 Welcome back after the break. Just before we went for a break, we were looking at childlikeness, being childlike in our kingdom thinking, in the way that we behave. And we said we shouldn't confuse it to being childish, because childish and childlike are two different things. Childish is more like, you know, you're saying, hey, that's mine. That belongs to me. That is for me. It's all about me. So even sometimes when we are thinking I have to be up on the stage, I have to be doing everything. I have to be getting the recognition. I have, my name has to be called out. I have to be appreciated. It's being childish. It's behaving childish. It's all about I, me, myself. So being childish and childlike are two different things. And Jesus is saying you need to be childlike, but not childish. Not always thinking about yourself, not getting the recognition, not just being on stage, not everybody talking about you, appreciating you. But you need to come to a place where you are totally trusting God, totally dependent on Him. So what is being childlike? Childlike means completely trusting, totally and utterly dependent on God. Because a child totally trusts and is totally and completely dependent and utterly dependent on its parents. A three-month-old child or a one-year-old child is not going to ask their mom, did you put salt in the food? Did you cook the food enough? Is it rightly cooked or is it still uncooked? Did you do my laundry today? Did you clean my room? Did you fold my clothes? Did you iron my clothes? Or tomorrow I'm going to school. Is my dress ready? A child does not ask its mother or its parents anything. Just basically trust the parents, totally abandoning themselves to the trust and the care of their parents. So the same way when we are childlike, we come to a place we are totally dependent on God. In every area of our life, even in our very daily needs, we are totally dependent on God. Where you are saying, God without you, I am nothing. Without you, I cannot do anything. That is being childlike. Total trust and total dependence. So in the kingdom of God, being childlike is of great value. Now, there are other things that Jesus taught about in the way that we need to think as kingdom citizens or the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew chapter 19 verse 14, Jesus said, Let the little children come to me and do not forbid them for of such is the kingdom of heaven. So he says, these are the kind of people I want in my kingdom. I want childlike people, people who are totally trust me and totally depend upon me. And then this is what the kingdom of heaven is like. In Jesus said in Mark chapter 10 verse 15, Or shortly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. So he's saying, hey, if you want to enter the kingdom of God, if you want to experience the things in the kingdom of God, you got to receive it like a child. So even if you want to experience and receive things in the kingdom of God, you have to have childlike faith and dependence. Meaning that there will be a lot of things that God says and does that you can't figure out that you can't reason with your mind. You just have to receive it as a child. You just have to receive it as a child. So faith plays a bigger part in our walk with God, in our thinking, in the way God thinks about us. That qualifies us to enter and experience the things in the kingdom of heaven. So God tells you go and tell this person, this is this. And many times we have not gone and told them why because we think, what if it is wrong? What if it's not right? What if it's not that person? I've not heard from God. It's my own imagination. It's happened to me so many times when I have missed when God has told me, go and tell this person, this is this and I'm not done. And later on I've seen and I've regretted it. But now I have learned to step out by faith and just say what God is asking me to say, even though I can't reason in my mind, even though it might look foolish, even though it might not come true at that point of time, but may come true later on, the person can think back and say, oh, this person said this, God has already prepared me for this, but just be willing to go and say that is faith. God is saying, hey, go and pray for that person. And that person is going through the sickness and they're saying, God, that person looks so healthy. How can you say that person has the sickness? Or how can I go and pray for that person? What will that person think? What if it's wrong? What if it's somebody else? We have all of these doubts and then we don't go and pray. We miss the opportunity. Or it might be somebody like God is some great man of God or some preacher or your pastor and your goddess and go and tell him this. You say, pastor, you want me to go and tell him this? And you hold back. You avoid. You don't do that. I remember once God was telling me to go and tell a pastor that just this word I got was Tom. Jesus in the storm and he stills the storm and says, be still. Okay. And God is telling me, go and tell him. And I say, God, how can I just go tell him storm? What does it mean? And God said, go. I'll just open your mouth and words will