Pastor Philip Causey

In a world obsessed with status and spectacle, Jesus reveals a kingdom where motives matter more than money, and humility outweighs hype. Like the scribes, we may be enticed to chase prestige and power. We may even be able to enhance our own image to fool people, but we can’t fool God. For those entrusted with leadership, God holds a high standard. They must be a humble servant to all just as Jesus was. And when we willingly surrender every area of our life to Him we bring Jesus a greater offering than all the riches this world can offer. 

In another attempt at a "gotcha" moment, the Sadducees pose a theological question of Jesus. They want to discuss the details of the afterlife, even though they, themselves, don't believe in the resurrection of the dead. Jesus, of course, takes their question deeper and gets to the heart of the matter. 

When the religious leaders had made it up in their mind that they wanted to get rid of Jesus, they began laying traps for Him to be caught up in. One polarizing subject of the day was taxes; they wanted Jesus to take a side. Jesus, rather, took the conversation to the heart of the matter. Who is Lord? Who does EVERYTHING belong to? Today's message is given through Pastor Gina Nicola

Jesus doesn’t gain authority, rather He reveals His Authority. Jesus' authority is tied to his identity as Messiah, the anointed, the son of God (Mark 2). His authority is his essence, and He is demonstrating God's sovereign rule over all things. This has both spiritual (against darkness) and political (against the powers and kingdoms of this world) implications. Jesus doesn’t have to prove his authority, his words and actions and life are authoritative. Jesus doesn’t have authority because he does the things, rather He does the things because He’s God in flesh.

When Jesus curses the fig tree he's not being petty, he's trying to warn people of the dangers of appearing fruitful without actually bearing the fruit of the kingdom. He teaches the same message when he clears the temple; warning people not to appear religious, while allowing corruption to keep others out of the kingdom. 

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the people cried out, "Hosanna" (God save us). Salvation had indeed come in the one riding that donkey, however, many of them had very different expectations for what salvation would look like. What expectations of Jesus are you carrying? How will you see Jesus? The promise of Jesus is still available today. He still saves and sanctifies! 

When Jesus' disciples start arguing over who will be the greatest and have the highest honor among them, Jesus answers in a way that surprises them. The world cares about power and lords their authority over one another...but among you, IT WILL BE DIFFERENT. We aren't going to operate like the kings and kingdoms of this world. The way of THE Kingdom is the Cross and sacrifice, not power or control. There is a king. His name is Jesus and we are citizens of a different Kingdom. Will we choose the way of the cross daily? 

When Jesus encounters a man who seemingly has everything, it leads to a great conversation about surrender. Sometimes we are called to surrender good things in order to embrace God's best things. There is a grief in letting go, but Jesus is inviting us to ask the question: What is more sustainable for my life...my resources or God's resources? 

When Jesus encourages the little children to come to him and he blesses them, this was very counter-cultural in his day. Children were seen as one of the lowest of society, unable to "pull their weight" and surely not worth Jesus' time. However, Jesus shows that in His kingdom, things will be different. No one will be looked on as less than or unworthy of Jesus' blessing. That's true for you today! He wants to bless you!

So we now recognize ourselves as a sent people...so why don't we go? Do we lack desire, discipline, or direction? It can be overwhelming to get started in following the great commission. A great place to start is to simply use what you have. Your talents, gifts, and passions in places you already find yourself and simply serve those around you.