Greatness Unleashed Part 2

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The Power of Connection

Luke 9:46–48 KJV 1900
46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. 47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, 48 And said 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 all, the same shall be great.

He took a child

A child
++No history
++No accomplishment
++No resources
++Nothing to offer
Status was a preeminent concern in ancient society; children had none
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 9:46–48.

He sat the child by him

He is not looking at
++Our ability
++Our resources
++Our accomplishments
Acts 17:24–28 KJV 1900
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Jesus just wants someone
++To respond to His Positioning
++He can position
++He can sit beside him
Mark 3:14 KJV 1900
14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
Why Did Jesus ordain the twelve?
++That they should be with Him
++That He might send them to preach
This is the primary mission of ministry
Acts 6:2–4 KJV 1900
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

The greatest gift you can give is yourself.

Everyone will give themselves to something.
++To Fame
++To Promotion
++To Money
++Power

The apostles made a choice.

They gave themselves to
++Prayer
++The Ministry of the word

Don’ t Be Distracted.

Ministry is based upon more than expressed needs.
Acts 6:1 KJV 1900
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Greatness Unleashed

We will never be truly great until we are satisfied being small.

Proverbs 18:12 KJV 1900
12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, And before honour is humility.
Greatness Unleashed
++Introducing the text GREATNESS is the measure of a relationship with God apart from performance or human achievement.
++To be UNLEASHED is to be no longer tethered to things that limit your ability to move beyond perceived limitations or boundaries.

Greatness connected to activity is measured by _comparison_

Greatness connected to who you are _cannot be measured_.

You have been Positioned

Chosen
Set aside
For God
Ephesians 1:3–4 KJV 1900
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
1 Peter 2:9 KJV 1900
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
2 Peter 3:18 KJV 1900
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Greatness comes from a relationship with God and service to one another.

Luke 10:27 KJV 1900
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Position is
++Established in connection
John 15:1–2 KJV 1900
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Jesus makes a declaration
++I am the true vine
There are other vines.....I am not the same… the true vine
Jesus makes a declaration
I am the true vine
++My Father is the husbandman
++He takes good care of me
++The goal of the vine is fruitfulness
Position is established
Established in connection
++Revealed in fruitfulness
John 15:5 KJV 1900
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Position is established
Established in connection
Revealed in fruitfulness
++Demonstrated by Faith
1 Corinthians 2:4–5 KJV 1900
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Jesus is
++The right connection
++The Access Point
++The Answer

Ambition can keep us from seeing him

The Power of experience
++The saw His works
++They were amazed
++They participated in the miracle
++They easily minimized

They had the wrong focus

They measured
++Accomplishments over Obedience
++By Comparison not by Compassion
++Human Success over Sacrifice
++By what they saw
2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV 1900
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
To walk by faith
++Live life in process
++The Journey is as important as the destination
Job 27:5 KJV 1900
5 God forbid that I should justify you: Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
Job 31:6 KJV 1900
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity.
To walk by faith
Live life in process
The Journey is as important as the destination
++Rely on God
++To believe
John 5:24 KJV 1900
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
To walk by faith
Live life in process
The Journey is as important as the destination
Rely on God
To believe
++Trust and Obey
Psalm 37:3 KJV 1900
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
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