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And so John chapter excuse me mark rather 9 verse 33 is where I want to start this morning It says and he came to Capernaum and being in the house He asked them. What is it that you discussed among yourselves by the way? And I want to draw attention here to verse 34 it says, but they held their peace For by the way, they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest so Jesus asked them this question And it seems like the disciples here are rather reluctant to tell him the answer saying hey What was it you were talking about the way I overheard something you guys seem to be talking about something What was it you were talking about and? Usually when you ask somebody that if you're if you've ever walked up to somebody when they're in the middle of conversation And said oh, what are you guys talking about? Doesn't that make you kind of feel like well? What were you talking about maybe was it about me or maybe wasn't something I wasn't supposed to know or you'd rather I didn't know and that's kind of what's going on here in the story But we know the truth, and if you would keep something in mark this morning We're gonna come back several times go over to Matthew chapter 17 Matthew chapter 17 You know the truth is is that Jesus he already knows the answer. You know this is kind of a Hypothetical question that he's putting to him. What wasn't you were talking about? Well, he already knows it says in Luke 9 you're going to Matthew 17 And there rose a reasoning among them which which of them should be the greatest right and this is talking about that same incident And it says in verse 47 and Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart took a child and said it by him And we see what happens there in Mark 9. We'll come back to that, but notice It says that Jesus already know he's perceiving the thought of their heart You say well Why was it that he was able to perceive the thought of their heart you know a lot of times? We think Jesus could just automatically read people's minds, and maybe that was the case But I tend to think that maybe was because of the fact that when we start to compare passages with other passages is that? Jesus kind of knew this is what they were talking about because of the fact they asked him who should be the greatest If you look there in Matthew chapter 17 verse 24 is a parallel passage it says and when they were come to Capernaum Right like Mark and they he came to Capernaum that they received the tribute money Came to they that received tribute money came to Peter and said doth not your master pay tribute He said yes, and when he was come into the house, and he's in Capernaum He's in the house and mark 9. That's what we see he was in Capernaum and being in the house so these are parallel passages and We've come to the house Jesus prevented him saying what thinkest thou Simon jumped down to chapter 18 chapter 18 verse 1 at the same time Same time as when when they were in Capernaum and in the house disciples came under Jesus saying Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven so this perception that Jesus had was well? I see you guys were talking about something along the way And then we get to the house of Capernaum and all of a sudden you're coming and asking me who's gonna be the greatest I think I know what it was you're talking along the way It was able to perceive. What was in their hearts And Jesus here, you know what they're doing the disciples is they're not really asking out of a sincere heart They're not saying you know who's the greatest is it you know John didn't come and say it's Peter isn't it? Andrew didn't come and say oh, it's it's Thaddeus right No, they're thinking it's me isn't it because remember by the way, they're disputing who should be the greatest I don't think they were making anybody else's case in all likelihood. They were making their own case But notice that Jesus doesn't rebuke them for asking such a thing he doesn't say who do you think you are you know asking such a Arrogant brazen question could somebody make some some room for these folks here, please He doesn't rebuke them for asking such a thing He doesn't say you know what you should worry about being the greatest in fact as we read the passage He gives you instructions on how to be the greatest Jesus doesn't rebuke them and that tells me is that you know we should desire to do great things We should desire to do great things for God look I don't want to live this mediocre Christian life half-in half-out wishy-washy Christianity. I'm not interested That's boring. I want to get all the way in I want to do something great for God You know that's a big reason why we decide let's move down to Tucson. Let's buy a house Let's start growing the church. Let's leave some soul-winning. Let's preach some sermons Let's get people fired up to go out and do something great for God You know we should desire that as a church to do something great for God now Just think oh, we're in this building now, and it's pretty comfortable. We got just the right amount of seats We probably could use a few more actually We just need about 10 or 15 more seats, and that's all we're gonna need we can just coast from here No, I want to outgrow this building. I want to call it the landlord and say hey We're gonna need that sweet, and we're gonna need that sweet, and we just gonna you know we're gonna take over the whole place And you say well you shouldn't you shouldn't think like that how arrogant No, you