A Divine Submission

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[2:38] Let's read a portion of this here. Daniel 4 verse 4. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace, and I saw a dream, and it made me afraid.

[2:50] As I lay in the bed, the fancies and visions of my head alarmed me, and I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me. They make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

[3:03] And if you're like, hasn't this happened before? Yeah, in chapter 2. The magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, the astrologers, they all came in. I told them the dream, but they couldn't make known to me what the interpretation was.

[3:15] At last, Daniel came in, whose name Belshazzar, after the name of my God, and whom the Spirit of the Holy Gods, and whom is the Spirit of the Holy Gods. And I told him the dream, saying, O Belshazzar, chief of magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy Gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you.

[3:35] Tell me the vision of my dream that I saw and the interpretation. The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these. I saw, behold, this great tree in the midst of the earth.

[3:48] Its height was great, and the tree grew and it became strong. And the top of it reached all the way to heaven. And it was visible to the end of the whole earth.

[4:01] Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beast of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

[4:20] Would you pray with me? Father, I know that this is a message for every single one of us who live in this Babylon.

[4:32] And I pray, Lord, that you would come and speak to us by your Spirit, that you would come and lead us into truth, that you would bring great conviction to our hearts, that we would truly understand who is the only one that reigns, and reigns forever.

[4:53] His name is Jesus, in whose name I pray. And God's people said, Amen. Amen. And you can be seated. I am not a company man. I am the company.

[5:07] Those were the words of one of UFC's most famous fighters, Conor McGregor. McGregor joined UFC back in 2013, and almost immediately became the face of the sport.

[5:22] It was not just how often he won. It was how he won. He was notorious for predicting how easy his fights would be, and he had no problems letting everybody know it.

[5:39] Jose Aldo backed out. He was going to fight you, backed out, and said it was due to a rib injury, but he's been cleared to fight by a doctor. What do you think happened?

[5:49] I mean, the man is running scared. I cannot force a man who is not willing to step in and fight. I cannot force him into the octagon to face me, but really I cannot hold any grudge towards him, because I would not want to face me either.

[6:05] I was going to destroy him. You were going to destroy him. And the thing is, he backed it up.

[6:18] Within the first two years in the UFC, he became the featherweight champion by knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds. It was the fastest finish in a UFC fight at the time.

[6:32] He went on in 2016 to become the lightweight champion, which made him the first in UFC history to hold two titles in two different weight classes at the same time.

[6:48] Between his boastful attitude and his knack for flash and style, his success in the ring, he quickly became a global superstar.

[7:00] He even became famous for his billy walk as he would enter the octagon and strut all the way across. He thought he was a bad, bad man.

[7:13] In his own words, here's the quote, I am not a company man. I am the company. But all that changed in 2018.

[7:28] In a fight that all UFC experts acknowledged changed his career forever. On that particular night, Conor fought against Khabib in one of the most anticipated matches in MMA history.

[7:42] And that fight was decisively one-sided. Khabib dominated McGregor in all four rounds until finally he grabbed McGregor by the neck, put him in a neck hold, forcing him into the first submission of his career.

[8:06] That loss marked a turning point in McGregor's career. Until then, he was untouchable. After that, the aura of his invincibility faded.

[8:18] In fact, since that fight, he has only fought sporadically. He has suffered additional defeats. And he's never reclaimed the UFC title.

[8:29] It was the night a man who once was at the top of the UFC, that man was finally brought to his knees. Faith family, have you ever been brought up low?

[8:45] Have you ever been humbled? And it probably wasn't in a UFC ring, but maybe for you, it was like you had prepared for the presentation, and you just knew you were going to crush it.

[9:01] And then you went to deliver it, and you went completely blank. And you felt the humiliation in the room. Or some of you trash talked your buddy about how your team was going to destroy their team, only your team lost.

[9:19] Some of you, your mind keeps telling your body that you're young. And every morning, your body reminds you, you're not as young as you think you are.

[9:30] Can I get an amen? Right? Exactly. Maybe you put everything on the line for a relationship or a business, only to lose it all. But my guess is, in one way or another, everybody in this room knows what it's like to be brought low, to feel that humiliation, to be humbled.

[9:51] Amen? There's a reason for that. And the reason that's the case is, and this is what I want you to understand tonight, every human kingdom, every human kingdom eventually crumbles.

