. 241 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,160 Hey, not only is it going to happen to me, but anyone who 242 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:10,080 would be my disciple has to take up their cross as well and 243 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:13,160 follow me. What does that mean exactly? 244 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,560 It means exactly what it sounds like. 245 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:19,480 Do we all have to be crucified? We're not all likely going to be 246 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,400 crucified. Every single believer who's ever 247 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:23,680 lived has not been crucified. Many were in Rome. 248 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:26,480 But you and I. It's not our likely outcome in 249 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:28,760 this day and age. The point is, that's the 250 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:31,360 willingness that is a part of following Jesus. 251 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:34,840 That's part of what I mean when I say, remember your baptism. 252 00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:38,120 Remember your baptism, you're forsaking all others. 253 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:42,040 I'm all in with Jesus. Not as long as it's convenient 254 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,520 not to have a faith that's contingent upon where I live 255 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:48,600 geographically and the pressures that may come along with it, but 256 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:51,520 to have a faith that says I'm all in with Jesus, well, I'll 257 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,760 kill you. My statement doesn't change. 258 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,680 I'm all in with Jesus. I'm still all in with him, no 259 00:13:57,680 --> 00:14:00,360 matter what it costs. I understood what I was signing 260 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:01,840 up for. Nobody tricked me. 261 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,760 Nobody deceived me. I looked at him, decided he was 262 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,320 worth it, and responded to the grace that he offered. 263 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,440 That's what Jesus does. If anyone would come after me, 264 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:14,360 Jesus calls us to lay down our lives so that he can give us 265 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,760 resurrection. Don't miss the last part back in 266 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:21,800 chapter 20 in verse 19. The cross is awful. 267 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:25,640 Death is brutal, but death is not the end. 268 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,320 This is why, Christian, you're not afraid to die. 269 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,560 This is why the worst thing in the world that could happen to 270 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,400 you is not dying. The worst thing in the world 271 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:38,560 that could happen to you is that your love would grow cold and 272 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:42,440 that you would forfeit the grace of God that he has offered to 273 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:43,680 you. That's the worst thing that 274 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,080 could happen to you. The worst thing that can happen 275 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,240 to anybody is that they could turn their affections and their 276 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:52,200 love from the living God and the grace that they once applied 277 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:56,520 their faith to, they no longer apply their faith to and that 278 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:59,200 they gain the whole world and lose their soul. 279 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:04,440 In chapter 20 and verse 19, he, I will be, he will be raised on 280 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:08,920 the third day. If Jesus was raised, you will be 281 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:13,640 raised as well by faith in him. So Jesus just shared about his 282 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:17,000 brutal suffering and now we continue into verse 20. 283 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,600 This is the same moment, days away. 284 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:21,600 He knows what's coming. We haven't got to the triumphal 285 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:23,640 entry yet. He's going to come in, 286 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:25,920 Everybody's going to rejoice. Hosanna. 287 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,360 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 288 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:33,080 And then all week long he is going to go nuclear on everybody 289 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,600 non-stop, dropping bombs of course. 290 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:38,640 So how could we be in his last 10 days? 291 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,240 Because remember, the next 8 chapters really slow things 292 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,640 down. We really start to go one day at 293 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:46,400 a time as we walk through Jerusalem and we see here is 294 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:47,560 what happened. Then we get the details. 295 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,080 So the next 8 chapters are all condensed. 296 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,720 It's going to be hard for you and I to process that in real 297 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,480 time because it happened quicker instead of week after week after 298 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:58,200 week the way you and I walk through it together. 299 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:03,120 But now, right after he shares, I'm going to be flogged to death 300 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:05,280 and crucified to death by the Romans. 301 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:11,080 Now the mother of James and John, probably Salome, is her 302 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:13,760 name. She asks A foolish and poor 303 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,880 timed question. Real sorry about the flogging 304 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,440 and the crucifixion. Can my boys sit beside you in 305 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,000 the eternal Kingdom and have positions of power and glory? 306 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:26,040 Sorry about the whole Roman thing. 307 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:27,960 I know that's going to be unpleasant. 308 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:30,200 Good on her for having faith, right? 309 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:34,520 She knows he's coming back with a resurrected Kingdom, but also 310 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:36,160 didn't quite read the room, did she? 311 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,160 Is that is that what's appropriate? 312 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:41,640 Is that what's best? Is that's what, what's right? 313 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,840 So she's got great faith, but she and her sons also have a 314 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:50,360 misguided ambition. Then the mother of the sons of 315 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:54,720 Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, 316 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,480 she asked him for something. And he said to her, what do you 317 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,160 want? She said to him, say this is 318 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:02,640 what I want. I want you to say I'm going to 319 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:04,160 give you instruction and direction. 320 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:08,319 Say that these two sons of mine are to sit one at your right 321 00:17:08,319 --> 00:17:10,839 hand and one at your left in your Kingdom. 322 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:16,480 So this is audacious. What's the problem with it? 323 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:20,720 It's not focused on God's glory. The motive here is focused on 324 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:25,880 James and John's glory. That is the problem because that 325 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,160 is the motive. The motive is their glory. 326 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,840 The motive is not. They love you so much and they 327 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,640 want to make sure they get to always sit closest to you, 328 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,640 Jesus. The motive is I want them to 329 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:40,560 have the highest positions of prominence and glory. 