God's Sovereign Plan Luke 22 Vs 21 30

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Good morning.

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Welcome to Faith Bible. Missionary of the Month, Donna Wolfert, she served with biblical ministries worldwide in Mexico in a teaching and supporting ministry, establishing local churches for about 40 years.

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She was later involved in correcting biblical correspondence courses in Spanish in Atlanta before retiring in Lancaster, but wait a minute, she didn't really retire, where she volunteers with the chaplaincy of Lancaster County Prisons.

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Let's pray for her health. Looks like she's going to work until she can't. Let's pray.

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Dear Father, thank you so much for this beautiful morning. We pray that we can worship you and learn about you in spirit and in truth.

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And we just give you this time in Jesus' name. Amen. Romans 520 says, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.

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And God's forgiveness and his love outweighs our transgressions. He is always ready to forgive.

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And isn't that a blessing for us as believers to know that? It's good news for sinners like us.

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Grace greater than our sin, and it really just builds on the last song of his mercy is more.

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And marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt, yonder on Calvary's Mount outpoured where the blood of the

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Lamb was spilt. Today's scripture reading is going to be in the book of John, chapter 13, verses one through five.

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Now, before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come, that he would depart out of this world to the

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Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

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During supper, the devil, having already put into the heart of Judah Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him.

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Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand, and that he had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper and laid aside his garments.

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And taking a towel, he girded himself. Then he poured water into the basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.

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This is the word of the Lord. If we could only fathom the depth of Jesus's love for us.

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We're kind of strapped to this earth in this mortal world, on this horizontal plane, but thank the

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Lord we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and to help to understand the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross.

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Let's stand together as we sing how deep the Father's love for us. Until it was accomplished, his dying breath has brought me by.

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I know it's finished. Please turn with me to Luke chapter 22 verses 21 through 30.

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Luke chapter 22 verses 21 through 30.

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But behold, the hand of my betrayer is with me on the table, and truly the

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Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.

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Then they begin to question among themselves which of them it was who would do this thing. Now there was also a dispute among them as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

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Then he said to them, the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors, but not so among you.

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On the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.

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For who is greater, he who sits at the table or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table?

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Yet I am among you as the one who serves, but you are those who have continued with me in my trials, and I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as my father bestowed one upon me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

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This is the word of the Lord. Let us pray. Father, we are grateful that you are sovereign.

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Your authority knows no bounds, and we're grateful that you have even determined that Jesus, your

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Son, God the Son, would experience betrayal and be mocked and be put to death on our behalf.

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And thank you that your redemption cannot be stopped, and we pray that we would long for the establishment of your kingdom, that we may worship and serve the truly risen

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King in Jesus' name. These passages this week and next week will follow

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Jesus' last discussion with his disciples. What that means is he's going to highlight, he's going to bring up topics, topics that are quite important for his disciples to remember, and Jesus stresses today what's truly important when following him.

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And today's passage discusses how Christians must live knowing

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God's sovereignty, and knowing what that means.

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God's sovereignty is his authority over all things. He is the sovereign king over everything that exists from beginning to the end.

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Scripturally, God is completely sovereign, but his sovereignty does not mean zero opposition.

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And this text shows us that Jesus not only knew that he would be betrayed by Judas, but that it was ordained so that the great redemption would come about.

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Yet, God's redemption not only will be fulfilled through Judas' wicked act, but also

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Judas will be held accountable for it. It's not as if Judas was a puppet, and he had no choice in this matter.

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And the next paragraph will discuss so what, what does that mean when you are living in this world where there are oppositions, but his kingdom is not fully established yet.

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And for Christians, just as much as for the apostles, the fact that God will sovereignly establish his kingdom means we don't have to vie for power and authority and title like the kings of the

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Gentiles. His kingdom will look different.

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It will look like an upside down kingdom. And the only reason why

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Christians can live that way is because the sovereign king humbly served.

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The main point of our question today is how must Christians live knowing God's sovereign plan of redemption will be fulfilled despite every opposition?

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How must Christians live knowing God's sovereign plan of redemption will be fulfilled despite every and any opposition?

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First, although God's sovereign plan of redemption is never jeopardized by our sinfulness, our responsibility is not reduced.

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Although God's sovereign plan of redemption is never jeopardized by our sinfulness, our responsibility is not reduced.

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So, after instituting the Lord's Supper, Jesus shifts the discussion to the matter at hand, but behold, the hand of my betrayer is with me on the table.

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Although Jesus redefines and fulfills God's ultimate redemption on the cross, he must go through a brutal betrayal by one of his closest friends.

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Jesus knows what Judas has done in his treacherous heart.

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In fact, the traitor is not someone from the crowd, but from his very inner circle.

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And Judas's outward association could not quite cover his absence of authentic allegiance.

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And what that means is your fake faithfulness can never hide internal infidelity.