[10:05] That which exalts itself will be brought low. Think about it. There were companies that used to be like household names that aren't even in business anymore.

[10:20] There were sports teams that used to be on top of the sports mountain, and now they can hardly even have a winning season. There are nations that used to have power, and they don't even exist anymore.

[10:34] Why is that? Because every human kingdom eventually gets brought low. That which exalts itself is eventually brought to submission.

[10:47] And this faith family is one of the major themes that actually runs throughout the entire biblical storyline. I mean, when you start in the very book of Genesis with the very first human kingdom, Adam and Eve, we talked about this two weeks ago, Adam and Eve were created in God's image, and they were created to rule, right?

[11:06] To have dominion. And they were to do this in such a way that would display the glory of God. But what do we learn in Genesis 3? They exalted self. They decided to rule their own way and not God's way.

[11:19] And what was the result? They were brought low. They were cast out of the garden. And then you get to Genesis 11 where human beings decide we're going to build our own kingdom again.

[11:30] We're going to build this tower all the way to the heavens. And we will, you remember, make a name for ourselves. And what does God do?

[11:41] He scatters them throughout all the nations. And then when you get to the next book of the Bible, the book of Exodus, you're introduced to this mighty kingdom of Egypt. No one is more powerful than them.

[11:53] And Pharaoh is in charge. And he is told by Yahweh through Moses to do what? To let my people go. And do you remember why he refused to do so?

[12:06] Look at Exodus 5 verse 2. Pharaoh said, Who is Yahweh that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I don't know Yahweh.

[12:17] And moreover, I will not let Israel go. And what happened, Faith family? God poured out the plagues and he humbled Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt.

[12:30] And then you continue in the biblical story. The next big power is the nation of Assyria. Assyria is mighty. They take the northern kingdom, Israel, into captivity. But they do it with an arrogant heart.

[12:44] And look at what God says to Assyria through the prophet Isaiah. This is Isaiah 10 verse 12. When the Lord had finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the, say it, arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.

[13:06] Why? What did he say? By the strength of, talk to me, my hand, I have done it. And by my wisdom, for I have understanding.

[13:20] Let's get this straight. I remove the boundaries of people and plunder their treasure. Like a bull, I bring down those who sit on thrones.

[13:32] And Assyria would eventually crumble. And who do you have next in the storyline? You ought to know this because we're in the book of Daniel. Everybody say it. Babylon, the biggest powerful nation on the planet at this point.

[13:45] And you remember what happened in Daniel chapter 2. Nebuchadnezzar has a dream. It's this dream of this big image, this big statue. And Daniel interprets the dream.

[13:55] And the interpretation is essentially this, Nebuchadnezzar, your kingdom is only temporary. Your kingdom is not going to last forever. You remember this chart. In fact, after your kingdom is going to come another kingdom, which we know now as the Medo-Persians.

[14:10] And after them will come another kingdom. They'll be the Greeks. And that will take us all the way to Rome. And then you come into the New Testament. And you not just have Rome on the scene, but another focus.

[14:23] And that focus is Jerusalem. We're here. What gets called out is not national pride. It's religious pride. Are you with me?

[14:34] Say amen. And what did Jesus say to Jerusalem, to groups like the Pharisees and the Sadducees? Look at Matthew 22, 37.

[14:45] Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that killed the prophets and stoned those who were sent to it. How often would I have gathered you, gathered your children together as hens gather their brood under her wings, and you were, say it, not willing.

[15:05] So what will happen? Your house is left to you desolate. And the power at the time nationally is Rome.

[15:16] You get to the very last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. And John has a word to say. Now, in the book of Revelation, it's called Babylon, even though he's referring to Rome.

[15:28] And look at what is said of Rome. Revelation 18, 7. And she, say it, glorified herself and lived in luxury. So give her a like measure of torment and mourning since in her heart, she says what?

[15:45] I sit as queen. Don't you know who I am? For this reason, her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, she'll be burned up with fire, for the mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.

[16:03] Is everybody with me? We just went from Genesis to Revelation. And every major point across the biblical storyline, and what is the one common theme?

[16:15] That which exalts itself gets brought low. Every human kingdom eventually crumbles. And Psalm 2 really summarizes this whole thing.

[16:30] Psalm 2, verse 1. Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain and the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed saying, come on, come on, let's be free.

[16:51] Let's rule ourselves. Let's live according to the way we want to live. Let us burst our bonds apart and cast away our cords from us.