know when they came to him and said who is gonna be the greatest Lord Didn't say well don't worry about doing great things. You just you should just know your place not worry about it No, he goes on and he tells them how to do great things for God We should desire to do great things for God go over to 2nd Timothy chapter 4 We should desire it as a church. We should desire it in our own personal lives I Mean don't you want to do great things for God in your personal life? I'm not saying you got to be like Peter and go walk on water somewhere But you know you can raise your family for God. That's like doing something great for Christ You go out win souls for Christ. That's doing something great for God You could learn and know the Bible and be able to help others and counsel others. That's doing something great for God That's what I want for myself. That's what I want for everyone here. That's what I want for our church And say well, I don't know if you should think so highly of yourselves to ask such a question Who's gonna be the greatest how can I be great for God? What a what an arrogant statement? Well Paul, you know what would we would we rebuke Paul for saying something like that? I mean look at 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 6 He said in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 6 for I am now ready to be offered in the time of my departure is at Hand I have fought a good fight Well, that's what you say Paul Maybe we should all meet aren't we the ones that should decide whether or not you fought a good fight No Paul saying look. I've done great things for God. I know it's a fact. I have bought a good fight I have finished my course. I have kept the faith henceforth. There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness Which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day. He's saying look. There's a great day waiting for me Because I have kept the faith because I have finished my course because I have fought the good fight of faith I know that I've done something great for God therefore I know that there is a crown of righteousness laid up for me the Lord the righteous judge shall give me Well, who do you think you are Paul? Paul just knows because of the fact that if you do great things for God God will reward you Paul is see we wouldn't accuse Paul of being arrogant here all Paul is doing is taking advantage of the opportunity We all have of doing something great for God Notice there that verse finishes there in verse 8 and not to me only but unto all them that also love his appearance Paul didn't say look. I've kept the fight. I've kept the faith. I finished my course There's a there's a right there's a crown of righteousness for me, and y'all can expect up Because I'm Paul the Apostle And look there was no greater Christian that ever walked the face of this earth the outside possible in my opinion I mean, it's hard to it's hard to argue that anyone's done anything greater for the cause of Christianity than the Apostle Paul But notice he didn't say you know of course it's laid up for me after all I am the Apostle Paul He's saying look it's there for anybody that loves his appearance anyone that loves God It wants to labor for God and wants that same crown of righteousness They can have it if they want to do great things for God they can That goes for every single one of us Say well, I don't know about my past. You know I'm getting a late start in life. Go tell it to the Apostle Paul the cheapest of sinners Who was before a blasphemer and a persecuted and jurious? Go read 1st Timothy 1 He said this is a faithful saying worthy of all Acceptation that Christ Jesus came the world's safe sinners of whom I am chief Go to Ephesians chapter 3 Ephesians chapter number 3 keep something to mark 9. We'll be coming back Ephesians chapter number 3 Look Paul could say this with confidence that there was this crown laid up for him Because of the fact that he took advantage of the opportunity that we all have we all have the opportunity great do great things for God But the problem is so often is that that's not our priority in life Doing great things for God is not always the most important thing to us is it it's something Maybe we'll get around to when it's more convenient It's something that maybe we'll do some day later on after I go out and have my fill of the world then maybe I'll live For God yeah, or maybe your life will be such a wreck by then that you want to be able to do everything You could have done for God. That's the other option that people often don't consider look Paul is simply taking advantage of the opportunity that we all have to do great things for God and You know Paul notice there didn't come easy He didn't say you know there's a crown for me and boy It was a cakewalk in the Christian life if you know the Apostle Paul's life the man endured great hardships That's why he said I fought a good fight, and it was a fight He said I finished my course you know of course You know it was like a spiritual obstacle course that he had to run, but he made it to the end Because Paul you see he strove to be great He wanted to do great things great things for God that did not come easy had to strive to do that But notice that Paul even himself did not consider himself the greatest I mean, I will get up here this morning and say that about Paul And say hey, he's the greatest among men anyway and But Paul wouldn't say that about himself It says in Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 7 whereof