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Redefining Greatness: Key to Entering the Kingdom (Luke 9:46-50)
7 Plays1 day ago
Sunday Message recorded 07 September 2025
by Associate Pastor Josh Shell
First Baptist Church - Columbus, TX, USA
1700 Milam St.
Columbus, TX, USA 78934
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Housekeeping
00:00:06
Speaker
Well, good morning, everyone. Can you guys see me okay with the countrymen on? Yeah? Good? Sweet. There you go. Well, it's good to be with you guys.
Opening the Scriptures: Luke 9
00:00:16
Speaker
If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Luke chapter 9. If you don't have a personal Bible, we do have some Bibles in the back of the pews that you're more than welcome to use. And I know, as Victor has mentioned before, that if you do not own one, you're free to take one. We would love for you to have your own Word of God that you can use personally.
Engaging with the Text: Personal Reflection
00:00:38
Speaker
I know for me, I am a note taker. I love taking notes in my Bible. I love writing notes on the side, highlighting, underlining, circling, boxing. It's like I'm a toddler with a crayon or like with a color book.
Today's Theme: Humility
00:00:50
Speaker
But for me, it just makes the Word of God that much more living and active and personal to me as I can write in His Word and and make notes and reminders. And so love for you guys to do that. But...
00:01:04
Speaker
um We are going to be in Luke chapter 9. We're gonna be still Steady Eddie. We're working through the the gospel of Luke. We're going to keep rocking through it.
00:01:14
Speaker
But today, though, we're going to be looking at a really humbling passage.
Purpose of Luke's Gospel
00:01:18
Speaker
And I say humbling because the main theme that we're going looking at is on the topic of humility. On the topic of humility, which I know is everybody's favorite topic, right?
00:01:28
Speaker
How many of you guys woke up this morning were like, God, please teach me humility today? Anybody? Well, yeah, okay, yeah, I've got one, that's fair, that's fair. But I am very, very, very excited about this this passage. And so...
00:01:45
Speaker
I'm gonna start my timer here. Y'all should be proud of me. I'm starting timers when I'm up here. um But before we get into today's text, we're gonna be looking at verses 46 through 50. But I wanted just to just remind us of what Luke's ultimate goal is within writing this gospel account.
Understanding the Synoptic Gospels
00:02:01
Speaker
So you guys may have heard Victor mention this term synoptic gospels in the past several weeks. The synoptic gospels are Matthew, Mark, and Luke because they're the earliest gospels. They're the ones who who walk closely to the narrative.
00:02:15
Speaker
And then John
Jesus' Mission and Call to Follow
00:02:17
Speaker
comes later. But these three Gospels are very significant when it comes to the the overall purpose and and and just the ministry of Jesus. They try to articulate Jesus' ministry.
00:02:31
Speaker
And so Luke in particular, though, if you go back to Luke chapter 1, you get ah the overall goal of what he's trying to do with his audience and with the with his account of the Gospel.
00:02:42
Speaker
When you read in Luke chapter 1
Recap: Transfiguration and Divine Mission
00:02:44
Speaker
verses 1 through 4, it says this, and as much as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us justice just as those who are from the beginning and where eyewitnesses and ministers at the word have delivered them to us It seemed good to me also, having followed all all things closely for some times past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
00:03:18
Speaker
Right, so in other words, Luke is saying, hey, I know that there's bit of other guys who've been compiling this message about the ministry Jesus, but he was like, I want to do the same thing, and I want to make sure I communicate it as clearly as possible to you guys.
00:03:31
Speaker
And what's beautiful and unique about Luke's account is, if you remember, who's his audience? He's talking to everybody. He's not just talking to the Jewish audience. He's not talking just to the Gentile audience. He's talking to everybody.
00:03:43
Speaker
And so he's trying to communicate, hey, this is who Jesus is. This is what you've been taught, but I want to bring clarity. i want to bring certainty into the uncertainty. And that's what we've titled this whole series, is certainty and into the uncertainty.
00:03:59
Speaker
And I hope that this is exactly what we've been gleaning from this gospel so far as we've been working through it, is that as we work through it week by week, that you guys have been like, man, this is just becoming more clear. This is just becoming more sharp of what of why Jesus came, right?