[17:03] And the one who sits in heaven laughs. Are you with me? Every human kingdom, whether it is big or whether it is small, ends up just like Conor McGregor.

[17:21] Eventually, they are brought to submission. And that's exactly what happens in Daniel 4.

[17:33] The verses that we just read describe in Daniel 4 that Nebuchadnezzar has another dream. He has a dream like he had in chapter 2 except this dream in chapter 4 is different than the one in chapter 2.

[17:48] In chapter 2, as we referenced, it was this vision, this dream of a giant statue that represented four different nations. And again, the point was that Babylon was a temporary kingdom.

[18:01] And then in chapter 4, this dream is of a tall tree. tree. And this tree is great and it is strong and boy, it reaches all the way up to the heavens.

[18:16] Do you see it in your mind? Can you picture the dream? This is the dream that Nebuchadnezzar has. And if you are paying attention and we'll see it again in just a few moments, there's a lot of Genesis language in this dream.

[18:30] For example, in verse 11 and 12, this tree has abundant fruit. Where have you heard that before? Genesis. Where they were in a place of abundance.

[18:42] They have authority over the birds and the beast. Again, that's Genesis 1 language. And then you'll see even a Babel language in verse 11 that this tree reaches up where?

[18:55] Are you all with me? The tree reaches all the way to the heavens just like the Tower of Babel. In other words, this dream is about human kingdoms specifically about Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon.

[19:11] So he calls his interpreters in just like he did in chapter 2. However, he does something different in chapter 4 that he didn't do in chapter 2. Do you remember in chapter 2 he asked all these astrologers and magicians, he's like, I want you to tell me the interpretation of the dream but I'm not even going to tell you what the dream is.

[19:30] You're going to have to tell me the dream and the interpretation well here in chapter 4 he tells all these people what his dream was and they still don't know what it means.

[19:42] They still don't know the interpretation but Nebuchadnezzar knows a man who does. A man by the name of Daniel and Daniel comes in and he interprets the dream.

[19:52] Here it is in verse 20. This tree that you saw that you dreamed about and it grew and it became strong went all the way up to the heavens. It was visible to the ends of the whole earth.

[20:04] Its leaves were beautiful and fruit abundant. Do all of you see that Genesis language there? This human kingdom is one of abundance like in Genesis in which there was food for all under which the beast of the field found shade and whose branches the birds of the heavens lived.

[20:22] This dream is about say it you. It's about you O king. You've grown and become strong.

[20:34] Your greatness has grown and reached the heaven. Your dominion is to the ends of the earth. In other words Nebuchadnezzar is not a company man.

[20:47] Nebuchadnezzar is the company. This vision is of Nebuchadnezzar's greatness and success and power.

[20:59] And the vision is a vivid illustration of human pride. Of that which lives for itself. Now if you've zoned out what do you do?

[21:11] Okay I need you to see this notice this on the screen faith family this dream is not only about political kingdoms it is about personal kingdoms. Come on listen we would be foolish we would be really unwise to think that this dream only applies to people who are in powerful positions.

[21:32] What we must do is see that this same desire though it may not be to the level of Nebuchadnezzar this same desire for personal autonomy exists everywhere and in us and you are foolish if you think it does not and so you could even just ask the Lord right now by his spirit God reveal this to my heart like you revealed it to Nebuchadnezzar are you with me?

[22:01] Let me give you just some ways that this this is very true about America very true about us as Americans for example we pride ourselves on being self-made do we not?

[22:16] you hear it all the time I started my business from nothing no you didn't I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and I made something of myself all on my own no you didn't I'm a self-made man I'm a self-made woman I rose above the challenges and I succeeded do you have any idea how arrogant you are?

[22:46] it's total arrogance and do you know why it's arrogant? in fact not only is it arrogant it's a Nebuchadnezzar complex look at verse 29 and the end of the 12 months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon and the king answered and said is not this great Babylon which say it with me I have built by what?

[23:11] my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty notice this here on the screen notice it here pride is the illusion you did it yourself you're self-made humility is the admission you do nothing apart from God you didn't do it all by yourself in fact you can't do anything all by yourself right?

[23:45] everything you are everything you have is a gift from God where did you get the mind that was able to come up with that concept or study in school where did you get your brain?

[24:00] where did you get the strength? where did you get the giftedness that you leverage to be able to be successful? where did you even get the very breath that gives you life?