I was made a minister because of my natural ability Because of how intelligent I am and good-looking I am and because I'm just so eloquent I'm such a great speaker. I'm a people person Right no. He said I was made a minister according to grift gift of the grace of God You know if grace is something you don't deserve The opportunity to be a minister is something that has afforded you through grace It's something that you don't deserve to do, but it's something that God allows us to do to be the ministers to be Ambassadors for Christ that he has committed unto us the ministry of reconciliation It's a privilege that we have to do great things for God That's what Paul's showing and sir He said look I was made a minister according the great gift of the grace of God Give it unto me by the official effectual working of his power if you're gonna do anything great for God It's not gonna be through your own power You're gonna actually have to have some spirituality in your life You're actually gonna have to you know read your Bible and pray and go to church You might even have to go to church more than once a week If you want to do something great for God you might actually have to go soul-winning do something great for God and win souls It's gonna be through but it's all gonna be through his power You're actually gonna have to get in touch with God. You're gonna have to be filled with the Holy Spirit that doesn't come by itself Look salvation is easy for by grace you say it through faith and that not of works It is a gift of God God of works with any man she boasts It's something that's freely given. You know whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That's easy Doing something great for God takes effort It means we're actually gonna have to be a spiritual people that want to do great things for God He said in verse 8 unto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace-given, you didn't just say the least of the Apostles. He said all Saints You know, that's you know, that's me and you we are saints in Christ He said look I'm less than the least of them go find just the most miserable Saint you can just the most backslidden Down and out Christian that there is is doing nothing for God. He said I'm less than that was Paul's opinion of himself and You know because of that that's why he was able to do great things for Christ Because he didn't just puff up his chest and say well I came up at the seat of gamma Gamaliel and you know, I'm a Hebrew of the Hebrews. I'm gonna do great things for God. He said no, I'm the least But that didn't stop him from saying look there is a crown laid up for me. I have kept the faith See It was Paul's humility that made him great Not his persuading other people that he was You don't think we don't consider Paul to be the greatest because he wrote about himself and they're like no really I am the greatest No, really. This is how great I am He said I'm the least I'm the cheapest of sinners and it was that humility that Paul had that allowed him to be the greatest That's why God used him because of his humility not because he just went around persuading everybody else that he was the greatest And I believe that's what Jesus is doing here. If you want to go back to mark 9 as Jesus is teaching the Disciples what a lesson in humility. It's a title of the sermon this morning a lesson in humility He Teaches them this lesson while answering their what insincere question. Look it's great desire to be great That's there's nothing wrong with that We have to understand why you got to ask yourself. Why do we want to be great so we can show somebody else up? Why do we want this church to do great things so you can say well, we're doing better than that church over there That's that's insincere That's arrogance. That's pride. God's not going to use that If we want to do great things for God, it's it should be because we want to glorify God Because we want to be a minister according to his effectual power Because we want to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ That's why I want to do great things for God And why do you want to fill this building up and get a bigger one? Because then there'll be more people here learning the Word of God getting right with God Lives will be changing people going out preaching the gospel and ultimately more souls will be saved and ultimately God will be glorified That's why I want to do great now because I want everyone here to just Behold my eloquence or something. You've been here long enough, you know, that's in short supply There's not a lot of it folks We got to do it before the right reasons and if we're gonna do it for the right reasons Well, what is the we have to under become what humble people we have to do it out of a spirit of humility I want to do great things for God then get humble Then be a humble person Who loves the Lord and loves lost and wants to serve? He said in mark 9 in verse 35 and he sat down and called 12 and sayeth unto them if any man desire to be first He's way out of line He's an arrogant proud fool No That's not what he said. He said if any man desires to be first The same shall be last and servant of all Said you want to be first great be a servant The problem is so often is that we want to be first here on earth We want everyone to know our name and to know how great we are here I'm not interested being great here. I mean I want to do great things, but I want to be first up there I want to do something great for God. I want to be have be acknowledged by the