1 00:00:00,902 --> 00:00:09,037 Christ's Kingdom is not about position and power. 2 00:00:09,037 --> 00:00:12,127 I'm probably not saying anything new 3 00:00:12,127 --> 00:00:13,816 to many of you, 4 00:00:13,816 --> 00:00:16,110 but I hope just emphasizing this again 5 00:00:16,110 --> 00:00:18,539 will refresh in your minds the significance 6 00:00:18,539 --> 00:00:21,683 of these truths. 7 00:00:21,683 --> 00:00:24,444 The Kingdom of God is not 8 00:00:24,444 --> 00:00:30,404 about position and power. 9 00:00:30,404 --> 00:00:35,844 Isn't this an incredible question that's being asked here in v. 1? 10 00:00:35,844 --> 00:00:41,785 "Hey Jesus, who's the greatest?" 11 00:00:41,785 --> 00:00:46,136 It's kind of like the elder's meeting. 12 00:00:46,136 --> 00:00:48,587 You get together and you look among yourselves. 13 00:00:48,587 --> 00:00:53,135 Which one of us is the greatest? 14 00:00:53,135 --> 00:00:54,903 Or the deacons. 15 00:00:54,903 --> 00:00:57,016 Or the church. 16 00:00:57,016 --> 00:00:58,937 Or here this week. 17 00:00:58,937 --> 00:01:01,745 Who's the greatest? 18 00:01:01,745 --> 00:01:07,491 Who stands out among us? 19 00:01:07,491 --> 00:01:16,067 These fellows actually asked that question of Jesus. 20 00:01:16,067 --> 00:01:17,728 And we need to get this 21 00:01:17,728 --> 00:01:22,867 into the fabric of our souls 22 00:01:22,867 --> 00:01:27,133 that Christ's Kingdom is not about that. 23 00:01:27,133 --> 00:01:29,733 That question just should not even 24 00:01:29,733 --> 00:01:32,271 come into our minds. 25 00:01:32,271 --> 00:01:38,340 Who is the greatest? 26 00:01:38,340 --> 00:01:39,971 There's some names that could be 27 00:01:39,971 --> 00:01:41,421 mentioned right now of men 28 00:01:41,421 --> 00:01:43,351 who seemed to be some of the great ones 29 00:01:43,351 --> 00:01:46,596 in the Kingdom who have just in recent, 30 00:01:46,596 --> 00:01:51,379 I think even in this last year fallen; 31 00:01:51,379 --> 00:01:53,757 that are no longer in the ministry, 32 00:01:53,757 --> 00:01:56,897 no longer viewed as the great preachers 33 00:01:56,897 --> 00:02:02,345 that they had been viewed by so many. 34 00:02:02,345 --> 00:02:05,765 One of the great ones among us. 35 00:02:05,765 --> 00:02:09,377 It's such a dangerous way to think! 36 00:02:09,377 --> 00:02:11,472 Christ's Kingdom's not about that. 37 00:02:11,472 --> 00:02:13,402 Who among us is the greatest 38 00:02:13,402 --> 00:02:16,676 is not the question to be asked 39 00:02:16,676 --> 00:02:18,424 by the people of God; 40 00:02:18,424 --> 00:02:22,489 by those who enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 41 00:02:22,489 --> 00:02:24,199 Sometimes we are more concerned 42 00:02:24,199 --> 00:02:25,719 about protecting our image 43 00:02:25,719 --> 00:02:29,466 than we are about exalting Christ. 44 00:02:29,466 --> 00:02:31,148 Sometimes we're more concerned 45 00:02:31,148 --> 00:02:38,137 about protecting our position. 46 00:02:38,137 --> 00:02:43,819 I realize there may be a fine line here at times, 47 00:02:43,819 --> 00:02:45,733 but even as an elder in the church, 48 00:02:45,733 --> 00:02:48,026 if my attitude towards someone is: 49 00:02:48,026 --> 00:02:51,321 don't you know who I am? 50 00:02:51,321 --> 00:02:54,886 It seems like I've crossed a line there. 51 00:02:54,886 --> 00:02:58,435 Now, should they know who I am? 52 00:02:58,435 --> 00:03:01,362 The Scriptures teach there is an order. 53 00:03:01,362 --> 00:03:03,813 We can't ignore that, but that attitude 54 00:03:03,813 --> 00:03:05,442 should not fill the heart of one 55 00:03:05,442 --> 00:03:12,434 who is a servant in the Kingdom of Heaven. 