TURN AROUND, THE KINGDOM'S THIS WAY
			by Mark Hardgrove
		       TEXT: Matthew 18:1-4
Introduction:
   It was said that when General Grant accepted Christ the minister who
lead him to the Lord said, "God's kingdom has gained a great acquisition
in your conversion, General."  General Grant replied, "God does not need
great men, but great men need God."

   Verse one of the text says, "At that same time. . ."  indicating a
connection with that which  immediately precedes  this account in verses
one through four.  Looking back we see that it is a discussion on paying
temple taxes and the miracle of the coin in the fish's mouth.  This
event--the consideration of taxes, position and authority--prompted the
disciples to ask a question about greatness in the Kingdom.  Their
thoughts were focused more on themselves and their place and position in
the Kingdom, than on the Kingdom itself.  In fact, their concept of
"kingdom" was so distorted that they were heading in the wrong direction
altogether.
   Their question was less about the character of greatness, and more
about who among them would be the greatest.  They ask, "Who then is
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  The question is put to the Lord as
though they were expecting a name.
   Perhaps Peter, James or John, who had recently been on the mount of
transfiguration, thought that it must be one of them.  Mark's Gospel
tells us that Jesus had discerned the thoughts of these three men as
they journeyed with Him from the mount to Capernaum.  He asked them,
"What was it you discussed among yourselves on the road?  But they kept
silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be
the greatest" (9:33,34).
   At another time it seems James and John sent their mother to plead
their case  for a special place in the Kingdom (Matthew says their
mother came [Matt. 20:20-23], Mark says they themselves came [Mk.
10:35-40]).  They asked to sit at the right and left hand of Jesus when
He came into His glory.  When the other disciples heard of this they
became angry.  After all, each of them probably intended to take that
position himself.
   The problem with all of this was that they could not get the visions
of earthly kingdoms out of their heads.  The Kingdom of God is first and
foremost a spiritual kingdom reserved for those who have learned to
worship God in spirit and in truth.  The Kingdom of God is so different
from earthly kingdoms that it takes a radical change in our thinking to
even begin to conceive of it.

I	CHANGE DIRECTIONS
   Jesus begins to answer their question by telling them that they are
looking in the wrong direction.  It's as though He says, "Hey, fella's! 
The Kingdom is over here!"  
   The KJV says, "Verily I say unto you. . ."  (When you want the Word
on the Kingdom, listen to what the King of kings has to say.)   Jesus
was telling them to pay close attention; then He said, "unless you are
converted. . ."
   Weren't they already believers?  Hadn't they already forsaken all to
follow Jesus?  What, then, does Jesus mean by telling them to be
converted?  The New International Version probably does a good job of
capturing the meaning when it says, "unless you change. . ."    The word
translated "converted" in the KJV is from the Greek word STREPHO and it
literally means "to turn, to change directions."
   Jesus wasn't denying their new birth.  Jesus wasn't questioning their
faith in Him, but He was cautioning them to stop looking for the Kingdom
of Heaven through the eyes of the world.   They needed to change
directions, move from the realm of the flesh, to that of the spirit.
   Jesus told James and John, when they came with selfish ambitions,
that Kingdom of God is not about becoming lord over others, it is about
being a servant to others.  Yet we live in a world, even in the church
world, where people are looking in the wrong places for the Kingdom of
God.  One study showed that the great majority of people who are looking
for a church begin by asking what the church has to offer them, instead
of looking for what they can offer the church.   They look at programs
instead of places to serve.  They look at facilities and finances
instead of finding their ministry, rolling up their sleeves and doing
works that God has sent them to do.
   Jesus is telling many in the world today, turn around, the Kingdom is
this way, it's not in meat and drink, but in service, in ministry, in
loving and helping others.  Stop looking for a place to prop your feet
and be served, and start looking for a place to pick up a towel and
basin and wash the feet of others.

II.	CHANGE DISPOSITIONS
   They needed to change directions and they needed to change their
dispositions.  Before uttering a word in answer to their question, Jesus
called a child and placed this him in the middle of the group.  Jesus
used a multi-media approach to speaking before there was even a word for
it.  He wanted to make a visual impact upon the whole group.  They had
been looking at one themselves as candidates for power positions in the
Kingdom, but Jesus forced them to look on the least likely candidate in
the place -- a child.  Then, while He had their attention He said,
"unless you change and become as little children. . " 
   In contrast to the self aggrandizing attitudes which were all too
common even among the twelve, Jesus said, "You must become as a little
child."  In another place Jesus said, "If you want to be first, you must
be last."  He said, "If you want to find your life, you have to lose
it."  He said, "If you want to be great, you have to become a servant."

