MidTree Church
The sermon audio of MidTree Church in Harris County, Ga. BEHOLD // BELIEVE // BECOME
MidTree Church
When Jesus Redefines Greatness: Serving in a World That Demands Glory | Pastor Will Hawk | March 9th, 2025
What does it mean to truly be great in God's kingdom? In this powerful exploration of Luke 22:24-30, we discover Jesus confronting his disciples in a moment of profound disconnect—they're arguing about who's the greatest while Jesus prepares for his imminent sacrifice.
The contrast couldn't be more striking. While the disciples jockey for position, Jesus redefines greatness through the lens of service: "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them... But not so with you." This countercultural teaching challenges our deepest assumptions about leadership, success, and significance.
Most of us approach serving others with what might be called a "cut the check" mentality—keeping our distance, maintaining comfort, preserving our status. Jesus, however, demonstrates incarnational service. He didn't merely send help from heaven; he entered our world, walked our paths, felt our pain, and ultimately gave his life. True greatness isn't found in receiving service but in providing it.
What's particularly moving about this passage is Jesus' interaction with Peter. When Satan demands to "sift him like wheat," Jesus doesn't promise to defeat the enemy outright—he simply says, "I have prayed for you." This prayer carries power (Christ's authority over all things), permanence (he never stops interceding), and purpose (to bring us safely home). Even knowing Peter will fail spectacularly, Jesus assures him of restoration and future purpose.
This reveals the heart of the gospel: a perfect kingdom awaits those who underestimate their enemy, overestimate themselves, and follow a rejected king. We're all limping to the finish line in some area of our lives. The good news? Jesus doesn't demand impressive performance—he picks us up when we fall and carries us home.
Just like exhausted marathon runners who collapse before crossing the finish line, we were never meant to complete this race on our own strength. The incredible reality is that God doesn't disqualify us for our failures but gives us the perfect record of Christ himself. Will you trust the One who serves, the One who prays, the One who carries you across the line?
If you want to learn more about the MidTree story or connect with us, go to our website HERE or text us at 812-MID-TREE.
Join me in the reading of God's Word. We're going to be on page 882 in the Pew Bibles. It's Luke 22, verses 24 through 30. And he said to them the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and those in authority over them are called benefactors, but not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest and the leader, as the one who serves. For who is the greater? One who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
Speaker 2:Amen, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. This is the word of the Lord. Amen, back up, pastor. I loved so much of that, logan, so much of that Highlights for days. Brother, I love you and I'm proud of you. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I don't know how old you were when you and I first started hanging out, but you were a little one at that point and I could not be more proud of how the Lord has moved in your life and how you have desired to be led by him.
Speaker 2:As we look at this text, let me encourage you guys hang on one second, sorry Let me encourage you guys to sort of think about what your walk looks like at this moment in your life. We used to say it all the time. I don't know that it's as common of a phrase as it used to be. What does your walk with the Lord look like? I walk because I have to to get around. I'm not a mall walker, I'm not a jogger, I'm not a runner, I'm not running unless I'm chasing or being chased something or someone.
Speaker 2:But the other day I was out hanging out at the soccer fields and one of my sister's friends growing up was in a nearby conversation and I was picking up pieces of it. But it was a conversation I didn't really care to be a part of because they were talking about running. And all of a sudden the conversation turned into you're a mom, you have young kids, you run 10, 12, 13 miles a day. How do you do that, like logistically, how do you do that? And I'll change her name for the sake of the story. Sally said I just have to wake up really early. And now all of a sudden I'm interested because I'm like what do you mean really early? And the friend she was talking to said yeah, how early are you talking about? And she froze, she paused. Now I'm very interested because somebody is ashamed of something, somebody is like self-conscious. So I slide into this conversation. I'm like how early are you waking up? Three o'clock in the morning to go running? First of all, impressive.
Speaker 2:My follow-up question again, this is a friend of my sister's growing up. Is that healthy? Like I'm not arguing running and all this kind of, is it actually healthy? And she looked at me and she said sort of like sort of, what we're going to look at today is the end of the race for the disciples, or at least the end of the race. They thought they were going to run. They don't realize everything that's about to happen, even though Jesus is hand delivering this to them.
