March 2nd, 2008 – Clarifying Kingdom Greatness INTRODUCTION –
I. Getting Clear on Our Definitions/Terms A. The kingdom greatness that Jesus Christ calls each of His disciples to is basically being just like Him in our attitudes, character, responses, and deeds. It is the quality of life that produces fruitfulness and increase in everything we touch. It knows no limitations or obstacles because it is actually the very life of Christ being expressed through our mortal bodies. Kingdom greatness starts with our own hidden life, and then begins to affect our home life, our work life, our church life, and our witness in the world. Kingdom greatness always results in transformation, not just words. It is bathed in love. And its ultimate result is God being glorified and exalted. The more we see God in all His greatness, the more we will want to live lives that reflect such greatness.
II. Some Qualifiers – My study of the terms: great, greatness, greater, greatest A. Not all men described as great in the Bible are great in a kingdom or Christlike sense – ex. Of the king of Assyria – II Kings 18:19, 28 His servant Rabshakeh – in trying to intimidate the Israelites under Hezekiah said, “Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria,…. Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria….” (story also occurs in Isaiah)
Naaman – captain of the army of the King of Aram “was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper.” II Kings 5:1
B. The word “great” in the scriptures sometimes is used in a more boastful or arrogant way, and is not to be confused with what we are after. – ex. Psalm 12:3 “May the Lord cut of all flattering lips, the tongue that speaks great things.”
C. Ex. Of Nineveh – 3 x’s called a great city in Jonah – once exceedingly great” city
While kingdom greatness includes a variety of characteristics and skills and spiritual disciplines; more than anything else it requires a deep rooted knowledge of and confidence in our Great God.
III. GETTING GROUNDED IN THE GREATNESS OF GOD – A. He is great in excellence – Ex. 15:7 “And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff.”
B. He is great in strength & power – Ex. 14:31 “When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.” Ex. 15:16 “Terror and dread fall upon them; By the greatness of your arm they are motionless as stone”; Deut. 3:24 “O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?”; Nahum 1:3 “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.”; Rev. 11:17;
C. He is great in lovingkindness – Num. 14:19 “Pardon I pray the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.”; Psalms 57:10; 86:13; 103:11; 104:1; 108:4; 117:2; 145:8; Eph. 2:4; I John 3:1;
D. He reveals His greatness to His people – Deut. 3:24, 5:24 “Behold, the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire; we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives.”
E. He redeems a people through His greatness/greatness of His power – Deut. 9:26 “I prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, do not destroy Your people, even Your inheritance, whom You have redeemed through your greatness, whom You have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.”; Neh. 1:10
F. He shows His greatness through signs and wonders; He does great things/works – Deut. 11:2,3; Job 5:9; 9:10; 37:5; Psalms 71:19; 86:10; 92:5; 106:21; 111:2; 126:2, 3; 136:4; Jeremiah 33:3; Daniel 4:3; Joel 2:21; Rev. 15:3
G. We are commanded to ascribe greatness to Him – Deut. 32:3
H. Statements of His greatness – I Chronicles 29:11; Neh. 9:32; Psalm 48:1; 77:13; 95:3a; 96:4; 99:2; 135:5; 145:3; 147:5; Isa. 12:6; Jeremiah 10:6; 32:18; Daniel 2:45; 9:4; Titus 2:13;
I. He is great in compassion – Neh. 9:19, 27, 31; Psalm 51:1; Isa. 54:7; Daniel 9:18
J. He is great in goodness – Neh. 9:25, 35; Psalm 31:19; Isa. 63:7
K. He is a great king – Psalm 47:2; 48:2; 95:3b; Malachi 1:14
L. His name is great – Psalm 76:1; 99:3; Jeremiah 10:6; 44:26; Ezekiel 36:23; Malachi 1:11
M. His mercy/mercies are great – Psalm 119:156; I Peter 1:3;
N. His glory is great – Psalms 138:5
O. He is great in wisdom – Isa. 28:29;
P. Jesus Christ is great – Isa. 53:12, Micah 5:4; Matt. 4:16; Luke 1:32; Heb. 4:14; 10:21;
Q. He created by His great power – Jeremiah 27:5; 32:17
R. He is great in counsel – Jer. 32:19
S. He is great in wrath and indignation – Jer. 32:37; 36:7; Zechariah 7:12; 8:2
T. He is great in faithfulness – Lam. 3:23;
U. He executes great vengeance – Ezekiel 25:17;
V. Jesus Christ is called the “great Shepherd of the sheep.” Heb. 13:20