I've entitled the message for
this evening, Seeking to be the Greatest. Now, this question came up a
lot between the twelve. They had disputed among themselves
who should be the greatest. This event takes place several
times during the three years of the Lord's earthly ministry,
and it even came up after the Lord instituted the Lord's Table.
You know, he said, this is the New Testament in my blood. This
do in remembrance of me. You know what the first thing
they said was? How hollow and shallow the words
of the disciples, and there was a strife among them. Right after
the Lord said this, this do in remembrance of me. What's more
important than that? The remembrance of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And right at that time, we read,
there was also a strife among them, which of them should be
accounted greatest. If it were put up for a vote,
I don't believe anybody would have won because they would have
all voted for themselves. Which of them? Which one of us? Who will be great in the kingdom
of heaven? Now, there is nothing wrong with
wanting to be great at what you do. I don't care what it is. Every one of us ought to want
to be great at what We do. We shouldn't settle for mediocrity. We ought to do whatever we're
doing for the glory of God. I don't care what it is. We ought
to want to be great at whatever it is we do. I want to be great
at preaching, not in a way to glorify myself. I hope that's
not it, but I would consider great preaching to be preaching
where you're not thinking about me, but you're thinking about
the message, the Savior. and I'm not even thought of.
That would be my goal. But I want to give myself to
Preaching, great preaching, not in a, well, there's vanity and
everything about me, I realize that, but we ought to want to
be great at whatever we do. Ecclesiastes 9, verse 10 says,
whatsoever thy hand findeth it to do, do it with thy might. Whatsoever you do, do all to
the glory of God. But this was not about them wanting
to be great at what they do. This is about them wanting to
be greater than each other. There was competition going on. Narcissistic. Childish. Self-promoting. Egotistical. Self-absorbed, self-centered,
contrary to love. Everything about this is bad. Everything about this is wrong. But here we have the disciples. And this argument was going on
right at the time, right before the Lord's betrayal, when he
gave them the Lord's supper, and when he gave those memorial
words, this do in remembrance of me. Most important thing we
could ever do is remember him. That's faith, isn't it? Remembering
him. But here they are arguing. Now this is not the way of the
kingdom of heaven. Look in Mark chapter 10. Mark chapter 10, verse 41. This is after the ten had heard
about how James and John, one of the top two places, one wanted
to be on the right, one wanted to be on the left, and they would
be exalted above the other ten, James and John. Now, when the
ten heard this, They began to be much displeased with James
and John. Now, can you imagine how irritated
they were? They're trying to exalt themselves over me of all
people. Every one of them thought that
place ought to be theirs. I understand that. But here they
are arguing, but look what the Lord says. But Jesus called them
to him, verse 42, and saith to him, You know that they which
are counted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over
them. And their great ones exercise
authority upon them, but it shall not be among you. That's the way of the world.
That's not the way of the kingdom of heaven. It shall not be among
you. Now turn to Matthew's account
of this same event in Matthew chapter 18. Matthew gives us
a detail that neither Mark nor Luke gives. At the same time, verse one,
Matthew 18, verse one, at the same time came the disciples
unto Jesus saying, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Fellas, you're looking at him.
You're looking at the Lord Jesus Christ. And you ask a question
like that, who is the greatest? How? Offensive, how utterly hardened
they had become. Who's the greatest? No mortal
can with him compare among the sons of men. Fairer is he than
all the fair who fill the heavenly train. They're looking at the
Lord Jesus Christ and asking him a question like this. Who
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Verse two, and Jesus
called a little child unto him. Evidently, it was not an infant.
It was a kid that could walk at any rate. We don't know how
old this child was. But he called a little child
unto him and set him in the midst of them. And then he gives these
words while they're looking at this child. Now, I feel quite
sure that this child felt very awkward in their presence at
this time. The Lord called him and there
he is around this group of disciples. And this child was dependent.
This child didn't own anything. This child didn't have any influence.