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Jesus knows we can't fool Jesus. Unless we think

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God's redemptive plan is jeopardized, Jesus reassures his followers.

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And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.

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Although it is tragic that Jesus is betrayed, it is all according to God's plan.

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The word for determined is also used as the word definite in Acts 2 .23.

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This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.

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You crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. These verses clarify the complexity that exists in the tension of God's sovereignty and human responsibility.

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I have no capacity nor the ability to smooth out completely the tension that exists between God's sovereign authority and human responses.

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But here's what I would like to set up. Despite the sinfulness of man, consider

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Judas, consider Herod, Pilate, the

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Sadducees, the Pharisees. Despite their sinfulness, and they all tried in their own way to oppose

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Jesus, God's redemption cannot be stopped because he has ordained it.

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He not only knew it, but he determined it. In Luke's verse, even

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Jesus' betrayal was all a part of God's plan. God did not facepalm when he saw from above Judas secretly speaking to the

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Pharisees and the Sadducees. Oh no, that's not what's about to happen, right? He also did not see it and calmly decided,

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I gotta change my next move, like a brilliant chess move somehow to make his plan work despite the unpredictable move that just happened.

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Rather, God knew and ordained it all along because human actions and responsibility cannot jeopardize nor minimize

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God's sovereign plan. And what a scary thing that is to think that at one moment our false move could jeopardize the restoration of the whole world.

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One wrong election of America can jeopardize Jesus coming back? That's a scary thought.

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Yet, lest we think Judas is not responsible for his wicked treason,

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Jesus tells us, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed. Woe is the pronouncement of God's wrath.

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It's the utmost condemnation. What this shows is that Jesus, Judas rather, is not a passive pawn on the board of a cosmic chess match between God and Satan.

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Judas was not helpless in this decision. It's not as if Judas was going along fine, loved

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Jesus with all his heart, and all of a sudden, switch. And the program in the matrix just flipped, and he decided,

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I hate Jesus. I gotta go betray him. I need my money. Judas made his choice to betray his friend and master, and he will be held responsible for his action.

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God's sovereignty does not excuse nor reduce human responsibility. Now, how do the disciples respond?

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Then they begin to question among themselves which of them it was who would do this thing. Rather than comforting their friend who just has announced that he would be betrayed by one of them, their focus shifts to themselves.

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I would never do such a thing. Was it you? They finally realize

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Jesus' death is impending. Although Jesus had announced his death at least three times prior to this meal, the steps are becoming concrete.

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It doesn't sound like a theory anymore. It doesn't sound like a maybe, but it's about to happen.

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Their peace is falling into place. It's no longer if but when, and it's about to happen.

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We live in a time where we are witnessing our nation's demise.

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It's been gradual until this century. I still remember in high school,

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I could hold to Christian views in public school, and I wouldn't have been mocked, persecuted, or criticized by my classmates or even teachers, but now if I were to say the things

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I said in high school or college, I would be kicked out, and I don't know which is going down the drain faster, our currency or morality.

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The Christian worldview which this nation was founded upon has all but disappeared.

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In fact, it is offensive to many in the younger generation. Crime is on the rise.

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Kids are foul -mouthed because their parents don't discipline, and parents don't parent anymore.

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They let the kids lead, or they frankly are not there, and so much, it seems, is at stake in November.

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Yet, when we look toward Jesus, who not only knew but has ordained the redemption of this world despite this secret betrayal,

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I believe Christians are the last ones to lose hope. In fact, if we lose hope because of the state of this nation,

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I would argue we've placed our hope in the wrong object, and this is because we serve a

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God who has full authority over all things. If God's plan of salvation was never jeopardized by Judas's secret treasonous meeting, but rather he redeemed the world through it, and despite it, how much more can we trust this

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God when our lives seem to crumble? And I don't mean just in a political sense who's in control of Congress, White House, but even your personal lives.

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Would this sovereign God have missed an illness in your family, joblessness in your family, tragedy that occur unpredictably?

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We have to ask ourselves, did his sovereign redemptive plan only cover until the first century?

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Would any unpredictable tragedies or obstacles in your life prevent

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God from fully redeeming you? Can anything in the whole world stop

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God from fulfilling his promises to his people? Unless we go the other end and say, well, then

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I'm not really going to get out of my bed if God's going to accomplish that despite anyone's action.

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Well, here we see that Judas was held responsible. Woe to that man.

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The Sadducees, the Pharisees, Herod, and Pilate were held responsible. Their exit interview with Christ was not delightful, and that's because human responsibility is not minimized nor reduced because of God's sovereignty.

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What you do with your life, with what God has given you matters.

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How you raise your children in this corrupt, dark world matters.

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What you pray for at night, the brothers and sisters in Christ whom you love and serve and pray for, they matter.

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That's how Jesus created the world to be. His redemptive plan is never in question, yet our responsibilities are never disregarded.

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Now, what is on the disciples' minds as Jesus' betrayal looms?