[24:12] Paul says in Acts in him we live and move and have our being you are not self-made you are created you are created there is no such thing as a self-made man or a self-made woman look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4-7 oh I'm preaching tonight are you with me here we go look at what Paul says what do you have that you didn't receive and if then you received it why do you boast as if you didn't receive it he goes on look at 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 7 for we brought what into the world nothing and we cannot take anything out of the world later on in verse 17 he says this as for the rich in this present age charge them not to be haughty or prideful not to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches but on God and why should you set your mind and your hopes on God he's the one that richly provides us with come on say it as loud as you can with everything to enjoy you have nothing apart from God let's make sure we get this right

[25:31] God is the only one that ever created something out of nothing that's a good line you ought to write that down God is the only one that ever created something out of nothing the rest of us we have already been supplied for for there is nothing we have we did not receive and so do you see the arrogance of Nebuchadnezzar to say look what I did do you see the arrogance in your own life when you think you built the company when you think you're the one that was successful all on your own oh we pride ourselves in this Babylon about being self made here's another one while I'm getting in trouble here's a second one social media social media social media allows you to create your own little kingdom it does I've got my fans I've got my followers and here's what's crazy in our culture it's so crazy you there are people they actually exist who really believe there are other people that care that they had pop tarts for breakfast or that your cat got a new sweater

[26:46] I got news flash nobody cares about your cat especially your pastor right don't care right who cares what you had for breakfast or that thief got a new sweater okay but yet we think no I'm king I'm queen of my little social media universe and people need to know about me it is everywhere in this digital world where we become our own kings and queens of a digital kingdom or what about our celebrity culture what do kids want to be when they grow up I assure you it's not a pastor okay I've never talked to a six year old what do you want to be little Johnny I want to be a pastor never said okay what they say is I want to be famous I want to be the next LeBron James or I want to be the next celebrity or the next movie star and if we don't get to become that we will just turn around and idolize the people that do are you with me because because we're obsessed with human kingdoms and it's true in the church we want the fastest growing coolest hip church that has a jump for Jesus trampoline center and essentially you'll get that later it just becomes this big massive kingdom that we have built to our own glory the Nebuchadnezzar complex is as

[28:16] American as apple pie we live in Babylon and do you know what fuels this here's what fuels this look at verse 4 this will preach I Nebuchadnezzar was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace do you know what fuels this in America and what fuels the Nebuchadnezzar complex is comfort and prosperity most kids in a third world country are not obsessed with their social media followers or if they'll ever win a golden globe they dream of having another meal we talk about first world problems versus third world problems well first world problems may actually be worse because they're much harder to discern and it's very easy to live long enough in Babylon that you don't even realize you've drank the Kool-Aid and you have become obsessed with human kingdoms and what happens to every human kingdom verse 24 this is the interpretation

[29:41] O king and it's a decree from the most high the one true God and it's come upon you that you shall be driven from among men your dwelling shall be with the beast of the field and you're going to be made to eat grass like an ox and you'll become wet with the dew of the heaven and seven periods of time will pass over you until that time the most high rule until you know that the most high rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he wills amen and as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that heaven rules how does God respond to Nebuchadnezzar walking out in his little courtyard saying look at what I've done I'm a self made man I'll tell you what God does he brings

[30:42] Nebuchadnezzar into submission he cuts down the tree as Johnny Cash used to sing you can run on for a long time run on for a long time run on for a long time sooner or later gotta cut you down sooner or later gotta cut you down if I were looking for a new church I think I would go somewhere where they play Johnny Cash in the middle of the sermon that's just me that's just me alright so anyways but that song really is Daniel 4 God cuts Nebuchadnezzar down let me say it a different way notice it on the screen when human autonomy this desire to exalt self clashes with divine sovereignty the one true and sovereign God the response is always humility it's always humility and let's be honest tonight we hate feeling humbled anybody like being humbled it's where we get the idea of humiliated we don't like to be humiliated to be humbled but humility is a good thing as it relates to

[32:00] God because here's what humility is doing are you with me are you still with me what humility is doing what God is doing for us when he humbles us is he's putting our universe back in the proper order think about that he's putting our universe back in the proper order let me illustrate it this way do you remember from history class Nicholas Copernicus remember him the 16th century mathematician and astronomer who advocated for a geocentric universe rather than a heliocentric universe in other words you know this from your history up until that point everybody thought that the earth was the center of everything and everything revolved around the earth but he was like no it actually revolves around the sun do you know what humility really is it's getting your life back to where it revolves around the sun the Lord Jesus Christ and humility humility is beautiful and it's not fun right man it's not enjoyable but it's a good thing because

[33:09] Nebuchadnezzar needs to realize buddy you're not the ultimate king Yahweh is the most high is so I'm going to reset your universe notice notice how this happens in Nebuchadnezzar in verse 33 immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar he's driven from among men and ate He's driven from among men and ate grass like an ox his body was wet!