This child didn't have any possessions. This child didn't have any credentials. And he was not ambitious over
these things. I can tell you one thing I know
this child wasn't thinking. This child was not thinking I'm
the greatest one here. You can just write that down. He was
not thinking that. As a matter of fact, I'm sure
he was looking at everybody else in a much higher view than himself. He certainly didn't believe himself
to be the greatest. Now with this child, in awkwardness,
and you know this child was not ambitious to be counted the greatest
at this time. Didn't even enter this child's
mind. This child knew that he or she, whatever kind of kid
it was, was not the greatest. And look what the Lord says.
And he said, verily I say unto you. Now remember who he's speaking
to. He's speaking to his disciples. He's speaking to the 12. Verily I say unto you, except
you be converted, turned is what the word means,
and become as little children, like this child in our midst,
you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. You don't need to
worry about who's the greatest. You won't be there with this
kind of attitude. If that's the attitude you continue
with, you will not even be there, except you be converted and turned
from this utter foolishness, this ridiculous pride, you will
not enter the kingdom of heaven. Now, I couldn't help but think
of Peter, The Lord tells his disciples, one of you are gonna
betray me. And they started asking, is it I, is it I? You know what
Peter said? He said, the rest of this bunch
won't, I mean, may do it, but not me. I'll never deny you. I'm ready to go to death with
you. And he meant it. He meant it. But you know what the Lord said
to him? Satan has desired to have you
that he may sift you as wheat. But I pray for you that your
faith fail not. Now, Peter at this time, this
is so important, Peter at this time, even after he had fallen,
his faith did not fail. He never quit believing that
Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God. Now, I think
that he greatly questions whether or not he was saved. I think
that he thought he cut himself off, but he never quit believing. But you know what the Lord said
next? He said, when you're converted, when you're turned from this
arrogant attitude about yourself, strengthen your brethren. You know, except you be converted
and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom
of heaven. There are things that are necessary
to enter the kingdom of heaven. I got to looking at just what
the scripture says with regard to this thing of entering the
kingdom of heaven. The Lord said in Matthew chapter five, verse
20, except your righteousness, your personal righteousness. exceed, surpass the righteousness
of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the
kingdom of heaven. You know what that tells me?
I must have the righteousness of Jesus Christ as my personal
righteousness before God, before I can enter the kingdom of heaven.
You know that too, don't you? Then I love the passage in Luke
chapter 13. I'll read it to you. There was
present at that season, some that told him of the Galileans,
whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And the
reason they were giving the Lord this current event, they were
by this saying, those must have been really bad people. For that
to take place with them, for that disaster to take place with
them. And here they are offering up sacrifices and Pilate kills
them. And their blood is mingled with
the blood of their sacrifices. They must have been really bad
people. And Jesus answering said unto
them, suppose you that these Galileans were sinners above
all the Galileans because they suffered such things. I tell
you. No. But except you repent. You change your thoughts. And the only way you will is
if God does it, I realize that. But except you repent. you will
perish just like them. And then he brings up another
current event. He says, where those 18 upon whom the tower
of Siloam fell and slew them. Now, what do people do when they
hear of something bad happening to a group of people? They were
under the judgment of God. God visited them in judgment
by bringing that tower down and falling on them and they were
slain. They must have really been bad people. Do you believe they were sinners
above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no. No different
than you. But except you repent. And my
dear friends, repentance is a state of being. It's not an act, a
one-time act. It's a state of being, repentance
before God. You're always made to change
your mind and look to Christ only. That has to happen over
and over and over and over again. He says, except you repent, you
shall all likewise perish. And now I think of what our Lord
said in John chapter three, verse three, except a man be born again,
Born from above, he shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. For me to enter the kingdom of
heaven, the Lord God has to birth me and give me a new nature that
was not there before. And if he doesn't, I will not
enter the kingdom of heaven. Now, to enter the kingdom of
heaven, you're gonna have to come to Christ because the Lord said, no man
comes to the Father, but by me. I love that scripture. I'm the
way, the truth, the life. No man comes to the Father, but
by me. Oh, you could preach on that
a long time, couldn't you? But he also said, no man can
come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him. Now, why would the Lord say that?