Speaker 2:And here is what it makes me think of. It makes me and this is why I've always been curious about this, and if you're a runner in the room you can bash me later but I've never seen this happen on a baseball field. I've never seen it happen on a soccer field, basketball court, football field. I have never seen, certainly to the extent a person's body decide I am shutting down, regardless of what your mind wants to do. I've seen cramps, but I'm talking about have y'all ever watched the videos where people are running in a race and all of a sudden they go giraffe, like baby giraffe leg? I was watching a few of these this week, just being fascinated. I watched a Kenyan or a Nigerian runner collapse 20 feet from the finish line and just start barrel rolling his way and I'm looking at it and I'm like is this like? Are our bodies meant to be able to do this?
Speaker 2:And the disciples in this text are about to answer the question what does it look like for us to limp our way to the finish line. Statistically, as you're listening to Logan's testimony, statistically, 50 to 60% of you are convicted by what he just said. Statistically, I would hope the stats are lower. Are you limping through life? Are you limping through certain areas of life? Are there realities in your pursuit of Christ that, if you're honest, you've never sprinted at, you've never ran, you've never jobbed, you have limped or rolled to try to make it to the next step? And might God's word have hope for those of us who are limping our way forward. Let me give you a little bit of encouragement.
Speaker 2:This is John Newton, as I think about disciples. Limping, as you may think. If you're a Christian man, why is this area of my faith? Constantly a limp John Newton would remind us my faith. Constantly a limp John Newton would remind us I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world, but still I am not what I once used to be Christian. This is our hope that we are not what we used to be, because what we used to be is a hot mess, and this is where we find the disciples today.
Speaker 2:A dispute also arose among them. This word also carries with it a lot of connotations. A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was going to be regarded as the greatest, and he said to them the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and those in authority over them are called benefactors, but not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest and the leader, as the one who serves. When the text says a dispute also arose, it means they were already in one.
Speaker 2:Maybe you've been in an argument with somebody before and you've been in an argument with somebody before and you've seen the trickle-down effect. You started arguing about this and now you're arguing about that and about four arguments later. You don't even remember what you were arguing about. Well, let me tell you what it was that they were arguing about. This. Moments before and only three verses before, jesus said but behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. One of you is going to betray me, and all of a sudden, verse 23,. They began to question one another. That has a legal connotation. Is it you accusatory as to which of them it was going to be?
Speaker 2:The progression here could not be more clear and easy to see. Jesus says one of you is going to betray me. And they look around and they're like probably this guy, thomas. Jesus says one of you is going to betray me. And they look around and they're like probably this guy, thomas. I love the part of the sermon last week where you put up the pictures and Judas is in the corner and, like you can tell they had no idea. They are literally guessing and I just want you to imagine how icky and unhealthy this beautiful dinner must have become. Hey, it's got to be you, because you stole money once. No, no, no, it's going to be you, because you always sleep in and we're constantly waiting on you. No, it's going to be you, peter, because you keep chopping people's ears off and yelling at them and getting into arguments. You're the hothead. But I want you to notice what happens next.
Speaker 2:In a moment, they go from arguing over which one of them is the worst to arguing which one of them is the greatest. They've moved into defense mode. What do you mean me? It can't possibly be me. I walked on water with Jesus until you sank because you didn't have faith, peter.
Speaker 2:Well, matthew, what are you talking about? Hey, I gave up being a tax collector. I was wealthy, I had beautiful clothes, I went to the best parties, I had the best friends. Certainly I'm the greatest. I've given up the most. All you guys gave up was fish. How hard is that to do anyway? And you can just see this seething argument. And Jesus is like guys, we just had our first communion. Can we just hold it together for a minute? No, christians limp through much of life. Christians limp to finish lines and Christians limp across them. And in this great desire to display how great they are, jesus says can I tell you what real greatness is? One thing worth noting is that Jesus doesn't rebuke their desire for significance. He doesn't rebuke that they want to do great things. He doesn't rebuke them for having grand ideas, looking for huge opportunities, considering how they might advance the kingdom. He doesn't rebuke their desire to be significant, but he does redefine it.