Lord and not men I want to hear those words. Well done thou good and faithful servant And not from just man, you know, I don't want I we don't that's not gonna the praise of man is Vanity, but the praise of God, you know, that's something that's eternal and lasting That's what I want to hear He's saying look if you desire to be first you need to be the last You need to be the servant of all of all by the way Well, I'd serve if I liked him more I'd help that guy out, but I don't like his face He said something mean one sir his personality clashes with mine you know, I'd serve in the church, but It's just not very convenient for me You Know you need to be willing to be servant of all If you want to be great if you want that crown of righteousness if you want to hear those words Well done thou good and faithful servant Jesus doesn't rebuke them. He does kind of teach. He does rebuke them in a way about the fact that they were disputing over this But he actually sits them down and says, okay great you want to be the greatest let me show you how to do it You Know that's probably not the same reasoning they had when they disputed among themselves on the way to Capernaum Who's gonna be the greatest? They didn't sit there. Well, I'm gonna be the greatest because of the fact that you know, I walked on water said Peter What'd you do? You know, well I found the I found the the the loaves and the fishes for him to feed the five thousand what you do Obviously I'm gonna be the greatest this is not that's you know That was probably something along how they were figuring it out along the way Trying to figure out who's gonna be the greatest And Jesus finally sits him down and says oh you oh you you're interested in being the greatest good You got to be last you got to be servant of all. Well, that's not what we were thinking. I don't know about this That's what Jesus said Go to Matthew chapter 20 keep something to mark 9 go back to Matthew chapter 20 I See Jesus here in this passage and He's not teaching them he's teaching them how to be the greatest He's not teaching them that they shouldn't desire to be the greatest. You see what's going on here in the story He's actually showing let me tell you how to be the great. It's not saying don't desire that You're saying you know, look I want you to be the greatest. I think we should all have that Desire in our hearts, but we got to make sure it's coming from a spirit of humility and love of the Lord Look at Matthew chapter 20 verse 20 then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children And with her sons worshiping him which would be James and John sons of Zebedee Desiring a certain thing of him and he said unto her. What wilt thou? She sayeth on him grant that these my two sons may sit the one on thy right hand and the other on thy left in thy kingdom and You know again Jesus doesn't jump down her throat and say who do you think you are? But he does say in verse 22 Jesus answered and said, you know what you know, you know, not what you ask Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized? With the baptism that I am baptized with they say unto him we are able and again We have to look at this passage and like Paul who said I've there's laid up a crown for me Why because I've fought a fight and because I've kept the faith I finished my course It didn't come easy when she asked this question. Let them be sat at your at your left and right hand He says you look if you want that there's a cup to drink from there's a baptism you have to have It does it's gonna come at a price He's saying are you able to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and They say we are able and would to God that would be everyone's answer in the room tonight this morning That would say I desire to be greatest. Are you willing to pay the price? Yes Because then now you're on the right path now you're on to something And he saith unto them verse 23 you shall indeed drink of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give So it's really not up to me and I'll tell you what I don't know who's gonna be on the right hand the left hand but it's not gonna be any one of the 12 disciples because they're Gonna sit on the 12 thrones driving, you know, they're gonna have their own thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel So look, it's you know, as from my understanding those seats are open. I Don't I don't claim it's gonna be mine, but it'd be great, you know, I'd be I'd be just as thrilled if it's one of yours Some brother and sister in Christ I get up to heaven and it's like I might be a little shocked But that'd be great wouldn't it those seats are open it's not Jesus is to a point but it's it's there for somebody Look, we'll probably Honestly, it probably won't be any of us Right, but why shouldn't we strive for it to be one of us? They had to be the greatest To sit on that right and left hand of God And just just behold his glory. That'd be amazing Now notice their reaction there because he says it shall it let me finish up verse 23 But to sit on my right hand on my left hand, it does not mind my mind to give but it shall be given It's there. It's for somebody's gonna get it to them for whom it is prepared of my father and And when he heard and when the ten heard it I said well I really admire James and John desiring such a spiritual thing in their lives No, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. They were mad. They were upset Like we shouldn't get upset with people just because they want to do