What is “Greatness” ? Different: Paradigm, Rules, People, Destiny! Fleeting Death Destruction Eternal Life Building!

 God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. Eccles. 3:11  God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule …” Genesis 1:28

Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives the One who sent Me.” Mark 9:36-37 “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14 “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4

 Serve the Weak  “Willing to receive one of these…” “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed” Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed” Luke 4:18

 Serve the Weak  “Willing to receive one of these…”

 Serve the Weak  A Compassionate Heart  Compassionate Serving Matt. 9:11-13 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?" But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

 Serve the Weak  A Compassionate Heart  Compassionate Serving Matt. 9:11-13 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?" But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Compassion “Look at you!” By Grace Sacrifice “Look at me!” By Law Mark 12:38-40 In His teaching He was saying: "Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows' houses, and for appearance's sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation."

 Serve the Weak  A Compassionate Heart  Compassionate Serving Compassion “Look at you!” By Grace Sacrifice “Look at me!” By Law Matthew 12:7 "But if you had known what this means, 'I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

 Serve the Weak  A Compassionate Heart  Requires Heart Surgery  God’s Plan From the Beginning… Ezekiel 11:19 “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh”

 Serve the Weak  A Compassionate Heart  Requires Heart Surgery  God’s Plan From the Beginning…  Begins with the gratitude of weakness… To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, Ephesians 3:8 “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4

 Serve the Weak  A Compassionate Heart  Requires Heart Surgery  Available From God  Prayer POWER Ephesians 3:14-16 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man

 Serve the Weak  A Compassionate Heart  Requires Heart Surgery  Available From God  Prayer POWER  Softened Hearts …so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

Two Ways to Achieve “Greatness” Two approaches: “RESPECT ME, DAMNIT!” “Here, I can help…” Two approaches: “RESPECT ME, DAMNIT!” “Here, I can help…” This Christmas Who needs compassion? How can I help?

Two Ways to Achieve “Greatness” Two approaches: “RESPECT ME, DAMNIT!” “Here, I can help…” Two approaches: “RESPECT ME, DAMNIT!” “Here, I can help…” Love Authority