Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, once remarked, "If I only had a little humility, I would be perfect." Mohammed Ali, the famous boxer, once said, "When you're as great as I am, it's hard to be humble."

I came across the lyrics of a song written by a man named Mac Davis. The song is entitled "It's hard to be humble." I would like to read the lyrics of this song to you. So, sit back and listen to the heart touching lyrics of this beautiful song:

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror 'cause I get better lookin' each day
To know me is to love me, I must be a heck of a man
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can
I used to have a girlfriend but I guess she just couldn't compete
With all these love starved women who keep clamoring at my feet
Well I probably could find me another but I guess they're all in awe of me
Who cares I never get lonesome 'cause I treasure my own company
I guess you could say I am a loner, a cowboy all locked up and proud
Well I could have lots of friends if I wanted, but then I wouldn't stand out in a crowd
Some folks say that I'm egotistical - heck I don't even know what that means
I guess it has something to do with the way that I fill out my skin tight blue jeans

The last time I checked, humility is not a very popular thing. In a world obsessed with teen idols and top ten lists, humility is not a word that is often found in our vocabulary. Just think about it for a minute. When was the last conversation that you had with a friend, a colleague, or a classmate where you were discussing the virtues of humility. Or when was the last time that you noticed humility in a friend, and you said to him or her, "I think your humility is fantastic!" Or when was the last time you saw coverage in the news where humility was praised?

No, the world that we live in does not value humility. As a matter of fact, the world that we live in often abhors and at times even violently opposes humility. We are taught that being number one is better than being number two. You are not going see any silver medalist on a box of Wheaties. We are taught that we must do everything we can to climb that corporate ladder, even if it means stepping over our co-workers or making morally questionable decisions. We are taught that we must get into that medical school or law school even if it means cheating on a test or simply by not helping a fellow student who needs help studying for a test. We are taught that we must always look out for number one. We are the center of our universe. This is the world that we live in.

But the world that Jesus is ushering in, this Kingdom of God, is radically different from the world that we have grown accustomed to. This Kingdom of God has a radically different set of values and priorities. And in many ways, the laws of this Kingdom that Jesus is ushering in is completely upside down from the laws of this world.

The whole series we are doing right now on the Outrageous Claims of Jesus is to help us understand some of these kingdom values. They are not outrageous because they are not true. The claims that Jesus made are outrageous because they are true, but because of our fallen and sinful nature, we have lost grasp of the things of God.

I'm sure many of you have read the book or maybe saw the movie, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis. In this book, the children are able to enter a completely different world simply by walking into one of the closets in the professor's house. The two worlds, even though they were merely separated by a magical closet, represented two vastly different kingdoms.

Today, I want to take us on a brief journey to this other world, this Kingdom on the other side of the closet. In this journey, we will study the practice and habits of the natives of this Kingdom. We will also study the values by which they live. And as we conclude this journey and get back on the tour bus to come back home, I hope that we will have learned that this Kingdom is truly near. As a matter of fact, the Kingdom of God is here, and we are called to live in this Kingdom right here and right now.

So if you would, I would like to ask all of us to open our hearts and minds and allow God to captivate us with the Kingdom message. Let us stand as we read the passage for today's teaching and then pray, and in a way, take the first step through that closet door. So please turn to the book of Mark chapter 9 verses 33-37. Let us read the passage together and then I will pray for us.

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." 36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.

WHAT IS THE STORY?
Scholars, theologians, and teachers of the Bible don't always agree, but there is agreement in one very important issue. The central message of ALL of Jesus' teaching is this" The Kingdom of God is near! We read in...

Matthew 3:2, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Matthew 4:17, "From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Matthew 10:7, "As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'"

Mark 1:15, "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

Luke 10:9, "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'"

Luke 21:31, "Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near."

This was the central message of Jesus. He was proclaiming and demonstrating that there is another Kingdom that He is ushering in. And you and I, as followers of Jesus, are called to co-labor with him in establishing his Kingdom. Whether it's evangelism, healing, service, prophecy, we do it all because the kingdom of God is near. You and I, as Christians, are to be kingdom people.