Speaker 2:The thing in my life that has been most helpful here in understanding what true greatness is, outside of scripture itself, is this little book that I probably give away at least once a year by Tim Keller. I think all he did was preach a good sermon, turned it into a book and then just cashed the royalties forever, which kudos on stewardship as well. He's no longer with us. He's in glory, so I'm not going to offend him anyway. This little book by Tim Keller is called the Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness. I got about 20 of them here. If any of you guys want to grab one on the way out of the sanctuary, feel free to do so.
Speaker 2:But this text, more than anything else, has caused me to look at my own self and say I do want to live a life of significance. I want my life to matter. I don't just want to fade into the crowd, I want to do something with my life. But how can I pursue greatness and not be ashamed of it? Well, jesus tells us. He says look, the kings of the Gentiles, notice this word. It's the way a Jewish rabbi and teacher would have said the rest of the world, the leaders in the rest of the world, exercise lordship over them, and those in authority are called benefactors. By the way, notice that the expectation of God's people is that they would be different than the world. And what leadership looks like? It's implicit in what Jesus is saying here. What leadership looks like? It's implicit in what Jesus is saying here In the world.
Speaker 2:The concept is the leader, the authority, gets benefit from those below. You can think about this in business, you can think about it in military, you can think about it in marriage, you can think about it in parenting, you can think about it in work. The concept is the one who sits atop receives benefit from those below, but while the world is expecting benefit from those below them, christians are to choose to bring benefit to those who are below them. If I don't believe this, if your eyes hit this and you choose not to believe this, you're going to pursue comfort in your life. You are going to pursue prominence in your life. You are going to scoff as service, as below you. If I were to make the rubber hit the road, I might say your mentality towards service would not look like a rather Rather. Let the greatest among you become, as the youngest, the leader, as the one who serves.
Speaker 2:And then Jesus says hey guys, we're sitting around a table, let's play this thing out. Who's greater, the one who reclines at table or the one who serves? Now they ate dinner a little differently than we do. We sit at a table and the food is in front of us and we eat. They would have laid on their side and eaten with one hand around the table as they all peered in. And Jesus is saying who's greater? The one who's reclining at the table enjoying food and drink, or the one who is making sure that the table is clear and more food comes? Which one of them is greater? And Jesus says but I am among you as the one who serves. There's going to be a day when Jesus sits down. It's not this day. There's going to be a day when he sits down at a throne, near a table that will never run out, in a kingdom that will never end, with people who will never sin. But this is not that moment.
Speaker 2:And Jesus is saying look, I am here serving you, unlike every other leader that the world has ever seen. If I don't believe this, I'm going to scoff at service. I'm going to think that it is probably below me. It is probably below me. I'm going to think about service with a cut the check mentality. You know what? Just cut the check. I'll serve in hospitality once a month. Just cut the check, and now I'm done. Or it might literally be cutting the check. I see somebody who is in need, I see somebody who is impoverished, I see someone who needs help and instead of, like Christ, walking into that situation, let me just throw a little coin in the direction so that I don't have to get my hands dirty. Christians, a cut-the-check mentality might be very American, but it is not very Christian. Jesus loves us, not with a cut the check mentality, but incarnationally. Just consider our salvation.
Speaker 2:For those of us who are believing in Christ, jesus could have appeared, showed up on day one. What's up? All you sinners Hate that I had to show up. But let's make this sort of quick. I love you. Because I love you, I'm going to die for you. I'm going to die and then off I go. No, jesus comes, puts on flesh, toddles through this life, limps along for 30 years, for 33 years. He knows your struggles, he knows what it is to be tired and hungry and sweat. He could have just cut the check, but instead he steps into your world. It is a better thing to care for someone than to not. That is good for them. But please hear me on this If you want your service to be good for you, service is not a net loss.