come. And I was so scared and I was thinking whether it is, whether it is that pastor or whether it's a worship leader standing next to him and worshiping because it's ministry time. And I didn't go and say it. I just, I think three days after that, that pastor faced a big storm in his life. And I was regretting it saying that if I had gone and just told that pastor, God would have released words from my mouth. God would have told him what's the storm that is coming. He would have prayed. He would have got it. And it would have not come to such an extent where the pastor himself was going to lose his life. And that's when I took things very, very seriously. Okay. Don't be afraid. Even if it is, if it's a big man of God in you, someone who's very small and insignificant, just go and tell it, even though it might sound foolish to you, just do what God is asking you to do. Okay. So that is stepping out. That is experiencing. That is doing what God wants you to do in faith. So we need to make this part of our thinking. There are times when God will speak to you, challenge you and tell you to do things that is way beyond your thinking, what you have even imagined for your life. I never thought I will go to Bible college. I never thought I will be in full-time ministry. That is not what I desired for my life. That's not what I thought about. So when God told me, I put it off, but you know, I eventually got to the place where God wanted me to be and God has been faithful. So sometimes God will ask us to do things which will challenge our thinking or understanding, go against what we have thought and envisioned and planned for our life. But with respect to that, we just do what God is asking us to do. And sometimes what God is asking us to do will just not fit our thinking. And then you need to remind yourself being part of the kingdom of heaven. You know, we need to be childlike. We just need to take that step of faith. Just simply trust Him and totally depend on the King. Now think about another important thing in the kingdom of God about being a servant in order to be great. So like all good mothers, the mother of James and John had dreams for her son. So one day she went to Jesus and she wanted to secure their places for them in the kingdom of heaven. Like all good mothers thinking about their sons and their future. Okay, so let's read Matthew chapter 20 verses 20 to 26. Can somebody read that please? Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons kneeling down and asking something from him. And he said to her, what do you wish? She said to him, grant that these two sons of mine may sit one on your right hand and the other on the left in your kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, you do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I'm about to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I'm baptized with? They said to him, we are able. So he said to them, you will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I'm baptized with. But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my father. And when the 10 heard it, they were greatly displeased, the two brothers. But Jesus called them to himself and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. Just as a son of man do not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life around him for many. So James and John's mother had just one request and she came with that one request to Jesus. So what was her request? That when Jesus sets up his kingdom, James should sit on his, one should sit on the right and one should sit on the left. Okay. So he says, she says, this is my only request. I don't have any other request. And what does Jesus say? Ask the father and not me. What about the mother? What about the mother? The mother is not concerned about herself. That is mother's love, only concerned about the children selfless. That prince will not be able to understand. Yes. Okay. So what does Jesus say? Can you drink the cup that I drink? What is this cup he's talking about? The cup of suffering, the cup of taking on the sins of the world. Okay. Paying the ransom price for the sins of the world. What do they say? Yes. Yes. Very, you know, very confidently. They don't even know what's the cup. They didn't even ask what's the cup. If they had learned about the cup, they would have run away from Jesus. And then they said, of course we can drink the cup of suffering and we can partake of it. You know, yeah, we can, we can do that. And Jesus says, of course you can drink the cup of suffering and you can partake in it. Okay. But to sit on my right and on my left is not for me to decide. Okay. But then Jesus says, let me deal with the root of the issue. Let me deal with the root of the matter. So he says, what you're looking for is authority, position or greatness of power in the kingdom. And he says, you think that by sitting on my right hand and on my left, you are going to have greatness in the kingdom, but it's not so. Okay. Because that is how the world thinks. Okay. He said, look at the, you know, in the world, you know, we can exercise authority. You know, we can exercise over authority over others. We can lord it