330 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:42,240 Parents, we want the best for our kids. 331 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:46,040 The problem is we might not always know what that is, which 332 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,840 is why we always have to surrender and submit them to the 333 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,160 Lord Jesus over and over and over. 334 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,680 I have preferences for my sons. I have desires for my sons. 335 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,320 If I could write the script, they would all live with me 336 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,400 forever. We would have a compound. 337 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,600 They have had their own houses. I have my own house and, and I'm 338 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,440 all in on this, but I really am open to whatever the Lord would 339 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:09,480 say to them because if they say, Dad, God's calling me to this 340 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:13,520 mud Hut and in wherever and I'm saying you obey the Lord's Son, 341 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:18,120 or they have to go to college or they can't go to college or they 342 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:19,880 have to do this or they have to do that. 343 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,160 They have to obey the Lord. That's the most important thing 344 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:25,600 and they have to fulfill his will for their lives. 345 00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:30,160 They don't ultimately belong to me like I think they do. 346 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,600 They ultimately belong to him and whatever he wants for them 347 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:38,280 is what I want for for them. The problem here is they're not 348 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:40,840 focused on the glory of God. They're focused on glory for 349 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:46,160 themselves in chapter 19 in verse 28, remember what just 350 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:49,240 happened. Jesus said to them, truly, I say 351 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,720 to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his 352 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:57,480 glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 353 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,600 Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. 354 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:03,280 They've just recently heard about these Thrones. 355 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:05,120 Salome would have heard about this as well. 356 00:19:05,120 --> 00:19:07,400 Because remember, there's always a massive crowd around him at 357 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:09,280 this point. There's been a huge crowd around 358 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,320 him for a long time. But she kind of gets to be inner 359 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,640 circle, not quite inner circle like disciples, but right on the 360 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,080 bubble. Mom, Mom, earlier, earlier, 361 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:21,400 earlier today or last night around the fire, Jesus was 362 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,480 telling us that we're all going to have 12 Thrones around them. 363 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:26,680 And Salome and the boys get talking. 364 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:27,920 Well, who's going to sit where, though? 365 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:35,200 And now, now she follows up. They've been promised Thrones 366 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:38,240 for their reward and for their work, but that wasn't enough for 367 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:40,440 them. They've forgotten that to be 368 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,680 invited to the wedding feast, to be invited to the marriage 369 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:45,880 supper, the lamb is more than enough. 370 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,480 That alone is grace upon grace and glory upon glory. 371 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:58,120 Turn to Luke chapter 14. Matthew, Mark, Luke. 372 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:02,680 What are they missing? They're forgetting something 373 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,000 else that Jesus has already taught, as He's taught it many 374 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:10,000 times. He's already taught them to be 375 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,560 childlike as they were fighting and arguing. 376 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:20,680 Luke 14 and verse 7. Now he told a parable to those 377 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:23,920 who were invited when he noticed how they chose the places of 378 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:25,520 honor. So this is pretty funny. 379 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,040 Jesus notices something that happens right in the moment, and 380 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:33,440 he tells the parable to them against them, instructing them 381 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:36,560 in that moment. When you were invited by someone 382 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:40,160 to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor. 383 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,400 So the way the seating was done, everyone knew culturally this 384 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:45,880 was a position of honor. This is a position of of 385 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:47,640 lowliness. When you're invited to the 386 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,640 feast, don't sit down in the place of honor unless someone 387 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:52,680 more distinguished comes who has been invited. 388 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,280 And he who invited both of you comes and says to you, give this 389 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:00,280 place to this person, and then you will begin with shame to 390 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,680 walk and take the lowest place. But when you were invited, go 391 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,840 and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he 392 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,160 may say to you, Friend, move up higher. 393 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,920 Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the 394 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:18,000 table with you. For everyone who exalts himself 395 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,960 will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. 396 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:26,840 Seek the lowest spot is what Jesus has already taught them, 397 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,400 and be upgraded if the Lord sees fit. 398 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,520 What is it that the better way? It's much less humiliating as 399 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:35,200 well. You sit yourself at the head of 400 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:39,520 the table and the Lord goes, hey, that's not your seat, 401 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:44,880 that's not your seat. Oh, how far down, how far, how 402 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:46,760 far? Well, because you took the high 403 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:50,240 seat, especially actually one farther down on the table. 404 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,040 So he's saying, don't seek the prominence. 405 00:21:53,120 --> 00:21:56,000 This is the lesson. Don't be glory hungry for 406 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:57,640 yourself, be glory hungry for God. 407 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,800 Romans 12/3 For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone 408 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:04,880 among you, not to think of himself more highly than he 409 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:08,480 ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each 410 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:11,880 according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 411 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,800 They've forgotten this lesson. Keep going. 412 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:20,320 In verse 22 of chapter 20 in Matthew, Jesus answered, You 413 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:24,280 don't know what you're asking. Why don't they know what they're 414 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,320 asking #1 because they don't understand that those seats of 415 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:30,080 honor in the Kingdom are only going to be rewarded through 416 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:31,880 deep suffering and faithful service. 