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Until Jesus' kingdom is fully consummated, we must selflessly serve just as Jesus served.

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Until Jesus' kingdom is fully consummated, we must selflessly serve just as Jesus served.

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After their master is announced as imminent betrayal and death, the disciples are preoccupied with a different topic.

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Now, there was also a dispute among them as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

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Their true concern is not the servant king who came to die on their behalf, but rather their new position when the kingdom comes.

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They look forward to the glory and honor of the kingdom with not much regard for the king who will be betrayed.

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Presumably, when Jesus establishes the kingdom, who's going to be the secretary of treasury?

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Who's going to be the secretary of defense? Who's going to be the secretary of state? Who's going to sit closest to the king at the banquet table?

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Who's going to be right beside him during the cabinet meeting? And this dispute continues until the master steps in.

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The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors.

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Translation, your priorities are all wrong. You're longing for a different kingdom.

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That's not my kingdom. What you're thinking of are the kings of the

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Gentiles, the nations, the pagan kings, the ones who worship the false gods, the ones that are defiled, just morally bankrupt.

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All these pagan kings, they're defined by how effectively they dominate others.

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And really, that's the trend of power and authority since Genesis 3.

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Let me lord over you. Their power comes from how many they can force to kneel before them, whether their own subject or other kings.

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That's why wars often happen. Their significance comes from the titles they hold, how they appear, and how they're viewed rather than who they are and what their hearts look like.

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Benefactors here are the very titles that often princes and rulers held to show off their civic contributions.

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They're the ones who built the stadium. They established a college.

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They funded a hospital. And in fact, that's what the stadiums, colleges, and hospitals are named after.

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They're the benefactors. Then what is prioritized in Jesus' kingdom?

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But not so among you. On the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.

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In Jesus' kingdom, the reverse is true. It is not the flashy fanfare that makes you great, but the lowly unrecognized service that categorizes leadership.

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Here he gives two examples, the younger be greatest and the servant. In ancient

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Middle East, and this is true for many Eastern cultures now, they respected the elders much more.

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The elder did not have to have a lot of wealth. Just by the fact that they've lived longer, it was assumed that they've earned their respect.

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And it was assumed that they're even wiser. They might be the most foolish people, but didn't matter.

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Just because they're older, they were respected. And in many of these cultures, you don't talk back to the elders.

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And sometimes if you talk back, that's the last thing you say. And some of you might know that growing up in that kind of culture.

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What that also implies is that the menial jobs, the unimportant chores, were really assigned to the youngest ones in the family.

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The younger ones took the chores that everyone dreads, and no question asked.

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Yet, the true leaders of Jesus' kingdom are to be like them. Serving, no complaints, doing things that people don't want to do, no recognition.

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Oftentimes you don't get to really talk back, quietly serving, no attention.

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The true leaders of Jesus' kingdom are the servant leaders. Those who get their hands dirty because no one else will.

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Those who serve even when no one else is watching. Those who serve without any recognition.

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Those who serve despite the cost. Those who serve even through the hardship.

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Those who serve, in fact, like Jesus.

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And that's precisely the reason that Jesus gives. For who is greater, he who sits at the table or he who serves?

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Is it not he who sits at the table? In the past and even now, Jesus starts with a contemporary example of the place of recognition.

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In the past and even now, the one who is being served food, the one who's seated at the table, is more important.

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And that's been true then and it still is. Yet, Jesus turns it around. Yet, I am among you as the one who serves.

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And when you consider what Hezekiah read this morning in John 13, that's the first thing

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Jesus did before the meal was served. He washed his disciples' feet.

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He stooped down. His knee touched the ground.

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The very king who will receive every worship in the future, in the eschatological kingdom, in which every knee will bow whether they want it or not.

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Well, his knees touched the ground to wash his disciples' feet. He took the role of the servant for his own people.

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During that meal, Jesus embodied servant leadership. And his argument is, if your master served, what excuse do you have to not serve?

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And in fact, that's actually the main problem, one of the main thread that destroys local churches, lack of humility in ministry.

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It's the lack of humility in ministry in which the flock is abused.

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It's the lack of humility in ministry in which the church divides over the color of the carpet.

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It's the lack of humility in ministry that the flock is not fed and they don't mature.

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And they just want junk food that just tickles their ears.

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That's what they're trained for. Now, what will result from their servant ministry?

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After all, unless you truly believe that this kingdom will happen by God's sovereignty, what's the point, right?

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Unless you truly believe that God will sovereignly, authoritatively, definitely bring about his kingdom, servant leadership has no end.

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It doesn't matter whether you're like the Gentile kings or not. So, what will resolve from their servant ministry?

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From verses 28 to 30, Jesus shows their eschatological rewards. But you are those who have continued with me in my trials, and I bestow upon you a kingdom just as my father bestowed one upon me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

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Their service for the kingdom will not be pointless. In fact, pointless service is one of the most pitiful things.