something great for God You know, we should we should never try to and I see this type of thing. It happens. You see it in the ministry Somebody comes along they're on fire for God. They love the Bible. They want to talk about the Bible They want to go soul-winning. They want to do a lot of great works And then you know, they're new to the faith, but they're on fire and then he got some old, you know Christian has just been sitting around a long time doing nothing for God and just says oh you'll calm down after a while They just want to Put them out And quench that zeal that they have look we should never quench other people's zeal If anything we should let other people's zeal challenge us and inspire us and say look look what they're doing over there Look at this brother and sisters doing over here. Look at this church is doing over here Let's do what they're doing. And let's also do some great things for God If you would keep something there in Matthew 20, but jump over to 1st Corinthians chapter 1 1st Corinthians chapter 1 See the the 10 they hear it and they're moved with indignation And as we kind of understand the greater story, you know, what's going on this dynamic with the disciples is that You know, it's probably not because they still need to learn this lesson in humility And you know, we probably I'm not saying as a criticism, you know We probably we all fall prey to that too And if I had been there among them, I probably would have started to think that I was some pretty you know Hot stuff myself and probably got a little too big for my britches. Well, I'm walking around with Jesus seeing all these miracles I'm probably gonna be the greatest. In fact, I'm probably gonna get that seat right next to him in the kingdom And you can see you could see that come out because the fact it's this indignation that such a thought draws out of them But here's the thing real humility. It doesn't mind when other people are exalted. It's glad for them And say hey, I'm glad you know, you're doing great things for God I'm glad you know, you got that that that that position in the church or you know You want so many souls or I'm glad that God is exalting you and blessing your life. I Mean we're gonna carry that attitude into heaven And somebody that we didn't like on earth walks by and they got more crowns than us and say Where's I should have more than that I Was so much more spirit. I did so much more. Well, maybe you didn't Or maybe you were doing it out of vainglory or maybe you weren't doing it out of a love for God Real humility doesn't mind when other people are exalted Bible says in 1st Corinthians 13 here in chapter 1 it says charity suffereth long and is kind and envieth not Charity vanteth not itself is not puffed up You know people that have real genuine love and humility for God They're not looking to vant themselves up. They're not looking to be puffed up and exalted and The irony is that because of that? They are exalted First Corinthians chapter 1 verse 10 He said now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing And that there be no divisions among you But that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment For it hath been declared unto me of my of you my brethren by them which are out of the house of Chloe That there are contentions among you, and what was the contention? Well, I didn't was it. We don't like the wall that he but the color he painted the wall He picked out the wrong carpet He served hot dogs and not burgers. That's not the contention The contention is now this I say because he's not just shifting gears here. This is all tied together He's saying look there are contentions among you verse 11, and then he begins to address the contention Verse 12 now this I say that every one of you that say I am of Paul And I have a Paulus and I have Cephas and I have Christ is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the name of Paul and This isn't this what people do They start to develop factions, and they they get these divisions, and they start to just say well this guy I'm greater because I'm of this guy Well, I you know the Apostle Paul is the one that got me saved who got you say Was it a Paulus that Greek I? Got saved by a Hebrew of the Hebrews well aren't you something? Well, I'm a Cephas it was Peter who preached me the gospel, and he's the one that walks on the water What a Paulus ever do what what water here walk on? And people do it and it seems crazy. It seems silly to think that people would be this look people are still this way Well, I like this preacher, but I can't stand that preacher. This is my favorite preacher, but you know I don't like that preacher Well, what makes them so great? Is it I mean I get some we have preferences and preachers have different styles, and that's great I'm glad we're not all the same. Why aren't we all the same message? Is it all the same book that we're all preaching? ultimately And if we had some real humility You know our personal preferences we could set aside and say let him teach me something Let me learn from from the word of God that's being preached That's what's going on here. They're saying. I'm a Paul. I'm a Paulus. I'm Cephas I'm of Christ verse 13 is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you Or were you baptized in the name of Paul and again verse 14 just shows Paul's humility I think God that I baptized none of you Makes me wonder if he was a Baptist Because you know us Baptist we're always want to baptize people in fact if anyone needs to get