Prayer of a Pauper and Declaration of a King

Read Matt 18:1-4

Introduction

Sometimes there seems to be a dichotomy or contradiction within the teachings of scripture. He said this… but then He said this…

Ex. …unless you are converted and become as one of these little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. What does He mean by that? Does He want adults to become literal children. The child is the illustration, a believer is supposed to behave like a child when they approach kingdom business. The context is: who will be the greatest in your kingdom, Lord? The response is, unless you become converted like one of these little children, you can’t enter.

Converted- Strong’s: turn quite around, twist, a change of direction. Oxford American: having been adapted to be suitable for a new purpose. The house was converted to a duplex, and you Christian must be converted to a child.

This is talking about learning how to live in His kingdom now, so we can enter His kingdom then. What attribute of a child would Jesus want—What is it about a child that Jesus wants His followers to emulate? The simple answer, one word—dependence! Quit being independent and doing things your own way and learn how to depend on God!

Juxtapose- to place close together or side by side in a way that invites comparison or contrast

Juxtapose that against this: Proclaim the kingdom of heaven is at hand! Cast out devils, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers (MT 10:7)…What I say to you in the dark, tell it in the light. What you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim it from the rooftops.

Proclaim- a public crier, herald the king’s declaration

Father in the name of Jesus help me to teach/ preach the:

Prayers of paupers: declarations of a kings!

Let’s talk kingdom how it ended

Matthew 27:28-29 28 They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

The beginning

Matthew 3:1-4 1 -- In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Then He starts speaking and He says:

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Poor- lowly, afflicted, destitute of the Christian helpless, powerless to accomplish an end

The citizens of the Lord’s Kingdom are expected to come to the conclusion that this kingdom operates differently; this is not the American dream, the strength is not we the people, the power is the Holy Spirit working through His people!

Matthew 5:4. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Mourn- means to feel deep sorrow or regret. As a citizen of your kingdom, I am sorrowful Lord that man has rebelled against you. I am sorrowful that so many churches and so many leaders have not taken heed to your word, that we your people have fallen asleep and not stayed spiritually sober. Wake us up Lord, cause our hearts to mourn with you over this lost generation, over the souls that are perishing.

Jesus was humble and bold, and His people are called to be the same way. Both of these traits will make God’s people look different than the world around them.

The world puts faith in their own strength and resources. God’s people draw from Him. The world builds its own kingdom. God’s people work with Him, as He builds His. In the purest form of the word, we all have an  Apostolic calling, and what I mean by that is, the strict definition of the term is that an Apostle is a sent one, also, an ambassador. Ambassadors are a representative of another nation as they live in a foreign land. The American ambassador to Italy, lives in Italy but represents and conducts American business on that foreign soil. An ambassador for the Kingdom of Christ, lives on earth, but represents the heavenly realm

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Meek- mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness - Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good.

Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit. There will be many circumstances in the life of the believer that he will not like. The thorns and thistles hurt and bristle; however, the believer cannot afford to become angry or bitter towards God.

Galatians 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Matthew 5:6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?

What are we hungry for? What are we thirsty for? In life what do you crave? Is your appetite that your son or daughter make the travel ball team? Is everything thing in life focused so much about your business and your job that you have to forsake the gathering of the brethren? Do you find joy in the fellowship of the saints?

Jesus was hungry to do His Father’s will. Those that are citizens of His kingdom hunger and thirst for what their King desires. He desires that this wicked world be made right. The citizens of His Kingdom are called to live in a different realm. They are called to seek the things that are above:

The letters of the Apostles repeatedly remind the saints to keep their eyes and minds on the things God  and the more we study His word, it becomes clear that this world is not our home.

1 Peter 2:11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Philippians 3:20 NASB For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

The kingdom of darkness has power and is destroying people’s lives. Jesus has come so that people can have abundant life. In order for that to happen, He had to give His people power that is greater than the powers of darkness.

1 John 5:19 NASB We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

The demons knew who He was and were fearful of His presence— Now, we’re talking about the authority of Jesus!

Matthew 8:29-32 29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? 30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

The people of His Kingdom are called to be humble and meek but they are also called to walk in His kingdom authority:

Matthew 28:18-19. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Matthew 10:7-8 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

The Lord’s kingdom is already but not yet. It means that Jesus has already come to earth and taken authority over the world of darkness. He has already established His kingdom on earth. He will rule and reign physically on earth in the future and He is ruling and reigning now, through us…

Until then He told the Pharisees:

Luke 17:20-21 20 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

If He is the kingdom, and the King is in us, then the kingdom and all its power and authority are in us!

Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

The prayer of a pauper and the declaration of a king!

The submissive prayers of kings

Psalms 18:27 For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.

Psalms 77:1-3 ESV In the Day of Trouble I Seek the Lord I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. 2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. 3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

Matt 27:46 …My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

Matthew 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Hebrews 5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. (KJV “Feared”)

I still don’t feel like we properly reverence the presence of the Holy Spirit in our church. I have tried to say things and I want you to know that I don’t want to be controlling its one thing if you talk while I’m preaching. It’s still not right. I wouldn’t do it to you, but what about when we’re asking the Spirit of God to show up and inhabit the praises of His people and instead of worshipping the Lord, we’re in here talking to earthlings, we’re looking at our phone as though we’re bored with God. “Well, I don’t feel Him!” Maybe you don’t feel Him because you have no reverence for His presence!

Declaration of a king

1 Samuel 17:45-46 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day  the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,

1 Chronicles 28:20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

Psalms 23:4-5 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.