00:04:17
Speaker
He came to die on the cross for our sins that way a sinful man can have a relationship back with God. But it's so much more than that as well. He came to die on the crown on the cross for our sins to to take our place, but it's more than that.
00:04:30
Speaker
For all of us who believe and confess that Jesus is Lord, he's saying, hey, it's great that you believe that I'm Lord, but he says, I want you to take it a step further. I want you to follow me. I want you to be my ambassadors. I want you to be my disciples. I want you to go take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
00:04:48
Speaker
And that's what Jesus is trying to communicate to his disciples. That's what the whole three-year ministry is about. is He is setting an example of how we are to be living Christ-likeness here on earth today.
Disciples' Misunderstanding of Faith
00:05:00
Speaker
This wasn't a message that was just meant for the disciples back then or for his audience back then, but rather this is a timeless message that meets us here and now in 2025. Are we all feeling this?
00:05:15
Speaker
And so now it's just up to us as personal believers is, okay, Lord, we hear you. We see you. How are we going to respond to it?
00:05:28
Speaker
Well, that's what we're gonna be looking at today in these verses. But before we jump into I just wanted to send a quick re recap of what we looked at last week, because last week's message, which by the way, Victor, was absolutely incredible. If y'all did not get the chance to listen to it, go back and listen to it online.
00:05:43
Speaker
Because it really is, as as Victor also alludes to at times, it's really, the passage from last week is the engine that really pulls today's train. right, when it comes to this idea of humility.
00:05:56
Speaker
Because if you all can recount with me Just a few passages before, even a couple of days before in context, we see that Jesus, Peter, James, and John were up on this mount called the Mount of Transfiguration is what we call it today, right? Some scholars believe it was Mount Tabor, some believe it was another, Mount Hermon, but they were up on the mountain and while they were there, Peter, James, and John witnessed one of the most incredible things that they could have ever and witnessed.
00:06:22
Speaker
They saw Jesus right before their eyes transform into his glorious body. yeah I mean, talking about it was as bright as anything they've ever seen.
00:06:34
Speaker
And then right before their very eyes, not only Jesus transformed, but guess who appeared before them? Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets, right? So these three guys are up there witnessing
Humility in Luke 9:46-50
00:06:46
Speaker
this incredible account. And then, you know, Peter, you know, Peter being Peter, he's like, Lord, this is good for us to be here.
00:06:53
Speaker
You know, is it okay if I build shelter for you guys, you know? And then what does God do? He speaks down, he says, hey dude, be quiet.
00:07:04
Speaker
Be quiet and just observe, right? And so this incredible account happens. And then what we see next is that they come down off the mountain the next day. And when they come down, what kind of scene do they appear to? yeah remember? remember?
00:07:21
Speaker
They come down to this large crowd that had come together. And in this large crowd, there was this this man who had a son who was demon-possessed. And he had gone to the rest of the disciples that were still down on the the base of the mountain.
00:07:33
Speaker
And he was asking them, hey, is it possible that you could cast this demon out for my son? And was it possible? Were the were the disciples successful? No, right? They were not successful.
00:07:46
Speaker
And so when Jesus, Peter, James, and John appear back onto to the scene, they walk up and this there's just a bunch of confusion going on. And the disciples are just like, we don't know what to do, Jesus. We can't cast out this demon. He brought his son and we can't cast it out.
00:08:01
Speaker
And Jesus is like, oh, faithless generation. Right. And then the father comes up to Jesus and he says, hey, this is my son. This demon has been convulsing him, has been throwing him down. It even tries to throw him into fire at times.
00:08:16
Speaker
Your disciples, I want to your disciples, they say they could do it, but they couldn't do it. So now i'm I'm here before you, Lord. Can you do it? And Jesus, ah this is his absolute lucrative. want you to read I want you to hear this, right? So this is in Mark's account, Mark 9, 21 to 23. It says and Jesus asked, or sorry.
00:08:37
Speaker
Yeah, Jesus asked his father, how long has this, or asked, sorry, Jesus asked the father, how long has this been happening? And he said, from childhood, it was often cast him into fire, and into water to destroy them. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.