Plenty of good reasons. But let us know that we can't
even come. This is how dependent we are.
We can't even come. The most basic action of spiritual
life we cannot do, except it were given to us of the Father. Can't even come. In John chapter 15 verse 4, as
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in
the vine, no more can you except you abide in me. You can't bear fruit. And the
only way you and I will bear fruit is by being in the vine,
abiding in the vine. And what that means is you don't
go anywhere else. You stay right there in the Lord Jesus Christ. And then The Lord said, except
you eat the flesh. Think of this one, except I love
this, except you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his
blood. You have no life in you. Now I realize that there is a
teaching that says that mass actually turns the bread, turns
into the body of Christ and the wine turns into the blood transubstantiation
in the Catholic church. And see, the Lord said that you
have to eat his flesh. You have to drink his blood. When you eat something and when
you drink something, you know what it does? It becomes part
of you. Christ in you, the hope of glory. I love this scripture. Isaiah,
Paul quotes it from Isaiah, except the Lord of Sabbath had left
us a seed, we'd been as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah. Now, remember these men who Said,
bring us out the angels that we may know them. What wicked,
evil men. Isaiah said, that's us. Except
the Lord left us a seed and preserved us. You know, in order to enter
the kingdom of heaven, we're gonna have to hear the gospel.
We're gonna have to hear the gospel preached. And the Lord
said, how can they preach except they be sent. God's going to
have to send me a preacher to hear the gospel. Now, he says to these disciples,
except you be converted, turned, turn us again. Oh Lord, cause
thy face to shine. We should be saved. How many
times do we read that in the scripture? Turn us, turn me and
I'll be turned. When I hear turn, My response
is, Lord, turn me. I don't think, well, I'm gonna
turn. I believe I will, I'm gonna turn. I'm gonna turn myself?
No, Lord, turn me. Turn me. Turn us again, O Lord
God of hosts. Cause thy face to shine, and
we shall be saved. Now, the Lord says to his disciples,
except ye be turned from this kind of thinking, you won't even
enter the kingdom of heaven. And somebody says, well, aren't
all, aren't they secure if they're the elect? Of course they are.
Aren't they secure if Christ died for them? Of course they
are. He still said to them, you go on like this. If this is where
you're coming from, you won't even enter the kingdom of heaven. Look in verse four of Matthew
chapter 18. Whosoever, therefore, shall humble
himself as this little child. Remember that kid standing there,
embarrassed, awkward, didn't have anything to contribute,
just a kid. Except you humble yourself as
this little child. Whosoever therefore shall humble
himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom
of heaven. Oh, to be enabled by the grace
of God to humble myself. I'd a whole lot rather humble
myself than be humbled, wouldn't you? Oh, for grace to humble
my self. Humble yourselves under the mighty
hand of God that he may exalt you in due time. Listen to these scriptures. Every
time these scare me. Pride goeth before destruction
and a haughty spirit before the fall. before honor is humility. Turn with me to Matthew chapter
23. The Lord is speaking of the scribes
and the Pharisees And he says, the scribes, verse two, the scribes
and the Pharisees said, Moses seat, the place of authority.
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe
and do, but do not ye after their works for they say and do not.