baptized We'll fill up a tank right now, and I'll baptize it. I'd be glad to do it. Okay Obviously the reason why Paul is saying is because look I'm glad I baptized none of you but Christmas and and Gaius Because he you know he doesn't want to be part of this contention. I'm baptized of Paul It's like look. I'm glad I didn't baptize any of you You know Paul wasn't interested in being involved in some kind of competition Well, how many disciples he could you know he could follow at how many Instagram followers he could get? Look get all the Instagram followers you want Spread the message. I'm all for it, but you know that's not Paul's motive To just get people to think he's the greatest he says I'm glad I didn't baptize any of you. That's the way you're gonna be That's the way you're gonna be I'm not interested in being involved in some kind of competition to out You know be greater than Paul then Peter or be greater than you know Apollos he's like I just want to serve God I just want to win souls and preach and start churches and get something done for the Lord I just want to finish my course. I want to you know run that run the race that has been set before me That's all he wanted to do. That's all he was interested in Go to 1st Corinthians chapter 3 and look It's it's great to desire to be great, and we should desire to be great but it has to come from a place of humility and These things he said in 1st Corinthians 4 you go to chapter 3 these things brother And I have in a figure transferred to myself into Apollos for your sakes That you might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written That none of you be puffed up for one against another Or who may get thee to differ from another or what hast thou that thou didst not receive now if thou didst receive it Why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? He's saying look don't get puffed up for somebody don't think about men that which is written Everything that Paul had he knows that was given him by the grace of God So don't think I'm some some great. You know that I'm special in and of myself. He's saying look It was it was it was God's grace that was given to me that allowed me to be the minister that I am that's what he said And he said look I glory in the fact that God gave it to me Now I don't glory in myself Look at 1st Corinthians chapter 3 and this we got to understand that when people get this mentality of Trying to one-up each other just so they can one-up each other I just trying to be the greatest so they can make everybody else the least it or you know Exalt men above that which is a which is written. It's carnal. It's a carnality It's it's of the flesh its pride He said in verse 4 for while one saith I am of Paul and I and another I am of Apollos Are you not yet carnal? Saying aren't you carnal aren't you walking in the flesh like that? That's a that's a base attitude to have that's not spirit There's nothing spiritual about it verse 5 who then is Paul and who is Paulus but ministers He said who am I? Who's a Paulus who are any of these guys who see if this who's John we're just ministers And we're ministers by the grace of God None of these men that did these great things Peter Paul John the Apostles Apollos the list goes on They did great things because they under understood something that they were ministers and nothing more They understood the lesson that Jesus is trying to teach them in Mark 9 That they that they need to be the last and the servant of all I mean, that's what it means to be a minister That's what minister means servant He said look. We're just ministers by whom you believe even as the Lord gave to every man What we understand is if we want to do something great for God We want to do something great for God and go back to Mark 9. I'm almost done We have to understand this is that it's the people that we minister to that matter it's not the ministers themselves. It's not us It's not about me and you it's not about how great we're going to be It's about the fact that we're ministering to other people and if we have that attitude Look, then we will be great But not because we set out to be not because we're just trying to look for some vainglory But because you know if you if you have a spirit of humility And if you're willing to be a minister and you're willing to be a servant God will exalt you in due time It's those to whom we minister to that matter not the ministers themselves look at verse 25 of Mark 9 But Jesus called unto them called them and said you know, you know that the prince of the Gentile princes of the Gentiles Exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise Authority upon them, but it shall not so be so among you But whosoever will be great among you. Let him be your minister And whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant even as the Son of Man came to be ministered unto Not came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many That's the example that he gave us. He said look you want to be the greatest Well, what was it you guys were talking about along the way? I? Overheard something. I don't know exactly what it was But now I've been we're in this house you could hurt on when you're coming to me And you're asking me who's gonna be who's gonna be the greatest. There's something going on here Let's sit down and have a let's have a talk about let's have a little powwow and straighten this out Look you guys are so obsessed about being the greatest Why don't you just worry about being a minister? You're