00:08:53
Speaker
And Jesus said to him, If you can, all things are possible for those who believe. All things are possible for those who believe.
00:09:04
Speaker
And then Jesus proceeds to cast out the demon from this boy. The father is amazed. And what does he say about all the crowd? They were astonished at the majesty of God.
00:09:19
Speaker
Astonished at the majesty of God. But it didn't stop there. Um... Once Jesus healed this little boy and they were all astonished, Jesus then proceeds to go on and says, hey, whoa, whoa, time out.
00:09:35
Speaker
<unk>ll yeah he He goes on and says, while they're all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, let these words sink into your ears. The son of man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.
00:09:47
Speaker
But they did not understand this saying and it was concealed from them so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying. So they were they witnessed this incredible moment of Jesus casting out the demon.
00:10:04
Speaker
And then they were ah astonished and marveled at the majesty of God. But Jesus in this moment, he recognizes that it's one thing to be amazed by God and to be amazed and astonished by his power, but it's another thing to truly acknowledge it.
00:10:20
Speaker
Does that make sense? Jesus saw that even his own disciples were like, wow, they were amazed at this
Redefining Greatness
00:10:27
Speaker
miracle, but they're missing the complete point of of how the miracle came about.
00:10:32
Speaker
It's about the faith aspect that which Jesus just demonstrated to them through the Father. That's why he was making this point. He was like, hey, time out. I know y'all are amazed by this miracle, but the one who just performed this miracle is about to go and be betrayed.
00:10:49
Speaker
What are y'all gonna do about it then?
00:10:53
Speaker
But we see here that there's this divine intervention from God that conceals it from the disciples for them to seek understanding in this. And it was for a purpose because if they would have understood it, they would have tried to prevent Jesus from going to the cross.
00:11:05
Speaker
And he has to go to the cross so that way we can finally acknowledge and finally understand faithfulness to God and the fullness of God, and then also our own purpose in his kingdom.
00:11:19
Speaker
So this is, all this happens leading up to this passage. And I want you to just, as we read this, I want you to just stop and I want you to try to put yourself in the disciples' feet. And then also I want you to try to understand what Jesus is is is experiencing here and dealing with, with his disciples.
00:11:36
Speaker
Okay, so again, these incredible things just happened. The man of transfiguration, Jesus casting out the demons from this demon-possessed boy. He just revealed for the second time that he was going to be betrayed and hung on the cross, and he's have to die for the sins of men. And they get this, verses 46 through 50. Y'all ready to read this with me?
00:11:58
Speaker
Would y'all mind standing with me in honor of God's word?
00:12:10
Speaker
In verses 46 through 50, it says this.
00:12:16
Speaker
An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. Wow. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, Whoever receives this child in my name receives me.
00:12:36
Speaker
And whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you, least among you all, is the one who is great. Verse 49, John answered, Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us.
00:12:56
Speaker
But Jesus said to him, do not stop him for the one who is not against you is for you. Will you pray with me? Father God, we come before you, Lord.
00:13:08
Speaker
And again, we just thank you for the the goodness and the greatness of your word, the life-breathing word in which you've provided for us. And Lord, I pray that as we study your word today, that we will not just be astonished or amazed by your majesty, but Father, that we will have broken and humble hearts to acknowledge who you truly are, the fullness of who you are, and how you desire to use us in your kingdom.
00:13:34
Speaker
And God, i just pray that you'll just just soften our hearts to this truth so that we can walk humbly before you in every aspect of our life. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
00:13:45
Speaker
Thank you, guys. We be seated.
00:13:51
Speaker
So this is ah this is a very interesting moment here that we're looking at in this passage, right? So again, all these incredible things just happened. Jesus just revealed for the second time his this coming death.
00:14:07
Speaker
And in Luke's account, this is an interesting point that i wanted to bring to light. In Luke's account, he arranges his gospel to where this moment fits directly after Jesus retells his death, right? So if you go to Matthew or Mark, there's some time that lapses by before this argument arises.
00:14:25
Speaker
But I think it's very interesting how Luke puts it into his account this way because it ties into this theme of true humility. You know, the title of this message today is Redefining Greatness, right? Redefining Greatness.