417 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:34,200 They're not aware of the suffering that both of them are 418 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,480 going to experience. James is going to be the first 419 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:39,160 martyr in the church. He doesn't yet realize that. 420 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:43,520 And John is going to experience untold sufferings and not die 421 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,480 during all of them. The Lord will preserve His life 422 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:50,160 even as He's boiled in oil, and then John is going to continue 423 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:53,000 to live. So they don't understand that 424 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,840 suffering comes first. And #2 even then these, these 425 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,720 rewards are not handed out for those who ask for them, but they 426 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,800 are handed out by the Father, whom the Father has sovereignly 427 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:06,480 prepared them for based upon how they have followed Jesus. 428 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:13,480 Verse 23 he said to them, you will drink my cup. 429 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:15,280 Oh, so he asked them the question in 22. 430 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:16,200 You don't know what you're asking. 431 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:18,800 Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink? 432 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,800 We are able. Well, they don't fully 433 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:26,280 understand that, but he goes on you will drink my cup but to sit 434 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:31,880 at my feet, but to sit in my right hand, my left hand is not 435 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,120 for mine to grant. So drinking the cup in Scripture 436 00:23:35,120 --> 00:23:38,040 often refers to absorbing the wrath of God. 437 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:40,840 So throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament, to drink 438 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:43,560 the cup is to refer to the wrath of God, which is why Jesus in 439 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:46,400 the Garden of Gethsemane, he's praying, Lord, let this cup, 440 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:48,360 Father, let this cup pass from me. 441 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,200 Let this cup of your wrath pass for me, which is a tragedy on 442 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:54,720 itself. Again, not because Jesus is 443 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:59,080 afraid, although I do believe he feels great dread and turmoil as 444 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,160 he is praying and sweating great drops of blood, but not just 445 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:06,400 because of the Roman beating, not just because of the Roman 446 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:10,000 crucifixion, but because the full wrath of God is about to be 447 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:14,200 poured out on the Son of God. That's the ultimate penalty. 448 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,440 That's the ultimate pain. He's actually about to fully 449 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,600 become our substitute. As brutal as the beatings were, 450 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:21,800 and we're going to look at them in detail when we come to them, 451 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:26,080 that wasn't all that happened. Many people have been tortured 452 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:29,720 to death for Christ throughout the ages in brutal and 453 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,200 disgusting and evil ways. Many Saints have suffered in 454 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,840 that way. That's not all Jesus suffered. 455 00:24:36,120 --> 00:24:38,160 Jesus suffered the full wrath of God. 456 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:41,840 So for any St. whoever suffered for Christ, whoever experienced 457 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:45,440 any brutality in the name of Jesus, they did not along with 458 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,520 it, experience the wrath of the Father. 459 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:51,120 In fact, in that moment they experienced deep presence with 460 00:24:51,120 --> 00:24:53,480 the Lord. They experienced deep communion 461 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:58,080 with the Lord, a preservation, A sheltering, and a comfort even 462 00:24:58,080 --> 00:24:59,400 in the midst of their sufferings. 463 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,080 Jesus had none of those. He had full separation from the 464 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:07,400 Father, which is in a conundrum, an impossibility, and something 465 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,480 that's never happened before. So the Father points all of his 466 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:14,640 wrath on his son. So Jesus has all of this dread, 467 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:19,080 all of his weight, and this is the cup that he's going to drink 468 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:21,680 from. So now he's challenging the two 469 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,400 disciples. Are you able to drink the cup 470 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:27,240 that I'm going to drink? And they go, yeah, we're able. 471 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:29,920 Well, they foolishly don't know what they're talking about, 472 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:34,760 because everybody wants glory, everybody wants influence, but 473 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:39,920 nobody wants to be crucified. I want to make an impact, but 474 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:42,320 does my surrender match my desire? 475 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,480 Does your devotion match your ambition? 476 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:49,720 It's easy to be ambitious. It's easy to want a position of 477 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:51,760 prominence. I wish people would see me. 478 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:56,840 I wish people would notice me with wherever it might apply in 479 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,400 all facets of life, but specifically when it comes to 480 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,680 the Kingdom work. Does your devotion match your 481 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:04,760 ambition? That question should slow you 482 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:06,400 down and make you feel some weight. 483 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,200 But they respond right away. We are able. 484 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,440 Yes, yes, yes, Lord, yeah. Just as long as we get the the 485 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:13,480 seats of glory. Jesus basically tells them, 486 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:16,600 boys, you're right, you actually are going to suffer. 487 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:17,840 You're going to drink some of the cup. 488 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:21,600 You'll drink some of the cup. But still, it's the Father's 489 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:23,160 place to give those seats, not mine. 490 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,400 The father has already determined who will sit there. 491 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,880 He's been preparing those places not for the ambitious, but for 492 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,960 the obedient. And now we keep going to verse 493 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,160 24. And when the 10 heard of it, 494 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:38,520 they were indignant at the two brothers. 495 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:40,000 They're big mad. Why? 496 00:26:40,360 --> 00:26:47,520 How dare you 2 get to him before we could with the whole where? 497 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:48,920 Where you're going to sit. What did he say? 498 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:50,640 Oh, good. He didn't. 499 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:53,280 OK, OK, cool. They're not indignant because 500 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:55,760 they're going guys, what a gross question. 501 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,040 I can't believe that you would think that he just shares about 502 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:01,320 what's going to happen to him and y'all are worried about your 503 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,160 glorious seats in the eternal Kingdom. 