[33:32] His hair grew as long as eagle's feathers and his nails were like birds claws in other words Nebuchadnezzar essentially becomes the first furry I'm sure that's bad I might not do that tomorrow alright so it's recorded anyways alright in all sincerity Nebuchadnezzar is walking sorry he's walking on the rooftop he looks out at everything that he's accomplished and he's like look at everything that I've done and what happens to him he becomes like a beast he becomes he's driven from his kingdom he becomes beast like his hair grows out his nails grow out and you get this imagery here which you see in other places of the bible of this beast imagery now let me explain what's going on here this is really important if you've zoned out zone back in what is not happening in Daniel 4 is he's not becoming Teen Wolf okay anybody remember

[34:32] Teen Wolf right he's not like actually becoming a beast he's like a beast and what is it what does this mean that Nebuchadnezzar becomes like a beast and this is really really important I need you to listen the first thing that this teaches us is that pride leads us to a lesser humanity think with me pride leads us to a lesser humanity you say where are you getting that from the beast imagery listen to me in Genesis what were human beings created to do rule rule over the beasts not become one what you're seeing here is humanity has gone subhuman that this one that is intended to rule over these things for the glory of God by turn preach preacher by turning in on yourself you become a lesser version of what humans were created to be that'll preach humans thrive when they're under the authority of

[35:50] God are you with me human beings thrive when they're under the authority of God they become like beasts or animal like when they take authority for themselves after all who is the ultimate human Jesus just say it Jesus he's the ultimate human isn't he the he's the ultimate image of God and yet he lived in submission to God are you tracking with me please tell me you haven't fallen asleep this is good stuff what what what human beings were created for so that they could thrive the most was live under submission to God not become their own and when they become their own they become beasts subhuman a lesser version of what human beings are supposed to be here's a second thing this imagery of a beast teaches us is that pride leads to insanity now you need to hear what

[37:05] I'm about to say and what I'm not saying what happens in the text is Nebuchadnezzar essentially loses his mind he starts eating grass he starts like literally living like the beast of the field now you've heard me say back when I did a whole series on anxiety and worry it was called anxious for nothing it's been several years ago and I talked a lot about in that series that I am all about holistic treatments yes and amen I believe that there can be multiple factors that lead to various disorders that we face and so you need to hear me say that first but with that said we would be foolish not to acknowledge that part of the reason we have so many mental disorders and anxiety issues is because we become obsessed with self if you don't think being obsessed with your kingdom impacts the sanity of your mind you've lost your mind

[38:12] Nebuchadnezzar is driven to a place of insanity because that's where pride leads you I mean I could say so much about our culture and my own life too but so much about our culture do you ever just watch things and you're like we've lost our mind this culture has lost its mind like we don't even know male female and that's just one I mean are you with me or do you ever just look at things and you're just like we've gone crazy we've just literally gone crazy because that's where obsession with human kingdoms take you pride will ultimately lead you to an insane culture and I've just laid out how we are Babylon we are living and love I've already talked about patriotism and thankful for our country but at the same time we can call out the issues in our country and one of the issues in our country is we are obsessed with ourselves is that we can be very prideful and if we're not careful that pride will lead us to a place of insanity and notice this on the screen faith family humility before God is the only cure for spiritual insanity that was a good place for an amen

[39:35] I heard two of you and so thank you alright so here's what you're going to see in the text read it later I gotta move on through this humbling do you know what the text says Nebuchadnezzar does he comes to his senses he gets his mind back he can begin to see life the way life should be seen because he had lost his mind and God by his grace humbles him so that he'll be back to his senses are you with me here's a third thing is pride leads to loss of community you notice in the text it says he's driven from among men is it any wonder why we are such an isolated culture haven't we grown more and more and more isolated in this world Nebuchadnezzar's obsession with self ends up isolating him from others we know this nobody really wants to be around a