Speaker 2:Serving in whatever capacity, the church, your family, your community, those who you walk by, those who you work with. It is not a net loss. To the eyes of a Christian, it is a net positive. If service presents itself and your immediate thought is what about the cost? How much time is this going to take? What about my energy? All of a sudden, you have moved into a cut the check mentality instead of an incarnational mentality, and I would encourage you with this little quote from John Newton. I love this. Okay, apologies, two times the sermon you're gonna have to put on your nerd glasses. This is one of them, potentially. All right, just track me with this.
Speaker 2:John Newton speaking of two angels. If two angels were to receive at the same moment a commission from God one to go down and rule earth's grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its meanest village that means smallest, not angriest it would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot. One angel is told you are going to go and oversee the ruling of the grandest kingdom the world has ever seen. Your responsibilities are going to be far reaching your importance. Great Angel number two, come here. There's this little village south of Mombasa. The streets need to be swept, and both of them with the same level of excitement and anticipation would fly to the places that God has called them to serve. It would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot, for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience to God's will, and with equal joy they would lift a Lazarus and his rags to Abraham's bosom, or be a chariot of fire to carry an Elijah home. They couldn't care less if they smell like death or if they shoot through the sky like a streaking star. All they care about is did you guys see that God, the God of the universe, gave me something to do? How amazing. And here the disciples are and Jesus is with them, and they're talking about how wonderful they are Culturally.
Speaker 2:Can I give you one thing before we move on? This word fascinates me. I would not have expected it to be written this way. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the least is what I would have expected. What's tucked into this?
Speaker 2:This word youngest is a moment for our culture to put our eyes on the expectations of the youngest. The newest, the freshest, the greenest is service. You do not graduate into serving Jesus. It is day one. Additionally, he literally means the youngest In that day and age the expectations were that children served. The expectation is that children are to serve your children are to serve your families. Your children, biblically, are expected to serve your church. Children are expected to serve their communities and somehow our culture has reversed this, made an idol of it, polished it in bronze and placed it on the mantle, and well-meaning Christian parents believe they are doing their children a good by always serving them to the deterrent of the children serving rather than as an example. Parents, please hear me on this the more you serve, the more God trains your heart to outlast this world. The more you serve Christian, the more this world separates from you, the more your legs strengthen and your heart hardens to be able to last in a world that does not love you or like you. But for those of us who have children, be cautious that your service to them not be a deterrent but an example.
Speaker 2:Are you modeling service for your children or just doing it for them? Let me just take a moment and say I know that's really tough. I know it's so hard. It is so much easier for me to serve my family, like pick the thing. It is so much easier for me to serve my family and work on the car, or let's just go with pine straw. I drove by the pine straw guy yesterday and now I'm like I need more pine straw. Do you know how much easier it is for me to go and shake out pine straw the way it's supposed to, to get the blower and blow underneath it so it has that beautiful pillow on the front? I don't know if you know what I'm talking about, but there's a way to do pine straw with a blower, right? Some of you know, some of you cut the check. I couldn't care less. All I'm saying is there is a right way to do this. If I invite my children to serve with me and I put a blower on them, the pillows may not look as pretty. Okay, it is so much better, parents, it is better for your house to not look as good so long as your children are a part of the service in it. It is better for your family to not look as impressive so long as you are inviting your children to serve Husbands, wives, moms, dads, big brothers, big sisters.
Speaker 2:Are you modeling service for those below you or are you just doing it for them? The good news is, it's very easy for us to take off our importance if Jesus can convince us that he has something better for us and he does. Jesus is about to hand to them a kingdom. He's about to say I have a crown that I'm going to offer, but if you really like your Burger King crown the one that has french fry grease stains on it you can hold on to it if you want.
Speaker 2:But I have something so much better for you as you read this, here's what I'm imagining. You are those who have stayed with me in my trials. It sounds a bit like a rebuke Peter and James and John and Luke and Matthew and Thaddeus. They're just going at it. I'm better than you, I've done this and I've done this. And you just imagine Jesus saying guys, guys, guys, why are we fighting? You have been with me in my trials and I assign to you. This is a guarantee. This isn't a potential offer. This is I am giving this thing to you, the same as my father gave it to me. Guys, I'm giving you a kingdom, an entire kingdom. You're gonna eat and drink, not just at any table. You're gonna be at and drink, not just at any table. You're going to be at my table, not just in any kingdom. In my kingdom, that lasts forever. You, 12 dudes minus one, plus one later, are going to sit on thrones judging the tribes of Israel. Boys, why are we fighting? I have something so much better for you, christians.