504 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:08,240 No, they were indignant because the James and John and Sallone 505 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,480 beat them to the punch. That's their frustration. 506 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:16,360 They've already been arguing about who was the greatest in 507 00:27:16,360 --> 00:27:20,400 chapter 18, he told them, you must be childlike, humble and 508 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,920 simple in faith. They keep thinking that the 509 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,240 Kingdom has a ladder to climb, but they don't understand that 510 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:29,960 in the Kingdom it's not a ladder, it's a table, and 511 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:31,440 there's only one at the head of the table. 512 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:36,280 And that's the position of the Saint to say, Lord, it's all for 513 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:40,240 your glory. I surrender all the song lyrics 514 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:43,880 said. The failures that I hide and the 515 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:47,040 victories that I don't. Isn't that my temptation? 516 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,600 Isn't it yours? Downplay my failures? 517 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:53,680 Look at this picture, everybody. In some ways, it might be the 518 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:55,320 appropriate way to function with folks. 519 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:58,080 I don't think anybody would want to be my Facebook friend if all 520 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:00,840 that, if I shared all my failures, like this guy is an 521 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,560 absolute loser. I don't want to be a part of 522 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:08,560 anything he's doing. So on one hand, it's appropriate 523 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,400 to share good news. People like to hear that with 524 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,800 these eyes. They keep missing the point and 525 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:15,760 Jesus keeps bringing them back to the point. 526 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:20,120 So look here in verse 24. When they heard it, they were 527 00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:24,560 indignant with the two brothers, but Jesus called them to him and 528 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,400 said, so we have some sort of stage of operations. 529 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:30,840 This interaction happens with Salome and with the two. 530 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,320 Somebody overhears it, figures out what happened. 531 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,960 Now, I mean, maybe it's over the next 10 minutes. 532 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:39,120 Maybe it's next, Oh, throughout the evening. 533 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:41,400 But now it gets back through the tent. 534 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:42,600 What do they say? No. 535 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,080 Are you kidding me? Stallone did it. 536 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:45,440 Yeah. I've. 537 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:46,720 Yeah. That sounds like her. 538 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:48,960 Yeah. And James and John both. 539 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:50,840 Yeah. OK, that makes sense. 540 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:54,360 And now everybody's mad. And now Jesus hears all the 541 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:57,080 little grumblings, as he has so wisely many times before. 542 00:28:57,240 --> 00:28:58,520 Like when they were traveling on the road. 543 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:00,560 He goes, what were you boys arguing about earlier? 544 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,080 Like, who's going to be greatest in the Kingdom? 545 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:06,080 And that's when he brings the child. 546 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:09,240 It's the same thing again. He hears that everybody's mad at 547 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:10,840 each other. They're all grumbling with each 548 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:12,720 other. The Lord is days away from 549 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:16,320 crucifixion and the knuckleheads are still knuckleheading. 550 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,440 And here is how he brings them together. 551 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:27,160 Guys, boys, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lorded 552 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:29,560 over them, and they're great ones. 553 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:33,840 Exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. 554 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,520 Whoever would be great among you must be your servant. 555 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:41,560 Whoever would be first among you must be your slave. 556 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:46,960 Even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and 557 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,640 to give his life as a ransom for many. 558 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:54,440 He's making the point that he's made multiple times before I 559 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:56,160 even came. The Son of Man. 560 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:59,480 Remember the Son of Man language, mighty prophecy from 561 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:02,720 Daniel, the Son of Man. It's not what it sounds like the 562 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:04,760 Son of Man, He sounds like he's a son of man. 563 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:07,760 No, it's actually ironically not that. 564 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:12,520 To say the Son of Man is to reference Daniel's prophecy and 565 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:14,320 to reference I am the eternal one. 566 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:17,440 I am deserving of all the glory. So that's why I remember every 567 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,720 time Jesus said Son of Man, he's saying ultimate God. 568 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:23,600 That's what he's saying. So he's saying the ultimate God 569 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:25,720 came not even to serve, but to be served. 570 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:28,880 So if I'm, if I'm the example for you, how much more should 571 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:32,040 you be serving and caring for one another? 572 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:40,280 We should clarify here because this passage has often been 573 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,800 misunderstood. So we are going to say what 574 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:45,280 Jesus isn't saying and then we're going to most importantly 575 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:49,600 clarify what he is saying. Jesus is not throwing out all 576 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,640 authority structures here, as some have ignorantly taken this 577 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:57,200 passage alone and zoomed in on it and seeing no other part of 578 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:00,120 their Bible and said authority structures don't exist in the 579 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:03,280 Kingdom of God. Well, Jesus is speaking 580 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:07,040 authoritatively, right? Isn't. 581 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,480 Isn't he giving a command? So we're not, we're not going to 582 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:13,600 twist this thing and and create a contortion of it. 583 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:16,360 Jesus is not throwing out all authority structures. 584 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:20,200 The Bible teaches authority in the home, in the church, in the 585 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:24,080 government. Authority is real, and yes, 586 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:27,880 authority is power. What Jesus is doing here, what's 587 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:30,160 he doing, Pastor? What he is doing here, he's 588 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:34,760 showing that authority and power in the Kingdom are used to serve 589 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:37,440 others instead of tools to serve self. 590 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:39,320 That's the switch that he's making. 