over others. We can boss over others. But in the kingdom of God, how do you exercise authority? If you want to be great, if you want to exercise authority, then you, you become the least. And you, if you want to become a leader, you got to be a servant. Okay. So you become a leader, you become great, not by exercising authority or bossing or just sitting down there and commanding others, but you yourself go and do it. Okay. So he says, this is the culture of the kingdom that I belong to. And this is in this kingdom culture. And when it comes to kingdom thinking you think like this, if you want to be great in God's kingdom, you must be willing to become the least. If you want to become a leader, you must become a servant. That means what? Willing to serve people, not lord it over them, willing to do it your self set an example yourself, just like Jesus did. And that is the kingdom of God. So Jesus says, when you become least of all, you become greatest in the kingdom of God. And that is kingdom thinking. Now how wonderful it'll be if all of us in our churches did this. You know, the question we need to ask is, are we willing to be a servant? Are we willing to be least? You know, somebody, what is the meaning of least? Last? Insignificant. Be nothing. Actually being have no, no recognition, no attention being no significance. So to speak now would, would we like to have a heart like that where we'll be insignificant, where we will not have the attention, where we will do everything, but still, even if you're not recognized, we will not feel bad. We will just come back again and serve again and do it. Do we have that kind of an attitude? So that is the kind of attitude. That is the kind of heart that Jesus wants us to have. She did it himself model that Jesus being the king of kings, the Lord of Lords, the son of God. What did he do? He washed his disciples feet. He served. Okay. He came to serve and not to be served. Okay. So whatever you do, you know, whether you're someone up on stage, whether you're someone sitting down there, whatever you do, do it with the heart of a servant. Do it not that you get recognition, that you get raises, that you are appreciated, that people will applaud you. When you do it with the heart of a servant, you are a true leader in the kingdom. But if you do it with the heart that is saying, you know, I don't care if I'm insignificant, then you're preparing yourself for greatness in the kingdom of heaven. But if you're doing it with the heart that says, you know what, I want that position. I want to be recognized. You know, you're being disqualified for greatness and leadership in the kingdom of God. And that is a totally different way of looking at things and that is kingdom thinking. And many people leave the church because they have been serving, but they have not been recognized. And they have been serving in some group, in some position, in some way in the church. And then if they are not made leaders of that group or they have not, they're not brought into a place of position and recognition, they feel very, very offended. And they leave that group, they stop serving. They even leave the church and they go church hopping from one place to another. The same way, even in Christian organizations, the same way, even with people in Christian ministry and Christian leadership pastors, you know, if they don't get the appointment for the church they're looking for, the position that they're looking for, they just want to leave and go. They're not looking at it as saying, hey, whatever, whether I'm giving position, whether I'm giving a title, whether I'm giving a card which says my name with all my degrees, whether I'm giving an office or not, whether I'm treated nicely or not, whether I'm recognized or not, that does not bother me. I am just going to serve in God's kingdom. I'm going to be faithful where God has planted me, where God wants me to be, what God wants me to do. If God wants me to, God wants to take me out of here, then I will move. If God does not want me, I will stay here and serve Him just the way He wants me to do without looking for titles, positions and recognition. So we need to come to that place where we humble ourselves with that heart attitude, with that kind of a heart, with that kind of an attitude. So are we willing to say, God, I'm willing to be least in your kingdom? I'm willing to be a servant so that I can be a true leader. Whatever I do, God, wherever you call me, whatever is my role, whatever is my function, I'm going to do it with a heart that serves you, that loves you, that honors you and do it in a way that glorifies your name. And I'm willing to be insignificant because that is the doorway for greatness and leadership in God's kingdom. Now, the next point is about kingdom thinking how Jesus taught us is to celebrate the king's perspective. Celebrating the king's perspective. So let's look at this parable. Jesus gave us many parables about the kingdom of God and here is one of those parables He gives us in Matthew chapter 20, verses 1 to 16. Sorry, in Matthew chapter 20, verses 20 to 28, we'll read that, no, sorry, 1 to 16. Can somebody read