Speaker 2:Jesus expects you to expect a great reward that you could never earn. This rebuke that Jesus gives is looking at the boys who are fighting over their greatness and he's just saying guys, guys, guys, guys. I wish you could see this. I just wish you could see it. I wish you could see this. I expect you to expect a great reward that you could see this. I just wish you could see it. I wish you could see this. I expect you to expect a great reward that you could never earn. So quit trying, quit trying to be impressive, quit trying to show how great you are. Quit trying to point at the brokenness of others. I'm literally trying to hand you a kingdom you could never earn. Christians, I think a lot of our confidence comes from this reality that Jesus expects a believer to expect a great reward. Live as though it's already yours. And as Jesus points to this kingdom, he outlines three people who are going to get it.
Speaker 2:Now I'm going to quit using the word kingdom for just a moment. The text is going to continue, but none of us ever grew up in a monarchy. Most of us don't think about provincial times and like property lines. I'm going to start using the term a perfect world. Jesus is now saying here's the kingdom I'm going to hand to you and here are the people who are going to get it. A perfect world awaits those who underestimate, overestimate and follow First. A perfect world is waiting for those who underestimate the enemy.
Speaker 2:Welcome to my favorite part of this entire text. Absolutely love this Simon. Simon, you get the sense that Simon, who is Peter, is always the hothead, even though Jesus has said guys, I'm trying to give you a kingdom. Simon might have a little side conversation going on, still leaning into his own greatness, and twice Jesus says his name to get his attention. Simon, simon, look right here. Hey, buddy, can I just tell you what's actually going on right now? Satan demanded to have you. That should sober the mood, by the way. All right. The great serpent, the great snake, the dragon, has demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat. I love this, I love this, but I've prayed for you. The power of Jesus's words.
Speaker 2:I wanted you guys to get an idea of what it meant when Jesus said hey, simon, the devil has demanded to have you. He wants to sift you like wheat. I'd be willing to bet about $100,000. There's not a soul in this room that has sifted wheat in the last week. One of you may have done it on a mission trip. Like, isn't this crazy? I'm being biblical right now, but that would still be in the vast minority.
Speaker 2:So I wanted to show you what this looks like. Are we able to do that, guys in the back? So I'm going to start in reverse. Maybe it's worth it. Okay, can you go back? Can you rewind it to the front end? Sorry, Dad, this is the final. They're separating. That's not too bad. All right, this is what happens before it gets all shaken up. I would have bet all of this.
Speaker 2:But when Jesus says, hey, peter, satan demanded. This is what he's thinking about. This is how it begins. Hey, peter, satan called me up the other day and said he wants to beat you to a pulp. Just thought you may want to know that you guys can cut it in the back. This is what it looks like.
Speaker 2:Peter the enemy came and just said he wants to pound you to death. He then wants to shake up your life and then he wants to separate you away. But I've prayed for you. What would be your expected response? Hey, he's coming after you, but don't worry, my mouth is a sword and I will split the serpent in half. Fear not, peter, I am with you, I will hold you up. Jesus simply says these words, but I've prayed for you that your faith may not fail and, when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.
Speaker 2:This kingdom is given to those who underestimate the enemy. Peter's so caught up in comparing himself to the people he goes to church with that he's forgotten that there's an enemy who actually wants to beat him down, shake him up and separate him. He's so concerned about how he looks in front of his peers, who really ought to be his teammates in this limp along little race, that he has forgotten who the enemy is. And yet there is a kingdom who awaits even those. When Jesus says he prays for you, this is something that I would jot down. What stands out to me is that Jesus's prayers never fail because of his power, his permanence and his purpose. When he says Simon, satan demanded to have you. This is the person you want praying for you. You want Jesus praying over you. A snake from the beginning. The dragon from the very end said he wants you. Peter, don't sweat it, I have prayed for you. This is power. It's not just the power of Christ, it's his permanence.