591 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:43,080 How do you know, Pastor? Pastor, show it to me in the 592 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:44,760 word. Good, good. 593 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,920 That's the right response. We know that based on the 594 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:49,640 context of where he's bringing it from. 595 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,720 What just happened, where did he bring his teaching out of it is 596 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:58,280 in response to we want the glorious seat it was for glory, 597 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:00,400 hungry people. That's the correction that's 598 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,280 being brought here. So you can't take this passage 599 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:05,600 and go, you're supposed to be a slave to everybody. 600 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:07,920 Well, that's literally what he said, pastor. 601 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:10,400 And you've taught me that the Bible means what it says and it 602 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:11,920 says what it means. Praise God. 603 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:13,320 I'm glad you're paying attention. 604 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,280 You'll also remember there are times where Jesus uses something 605 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:20,120 called hyperbole, where he says if your hand causes you to sin, 606 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,320 what should you do? Cut it off. 607 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:25,280 Looks like everybody has their hands in here. 608 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:28,240 I thought you wanted to obey Jesus Church. 609 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:30,720 Now we understood that he was making a point there. 610 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:34,880 So a slave obeys everything. They're commanded by everyone, 611 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:38,000 right? So if Jesus became the slave to 612 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:41,240 all of us, does he also obey our commands? 613 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:44,000 Everybody say no good. There's no heretics in our 614 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,160 church. So Jesus does not obey our 615 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:48,240 commands. And yet was he making a point 616 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:49,360 there? Yes, he was. 617 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:51,320 Do we want to take away the power from his point? 618 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:54,320 No, we don't. But some have again, maximized 619 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:57,320 something that should be balanced appropriately and say 620 00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:58,960 what was he actually communicating? 621 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,000 He's saying boys, don't be glory hungry. 622 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,080 You 2. Hey, and you other 10 who are 623 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:05,480 just, you're just mad at them because they beat you to the 624 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:07,080 punch. You're all still fighting for 625 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:10,040 prominence. Any authority that you're going 626 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:12,720 to have, any power that you're going to have, boys, it's to use 627 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:15,720 to serve. Power is to be a blessing. 628 00:33:16,200 --> 00:33:18,600 Power is not to be a preferred parking spot. 629 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:21,560 Power is not to be all of your rights and privileges and 630 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:23,480 demands. Power is real. 631 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:26,280 Power is a Kingdom thing. And yet it's supposed to be used 632 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:28,600 to be served. I am a police officer. 633 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:32,000 I'm a police officer. I am a police officer. 634 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:34,800 Good job. Congratulations. 635 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,800 That's an important role. You are the sword of the Lord to 636 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:41,600 punish the wicked, to reward the righteous, but you're to serve 637 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:43,520 with that. And sometimes that police 638 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:48,160 officer will be your slave by pulling you over and giving you 639 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,080 a ticket and making you pay a fine. 640 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:54,040 Are you going to give him instruction and say, hey, you're 641 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:56,360 actually my servant? Well, he is being your servant 642 00:33:56,600 --> 00:34:01,480 with his authority, right? He has authority to make you 643 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:04,400 stop your car. And if you don't stop your car, 644 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:07,840 he will stop your car. He has the power to do that. 645 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:09,400 That's been given to him to do that. 646 00:34:09,679 --> 00:34:11,719 Why are you running? Where are you going? 647 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:15,960 But he is a servant. But he could get on a power 648 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:18,600 trip, couldn't he? His heart could be wrong about 649 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:20,400 it. He could become puffed up and 650 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:23,679 inflated with pride. Go, I have power over these 651 00:34:23,679 --> 00:34:27,440 people now. He's lording it over them now. 652 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:29,159 That was the focus of the disciples. 653 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:31,440 Who's going to have the position of prominence? 654 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:33,679 Who's going to be the biggest in the Kingdom? 655 00:34:33,679 --> 00:34:36,000 Well, boys, I already told you, you're all going to have Thrones 656 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:38,440 and you're going to judge the 12 tribes of Israel. 657 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:40,400 That's a service you're going to provide. 658 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:42,840 You're going to bless, just like I have. 659 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,199 All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. 660 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:48,239 What did I do with it? I came and I served and I did 661 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:50,480 what was best. It is a hard posture. 662 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:53,920 Some who are afraid of authority and ignorantly misunderstand it 663 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:56,760 go, let's get rid of authority because we've seen it misused. 664 00:34:57,240 --> 00:34:59,560 Jesus is teaching that very thing right here. 665 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:01,000 Yet we've seen authority misused. 666 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:02,880 Look how the Romans lorded over you. 667 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:07,440 Hey, Jew, carry my pack a mile. You have to ha, ha, ha. 668 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:09,640 Jesus says we're going to gut them of their power, and I'm 669 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:11,080 going to tell you to go the second mile. 670 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:13,560 You're legally required to go one mile with them. 671 00:35:13,720 --> 00:35:15,320 So whenever they go, all right, give me my pack bag. 672 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:19,680 You go, I'm good. Oh, who has the power now? 673 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:24,040 I'm giving to you and there's nothing you can do about it. 674 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:29,560 I'm giving to you to bless you. You intended to extract from me, 675 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:32,400 but I'm giving to bless you. Why? 676 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:36,080 Because I love my enemies. And in doing so and loving well, 677 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:37,760 I pour hot coals upon their head. 678 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:41,640 Not that my motive is to torment them, my moment. 679 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:44,480 My motive is to bring them to repentance that they would 680 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:45,880 actually experience the love of God. 681 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:49,800 Because who am I? Whether I have a badge or 682 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:52,800 whether I have a pulpit or whether I'm a husband or whether 683 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:55,640 I'm a mother over little ones. Mothers, when your babies were 684 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:59,960 born, did you feel mighty and powerful or did you feel like, 685 00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:02,160 wow, now I'm in service to somebody non-stop? 686 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:04,320 I think we know the answer, right? 