that, please? Matthew chapter 20, verses 1 to 16. Can you read it from this book so everyone can follow? Please, Son, thank you. For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now, when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard and he went out about the third hour and saw the other standing idle in the marketplace and said to them, you also go into the vineyard and whatever is right, I will give you. So they went. Again, he went out the sixth and the ninth hour and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour, he went out and found other standing, standing idle and said to them, why have you been standing here idle all day? They said to him because no one hired us. He said to them, you also go into the vineyard and whatever is right, you will receive. So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, call the laborers and give them their wages beginning with the last to the first. And when those who were hired and about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner saying, these last men have worked only one hour and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day. But he answered one of them and said, friend, I am doing you no wrong. Do you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give this last man the same as to you. It is not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things. Or is your eyes evil? Because I am good. So the last will be first and the first last for many are called but few chosen. Okay. So what about kingdom thinking is Jesus talking about here? Some answers, please. What about kingdom thinking is Jesus talking about here? So when we, this is like, I think this is about the last days when we have run the marathon and we have reached the end. Each of us will receive the same what is eternal life. No one will be put higher or lower. We will always see the same reward as the other. Even though some people may have worked much harder than me, harder than us, or maybe even though I work less than them, call Jesus the same because we are both equally both worked in order to reach eternal life and for the kingdom of God. Okay. Thank you, Sean. Anyone else? What is his pattern? Anyone else? What does his parable mean regarding kingdom thinking? Okay. God is a rewarder. He decides what rewards we get. We just have to be faithful. It's his wish what he want to give us. It's not like giving everyone an equal thing. It's his wish. Okay. It's his wish. Okay. Like, we should not have the thoughts of comparison that I did this much and he did this much but why you treated us the same? We should not have that kind of mindset. Okay. Not have that kind of mindset and thinking and attitude. Yes. Thank you. Anyone else? You can take an example within the apostles themselves. You see there are some who are fishermen who are taken to be apostles and James was a task collector. Now, you see both of them, they're at both different levels but when they come under God, they're both in the same level. That is what God is trying to show us or tell us. Thank you. He's not happy. He's not happy. Okay. That's what you said. Don't compare. Okay. Yes. He was feeling bad. Okay. So, okay. So this is a parable that Jesus is talking about kingdom thinking. I'm just going to paraphrase it. This landowner, he had a big vineyard. So he goes at nine o'clock to the market and he looks at some laborers and they ask them, are you ready to work? And they said, yes. So he says, go to my vineyard and work. I'll pay you one dinaris and they were willing and they went. So then he comes, he needed more laborers. So he comes back to the market at 10 o'clock. He finds more laborers and he says, hey, do you want to work in my vineyard? They're looking for work. They said, yes. He says, go work in my vineyard and I'll give you one dinaris. Okay. Then he looks at by 12 o'clock, he feels that he needs more laborers. They can finish the work more faster. So he goes back to the marketplace and he looks and he finds more laborers and he asks them if they're looking for a job and they're willing. So he sends them to work in his vineyard. Okay. And then he also thinks, okay, let's speeden up the process. We can get more laborers. So he goes back to the marketplace, say by three o'clock and then probably at four o'clock as well to get more laborers. So three o'clock, he goes four o'clock. He gets more laborers and gets them into his vineyard. Okay. Now at six o'clock, the bell rings and they all have to stop working and they go back home and they all come to get their daily wages. And so the owner of the vineyard tells his manager, pay the ones who came in at four o'clock first, then those who came at three, then who came at 12, then who came at 10 and who came at 9 a.m. And he says, pay them all the same, pay them one dinaris. So all those who came last at four o'clock, they got one dinaris and they must have been very happy just working for two hours. They went away happy. Those who were working from three o'clock just worked three hours, they got one dinaris. Those who came in at 12 o'clock also got one dinaris, 10 o'clock, one dinaris, nine o'clock, they got one dinaris. And what