Speaker 2:How often has somebody asked you to pray for them and you're like, yeah, man, I'll pray for you, no problem. Whoops, you're remembering right now You're supposed to pray for that guy three months ago and you're like Lord, I know you've already dealt with this, but can my prayer maybe be proactive, so that I'm not held up? I've prayed so many like past proactive prayers. Lord, can you hear this through the echoes of time and know that I meant to pray this a month ago? Has anybody else ever prayed that way? Are y'all confident in God's omniscience? I am, I am. I pray all the time for stuff that's already happened. Why, well, I pray for you too. I promise. Most of the time I refuse to leave. So if you say, will you pray for me, what you're gonna get is an arm around your shoulder saying yes. And it's happening now, because I don't like the way that feels. I love this.
Speaker 2:Hebrews 7. The prayers of Jesus are not just powerful. The former priests were many in number. We have but one, jesus, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office. This may not make you smile, but it ought to. What the Bible's saying is there were a lot of priests who really wanted to shepherd people. Well, they had this little problem they just kept dying. And so they would pray for you for a period of time and then they'd quit because they would die.
Speaker 2:But here we have Jesus, verse 24,. He holds this priesthood permanently. He never stops being a priest because he continues forever. His prayers are not just powerful. Jesus' prayers are permanent, ever being prayed, constantly being lifted up, in a way that my mind cannot even fathom that he would be praying constantly for believers, sitting next to the Father, lifting me up, lifting you up if you're a Christian, because he continues forever. And then the writer of Hebrews says and look, if this is true, then consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Jesus always lives to make intercession for you. If you don't know this, christian, you have missed out on one of the greatest faith-encouraging, inducing realities of life. Jesus has never quit praying for you, and his prayers have an incredible purpose.
Speaker 2:It was so kind of Christ to have these words written down for us in John 17. These are the prayers that Jesus says he is praying over his disciples. I'll just make a couple of notes here. I'm not praying for the world. I'm not praying for everybody who's ever lived in this moment. I'm praying for those whom God has given me. He goes on and he says look, I'm no longer in this world, but they are. So, god, I need you to be with them. I need you to give them the Holy Spirit, make them one, even as we are one. I've given them everything I can. I've given them everything I can. I've given them your word. The world is going to hate them. It has hated me. I pray that you would sanctify them, make them like me, that they would be able to make it through this world. And here's the deal Just like you sent me into the world, I sent them into the world.
Speaker 2:But the best part to me of this is all in verse 20. It's Jesus saying hey, I'm not just praying this for Peter and James and John. I'm not asking for these only, but for those who will believe in me. This is Jesus praying for every Christian in the room. This is Jesus praying for every Christian you have ever met. This is Jesus praying for every Christian that will ever become Father. I desire that they you can put your name here, if you're a Christian whom you have given me may be with me where I am. Live as though there is a kingdom guaranteed waiting for you. Don't waste your life on this one. Live your life for the next one. It is a guarantee, and Jesus expects believers to expect this to be the case. I want them to see my glory that you have given me, and one day they absolutely will. Jesus has powerful prayers and he never stops praying them, and his purposes are unbelievable. Do you know that Christ is praying for you? Secondly, this perfect world is waiting even for those who overestimate themselves.
Speaker 2:I read the first half of this, but picking up in verse 33, here Peter said notice, hey, simon, simon, pay attention, quit arguing with your brothers. And then, 30 seconds later, here's Peter. Lord, I'm ready to go with you to prison and to death. I'm ready, like you. Just point, I'll go, cuff me up, drag me away, beat me. If you got to take my own life, I am ready. And Jesus lovingly says no, you're not, but you will be.
Speaker 2:And this is the message to every limping Christian. You know, jesus, I'm done. I'm not limping through this anymore. Hey, bud, if I don't bring you home right now, you're not completely done. You may have a 100% success rate if you memorize this scripture. The Holy Spirit will never let you down. If you wanna fight sin and you have received my spirit, you're going to win. But sometimes you're not going to want to win, sometimes you're going to want to lose, because losing feels easier. Jesus, I'm ready. No, you're not, but you will be.