[40:44] Nebuchadnezzar right I mean no one wants to be around an arrogant prideful person in Genesis 3 and I gotta move on what happened in Genesis 3 as a result of human beings exalting themselves instead of remaining in submission to God do you remember what happened there was frustrated relationships with God and there became enmity between man and woman human relationships do you see the connection pride pride isolates us from God because we think we are God it's it's like Pharaoh why would I listen to God when I am I rule this nation are you with me come on are you with me come on like it isolates us from God and then it also isolates us from one another Nebuchadnezzar is driven from among men this is what that beast imagery really shows us it's not again he doesn't become

[41:53] Teen Wolf it's showing us where pride takes us when we are obsessed with human kingdoms so what's what's the goal of all of this this bringing him into submission well I told you the chapter starts with the conclusion and then it ends!

[42:12] with the conclusion let's look at how it starts chapter 4 verse 1 King Nebuchadnezzar to all the peoples nations languages that dwell on the earth peace be multiplied to you it has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me so you see where that this is the conclusion what I'm about to tell you is the story but the point of the story is what God has done for me what the most high did for me how great are his signs and how mighty his wonders here's what I learned through this whole experiment his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom good lesson Nebuchadnezzar amen and his dominion endures from generation to generation and then look at how the chapter ends at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted my eyes to the heaven and my reason returned to me so I referred to that earlier and I blessed the most high and praised and honored him who lives forever for his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom endures from generation to generation and all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing and he does according to his will amongst the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say to him what have you done the ultimate lesson in the class of humility is to come to the realization there is only one kingdom that stands forever and it's not yours that's the lesson it's the lesson

[43:58] Nebuchadnezzar learned as he tells us let me just tell you the good work that the most high did here's the good work that he did he brought me to a place to realize he put my universe back in proper order and now I realize he is the sovereign one he is the one that has dominion over everything not me and when Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses his life his sanity his community were all restored preach preacher this is a word for Babylon and for those of us that live in it amen so as I've been asking throughout this series the question we then have to ask if Daniel 4 is an illustration of life in

[44:58] Babylon and I've showed you how it parallels even where we live in America a culture that thrives on self exaltation then how are we to be like Daniel in terms of remaining faithful in Babylon to live with the right mindset of what the true kingdom really is well we're going to have to set our minds and this is hard to do you're going to have to stop setting your minds on America and everything you see on social media and the news and set your mind on the kingdom of God now you say what what do you mean by that let me give you one example you might reflect on things like this more often during supper this is John 13 when the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon's son to betray him stop why why did

[46:02] Judas! betray Jesus because self I want I want coin I want my kingdom and Jesus knowing that the father had would you say this with me given all things into his hands so Jesus knows this and that he had come from God and was going back to God he is very well aware of who he is he got up from supper he laid aside his outer garments and taking a towel he tied it around his waist poured water in a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel that he had wrapped around him and when he had washed their feet he put on the outer garments and resumed his place and said to them do you have any idea what

[47:03] I just did do you have any idea what you just observed you call me teacher and Lord and you're right because I am!

[47:17] if this is true and it is if I then your Lord and teacher have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet for I have given you an example an example of what of what the kingdom of God is like that you also should do just as I have done to you truly truly I say to you a servant is not greater than his master nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him if you know these things the good life the blessed life isn't celebrity it isn't being self made you're blessed if you do these things now we know through

[48:30] Luke's gospel to give you a little bit more context what were the disciples literally fighting about that led Jesus to do this thing you remember who's the greatest among us shotgun shotgun I'm sitting by him in the kingdom I called it well I've given up this you've only given up that I bet you I'll be greater and so Jesus is like they're so obsessed with Babylon my disciples have a Nebuchadnezzar complex so I've got to show them what the kingdom of God is like in a way that is scandalous and unbelievably humble and he gets down and washes their feet and you know this you've probably studied this a thousand times

[49:38] Jewish rabbis in those days wouldn't even let Jewish slaves do this only Gentile slaves the worst of the worst would do something like that it's why we didn't read that part Peter pushes back ain't no way you're washing my feet this ain't happening if you don't let me do it you have no part of me then wash everything and as I pointed out in the text Jesus was well aware that the father had given all things into his hands in other words who is the one in the room that has all the authority Jesus he knows that he's going to God he knows that the father has given him all of this and yet he takes off his garments he gets low and he sticks his messianic fingers in between the nasty toes of fishermen here's the amazing thing had you been in the room he would have washed yours and what did he do next what would happen next is that

