Kingdom Greatness - Looking To Be Great? (Part 1)

“Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18.4

Let’s be great!

C. S. Lewis wrote about Christians in general, “We are far too easily pleased” (Weight of Glory). He imagined a child, splashing around in a backyard puddle because he could not imagine a vacation at the beach. In the same way, we Christians seem to lack imagination to envision the broad scope, polychromatic beauty, and limitless opportunities for glory afforded to us by our citizenship in the Kingdom of God. We have a great salvation, the writer of Hebrews reminds us (Heb. 2.3); but we seem little interested in realizing more Kingdom greatness than we presently enjoy. We have our Christian faith, Christian church, Christian activities, and Christian friends. For most of us, that’s good enough. Seldom do we aspire to anything more.

Like, for example, greatness in the Kingdom of God.

But Jesus commends Kingdom greatness. Not of the sort the disciples periodically quibbled about, where one is greater than another in a worldly sense and thus more deserving of deference and respect. Kingdom greatness is nothing of the sort. And Jesus encourages us to seek true greatness in the Kingdom, greatness that He both defines and demands.

Four criteria

In Matthew 18.1-5, Jesus mentions four criteria for Kingdom greatness.

First, of course, one must be converted from the old life of flesh and folly to begin the new life of selflessness and spirit (v. 3). No one who has not come to believe in Jesus as Savior of the world and Lord of all creation can expect to realize Kingdom greatness. And it’s easy to assume that we have been truly converted when we can point to church, activities, and friends as our bona fides of faith—like the Corinthians did.

Paul cautioned against taking conversion for granted. After two difficult letters to the churches in Corinth, Paul came to his peroration and laid his cards face-up on the table: “Examine yourselves, as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Cor. 13.5). Disqualified, that is, from real and eternal life in the power of the risen Christ (v. 4). Neither church, activities, nor friends make us eligible for the Kingdom, much less its greatness. We must know that Jesus Christ is living in us because we have truly believed in Him; and, living in us, He is prepared to work within us, exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we can ever ask or think, to bring us deeper into our great salvation and the greatness of His Kingdom (Phil. 2.13; Eph. 3.20).

Second, Kingdom greatness requires dependence upon the Lord. We must become like children: helpless to fend for ourselves, make right choices, understand the ways of the world and the flesh, we look to our Father for guidance, protection, provision, and help (v. 3). Children delight in their earthly father’s presence, attention, love, and help. If we would be great in the Kingdom of God, we must cultivate such attributes and practices so that all the Father has to give us we may receive by casting ourselves entirely upon Him.

The third qualification for Kingdom greatness is humility (v. 4). Here is a paradox: We are desiring to be great but we must stoop like a servant to care for and love even the smallest babe in Christ among us. We must not presume to do anything on our own power or strength, to know anything by our own erudition or wit, or to have anything to commend us to others apart from the servant example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Humility is a hallmark of Christian faith; as we practice it day by day, we walk the path that leads to Kingdom greatness.

Fourth, Kingdom greatness is a reflection—or rather, a refraction—of the King of kings on Whom we depend and for Whom we aspire to greatness in His realm. The sense of the verb here, δέξηται, dexetai, is, according to lexicographers Louw and Nida, “to receive or accept an object or benefit for which the initiative rests with the giver, but the focus of attention in the transfer is upon the receiver.” How can a child possibly bring any benefit to us? Aren’t children to be seen and not heard? And isn’t that a good idea for babes in Christ as well?

Not according to Jesus. Every person is made in the image of God. Every person is an eternal being with vast potential for channeling the grace of God to the world. Every person is therefore precious and should be received as a gift from God the Giver of every good and perfect gift, Who brings into our lives day by day just the people He intends we should bless and who should bless us. But we must receive them readily, gladly, respectfully, and with a view to serving them with all humility for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Kingdom greatness

It may be that some, seeing such qualifications and considering the true nature of Kingdom greatness, would choose not to pursue it. Even though Jesus commends and expects it. Let it not be true of us, that we settle for the smallness of a puddle when an ocean of Kingdom greatness awaits us.

Today, are you striving for Kingdom greatness? If not, do you know what you’re missing?

T. M. Moore