Even though the disciples spent three years living and doing ministry with Jesus, they didn't understand his message or this kingdom. And rightfully so. Every Jewish scholar and student of the law knew the prophecy regarding the messiah. And they all thought that the fulfillment of the prophecy would be the establishment of an earthly kingdom. So, the way Jesus was ushering in his Kingdom simply did not make sense to them. He spoke of a kingdom, but not like anything that his disciples could conjure up in their minds.

So as the disciples begin to talk about who will be the greatest in this kingdom that Jesus was going to establish, the radical king of the Kingdom of God begins to reveal what it will look like. He tells him first that the values of this kingdom are vastly different than what we've grown accustomed to. The natural laws of this kingdom are vastly different from the laws of this world. Jesus turns our value system upside down. The first are to be last. Those washing feet are greatest in the kingdom.

We read in the passage that Jesus and his disciples are returning to Capernaum. As they are walking, Jesus asks them in private: "What were you arguing about on the road?" We don't know exactly how Jesus knew what they were talking about but he knew. The disciples sink into silence. They don't want Jesus to know the substance of their argument, because they are competing with each other. This need for power, glory, recognition and position lies at the heart of their fallen condition, and ours. They need to be great in order to feel alive. We always want to build ourselves up. We want our own kingdom. We want the head place at the table, the central seat in the synagogue. But Jesus cuts across all of that – and as he does so he gives us his vision for life. One day we will be exalted with him, but the only road is the road he takes – suffering and death, self-denial and crucifixion. If we follow Jesus in suffering and death, we are subjects of his kingdom which comes in humility.

HOW DID JESUS TEACH ABOUT HUMILITY?
Jesus taught this by using the example of children. We read in verse 36 and 37, "He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.'"

Jesus loved the children. And he used them again and again to teach and demonstrate the kingdom. There is a story in the Mark chapter 10 where people are trying to bring children to Jesus, but his disciples rebuke those brought them. "When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them."

There are many more stories like this in the New Testament. Jesus loved the children. There are many parents here this morning, and my wife and I will also become parents in a few months, but there is something amazing special about children. They are full of life and joy, not jaded by the hurts and pains of this world. They are sometimes quite imaginative. I came across some real answers to questions that were asked in a class. So these are a collection of some rather funny answers children wrote on their tests:

The Bible is full of interesting caricatures. In the first book of the Bible, Guinessis, Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. One of their children, Cain, asked, "Am I my brother's son?"

The fifth commandment is "Humor thy father and mother."

The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple

Moses led the Hebrew slaves to the Red Sea, where they made unleavened bread which is bread made without any ingredients. Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the Ten Commandments. He died before he ever reached Canada.

Gravity was invented by Isaac Walton. It is chiefly noticeable in the autumn when the apples are falling off the trees.

Beethoven wrote music even though he was deaf. He was so deaf he wrote loud music. He took long walks in the forest even when everyone was calling for him. Beethoven expired in 1827 and later died for this.

The Greeks were a highly sculptured people, and without them we wouldn't have history. The Greeks also had myths. A myth is a female moth.

Yes, children are quite imaginative. Children also have no shame. I found this funny story that I think you will appreciate. I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes:

My three year old son had a lot of problems with potty training, and I was on him constantly. One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch in between errands. It was very busy, with a full dining room. While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny, so of course I checked my seven month old daughter, and she was clean. Then I realized that Matt had not asked to go potty in a while, so I asked, and he said "No." I kept thinking, "Oh Lord, that child has had an accident and I don't have any clothes with me."

Then I said, "Matt, are you sure you did not have an accident?" "No," he replied. I just knew that he must have had, because the smell was getting worse. So, I asked one more time, "Matt, did you have an accident?"

This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants, bent over and spread his cheeks and yelled, "SEE MOM, IT'S JUST FARTS!!!" While 100 people nearly choked to death on their tacos, he calmly pulled up his pants and sat down to eat his food as if nothing happened. I was mortified, but some kind elderly people made me feel a lot better, when they came over and thanked me for the best laugh they had ever had!

So Jesus takes this child, in verse 36, and says, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

We read in Matthew 18:4, "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

HOW DID JESUS LIVE THIS OUT?
Jesus did not merely talk about the Kingdom, but he lived it out. Jesus not merely talked about humility and service but he lived it out! If our Lord and Savior Jesus lived in humility and service, how can we not do the same?