00:14:43
Speaker
And in the world today, how does the world define greatness, right? It's power, money, status, honor, right?
00:14:57
Speaker
Right?
00:14:59
Speaker
But Jesus, in light of this moment with his disciples, he's seeing that their true heart in this moment is not much different than the world.
00:15:12
Speaker
Because for an argument to arise among them about who is the greatest means that they completely missed everything that just took place in what Jesus was trying to reveal to them.
00:15:26
Speaker
You gotta remember with the disciples in the audience, um especially the disciples, these Jews who have been waiting for the Messiah to come for a long time. And what did they expect from the Messiah?
00:15:41
Speaker
They expected the Messiah to come to liberate them, to establish his kingdom here on earth, and to raise the nation of Israel among, above every other nation as God's chosen people.
00:15:54
Speaker
And so for the disciples, when they were seeing all this, and they've been walking with Jesus for a little bit now, and they've been seeing a lot of miracles, they're probably thinking like, man, this is our Messiah, and we're in his inner 12. Guess what that means?
00:16:09
Speaker
We're gonna get power. We're gonna get honor. We're gonna get seat of status.
00:16:16
Speaker
And then but then as they're talking about these things, I'm sure they're like, but yeah, but who's gonna be the greatest among us?
00:16:24
Speaker
Who's going the one to sit at the right hand and the left hand of Jesus, right? As we later see.
00:16:31
Speaker
and Jesus, as it says there, but knowing the reasoning of their hearts, he took a child and set them beside him.
00:16:41
Speaker
So there's three things I want us to see here in this passage today, though, when it comes to redefining greatness. Because that's exactly what Jesus is trying to teach him throughout these verses. The first thing is this, is that we as believers, if we really want to be great in this world today or great among others, we have to assess our hearts and we have to redefine what this greatness actually means.
00:17:08
Speaker
i'm I'm sure I could take a poll in here and I could say, how many of us in this room want to be great? I'm sure every single one of us would raise our hand up, right? We want to be great at something. I mean, how many guys drive on I-10 going into Houston pretty regularly? Like going into like actual downtown Houston?
00:17:23
Speaker
ah Like, you know where the I-10 45 interchange is? When you get on 45 South, that dreaded road, right? You guys know the railroad track that goes above it? There's a saying there that, do y'all remember what that saying says?
00:17:37
Speaker
be someone, right? someone. It doesn't take much in our world today to go out and see that the world is telling you to be someone or to be someone great, right?
00:17:48
Speaker
Strive to be this person that the world wants you to be or that you want to be. But at end of the day what's the heart motive and desire behind that? Are you wanting to be someone great in light of the world or in light of your own self?
00:18:05
Speaker
Is it a personal, selfish motive of why you want to be great?
00:18:11
Speaker
Or is it for another greater purpose? And for, I hope for us as believers, that we will say that it's not for ourselves, but ultimately it's for God's kingdom, right? Right?
00:18:25
Speaker
And that's what Jesus is is seeing here. So he sees the heart condition behind his disciples. You see, if they if if the disciples were in downtown Houston and they saw the sign that be someone, they're like, oh, I am someone.
00:18:39
Speaker
I'm a disciple of Jesus. I want to have status and power and honor. It's going fantastic, right? But Jesus, he sees this and he's you can tell that his heart breaks in the moment.
00:18:54
Speaker
He's like, y'all are missing the point of why I called you to be my disciples. I'm sure and i'm sure if Jesus really wants you, he'd be like, y'all remember where I got you from? Y'all weren't anybody. Y'all were fishermen, tax collectors.
00:19:13
Speaker
Y'all were these different figures, right? No one of high status or honor in the society. But now you're acting like you are. What's going on here? What have I been teaching you?
00:19:26
Speaker
And so what does Jesus do? It says that he took a child and put him by his side. Now, why is this significant? Because you got remember, children during this time were not of as much value as they are today.
00:19:45
Speaker
Children are very precious and valuable in our sight today. But back then, unless they were of age to work and to bring, and to bring to either to work around the house or to bring value into their home, they were worthless.