687 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:07,760 Mamas didn't feel like I am badged with authority. 688 00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:12,720 Now you're you're a slave, you are a servant. 689 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:15,880 And but do mothers have authority over their babies? 690 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:17,400 You better believe it. We better hope so. 691 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:19,200 We better hope that they're going to be shaping and 692 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:22,320 structuring and absolutely controlling their little lives. 693 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:24,480 Why? In service to their babies. 694 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:27,280 They control what they eat. They control when they nap. 695 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:28,760 And as they grow, they continue to control them. 696 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,040 You may go here. You will not go there. 697 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:33,480 You will speak to me this way. You will do this thing. 698 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:35,320 Mothers have authority over their children. 699 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:38,160 Mothers are not slaves to their children in the sense that they 700 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:40,920 obey their children. Right, Mom, we want to do this. 701 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:42,800 Well, the Bible says I'm your slave. 702 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:48,040 My sister, No, the point is, sister, that you would not Lord 703 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:51,280 your authority over them, that you would not be haughty about. 704 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:55,440 I have power over you. Well, yes, you most definitely 705 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:57,600 do. But it's not for you to feel 706 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:00,360 excited about having power. It's for you to serve them well. 707 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,800 That's the motive of Jesus. That's your passage, Saints. 708 00:37:04,720 --> 00:37:06,680 That's the passage. That's what Jesus was doing 709 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:16,240 here. Jesus is showing that authority 710 00:37:16,240 --> 00:37:19,720 and power in the Kingdom are used to serve others instead of 711 00:37:19,720 --> 00:37:22,960 tools to serve self. Being a servant in the Kingdom 712 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:26,200 doesn't gut authority. It doesn't remove your backbone 713 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:29,640 as many teach. Instead, it purifies your 714 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:36,000 motives and makes you serve like Jesus who washed feet, who laid 715 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:40,520 down his life as the ultimate perfect sacrifice, and who also 716 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:45,160 commanded people what to do and called people to repentance and 717 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:49,320 said follow me and said obey me. Which is it? 718 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:52,480 Well, welcome to maturity in the Kingdom of God. 719 00:37:52,960 --> 00:37:56,480 You're actually looking more like Jesus when you say I have, 720 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:59,880 I have power and authority and I'm not super pumped about it, 721 00:37:59,880 --> 00:38:02,880 except that I am because it helps me to serve people better. 722 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:06,200 The people that I love, I have power to serve them well. 723 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:09,200 I can actually make things happen. 724 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:11,640 That's what power is. That police officer has power. 725 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:14,480 He can make things happen. He's not just making 726 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:17,000 suggestions. He can make things. 727 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:20,600 He can make you do something. A mother can make her child do 728 00:38:20,600 --> 00:38:23,720 something, but it's in service to them. 729 00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:26,400 A husband, a father, can make his family do something. 730 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:28,400 This is who we are. This is where we're going. 731 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:31,120 This is what's going to happen. He has that authority. 732 00:38:31,240 --> 00:38:34,760 A pastor can make the church, and again, there's appropriate 733 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:36,920 authorities there. I don't control your lives, as 734 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,760 you know, but he can make the church do certain things. 735 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:41,840 He can. He can exercise church 736 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:46,120 discipline and he can say you're barred from fellowship in hopes 737 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:48,000 that you would come to repentance. 738 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,080 Those are real actionable things, all to be done in 739 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:54,200 service, not to be beat in your chest. 740 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:58,280 There's a new sheriff in town. But to say I, I carry this 741 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:02,840 weight with humility. I walk it out with fear and with 742 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:07,040 trembling. My position is one that is in 743 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:09,200 service to the Lord Jesus Christ. 744 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:16,080 So Jesus serves, and Jesus is the perfect and the ultimate 745 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:20,480 servant, but he is never obedient to those that he's 746 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:24,240 serving, duh. And he never surrenders his role 747 00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:26,760 as a leader and as a king to them. 748 00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:29,560 On the contrary, he actually does what his servants don't 749 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:32,200 want him to do. Mothers know about that too. 750 00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:34,720 Fathers, husbands, anyone in leadership. 751 00:39:34,720 --> 00:39:37,840 If you have served well, the people you have served at times 752 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:40,520 have not wanted you to do the thing that you're doing in 753 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:42,880 service to them. Jesus says I'm going to the 754 00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:44,640 cross. Peter says never, Lord. 755 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:49,520 And Jesus goes, you idiot, I have to go to the cross for you. 756 00:39:49,520 --> 00:39:54,120 And not only am I going to the cross, that was the invitation 757 00:39:54,120 --> 00:39:56,920 for you too, Peter. That's, that's what any 758 00:39:56,920 --> 00:40:00,720 Christian is called to. I will give my life unto death 759 00:40:00,720 --> 00:40:02,080 for the Lord. Why would I do that? 760 00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:05,560 Because you believe in a resurrection like Salome did. 761 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:09,200 I believe in a resurrection. What's my status going to be? 762 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:11,000 Let me just walk out my obedience. 763 00:40:11,240 --> 00:40:14,160 That's my focus. My obedience is all that matters 764 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:18,360 right now. So we clarified what he's not 765 00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:20,320 saying here. Let's keep clarifying what he is 766 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:22,480 saying. He's not saying you need to be a 767 00:40:22,480 --> 00:40:25,160 little bit nicer when you're dominating somebody. 768 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:28,960 He's saying you cannot lead like the world does at all because it 769 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:31,440 is selfish, it is self promoting, and it is 770 00:40:31,440 --> 00:40:35,240 manipulative leadership. You're using others to extract, 771 00:40:35,240 --> 00:40:39,440 and he gets something for yourself instead of caring for 772 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:43,320 that flock, caring for whoever it may be that you can bless. 