[50:57] Jesus would be exalted what happened next is Jesus would demonstrate his power over all nations what happened next is Jesus would conquer powers and principalities and how would he do that not through a tree that glorified himself but through a tree that glorified God in fact Jesus even refers to the cross as that which would glorify his father in Daniel 4 Nebuchadnezzar's tree is cut down the tree of Calvary represents a man that laid his own life down think about it a different way are you with me how is

[52:00] Nebuchadnezzar represented in Daniel 4 a beast what is the vision of King Jesus in Revelation he is a lion who becomes a lamb and that's the difference between the kingdom of God and Babylon that's the difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of man is it any wonder that Jesus told his followers this you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them there are Nebuchadnezzars everywhere you go but it is not to be so among you for whoever would be great must be your servant and whoever would be first among you must be your slave even as the son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many faith family if you want to be faithful in

[53:34] Babylon you better think about the kingdom of God every day it's it's the only thing that's going to put your universe in proper order amen and keep the son the center what are a few things we learned from this and I'm done this is we're wrapping it up here just a few practical lessons and we're out here's the first thing I'll do this quickly is I think it would do us well tonight to acknowledge God's patience with us amen actually got a response on that right amen right now where I'm getting that is this is Saturday night I can take a second okay can't do it you see you get more than Sunday morning listen there's a big debate on whether or not Nebuchadnezzar actually comes to faith in Yahweh we don't hear from him again and I've heard people say I'm convinced

[54:35] Nebuchadnezzar will be in heaven you know the rest of the data before here is it doesn't always last long that he kind of just takes Yahweh and jumbles him in with the rest of the Babylonian gods so I don't know I certainly have no authority of which to say but I will say this it took several chapters to get Nebuchadnezzar to this point are you with me here's what I'm saying for us hasn't it been true that God has often revealed himself to us we have refused and continued in our own way until God breaks us and brings us to a point of surrender to his sovereign grace the shepherd makes you lie down aren't you glad he's patient with you that like Nebuchadnezzar whatever happens to him that

[55:37] God through a series of events has stuck with you and eventually brought you to the place where you would surrender to sovereign grace praise him tonight for his patience and pursuit of you secondly is we should obviously walk away with an awareness of pride that's in us pride is often called the mother of all sin for a reason because it's the first one in the Bible and every other sin is connected to it and if you come to me tonight and you say pastor this sermon wasn't for me because I'm not prideful you just admitted!

[56:19] you are! Amen? Right? I don't have any pride kind of sounds like something a prideful person would say right? And so ask the Holy Spirit tonight convict me humble me with the pride that I have because I know it's there Lord would you in your grace just show me where I'm exalting myself in your place third and last is accept that grace restores you the acceptance that grace restores you tell me if this sounds familiar listen a man full of pride is driven away until he comes to his senses let me say it again a man of pride I want to do my own thing I'm going to live my own way I don't care what you want dad doing it my way and he's driven away until he comes to his senses does it sound a little bit like

[57:27] I don't know Luke 15 but when the prodigal came to himself he said how many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread but I perish here with hunger I will arise and go to my father and I'll say to him father I have sinned against heaven and before you and what did the father you know the story what did the father do to the son that came to his senses he welcomed him home so here's the word to us tonight pride drove Adam and Eve out of the garden pride drove Nebuchadnezzar into the fields pride drove the prodigal into the pigs but grace always takes us home grace always takes us home the

[58:33] Lord is welcome and ready to receive the Nebuchadnezzars that turn from their kingdom and come back to him Daniel 4 is a serious warning but it is not just for the Conor McGregors of the world it really is to every single one of us that it is very dangerous faith family to think you are the company but you know what's interesting the night that Conor McGregor fought Khabib turned out to not be the biggest submission he ever experienced in his life because a few months ago Conor McGregor was brought to submission again here's what he put on Twitter I have never been so at peace in my life as I am right now Jesus is king!

[60:09] mission to the father so I do pray that this will be a beautiful time of worship as we come to the cross in humility and worship you may your grace bring us home in Jesus name I pray amen to!

[61:05] have to be in time! to a Thank you.