00:20:01
Speaker
they weren't of any value, especially in the Greco-Roman world. And so as Jesus did this, you can only imagine the disciples are sitting there arguing about who's going greatest in the kingdom. And if you actually read a different account, believe it's in Mark, they actually have the the audacity to come to Jesus and to ask him, hey, who's going to be the greatest in the kingdom?
00:20:23
Speaker
That's pretty bold, right? Um, But so the disciples are there. They're arguing about to the greatest. Jesus, knowing their heart and perceiving their heart, sees what they're doing, and he calls a child to his side.
00:20:40
Speaker
And he says this, right? Whoever receives this child in my name receives me. And whoever receives me receives him who sent me. Can you imagine Put yourself in the disciples' shoes in this moment.
True Greatness in Faithfulness and Service
00:21:01
Speaker
You're trying to figure out where are you going to be in God's kingdom. And then Jesus takes one of the most invaluable things that the world had at the time. It brings it to his side. says, unless you're like this, you have no value in my kingdom.
00:21:17
Speaker
Talk about a gut punch, right?
00:21:23
Speaker
But this picture that Jesus portrays this passage still applies to us today.
00:21:31
Speaker
If we're truly following Jesus and we proclaim that he is Lord of our life and we're not choosing to first humble ourselves daily,
00:21:44
Speaker
We are no different than the disciples in this moment with our heart condition. So when we talk about assessing our heart, this is a daily process. We have to first recognize who we are in light of who God is and how he desires to use us in his kingdom today.
00:22:05
Speaker
Because Jesus also talks about elsewhere that the masters are no greater than their servants. That the greatest in the kingdom is gonna be the least in the kingdom. Do you remember these?
00:22:17
Speaker
This idea of this counter culture turning of power and of status.
00:22:25
Speaker
That's what makes Christianity so unique. It's that it's not about us, it's about God and what God has called us to do for his kingdom. not for our kingdom.
00:22:38
Speaker
But the second thing I want us to see here when it comes to redefining greatness in our own life is this, is that we must redefine our standard of greatness according to our faithfulness. Now, this may seem like I'm trying to come across as as a works-based faith or things like that. That's not what I'm trying to do here.
00:22:55
Speaker
You see, when Jesus, when he calls his child to his side and he says that whoever receives this child in my name receives me and whoever receives me and receives one who sent me, this is what we this is what we call a a step parallel a step parallelism.
00:23:14
Speaker
And a step parallelism is when you take the first thought that is raised and you raise it step higher than the second thought, right? So this first idea of when Jesus brings his child to his side, he says, hey, unless you receive this child to receive me, he's saying, hey, get this.
00:23:32
Speaker
If you receive this child, you're receiving me, right? And if you deny this child, you're denying me. That alone should stop us in our tracks.
00:23:44
Speaker
if we're believers in Jesus. Because if we're denying this child, then we're denying the person and the presence, the almighty Jesus, right? But then he takes it step further and he says, but hey, guess what?
00:23:57
Speaker
Whoever receives me, guess who else he receives? The one who sent me, right? So Jesus is really driving this point here when it comes to redefining the standard of our greatness, when it comes to our faithfulness.
00:24:12
Speaker
Because if you're faithful enough to receive this child who is the most invaluable person of society at that time,
00:24:21
Speaker
then your faithfulness is great enough to be able to receive the God who loves you, who created you, and who desires to have a relationship with you. Does that make sense? Whereas if you're walking in your pride and you're more worried about your status and your honor and your glory inside of the outside, of according to the world, your faithfulness is gonna lack and you're not gonna be able to receive this child, which means you're not gonna be able to receive the father.
00:24:47
Speaker
How scary is that?
00:24:51
Speaker
So there's some self assessment that needs to go on within this when it comes to redefining our status and our standard of of greatness. And he goes on, for he who is the least among you all is the one who is great.
Unity in the Gospel
00:25:07
Speaker
So in other words, he's calling us to an act of service.
00:25:14
Speaker
If you're in a leadership role today, which I know many of us in this room, we've had positions of leadership when you're When you're trying to build those connections and relationships with your with your employees or with those that you oversee, is it easy to do it when you're walking around pridefully, when you're walking around arrogantly, when you're trying to have your power of hand over them?