Speaker 2:Peter, I tell you the rooster is not going to crow this day until you deny three times that. You know me, it's pretty late at night at this point. Do you know how difficult it is to go from I'm ready to go to prison and die for you to denying somebody? It seems like it should take a minute to get from point A to point Z on that. You certainly wouldn't expect it to happen quickly. I've got two roosters at my house and I will tell you they're not waiting around. On Peter. He has a very short period of time. This rooster is gonna go off right before the sun comes up. This is Jesus saying in this moment you're telling me you're ready to go to prison and you're ready to die. No, you're not, peter. Three times before the sun rises, you're gonna say you don't even know me. But Peter, one day you will be, and when you choose to recognize that, even though you keep limping, I will carry you forward. You will be able to do this. In fact, you actually will do this, and you will be an encouragement to the very brothers that you are fighting with right now.
Speaker 2:When Jesus says turn again, the concept is both physical and spiritual. In the Greek word here, he's saying Peter, you're literally going to turn your back on me and you're going to walk away. But when you turn your back on me and walk away, you're going to turn your soul away from me too. When you turn back, when you, what's an R word that talks about turning? When you repent of this R word that talks about turning, when you repent of this, your brothers are going to need you to strengthen them, and you will become the man who will go to prison. You will become the man who will give his life, philippians 1.6, I'm sure of this. Bank on it. Count on it. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus.
Speaker 2:Dl Moody gives us this beautiful little passage in thinking about Moses's limping life. Moses spent 40 years thinking he was somebody, the son of a Pharaoh. He spent 40 years learning he was nobody, being cast out, and he spent 40 years discovering what God can do with a nobody. You don't need to be impressive, you just need to be movable by the Spirit of God. This upsets Peter, who thinks that he's ready, even though he is not. But one of the reasons he's not ready is he doesn't want to follow a rejected king, and this perfect world waits for those who follow a rejected king.
Speaker 2:And he said to them when I sent you out with no money, bag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything? And they said, no, jesus, we've never lacked anything. You told us we didn't need an extra pair of shoes and turns out we didn't. You told us not to take money and people provided for us. You told us we didn't need to worry about our defense and we have always been well cared for Jesus, we've never needed anything. And he said to them but now this is massive, because what this is pointing to is a reality and redemptive history that only lasts for a few days. What's about to happen is Jesus is saying something's about to change Christians today, please hear me on this, even you have not experienced this.
Speaker 2:He is looking at these 12 and he's saying you're about to go through two or three days that no one has ever gone through on the planet, and I'm trying to tell you to get ready. I'm telling you now, let the one who has a money bag take it. Hey guys, hold onto your money and put it in your back pocket. But, jesus, you told us to always be generous. You talked about the widow who gave up those two copper coins, and that was the example of generosity. Jesus is like hey, hold onto your money for just a minute Pack. Hey, hold on to your money for just a minute. Pack a bag. You're gonna need a sleeping bag and a change of clothes. In fact, you, who I've told not to fight, you need to go out and sell your cloak and buy a sword.
Speaker 2:Jesus, you want us to buy a sword, which, by the way, all of a sudden makes sense as to why Peter goes around chopping off people's ears. Okay, because right after this people show up with torches and swords and Peter's like amazing, he just told me to pick up a sword and he like goes all at it. How amazed must Peter have been when Jesus is like what are you doing? Put the sword away. It's like how do I follow this guy? He literally just told me to pick up a sword. Why have you ever wondered that? Why would you tell a guy like Peter to go get a sword and then rebuke him when he uses it? Well, the reason why is because of what's coming next. Hey guys, there's a scripture that has to be fulfilled in me. He was numbered with the transgressors.