773 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:47,960 The world thinks that power is to be used, like we said, for 774 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:50,840 preferred parking spots, for personal satisfaction. 775 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:53,800 But power is to be used, as Jesus put it, in slavery to 776 00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:57,640 others, preferring them, bearing their burdens and meeting their 777 00:40:57,640 --> 00:41:00,520 needs because you actually love them so much. 778 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:04,960 Authority is not given to you to make your life easier. 779 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:08,320 Authority is given to you to make others lives better. 780 00:41:09,520 --> 00:41:11,920 That's why it was given to you. Not so that you can have every 781 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:14,200 privilege and every advantage as the world does it. 782 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:17,680 If I was king, I would make everybody. 783 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:20,720 That's child, that's childish thinking, that's immature 784 00:41:20,720 --> 00:41:23,680 thinking, like I would make everybody serve me. 785 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:26,640 Well, in some ways they would serve you, but you would be 786 00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:28,960 serving them all the while with leadership. 787 00:41:29,120 --> 00:41:32,360 If you were ruling well, then you would serve them from the 788 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:34,400 throne. You would govern well. 789 00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:36,880 Hey, King, I don't need you to come to my house and cut my 790 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:39,040 grass. That might look good for the PR 791 00:41:39,040 --> 00:41:41,480 campaign, but kings don't need PR campaigns because they don't 792 00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:43,320 have to get reelected because they're just kings. 793 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:47,600 So if you could just rule well, that would bless me most. 794 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:50,760 If you would just rule well and look out for our city and our 795 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:54,720 region and pass laws and ordinances and dictates that are 796 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:57,160 actually a blessing to our civilization, that's what I 797 00:41:57,160 --> 00:41:58,840 need. That's going to be the biggest 798 00:41:58,840 --> 00:42:01,080 blessing. That's how you can serve me 799 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:02,720 well. That's what Jesus did. 800 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:06,520 Jesus did not have a 3 1/2 year foot washing ministry, did he? 801 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:09,800 Pastor, are you trying to minimize the foot washing? 802 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:13,320 No, but I won't to caution against the maximizing of it. 803 00:42:13,880 --> 00:42:16,720 It was real, it mattered. It's significant, It ain't 804 00:42:16,720 --> 00:42:18,160 nothing. It's really something. 805 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:22,520 And also, what did the King do with his 3 1/2 year ministry? 806 00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:24,920 He was preaching, he was teaching, and he was healing. 807 00:42:25,320 --> 00:42:30,200 Serving in the way that only the King can serve, serving in a way 808 00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:31,880 that's best for the King to serve. 809 00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:34,440 I don't want the president coming to my house, cleaning my 810 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:36,800 bathrooms. I don't want it. 811 00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:38,800 Instead, I want the president ruling well. 812 00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:41,600 You focus on rulership. I got my jobs. 813 00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:44,320 You got your jobs. That is your service to me. 814 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:48,920 That will bless me richly if you serve well in obedience to the 815 00:42:48,920 --> 00:42:50,880 Lord Jesus Christ and His will for the earth. 816 00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:54,160 That's your job. That's what I expected you And 817 00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:58,280 stay in your lane, by the way, which is to reward the righteous 818 00:42:58,480 --> 00:43:06,560 and punish the evil doer. What does this look like for us, 819 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:08,480 practically? It's the mother who's up in the 820 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:11,000 night with her sick child, not because she has nothing else to 821 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:13,360 do, but because love doesn't clock out. 822 00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:17,120 How do I humble myself? How do I make myself low and 823 00:43:17,120 --> 00:43:19,480 serve? It's the husband who engages his 824 00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:22,640 wife in conversation when he's exhausted and needs to sleep. 825 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:26,640 It's the boss who covers for a struggling employee because he 826 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:28,320 knows they're going through a difficult season. 827 00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:32,120 It's the pastor who prays over his people and shows up week 828 00:43:32,120 --> 00:43:34,920 after week to feed their souls even if they couldn't care less. 829 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:39,000 It's the Christian who forgives someone who doesn't deserve it, 830 00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:41,400 who shows up with a meal when no one's asked. 831 00:43:41,720 --> 00:43:44,440 Who takes a burden that nobody sees not to get noticed. 832 00:43:44,720 --> 00:43:46,480 That because Jesus carries their burdens. 833 00:43:46,600 --> 00:43:49,680 It's the Co worker who covers a shift so that someone else can 834 00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:53,240 rest, not to climb a ladder but to bless someone quietly. 835 00:43:53,960 --> 00:43:56,600 It's the friend who keeps showing up for the other friend 836 00:43:56,720 --> 00:44:00,200 going through depression even when the conversations are one 837 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:03,880 sided and draining. It's the person who listens 838 00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:07,720 without interrupting, speaks truth gently, and forgives 839 00:44:07,720 --> 00:44:10,080 without making a show of it because they want to be like 840 00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:12,560 Jesus. It's the church member who stays 841 00:44:12,560 --> 00:44:15,560 late stacking chairs, makes a meal for someone who's grieving, 842 00:44:16,200 --> 00:44:19,440 or gives up their seat to welcome a guest not for credit, 843 00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:21,920 but because that's just how love works in the Kingdom. 844 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:25,040 I'm not looking around going I hope everybody noticed. 845 00:44:25,040 --> 00:44:27,720 I hope everybody noticed, says let me give you some good news. 846 00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:32,160 The Lord is keeping the books. That's good news, or that's bad 847 00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:34,640 news. Make it be good news. 848 00:44:35,280 --> 00:44:38,360 The Lord is keeping the books. He hasn't forgotten anything. 849 00:44:38,520 --> 00:44:41,360 Not one of your tears has gotten by past him. 850 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:42,920 He catches them all in his bottle. 851 00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:47,680 He sees all. And that is intended to be a 852 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:50,840 blessing and a comfort to you. A man hasn't noticed this. 853 00:44:51,000 --> 00:44:53,520 Pastor JM hasn't noticed that. I don't think these other people 854 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:55,640 have noticed that. Saints, forgive me. 855 00:44:55,720 --> 00:44:58,440 There's a lot I don't see. There's a lot I miss. 856 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:01,800 I mean, you wouldn't believe how much I miss. 857 00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:05,320 I'm good at what I'm good at and I'm bad at what I'm bad at. 858 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:09,000 But I promise you, the Lord sees it. 859 00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:11,160 The Lord sees your faithful service. 860 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:14,000 The Lord sees your humility. The Lord sees your love. 861 00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:17,040 You're not forgotten. Your promotion is coming. 862 00:45:17,720 --> 00:45:21,280 The Lord is the one who promotes, and it's the grace of 863 00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:24,960 God, and it's the gift of God in you as you put it in service to 864 00:45:24,960 --> 00:45:28,480 others that makes room for you and brings you before great men. 865 00:45:29,200 --> 00:45:32,040 So if you have visions and expectations of hopes and a 866 00:45:32,040 --> 00:45:34,480 future and you're like, is it wrong to have these hopes and 867 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:35,480 dreams? It's not wrong. 