00:25:40
Speaker
They're not gonna wanna follow you, but rather if you want your coworkers or your employees or those that you're overseeing to come alongside you, what's the best approach?
00:25:51
Speaker
to get down on their level. To get down on their level. Show them that you're know that you're that you're not untouchable. That you're willing to get down with them and to walk with them and to serve with them and to do the hard work that they're doing.
00:26:05
Speaker
That's where it trust, that's where integrity, that's where all these different characteristics of God come into play. And that's what Jesus is calling his disciples to. He says, hey, you really want to be the greatest in the kingdom?
00:26:21
Speaker
then you need to be the least in the kingdom. And again, as the disciples were saying there, you can only imagine how they responded to that. They did they probably didn't like it very much, but it was definitely something they needed to hear in that moment.
00:26:36
Speaker
And that's something that we need to hear today, that we need to understand.
00:26:42
Speaker
So if you remember a few verses back, Jesus gives this command to the the crowd that he was feeding. Y'all remember the feeding of the 5,000? As he was feeding the 5,000, he says this, he said to all, if any anyone were to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.
00:27:09
Speaker
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. to find it.
00:27:21
Speaker
So don't about y'all, but when y'all woke up today, where y'all was the first thing on your mind to pick up your cross and to follow after Jesus, because i don't know if y'all remember, but the cross is something that is not, you know, we tote it around as if like it's a badge of honor, but the cross is oftentimes a burden.
00:27:47
Speaker
It's heavy. It makes you die to yourself. It makes you think of yourself less and others more.
00:27:56
Speaker
But yet it's the greatest calling and the greatest purpose that we as believers in this life can have as we share the gospel and as we try to advance God's kingdom here on earth.
00:28:11
Speaker
The last thing I want us to see here though is in verses 49 to 50. So Jesus, it's funny how this happens, right? So Jesus calls them out on their their pride, right?
00:28:22
Speaker
Brings his child to his side, humbles the disciples. You can't help but laugh at these next two verses though, because what happens? This is not, there's no time in between this, right?
00:28:33
Speaker
Jesus tells disciples what is expected of them if they want to be the greatest in the kingdom and then how does John respond? Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to stop him because he's not because he doesn't follow us.
00:28:50
Speaker
Y'all, can you imagine Jesus? He probably is like... dude, you just completely missed everything I just said again, right? I can only imagine like, if okay, as a youth pastor um'm across the street, I can i can speak till I'm blue in the face and then a student can ask me a question. I'm like, dude, what did you just not listen for the last 30 minutes? Like, I told you like five times what to do. And he's like, well, I didn't know.
00:29:17
Speaker
That was because you weren't listening, right? So Jesus, I can only imagine how he's responding this moment.
00:29:25
Speaker
But the last thing I wanna see here, and this is point point three, is that we must seek unity in our mission, okay? So if we're gonna truly redefine greatness in this life, we must seek unity in our mission. This is not about just what I can do or what First Baptist can do or what our 412 student ministry can do, right?
00:29:46
Speaker
Last Friday, there was a night of worship down there on the square. hope you guys are all attended. I heard it was a phenomenal event. but that was a community-wide event. We didn't want it to make it about First Baptist because the kingdom is greater than First Baptist.
00:30:03
Speaker
The kingdom is is for all of us. And if we're not unified in the mission and in the purpose of what God has called us to, then we're only hindering the kingdom. And that's an even scarier place to be.
00:30:17
Speaker
And so when it comes to redefining this greatness, We must understand that who we are, we're nobody in light of the kingdom unless we're doing it together.
00:30:30
Speaker
That's why God gave us the body of Christ. We are to be unified in the spirit. Understand that we are no better than the brother or sister next to us. doesn't matter what lineage you came from. It doesn't matter what background or how much money you have or how many possessions you have. doesn't matter any of that.
00:30:48
Speaker
If you're in the spirit of Jesus, we are unified under the cross of Christ. And we are called to be unified in the message moving forward in the gospel.
00:31:00
Speaker
So are we ready to do that? Because John obviously missed the mark here. When he said, master, we saw this. We saw this may cast out demons in your name when we tried to stop them, but because he does not follow us.