do you think people, the laborers who worked at nine and 10, what do you think they would have felt? They felt very bad, they would have felt cheated and they were very, very unhappy. Then they raised up their hand, the union raised up their hand and they said, you know, this is very unfair. You know, you can't give us the same thing like you've given people who paid that four o'clock. This is very, very unfair. And they protested. What they're doing is unfair. How can we get the same wages? And what does the land owner tell them? Yes. What did I agree to give you? One dinaris. What did you receive? One dinaris. So didn't I keep my word? Yes. Did I cheat you? No. Then he says, if I choose to do something else with others, then don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money or what I want to choose or what I think is right. Don't I have the right to do it? Okay. And what is your obvious answer? Yes. Okay. And Jesus said, the kingdom of God, it is like this. But does it happen in our world today like this? No. If you look at our regular labor as I've seen and many construction workers, whoever works hard, whoever does more work will be paid. Whoever doesn't work much will be paid less. Yeah. You work according to the number of hours you are paid. You work for one month. You will get one month salary. Work for half a month. You get half a month salary. Okay. So that is right. That is ethical. That is how it works in our world today. Okay. We will never do something like this land owner has done. Okay. Jesus says, this is how it is in the kingdom of heaven. So what's the point? The point is this, that God has the right to do as he pleases. Okay. What's the point here? God has the right to do as he pleases. And what should you and I do? We just have to celebrate whatever he does. Yes. Ma'am, when we compare to this worldly things and spiritual things, how can we compare these two things? Like see, if we tell normally like in world and all, like I can, it's my wish to give to him. If he worked for one hour also, I'll give 1000 rupees. If you are working from the morning also, it's 1000 rupees. So what if I tell that how it will be? It won't be good right in the world. Yeah. You are not going according to wage policy that person can sue you and that person can take you to court, right? But in the kingdom of God, what are we saying? Jesus is God is saying, I can do what I please and you have to celebrate what I'm doing. I'll give you some examples. So you will understand what Jesus is basically trying to say. Tell one thing ma'am. Yes. Just like see, we worked hard like we, I mean, there is a gift for us. I mean, there is a gift for us when we go, when we go into heaven. Like we work so hard like we saved so many souls and one of the person just got saved. Is it, I mean, is it the same will be rewarded with? Yes. So good question. The actually the reward is not when, is we all have eternal life. Whether we, I have accepted Christ 25 years back, 50 years back and somebody on the deathbed just hardly one minute, like the thief next to Jesus. Jesus said today will be with me in paradise. Okay. All of us will receive eternal life. But in the Millennium Kingdom, okay, we will all be rewarded according to the work that we have done. So how faithful you have been, how much hard you work with that servant attitude with the right attitude with the heart that is just willing to do what God wants you to do. Greater will be your position in the Millennium Kingdom. You will be like eight one officer. That will be different. But in the kingdom of God in heaven, we don't need officers there. God is we all what we're doing with just praising God 24 seven. Right. All of us are singing no need for worship leaders as well. No need for who's the best worship leader. All of us just sing. But in the Millennium Kingdom, based on how faithful you have been, that will be a reward. So you have a, you know, you know, the first level officers two, three, four, five, six, seven, those have not done anything much, but they have been faithful in little things will get great and, you know, the lower things like that. Okay. But there is a reward system. Yes, even in the Millennium Kingdom. But in this context, what we are, let me give you an example so you can understand why what God is saying that, you know, you need you. He does as he pleases and we need to celebrate what he's doing. I'll give you some example. Now you say you've been a believer for 25 years and, you know, you're praying to God for something desperately. Okay. And you're fasting and you're praying and you waited for 25 years and you fasted and prayed for 40 days. Finally, you get the answer. Okay. Now there is another brother called Joe comes to church. You know, and he's hardly been a believer for just say three or four months. Say he's not even completed reading the book of Matthew. He started reading the book of Matthew is not even completed reading book of Matthew is just coming to church three months. And he's hardly even fasted for half a day, but he is prayed asked the same request that you have been asking for how many years, 25 years, and you're fast and