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them
on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them
with one of their fingers, but all their works they do. to be seen of men. Now really that's what the disciples
were, that argument they were having has something to do with
wanting to be seen of men. They made broad their phylacteries,
they enlarged the borders of their garments and loved the
uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues,
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. They loved greetings
in the markets and to be called of men, rabbi, rabbi, Be not
ye called rabbi, for one is your master, even Christ, and all
ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon
the earth, for one is your father which is in heaven. Neither be
ye called masters, for one is your master, even Christ. but
he that's greatest among you shall be your servant. And then he gives the unalterable
law of the kingdom of heaven. Verse 12, and whosoever, doesn't
matter who it is, whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased. And he that shall humble himself,
here's a promise, shall be exalted. Now that's the unalterable law
of the kingdom of heaven. If I exalt myself, the Lord's
gonna abase me. And in the walk in pride, he
knows how to abase. It's no problem with him asking
that, but Knesset, he found out about it. And if I humble myself
before the Lord, I shall be, this is a promise, I shall be
exalted. Look in Luke chapter 14. Beginning in verse seven. And he put forth a parable to
those that were bidden when he marked how they chose out the
chief rooms, the place of recognition, to be viewed as the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven, the somebodies, the important people.
The Lord watched this. Have you ever thought about the
Lord watching stuff like this? He sees us conducting ourselves like this.
He watches. He's so merciful, though. He's
so gracious. Well, he was watching. He put forth the parables of
those which were bidden when he marked, how they chose out
the chief room, saying unto them, when thou art bidden of any man
to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room, lest a more
honorable man than thou be bidden of him. And he that bade thee
and him come and say to thee, give this man place, and thou
Begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest
room, the place of least recognition. And believe that's where you
ought to be. You know, I'm gonna take the
humble route. Oh, huh. What a proud, I'm gonna
take the lowest seat. No, believe that you belong in
the lowest seat. That's where you ought to be. But when thou art bidden, go
and sit down in the lowest room, that when he that bade thee cometh,
he may say unto thee, friend, go up higher. Thou shalt have
worship in the presence of them that sit at me with thee, for,
here's that statement again, whosoever exalteth himself shall
be abased. Every time. And he that humbleth
himself shall be exalted. And I have no doubt that the
greatest example of this is Luke chapter 18, verse nine. And he spake this parable unto
certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous. And
this is the inescapable attitude when I'm like that, and I am.
Whenever I'm like that, here's what comes. You despise others. Two men went up into the temple
to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The Pharisee
stood and prayed thus with himself. I love the way the Lord adds
that he's letting us know God doesn't hear this prayer. He
prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee that I'm not as
other men are extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give
tithes of all that I possess. And the publican. standing afar
off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but
smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, the sinner. God be propitious. Do something
about my sin. Now let me ask you a question.
Is there ever a time when that is not the most appropriate prayer
for you? God, be merciful to me, the sinner. And look what the Lord says.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, not merely
forgiven, justified. That means he had no sin to be
condemned for. That means he stood before God's
law without guilt. You see, everybody that humbles
themselves, this is the evidence that God
has justified them. God doesn't justify them because
they humble themselves. God justified them because Christ
died for them and put away their sins and gave them his righteousness.
But the evidence that God has done a work of grace in somebody's
heart is found right here. He humbles himself, saying, God
be propitious, do something about my sin. Make it to go away, make
it to not be, make it to be gone through the blood of the propitiatory
sacrifice. He understood this. God be merciful
to me, the sinner. And then the Lord said, I tell
you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the
other. And here's that unalterable law
for everyone that exalts himself shall be abased. And he that humbles himself shall
be exalted. Turn back to our texts in Mark
chapter nine. Verse 33, what was it that you
disputed among yourselves? By the way, they held their base
for, by the way, they disputed among themselves who should be
the greatest. And he sat down and called the 12 and sayeth
unto them, if any man desire to be first, you know what that
makes you last last of all. and servant of all." Just the
desire to be first puts you in last place. And then he says
in verse 36, and he took a child and set him in the midst of them.
And when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name. receiveth me. And whosoever shall
receive me receiveth not me, but him that sent me." Now this
little child couldn't do anything for them. Didn't have anything.