00:31:14
Speaker
That phrase is is absolutely, that that explains the heart of John in this moment.
00:31:22
Speaker
He missed the point of being unified in the spirit.
00:31:27
Speaker
And so listen to how Jesus responds. He said, but Jesus said to him, do not stop him for the one who is not against you is for you.
00:31:35
Speaker
In other words, you're saying like, hey man, this guy, he is casting out demons in my name. Why would you stop advancing the kingdom? Because he's not a follower of you or because he's not part of the inner 12.
00:31:49
Speaker
I didn't call just the 12 of you to advance the kingdom. I chose the 12 of you to be an example for everybody else.
00:31:58
Speaker
I want you to hear, there's in the other account here, When it comes, I want you to hear again out of Mark 9, verses 39-41, I want you to hear his account of it.
00:32:09
Speaker
Jesus said, Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will soon will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Did y'all catch that?
00:32:21
Speaker
For one who does a mighty work in my name, ah for no one who does mighty work in my name will be able to soon afterwards speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us.
00:32:32
Speaker
For truly I say to you, whoever gives up a cup of water to drink because of you, but because of you belong because you belong to Christ, will by no means lose his reward. In other words, what Jesus is saying, if this guy's out here casting out demons in my name,
00:32:49
Speaker
There's no possible way that he could cast out a demon and turn around and praise my or then turn around and reject me. This is kind of what Paul later talks about in Philippians when he's in the and in the jail cell. And he talks about how those outside, there's these outside sources that some are proclaiming ah Christ out of truth and some are proclaiming Christ out of out of envy.
00:33:10
Speaker
But he says, but I'm not going to stop them because as long as the the name of Christ is proclaimed, guess what's happening? The gospel's being shared and lives are being transformed.
00:33:22
Speaker
He's saying, hey, it's not Paul saying in Philippians, like it's not my place to stop somebody. That's the power of the spirit within him. My job is to remain faithful, to be unified in the spirit.
Living Humbly: Following Jesus' Example
00:33:34
Speaker
And that's exactly what Jesus is telling John here. He says, hey, for those who are not against you are for you. Do not hinder what is happening. If the gospel's being shared, we should not be we should not be envious or jealous or angry about it because it's not bringing recognition to us, but rather we should be praising God because it's bringing adoration to the one who is able to bring it, right? Or to the one who is faithful, the one who is just, God, our heavenly father.
00:34:08
Speaker
But as we conclude this morning, I just want to read you guys one more passage, and it's a philip Philippians chapter 2, verses 1 through 11. I know it's just referred to Philippians chapter 1, but I want you to hear this.
00:34:20
Speaker
This is Paul speaking to the Philippian people. says,
00:34:27
Speaker
any comfort from love, any participation in the spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord with one another.
00:34:42
Speaker
do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. What does this sound like?
00:34:55
Speaker
This sounds like the calling of Christ Jesus on every believer's life. This is not Paul's words that he's saying, but rather this is the words of Christ who are in him. And he is encouraging the Philippian people to be of the same mind, being unified.
00:35:11
Speaker
And he goes on and says, let each of you look not only to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he ah was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.
00:35:25
Speaker
But get this, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of Amen. you know You know what Jesus was just telling the disciples about? You know how he was going to go and he was going to be betrayed into the hands of men and that he was going to die, was going to suffer for us?
00:35:43
Speaker
He had to do that so that when we can grasp the fullness of God.
00:35:49
Speaker
You see, he had to go to the cross so that we can grasp the fullness of who God was, so that way we can ultimately learn how to walk in true humility. Because if there's no greater picture in scripture than true humility, it's this passage right here in Philippians, where it says that God did not count equality a thing to be grasped.
00:36:08
Speaker
So what did he do? He sent his son, Jesus. The greatest in the kingdom became the least in the kingdom for you and I. Such countercultural thing here.
00:36:26
Speaker
But get this. Paul continues on. says, Guys, let me...
00:36:33
Speaker
on him the name that is above every name so that the name of jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that jesus christ is lord to the glory of god the father guys let me By Jesus coming down from heaven to take on human flesh here on earth and to die for our place, there is no greater message of hope than that.