Speaker 2:Jesus is saying hey guys, I'm going to have to become a criminal To die the death that you need me to die. I'm going to have to be seen as a criminal and you, for the past three years, have been the best friends, the associates, the workers, the comrades of a known criminal. You're going to need a little bit of money in your back pocket for a couple of days, guys. Man, it's not going to fall from heaven. You are going to feel very scared and very alone, and it's not going to be the worst thing in the world for people to know that these guys had swords when we saw them last, so that you can tuck away into a home for a period of time. What is written about me has its fulfillment. And they said look, lord, here are two swords. And he said it's enough. They're not about to go into a battle, they're about to have to defend themselves. This is why they start hoarding and packing and defending. This is why Jesus points to something that we've never seen him point to for these two days. Because Jesus knew this.
Speaker 2:This was written about Jesus before he came in the flesh that he would be despised and rejected by men. He would be a man of sorrows, he'd be acquainted with grief, he would be someone that men hide their faces from. He would be despised People. People would not esteem him. Therefore, I will divide him a portion. Because of this sacrifice, because of this understanding of what is truly great, jesus will get a kingdom, and the one who is a rejected king will get a kingdom that never ends. And he's going to divide the spoil with the strong. He's going to give it to those who make it to the very end, because he poured his soul out to death, because he was numbered. He was counted like one of you. He got into your mess. He was considered a transgressor. He bore the sin of many and, just as he prays for us, he interceded for us. A kingdom, a perfect world waits those who underestimate their enemy, who overestimate themselves and who follow a rejected king. Now.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you noticed this or not. Bennett, you can come on. I don't know if you noticed this or not. Those don't seem like the things you would expect someone to do to inherit a perfect world. Underestimate the enemy that sounds like somebody who doesn't make it to the end. Overestimate yourself that sounds like somebody who pops up in the midst of a battle and gets chopped down a bit early. Following a rejected king does not sound like a winning strategy. You would expect a winning list. A perfect world awaits those who overcome. A perfect world awaits those who battle the enemy and wrestle him into submission. A perfect world waits on those who endure until the end. It's not what you see Jesus say to his disciples. A perfect world awaits failures of people. A perfect world awaits those who limp through, and there's a kingdom awaiting those who underestimate their enemy and overestimate themselves so long as they follow the rejected king.
Speaker 2:I was watching a short video. I'll show this to you as we get ready to reflect. And as I show it to you, I wonder who you are in this clip. This is a NCAA race. It's a women's marathon and they're getting to the very end. And this girl from Boston College it happens again.
Speaker 2:I don't understand runners, I'll never understand runners, but I appreciate them for illustration purposes. She can't make it. Her mind wants to be there. You think she didn't train. You think she showed up half cocked. You think she didn't hydrate before she did everything she was supposed to do and her body gives out. And then someone from another team comes and picks her up. She can't even walk. Somebody from another team comes and picks her up. She can't even walk. These two people who are barely themselves trying to make it to the end.
Speaker 2:But this is the nature of incarnational service. It's you getting your hands dirty, getting worn out and recognizing that every one of us are the one in the middle. You were never supposed to run this race, not to the end. You were never going to make it. The cool thing is Jesus runs it perfectly and then he goes and picks you up and drags you across the finish. And the amazing thing is God doesn't look at your time and disqualify you. He says I'm going to give you the time of the guy who carried you across. Welcome to a kingdom that is assigned to you.
Speaker 2:If I am in this room and I have not been trusting in Christ, there is a king who is rejected by this world that wants to drag you across the finish line. And you don't need to be impressive to be dragged. You just need to throw up a hand and ask For some, it may be for the forgiveness of sin. For some of you it might be. You need to come down and talk with me or talk with one of the pastors and say, hey, I just need to get dragged. And if Jesus is saying he'll drag me across the finish line to a kingdom that is perfect, that will never end. I just want to throw my hand up. Help me figure that out.
Speaker 2:For some of us, we may just need to be reminded that you are always supposed to be carried anyway. Don't try to be impressive. Just try to be present and spend your life serving as somebody who will, at their best, be dragged across the finish line. Across the finish line. This is what ultimately gives Christ glory and gives you joy as you lean into the hands of your Savior. Take a moment to think, take a moment to reflect at who Christ is and then bet it. When you're ready, let's worship this King who was rejected together.