Couldn't do anything to advance the kingdom. Couldn't make any
contribution to the kingdom. This child was dependent, this
child was needy, and I couldn't help but think while I was thinking
if you receive this child, it can't do anything for you, can't
add to you, can't make you in a better position, can't, you
just receive this child for my sake. What I thought about was
Mephibosheth. David says from the position
of absolute power, is there any of the house of Saul my enemy? that I can show kindness to for
Jonathan's sake, not because of anything they can do for me,
not because they can do anything for me, but for Jonathan's sake. And Ziba says, well, there's
one. His name is Mephibosheth, but
he's worthless. He's lame on both of his feet.
He became lame through a fall just like you and I did. He can't
work for you. He can't fight for you. All he
can be is carried. There's nothing he can do for
you. Well, I'm sure David was thinking,
I don't need him to work for me. I don't need him to fight
for me. I'm doing what I'm doing for
Jonathan's sake. I'm doing what I'm doing for
Christ's sake. That's what the Father says.
And this little child that can't do anything for you is received
by you for Christ's sake. And you receiving him, you receive
the Lord. You receive the Lord, you receive
God Himself. Turn to Luke, a couple more scriptures,
Luke chapter 9, verse 46. And there arose a reasoning,
an argument among themselves, which of them should be greatest?
And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child
and set him by him. And he saith unto them, whosoever
shall receive this child in my name, receiveth me. And whosoever shall receive me,
receiveth him that sent me, for he that is least among you. He that is the less, he that
is lowest among you all, the same shall be great. Now one last scripture. Turn
with me to Mark chapter 10. We've already looked at a couple
of verses out of this. Mark chapter 10. beginning in verse 35, and James and John,
the sons of Zebedee came unto him saying, Master, we would
that thou shouldst do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, what would
you that I should do for you? And they said unto him, grant
unto us that we may sit one on thy right hand and the other
on thy left hand in thy glory. And Jesus said unto them, you
know not what you ask. Can you drink of the cup that
I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism
that I'm baptized with? Now that cup was the sins of
the elect. That baptism was the wrath of
God being totally immersed under his wrath as the sin-bearing
substitute. You fellas able to do this? Yeah? We can. We're up to the task. And Jesus said unto them, and
I love his answer, you shall indeed drink of the cup that
I drink of. And with the baptism that I'm baptized with, you shall
be baptized. If we're united to Christ, whatever
he does, we do. When he drank the cup, we did
too. When he was immersed in the wrath of God, we were too. When he was raised from the dead,
justified, we were too. Now, he says that will happen
to you. But to sit on my right hand and
on my left is not mine to give, but it should be given to them
for whom it was prepared. And when the ten heard, they
began to be much displeased with James and John." They were disgusted
by James and John. Another verse, I don't remember
if it's Luke or Matthew, says they were moved to indignation. But Jesus called them to him
and saith unto them, you know that they which are counted to
rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and their
great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not
be among you, but whosoever will be great among you shall be your
minister. And whosoever of you will be
the chiefest shall be the servant of all. For even the Son of Man
came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. He came not to be served, but
to serve. And this passage is the only
time we read this word He came to minister and to give his life
a ransom. That's used twice in the scripture,
both with regard to this, a sin payment. You know, we were singing,
what was that opening hymn we were singing? Yeah, I remember
while we were singing that, I guess I need to open it up to, what
page was it? All my iniquities on him were
laid. He nailed them all to the tree. Jesus, the debt of my sin,
fully paid. He paid the ransom for me. Now, just knowing that, why would
I want to be exalted above somebody else? I've got all things in
Christ who came to be a servant. and paid the ransom for me. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you that you
came not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give your
life a ransom for many. And oh, how we thank you that
in your ransoming blood, you put away all the sins of everybody
you died for. And Lord, we desperately want
to be among that number. And we know those who you died
for. Look, only to you. as everything in their salvation.
Lord, give us grace to do this, for Christ's sake, in His name
we pray, amen. Dwight, come with us.