00:37:03
Speaker
There's no greater picture of humility than that. And when we choose to walk in that same humility, guess what happens? The gospel is proclaimed. There's no other response or, what am I trying to say?
00:37:20
Speaker
There's no other disposition for us than to share the gospel when we choose to walk in the humility of Jesus. Because when you truly walk in humility, those character traits of Jesus, they just come out.
00:37:34
Speaker
you naturally desire along to love those around you. You naturally desire along to be unified in the spirit to advance the gospel for his kingdom, to bring heaven here on earth.
00:37:45
Speaker
When you choose to walk humbly in Christ, you allow those around you to see the closest glimpse of heaven here on earth. Y'all understand that? this is the And I have to swallow this pill daily too. This is not miss me speaking at you guys. This is me having to swallow this pill daily too.
00:38:05
Speaker
When I choose to die to myself and to see the needs of others more significant than my own, you're showing the greatest glimpse of heaven on earth.
00:38:17
Speaker
But we can't do that unless we truly redefine what greatness is in our own life.
Closing Prayer and Reflection
00:38:24
Speaker
So I pray that you guys will come alongside with me in this. that we as the body of Christ will truly humble ourselves, pick up our crosses daily and follow after him.
00:38:39
Speaker
Because church, we live in a ah we live in a day right now where the the opportunity is ever before us.
00:38:48
Speaker
There's so many people out there who are so ready to hear the gospel and to experience Jesus in such a powerful way. But yet if we cannot get out of our own way because we're more comfortable in our position, in our status, our own glory, within our own churches, in our own pews or whatever, or with our own, you know, like, it's kind of crazy to think about how churches, they idolize their pastors at times. And yeah I know y'all don't do that to us, it's fine. But It's crazy, it doesn't take much to look out there and you see how people idolize their pastors or idolize their mission or idolize this or that, with even within their own Christian world space.
00:39:27
Speaker
How sad.
00:39:32
Speaker
We're not called to just idolize somebody, we're called to go and be the hands feet.
00:39:38
Speaker
To do it together as humble servants of Jesus.
00:39:45
Speaker
But for some in this room today, some of you guys you're still trying to grasp this concept of and of receiving Jesus, of what it means to follow Jesus. And I pray that as you today, that you allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you in your hearts that Jesus
00:40:04
Speaker
loved you so much that he came to die on the cross for your sins, that way you can have relationship with him. That if you just allow him to come into your life, He will reveal himself to you to where you can fully grasp the goodness of God and the calling in which he has on your life today.
00:40:27
Speaker
But even some of you as believers in the room, you're still struggling with that calling. Every single one of us in this room who believes and confesses that Jesus Lord has a calling on our life for the advancement of the kingdom.
00:40:39
Speaker
No matter how young you are, no matter how old you are, no matter... Again, how you were raised or the the baggage or anything like that. God desires to use us. If we truly humble ourselves, he will use us in a way that you'll never have expected him to use you.
00:40:57
Speaker
So let me pray for us. We'll go into the time invitation. Father God, we come before you, Lord, and we just thank you so much for this morning in your word. And Lord, we thank you for the example that you sent through your son, Jesus.
00:41:12
Speaker
Lord, there's no greater example of true humility than you sending your son, Jesus, the one who is in the heavenly realms,
00:41:23
Speaker
dwelling in your presence. But yet he, understanding his mission and his purpose and his calling and his love for his creation, chose to step down out of his heavenly throne to take on flesh, to die for sinful man.
00:41:36
Speaker
Lord, I pray that we learn from him. Lord, that we learn from Jesus. Jesus, that we will learn to walk faithfully in humility with you. So that way we can, though we may...
00:41:55
Speaker
Lord, maybe though we may not fully understand your purpose and your plan in our life, we can truly trust that you have a good plan and purpose for our life in this life. But God, just continue to work in us, reveal the the goodness of God in us, and may we truly redefine what greatness is in our life to where we can humbly walk before you.
00:42:16
Speaker
It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
00:42:24
Speaker
This is a ministry of First Baptist Church located at 1700 Milam Street, Columbus, Texas.