prayed for how many days, 40 days. And he's hardly half a day faster, not even read the Bible, complete Bible, not even completed reading Matthew and God answers him. And you're thinking God 25 years, you took to answer me and just little Joe has prayed for a little time and you've answered him in hardly any time. It's not fair. And God says, don't I have the right to do what I want to do and it's my own will. Didn't I answer your prayer? Yes, God, you answered my prayer. Then I can't I do with little Joe what I want to do. Okay, so you and I cannot evaluate what God is doing from our own perspective. But when we see God doing it, we must celebrate with little Joe. Okay. Yes. We must celebrate whatever God does in his kingdom, because in his kingdom God blesses whom he chooses to bless. Mercy on who he chooses to have mercy. He extends grace to whom he chooses to extend grace. But what you and I need to do is we need to celebrate what God is doing. Okay. So if you see another brother or sister blessed and God is doing some awesome things in their lives, then we don't feel J. We don't feel J. Okay. Jealous. We don't get angry. We don't complain. We don't we don't murmur. But what do we do? We celebrate what the king is doing because he does as he pleases. No problem. The king is doing as he pleases and that's part of his same kingdom. Okay. So it's your privilege to celebrate what the kingdom is doing in another person's life where nobody to judge. Who are you at Romans chapter 14 verse 4? What does it say? It's in a slightly different context but Paul is saying an amazing statement in Romans chapter 14 verse 4. Who are you to judge other servant? To his own master he stands or fails. False. Indeed he will be made to stand for God is able to make him stand. Romans 14 verse 4. Yes. So here for example you're pasting a city for 25 years and you have a congregation of only 50 people. Okay. And here comes little Joe who's just out of Bible college fresh out of Bible college. Or Sean or Nikhil or Lina. Sri Radha just out of Bible college fresh started church and then in just hardly one or two months or three months I have a congregation of 100 people. And this pastor is getting Jay. He's saying it 25 years. I've been in the same city. In the same area I've been ministering here for 25 years only 100 people. And you know Sarah has come or Lina has come or you know Anand has come and just hardly one year and the congregation is 100 people. And we think it's not right. And then we think the pastor must be up to some tricks. He's doing something. He's bribing people. He's just pulling them. No, we can't say that because that is the kingdom of God. You can't measure God according to your own thinking. God works in the way he pleases. And if you're truly part of the kingdom of God, you will rejoice with everything the king does. You will say God, I have 50 people. Let me be faithful. I'm so glad that this young person has come and 100 people in the same locality. That means there are 150 believers in this locality. We need to think like that. See, there are 150 people. And you know, he might be so powerful God use it might be so that everybody in this locality will come to his church. Not thinking that, you know, hey, it's unfair. It's not right. God, I'm not going to serve you anymore. I'm going to leave and we'll be so angry with God. But the thing, the thing is the king does what he just pleases and what he thinks he wants to do. So he blesses who he wants to bless. And he knows when to come through in each of our lives. Okay. So what should your reaction be in the kingdom thinking? Wow. This is God working in this person's life. He's doing as he pleases. He just saw what is fit and he's doing whatever fitting in his reason in his thinking. So rather than measuring things in your own scale celebrate what God is doing because he does not fit into any of our scales. He does not fit into any of our measurements. So we need to look at it from a kingdom perspective that the king is doing as he pleases and all of us just obey what he does and just go with what he does. Okay. But if you don't do that, then we will end up being jealous, backbiting, gossiping and like Saul running behind David and wasting our time and energy not fulfilling God's plan and purpose, but all out to just, you know, destroy the kingdom of God. So it looks like we are, you know, destroying our own kingdom because we are not part of different kingdoms. You're part of the kingdom of God. And sadly, sometimes we end up doing that just like Saul. And you know what happened to Saul. Okay. Yes, you have a question. Yes, ma'am. Can we take this parable like how here God says one works at nine o'clock from nine and some works at 12 and some works at the last one hour. Can we use this example like parable to apply it for the ministers like one person may be working from doing ministry from 10 years and one person may be starting ministry at one year. And when they go to heaven, God rewards the same equally for the ministries. Can we also take this and apply? See, when we go, what is a reward when we go to heaven? Good, welcome, good and faithful servant. That is