so great about you know getting these people to just think you're you're really something well Why don't you start thinking other people are really something? Why don't you stop worrying about how much people value you and start valuing other people? Valuing the lost valuing your local church valuing your your brothers and sisters in Christ Go over to Philippians chapter 2 we're gonna close there Philippians chapter 2 In Luke 14 Jesus said whosoever exalted himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted and Look those are promises those aren't maybes those are facts Whosoever exalts himself shall be abased that's gonna happen If it's not in this life when they get to heaven I Say well, I you know you may you sure made a big deal of yourself down there But it was all out of pride. It was all out of carnality. It was all in the flesh and Now you've got nothing to show for it and now you're a base a lot of times. It does come in this life No, doesn't it? God has a way and just taking us down a couple notches when we need it We get a little too puffed up. We get it to lift it up in our own minds God can just come along and take us right down and He that humbledth himself he said shall be exalted You want to be the greatest you need to get humble you want to be exalted humble yourself And it's not just this this fake piety that people put on You know don't show up to church and sackcloth and ashes on your head say well. I'm just trying to get involved Don't do that. You know it's a real genuine humility It isn't passive. It's not just a show. How does it show up by being a servant by serving? By showing up and and doing the cleaning by showing up at the sole waiting time by showing up at the prayer closet by showing Up at you know giving attendance to reading by showing up at church By showing up when somebody has a need brother in Christ sister in Christ or not You know you show up, and you'd be a minister, and you'd be a servant That's real humility at work to allow yourself to be what inconvenienced to be inconvenienced Look at the Philippians chapter 2 and this is something that is just so essential to the Christian life This is something that we see Jesus teaching and over and over again The epistles deal with it over and over again Paul does it again in Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 Let this mind be in you which also was it which was also in Christ Jesus Saying let this mind be you know why he says let it's because in our flesh we resist this mind We say well, you know I don't want to do what Jesus did I just want to do my own thing you say you know what you need to let this mind be in you Which also was in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God? But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in a likeness of men Say well, I want to I want to do something great. I want to be I want to earn rewards in heaven I want to do something big for God Great show up and clean Well, I couldn't do that. I mean I'm so far above that I mean that's just That's way below my pay grade That's way below my pay grade just the indignation comes out Well consider the contradictions of sinners which would that Christ suffered against himself Consider how far he condescended to man. I mean last I checked none of us is God None of us is sitting up in heaven I mean Jesus you want to talk about somebody who stooped pretty low It was Jesus Who came way down? And made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a service and was made in a likeness of men And being found it says in verse 8 in the fashion of man. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death Even the death of the cross what's your limit this morning? Your your the you say i'll go this far with Christ. That's how that's how great you'll be People you know, I I want to be the greatest how far are you willing to go then? How far are you willing to be abased and to be humbled? Are you willing to go as far as Jesus said be humbled and become obedient unto death Look, it might not even be a physical death. Sometimes we just need to die to our own Selfish desires and our own selfish ambitions and just let those things die And just do what God wants us to do and use our lives for him And use our lives for him You say well, what's what's the payoff? What do I get out of it? And look that's not an honor. That's not a dishonest question That's what the disciples asked who's going to be greatest. What are we going to get out of this? Peter said look we've forsaken all and what shall we have? Jesus doesn't rebuke them for that. Well, look what jesus got verse 9. Wherefore God also had highly exalted him And given him a name which is above every name When did he get that exaltation? When did he get that name that's above every name after he humbled himself after he became obedient unto death? That at the name of jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth And that every tongue should confess that jesus christ is lord to the glory of the father of god the father So, you know the lesson and humility that we need to learn this morning is that if we want to be exalted We have to exalt other people That's what we have to learn. That's the lesson isn't that's what jesus is teaching. Look if you want to be great Good, that's that's a good desire But this is how it's done. You're being a servant You're being a minister. You're being the last and before putting others before you we're exalted We're exalted when we exalt other people let's go ahead and pray