56 00:03:12,434 --> 00:03:13,981 But sometimes we're concerned 57 00:03:13,981 --> 00:03:15,486 about protecting our position 58 00:03:15,486 --> 00:03:18,158 or promoting our agenda. 59 00:03:18,158 --> 00:03:20,067 We're more concerned about that 60 00:03:20,067 --> 00:03:21,840 than we are about being the servant 61 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,000 to God's people that He's called us to be. 62 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:25,434 And maybe I'm thinking more 63 00:03:25,434 --> 00:03:27,978 about the leaders in the church as I'm talking here, 64 00:03:27,978 --> 00:03:29,814 but this applies to all of us. 65 00:03:29,814 --> 00:03:32,361 Are you aspiring to be a leader in the church? 66 00:03:32,361 --> 00:03:34,212 The Bible does say that if you desire 67 00:03:34,212 --> 00:03:36,712 the office of a bishop, you desire a good thing 68 00:03:36,712 --> 00:03:39,902 so there's something to be said for that desire. 69 00:03:39,902 --> 00:03:45,366 But I think there's a difference between desiring and aspiring. 70 00:03:45,366 --> 00:03:47,614 I'm always a little uncomfortable 71 00:03:47,614 --> 00:03:49,718 with that zealous soul 72 00:03:49,718 --> 00:03:53,478 that's always pushing himself forward. 73 00:03:53,478 --> 00:03:59,073 "Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!" 74 00:03:59,073 --> 00:04:01,813 "I want to be one of the great ones." 75 00:04:01,813 --> 00:04:06,883 Who's the greatest in the Kingdom? 76 00:04:06,883 --> 00:04:11,506 Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? 77 00:04:11,506 --> 00:04:13,596 Did I hear Jesus? 78 00:04:13,596 --> 00:04:17,486 The King. 79 00:04:17,486 --> 00:04:18,986 Christ is the greatest! 80 00:04:18,986 --> 00:04:22,348 Can you imagine Jesus? 81 00:04:22,348 --> 00:04:23,896 He is in the midst of us, 82 00:04:23,896 --> 00:04:26,311 but in a visible form standing here 83 00:04:26,311 --> 00:04:27,440 and we're out there, 84 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,033 "I've got a question!" 85 00:04:29,033 --> 00:04:30,773 "Yes, son, what's the question?" 86 00:04:30,773 --> 00:04:32,531 "I'd like to know who's the greatest 87 00:04:32,531 --> 00:04:35,210 in the Kingdom of Heaven?" 88 00:04:35,210 --> 00:04:41,551 And the King is standing there! 89 00:04:41,551 --> 00:04:43,497 Of course, Jesus takes this opportunity 90 00:04:43,497 --> 00:04:47,966 to teach some significant lessons. 91 00:04:47,966 --> 00:04:49,552 He doesn't kick them to the curb, 92 00:04:49,552 --> 00:04:52,162 but He is very direct with them, 93 00:04:52,162 --> 00:04:56,141 very pointed with them. 94 00:04:56,141 --> 00:05:00,750 There is no room for competing egos 95 00:05:00,750 --> 00:05:04,132 in the Kingdom of Heaven. 96 00:05:04,132 --> 00:05:06,598 Listen, even as I say that, 97 00:05:06,598 --> 00:05:09,857 I'm preaching to myself. 98 00:05:09,857 --> 00:05:11,227 There's just simply no room 99 00:05:11,227 --> 00:05:13,762 for competing egos 100 00:05:13,762 --> 00:05:15,258 in the Kingdom of Heaven. 101 00:05:15,258 --> 00:05:18,160 We must function orderly as I have said, 102 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,899 but all within the framework of our gifts 103 00:05:21,899 --> 00:05:25,653 to the exaltation of our King. 104 00:05:25,653 --> 00:05:28,279 That's the goal. 105 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:30,338 So Christ's Kingdom is not about 106 00:05:30,338 --> 00:05:34,387 position and power. 107 00:05:34,387 --> 00:05:37,031 This excerpt was taken from Part 3 108 00:05:37,031 --> 00:05:39,433 of Kyle's series on Christian unity.