a reward that you have to hear. Well done, good and faithful servant. Come, enjoy my rest. Okay. That is the place in the kingdom of heaven. That is a reward all of us will get. Now, what I'm saying is, for example, there was this missionary who went to a place and labored in that place and worked hard and toil and prayed and cried out to God. And there was not even one convert in that place. But then when he left that place, he was very sad. He died later on when other missionaries went, they found that there was one person in that same village who was born again, but did not confess that he was born again. And he went around sharing the gospel and slowly that whole town came or the whole village came to know the Lord. So who actually invested? Yes, that's what Paul says. Paul says, who is Paul and who is Apollos? One digs the ground, one sows the seed, one waters, and the other one harvests. And everything what everyone has done has actually paid and brought the harvest. So somebody has already labored and I go there and I'm reaping the harvest. Doesn't mean that I've been more prayerful, I'm more powerful, I'm more anointed. No, there are people who have come before and who have labored and I've done the hard work and I need to acknowledge them. That is what this verse is saying, that you need to acknowledge them, you need to speak about them, need to find out about them. And also thank God that they have dug the ground, they have sown the seed, they have watered and they have labored out so that you can receive. We'll get the reward like the person who saw the seed. Who is looking for reward? Who gets the reward? The harvest goes to whom? He's the Lord of the harvest. God is the Lord of the harvest. It's not we who are bringing people into the kingdom. We are just being those mediums. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts people of sin, righteousness and judgment. It's not the Holy Spirit who works in them. It's not how powerful I speak, how anointed I speak, how powerful, how many days I fasted and prayed and God has spoken the word, how eloquent, how skillful, how I present in the gospel. All that is good. We have to do that. We have to be excellent in presenting the gospel and doing our work. But ultimately it's God's power. It is God's anointing that is flowing through us, earthen vessels. We are nothing. It's God's power and anointing. So God gets all the glory because the harvest goes to Him. He's the Lord of the harvest. Yes, Sean. There used to be this pastor, ma'am. So he'll always have this Sunday school, a very small group of 10-12 people. So every day you used to come, you used to tell Bible stories to his people. And you all used to want to preach in a big church to many people. But this is the job that he got to go teach his kids in Sunday school. He did that. After a while he passed away. Little did he know that among them one of them will be a great preacher and that preacher is Billy Graham. Yes, that's so true. Thank you Sean for sharing that. Okay, we'll move on. The next one is Kingdom Resolve, Luke chapter 9 verses 57 to 62. Can somebody read that? Luke chapter 9 verse 57 to 62. Now it happened as the journey on the road that someone said to him, Lord, I will follow you wherever you go. And this is said to him, Foxes have holes and birds of the ale have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head. Then he said to another, follow me. But he said, Lord, let me first go and birth by my father. This is said to him, let the dead bury their own dead. But you go and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow you. Let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house. But Jesus said to him, no one having put his hand into the flow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. Thank you. So here the challenge that Jesus presents to these men does sound harsh, right? Especially in the light of what Jesus said for burying a father or saying goodbye to a family. So if you want to follow the king, then we, this is what he expects of us. What does God expects of us when we want to follow him? Your assignment in the kingdom of God must supersede all your earthly objections or obligations and your earthly affections. Okay. If you have to go back to do your family funeral that is keeping you away from pursuing the kingdom of God, then better not go for the funeral. Just pursue the kingdom. If your affection for your family is causing you to look back and not pursue the kingdom goal, what God has called you to do, the kingdom plan and purposes. It's taking your attention away from God's plan and purpose for your life. If you're following the king, then you better give up your affections for your family. Okay. And then he says, keep plowing without going home. That means continue to work in the kingdom of God. So what Jesus is saying here does not mean you neglect your family responsibilities or neglect your responsibilities to the family. Okay. But elsewhere in the scripture, we see that God admonishes us to take care of our families. We read about this in 1st Timothy chapter five verse eight. But yet God says you need to take care of your family. You have a responsibility, but we must maintain our resolve. We must maintain our focus. And what is our resolve and our focus is to serve the king and follow him and do whatever he's asking us to do. We have to be entangled with the affairs of this world. That's what Paul tells Timothy. Paul tells Timothy you are a soldier and a soldier does not get entangled in civilian affairs. He's always pleasing his commanding officer. 