We celebrated Easter Sunday last week and the Palm Sunday the week before that. I shared during communion on Palm Sunday, the story of Jesus making his triumphal entry into Jerusalem seated on a donkey. This Jesus, the Son of the Living God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, lived in humility and service. How can we not do the same?

We read in Isaiah 53, "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." If our Lord and Savior Jesus lived in humility and service, how can we not do the same?

We serve and worship the humble king. Our calling as disciples of Jesus is to emulate our Master. We are to pattern and live our lives after the One we love. If our Lord and Savior Jesus lived in humility and service, how can we not do the same?

HOW CAN WE LIVE THIS OUT?
We read in Philippians 2, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!

Paul exhorts us to have the same attitude that Jesus had, an attitude of humility. But its not always easy to live this out, is it? T.S. Eliot said, "Humility is the most difficult of all virtues to achieve, nothing dies harder than the desire to think well of oneself."

One of the central problems of our times is the fact that our reflex is to define humility in basically human terms. Thus, humility can dissolve into an endless and pointless process of comparing ourselves with others. Instead, author C. J. Mahaney defines humility as follows:

Honestly assessing ourselves in light of God's holiness and our sinfulness. Without an honest awareness of both these realities . . . all self-evaluation will be skewed and we'll fail to either understand or practice true humility.

After we see humility in the light of the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man, I think there is one very critical element to living it out, that Jesus references in the passage that we looked at. Jesus says in verse 35, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." One sure way to live in humility is through service. Author Richard Foster writes in his book, The Celebration of Disciplines, the following:

More than any other single way, the grace of humility is worked into our lives through the discipline of service. Humility, as we all know, is one of those virtues that is never gained by seeking it. The more we pursue it the more distant it becomes. Therefore, most of us assume there is nothing we can do to gain this prized Christian virtue, and so we do nothing. But there is something we can do. We do not need to go through life faintly hoping that someday humility may fall upon our heads. Of all the classical Spiritual Disciplines, service is the most conducive to the growth of humility. When we set out on a consciously chosen course of action that accents the good of others and is, for the most part, a hidden work, a deep change occurs in our spirits. Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness.

Foster goes on to list some specific ways that we can serve. The trick, he says, is to start small. And here are just a few of the ways that we can begin to serve and live with a Kingdom mindset:

Service of Guarding the Reputation of Others
Too often, even in the church (or maybe even more so in the church), we hurt others by talking behind their backs. One simple way to start serving them is to stop this backbiting. And if someone else is trying to share a bit of gossip to you, you can guard their reputations and serve them by not partaking in those conversations.

Service of Hospitality
One other great way to serve is by serving others in hospitality. I'm sorry to share this without asking them first, but Nathan and Melissa Baird, are amazingly good at this. They put aside time each week to invite people over for dinner or desert. You don't have to cook fancy meals, you can just order pizza from Dominos. You don't even have to have any food. Simply invite someone over to play cards or a board game. What you do is secondary. What's important is that you spend that time together. It's a wonderful blessing to the person or persons being served in this way through your hospitality.

Service of Listening
I don't know about you, but I know that there are times where I am so busy with stuff that I forget to stop and ask a friend, how he or she is doing. Sometimes, I get so caught up in doing that I forget to simply be. What a terrible way to live your life. Let's stop and serve others by listening.

Service of Bearing Each Others' Burdens
Deuteronomy 15:7-8 we read, "If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs." I think one of the most powerful demonstrations of the Kingdom of God at work is this. When brothers and sisters are able to share each others' burdens. When the world says you should look out just for yourself, Jesus teaches us to give to others without expecting anything in return. Let us be a people who will help carry each others' burdens.

Service of Sharing the Gospel
As Kingdom people, one of the greatest ways that we can serve others is by sharing the Gospel with them, so that they, too, can begin to live with a Kingdom mindset. You all know this! This is nothing new. But here is one thing to remember. Sharing the Gospel with someone is infinitely easier when you are first serving them in all these other ways that we've just listed.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
I would like to read you a story as we close this morning.

His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant, kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college. Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.

One day Bill decides to go there He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.

About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do.

And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister gains control, he says, "What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget."

Paul writes in Philippians chapter 3:

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Friends, you and I, we are kingdom people. Let us live with Kingdom values and priorities. Let us emulate our humble King by living a life of humility and service. Let's pray.