868 00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:37,840 Is it wrong to hope for this kind of influence? 869 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:39,600 It's not wrong. It's not wrong. 870 00:45:39,720 --> 00:45:43,000 But like we said earlier, make sure your desire for influence 871 00:45:43,160 --> 00:45:47,680 never outgrows your humility, your submission, your smallness. 872 00:45:48,240 --> 00:45:50,320 That's a prayer that I've been praying regularly now for 873 00:45:50,320 --> 00:45:52,880 months, and I think it's going to stick with me maybe forever, 874 00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:57,120 that God will not allow my influence, my reach, or any 875 00:45:57,200 --> 00:46:01,120 glory connected to me to ever outpace my devotion, my love, my 876 00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:03,880 maturity, my character. I do not want to gain the whole 877 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:06,120 world and lose my soul. I don't want to gain the whole 878 00:46:06,120 --> 00:46:09,440 world and look good and deceive you and get to heaven and I go, 879 00:46:09,440 --> 00:46:12,000 where's my seat? And he goes, you don't have a 880 00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:13,680 seat, you're over there, you're over here. 881 00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:16,400 I want, I want to be, I want to be as close to him as I can. 882 00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:19,200 I want as many crowns as I can get so that I actually have 883 00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:21,600 something to worship with. So I have something because 884 00:46:21,600 --> 00:46:23,360 that's what everybody with crowns is even going to do in 885 00:46:23,360 --> 00:46:24,880 heaven. I got a crown. 886 00:46:24,880 --> 00:46:26,480 I got a crown. I got No one will be bragging 887 00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:29,480 about their crowns. They're going to go, I can put 888 00:46:29,480 --> 00:46:32,760 this at the feet of the one who's actually worthy because 889 00:46:32,760 --> 00:46:35,920 who am I? What did you do outside of the 890 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:37,840 grace of God in your life anyway? 891 00:46:37,960 --> 00:46:42,680 Nothing apart from him I can do. Nothing apart from him I am 892 00:46:42,680 --> 00:46:46,360 nothing in him. I'm the only thing that I could 893 00:46:46,360 --> 00:46:48,800 ever be. We're closing. 894 00:46:48,800 --> 00:46:52,840 I'm going to read to you in Philippians chapter 2, verses 3 895 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:57,760 through 8. Do nothing from selfish ambition 896 00:46:58,120 --> 00:47:02,880 or conceit, but in humility count others more significant 897 00:47:02,880 --> 00:47:07,160 than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to 898 00:47:07,160 --> 00:47:11,440 his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 899 00:47:11,920 --> 00:47:14,320 Notice what he said there. Don't look only to your own 900 00:47:14,320 --> 00:47:16,800 interests, implying you are allowed. 901 00:47:17,120 --> 00:47:20,280 And obviously the Lord takes for granted that you will look to 902 00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:24,320 your own interests. Duh, of course you will, He 903 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:26,320 says. Don't look only to your own 904 00:47:26,320 --> 00:47:33,680 interests, look also to the interests of others. 905 00:47:35,120 --> 00:47:39,360 Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus, 906 00:47:39,480 --> 00:47:43,840 who, though he was in the form of God, He did not count 907 00:47:43,840 --> 00:47:47,520 equality with God a thing to be grasped or a thing to be held on 908 00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:50,560 to. He said, I'm willing to set some 909 00:47:50,560 --> 00:47:54,040 things aside. But he emptied himself by taking 910 00:47:54,040 --> 00:47:58,560 the form of a servant. Being born in the likeness of 911 00:47:58,560 --> 00:48:03,680 men and being found in human form, he humbled Himself by 912 00:48:03,680 --> 00:48:08,840 becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 913 00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:14,000 Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on Him 914 00:48:14,000 --> 00:48:19,000 the name that is above every name, so that at the name of 915 00:48:19,120 --> 00:48:24,200 Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under 916 00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:28,400 the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is 917 00:48:28,400 --> 00:48:31,560 Lord to the glory of God the Father. 918 00:48:34,680 --> 00:48:36,640 Jesus empowers us to live this way. 919 00:48:36,640 --> 00:48:38,360 Jesus created us to live this way. 920 00:48:38,360 --> 00:48:40,400 This is Christian living. This is normal Christian 921 00:48:40,400 --> 00:48:43,120 behavior. Read your New Testament, the 922 00:48:43,120 --> 00:48:44,960 instructions that were given. That's what normal Christian 923 00:48:44,960 --> 00:48:47,720 behavior looks like. Remember, this isn't Navy SEAL 924 00:48:47,720 --> 00:48:51,040 level stuff. This is, this is the only level. 925 00:48:51,400 --> 00:48:52,880 There's just the childlike level. 926 00:48:53,080 --> 00:48:56,320 There's just the I'm a toddler, I'm the Lords. 927 00:48:56,520 --> 00:48:58,520 What does he want? What pleases him? 928 00:48:58,880 --> 00:49:01,880 I'm unassuming. I'm not looking for power and 929 00:49:01,880 --> 00:49:05,680 position, the humble believer says. 930 00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:07,720 I didn't do it because you demanded it. 931 00:49:08,440 --> 00:49:12,280 It wasn't extracted from me. I did it because I wanted to 932 00:49:12,280 --> 00:49:16,560 serve the Lord and bless you. I might even have authority and 933 00:49:16,560 --> 00:49:19,280 power that I could have used to shield me from sacrificing for 934 00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:21,200 you. But I wouldn't dare hide behind 935 00:49:21,200 --> 00:49:24,200 my power and authority because the Lord Jesus doesn't. 936 00:49:27,520 --> 00:49:29,480 He doesn't hide behind it and go, well, I've got all these 937 00:49:29,480 --> 00:49:32,200 things. He's not the king who stays 938 00:49:32,200 --> 00:49:35,120 behind the battlefield. Jesus was the King who said I'm 939 00:49:35,120 --> 00:49:36,400 going to step into the battlefield. 940 00:49:36,800 --> 00:49:39,240 I'm going to win the entire battle by myself. 941 00:49:40,320 --> 00:49:42,840 I'll do everything and I'll also get all the glory. 942 00:49:43,600 --> 00:49:46,200 Come follow me. That's the invitation. 943 00:49:46,400 --> 00:49:49,360 I'll equip you. I'll fill you, I'll walk with 944 00:49:49,360 --> 00:49:54,880 you the cross all the way to the cross. 945 00:49:56,160 --> 00:49:58,440 Lord, I pray that you would help us to walk faithfully with you. 946 00:49:59,680 --> 00:50:02,360 You would help us to not see ourselves more highly than we 947 00:50:02,360 --> 00:50:05,920 ought. You see us in a place of of deep 948 00:50:05,920 --> 00:50:10,320 love and affection. But help us to not Lord any 949 00:50:10,320 --> 00:50:15,240 authority that we have been given as husbands, as fathers, 950 00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:26,600 as mothers, as ministers, as a pastor, as managers, as bosses, 951 00:50:29,080 --> 00:50:34,040 any other context where we have power over others to make them 952 00:50:34,040 --> 00:50:38,640 do things and to make things happen or make us their slave. 953 00:50:39,320 --> 00:50:43,400 Help us to use our power and our authority in service to others 954 00:50:43,600 --> 00:50:46,760 and give us the wisdom. Give us the wisdom to know what 955 00:50:46,760 --> 00:50:49,000 that looks like, that we would be like the Lord Jesus, the 956 00:50:49,000 --> 00:50:52,680 right thing at the right time. There were times where they look 957 00:50:52,680 --> 00:50:56,200 like Jesus sleeping in the boat while disciples rode across the 958 00:50:56,200 --> 00:50:57,800 lake. There are times where it look 959 00:50:57,800 --> 00:51:02,160 like Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, washing the scum 960 00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:08,240 of the road off of their filthy feet, and ultimately all the way 961 00:51:08,240 --> 00:51:12,520 to the cross. The almighty infinitely high God 962 00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:18,240 coming incredibly low. It is the greatest transition 963 00:51:18,880 --> 00:51:20,120 that's happened throughout history. 964 00:51:20,680 --> 00:51:23,320 It is the highest leader coming to the lowest role. 965 00:51:23,720 --> 00:51:29,320 Certainly, certainly, Lord, we can joyfully give our power, our 966 00:51:29,320 --> 00:51:37,960 authority in your service. Open up our eyes, Lord, for new 967 00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:42,240 opportunities. Help us not to be hungry for our 968 00:51:42,240 --> 00:51:47,200 glory, but for your glory and keep drawing us near to the 969 00:51:47,200 --> 00:51:50,920 cross where the price was paid for our sins, that we would be 970 00:51:50,920 --> 00:51:52,560 forgiven, that we would be saved. 971 00:51:53,120 --> 00:51:58,280 We love you, we trust you, we thank you in Jesus name, and now 972 00:51:58,280 --> 00:52:02,560 the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face Shinedown 973 00:52:02,560 --> 00:52:06,600 upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance 974 00:52:06,600 --> 00:52:11,800 upon you and give you great peace in Jesus name, Amen.