2nd Timothy chapter two verse four. So he's saying you must please your commanding officer. Who's your commanding officer? Jesus. So soldier does and does not get entangled in the civilian affairs. So also Jesus is saying in the kingdom thinking includes, you know, this level of resolve and commitment to the king and the cause of his kingdom. That is unhindered by earthly responsibilities and affections. So sometimes when it comes between doing kingdom work and family, you know, which is more important kingdom work, but at the same time we don't neglect our family responsibilities. The next thing about kingdom thinking is handling rejection. Luke chapter 10 verse 11. Can somebody read that please? Luke chapter 10 verse 11. The very best of your city, which clings to us. We wipe off against you. Not let us know this that the kingdom of God has come near you. Yes. So Jesus is saying that, you know, when you go and preach and teach the gospel, not everybody is going to welcome you. And not everybody is going to be happy. There are going to be persecutions. There are people who reject your message. People are not interested, you know, but this must not decrease your commitment for the kingdom. This must not hinder you or, you know, make you feel sad or say, Hey, I'm not a good preacher. I'm not a good teacher. When I go and preach and teach, nobody's listening to me. Nobody's willing to accept, you know, nobody's turning away to the truth. So I'm not going to preach or teach. Okay, we will face rejection, but you know, we know it's not because there is something wrong with the gospel. Okay, there's not, there's nothing wrong with the kingdom that we are representing, but it's simply that men prefer darkness to light. John chapter three was nothing. So there's nothing wrong in the gospel message. There's nothing wrong about what Jesus has done. There's nothing wrong with the kingdom that we represent. Okay, but it is just simply that men prefer darkness to light. Okay, so in the kingdom thinking when we face rejection, you need to know that you have been brought, you know, you have brought the kingdom of God to these people. They have rejected it. And now you move on, but you continue to advance the kingdom of God amongst other people that should not hinder you or deter you. Or, you know, disappoint you or dampen your spirits, but you just continue to preach and teach and God will continue to work in their lives. Okay, then the last one is the eye of a needle. Can somebody read Mark chapter 10 verses 17 to 31, please. Mark 10 17 to 31. Now, as he was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before him and asked him, good teacher. What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? So Jesus said to him, why do you call me good? No one is good, but one that is God. You know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witnesses, do not defraud, honor your father and your mother. And he answered and said to him, teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth. Then Jesus looking at him, loved him and said to him, one thing you lack, go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor. And you will have treasure in heaven and come take up the cross and follow me. But he was sad at this word and he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God. And the disciples were astonished at his work. But Jesus answered again and said to them, children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, who then can be saved? But Jesus looked at them and said, with men it is impossible, but not with God. For with God, all things are possible. Then Peter began to say to him, see, he have left all and followed you. So Jesus answered and said, surely I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father and mother or wife or children or land for my sake and for the gospel who shall not receive a hundred fold now in this time. Houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and land with persecution and in the age to come eternal life. How many who are first will be, but the last will be first. Amen. Thank you. We'll stop here. We'll explain this passage next week. Jack in says Jesus wants us to love everyone to him every soul is precious. He loves and gives generously. My mind should not be narrow or selfish, but instead be selfless and overflow with love of God because I've received so much. I'm talking about this in the context of the parable. Any questions anyone has any questions? Okay, there are no questions. Please think Kingdom thinking all that we have learned put it into practice and live Kingdom lifestyles and Kingdom culture. Okay. Thank you everyone for joining today's class and I'll see you next week. Have a blessed week. Thank you.