   A child was a fitting example of what God is looking for:  
   A)	A  little child is humble.  A two or three year old child has no
idea how much money Mommy and daddy make.  
   They don't go to the nursery and compare diapers.  "Hey!  You wear
store brand diapers.  I wear Pampers.  Loser!"   They don't read the tag
on the clothes, or the name on the shoes.  Little children don't place
values on people based on any of the value systems used by the world. 
When I come home my baby boy doesn't want to know how much money I made,
who I know, or where I'm headed.  All he wants is a big hug from daddy.
All he wants is for me to sweep him up in my arms tell him I love him
and tickle his cheek with an eight hour growth of beard.
   Jesus is telling His disciples that they'd better change their
disposition.  There was a little too much pride, a little too much
concern for self and not enough concern for others.

   B)  Another reason a little child is so fitting an example of the
character of a Christian striving to enter the kingdom, is that a little
child is totally dependent upon his parents.  
   When we were pastoring in Junction City, Kansas, there was a terrible
murder across the street from the church.  A man strangled his wife and
left the house with their nine month old baby to fend for himself.  The
man was on the run and the murder was not discovered until several days
later.  By the time the discovery was made, the baby had also died.  He
was too young to fend for himself, to feed himself, or protect himself.
   Likewise, we all need to learn "day by day dependency" upon God the
Father.  When a man thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall. 
We need to learn to depend upon God for the victories.  We need to
depend upon God for our daily bread.  We need to acknowledge God in all
our ways and He will direct our paths.

   C)	Along with dependency, comes trust.  Children naturally trust
their parents.  Trust can be lost when parents habitually betray that
trust, but normally a little child trusts his parents to take care of
him.
   When Timothy was a baby I used to toss him high into the air and
catch him when he came down.  He always loved that game.  He would laugh
and giggle while Sun stood holding her breath for fear I'd drop him.  I
never did.  Timmy never feared when I lifted him high into the air
because he trusted me, he knew I'd never let him fall.
   The kingdoms of this world are based on fear and intimidation.  The
kingdoms of this world have traditionally been established through
deceit, through lies, and through brute strength.  But the Kingdom of
God is build on faith in God, the love of God, and trust in God.  The
Kingdom of God is based upon this one unchanging truth, God will never
let you down.  Men may let you down, preachers may let you down, friends
may let you down, but God will never fail you.
    I heard the story of a pastor who would go to visit a child in the
countryside of Florida every Saturday.  The boy's mother had died, and
his father was an alcoholic.  The Pastor said that every Saturday he'd
go out to the house at about eleven o'clock and the little boy would
always be standing at the end of the sandy lane waiting.  He'd run up to
the Pastor in dirty clothes and bare feet and give him a bear hug.  The
father, if he was sober, spent most of his time watching television.  
   The Pastor said that one Saturday he was delayed and didn't make it
to the boy's home until late that afternoon.  He said that when he got
there the boy was still standing at the end of the lane.  When he got
out of the car the little boy ran up to him and with tears in is eyes
said, "I've been waiting for you all day!"
   That is the kind of childlike trust that will enable us to keep
looking, to keep waiting for our coming King when everything and
everyone around us says "He's not coming back, He's forgotten you."  In
an hour when ye think not, the children of the Kingdom will still be
praying, will still be watching, will still be waiting.  Why?  Because
He's never let us down.  He'd said He'd be back, so we know know He'll
be back.  We don't know when, but whenever it is, childlike faith will
keep us looking heavenward.

III.	CHANGED DESTINY
   A changed direction and a changed disposition will result in a
changed destiny.  Jesus is very straight with His answer to the
disciples here.  He says, in effect, "Far from being the greatest in the
Kingdom, unless you change and become like a child, you won't even see
the Kingdom!"
   The Kingdom of God is present and it is future.  It is realized in
the present by those who acknowledge Jesus as the King.  It is realized
in the present by those who do not serve the prince of the powers of
darkness, but who have come out of the darkness and into His marvelous
light.   The Kingdom of God is present in the lives of those whose sins
have been washed beneath the cleansing flow. 
   John said, "Beloved, now are we the children of God. . ."  So the
Kingdom has meaning and power for us now.  It's not all pie in the sky,
in the sweet bye and bye.  I'm a child of God today with all the rights
and privileges granted.
   But the Kingdom of God is also a future hope.  John goes on to say,
". . .and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that,
when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he
is "(1 Jn 3:2).
   Jesus instructed His disciples to pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will
be done."  There is yet a coming of the Kingdom which we anticipate with
joy.  But neither the present joys, nor the future hope of the Kingdom
can be realized until we come to God as a child; with humble hearts,
depending upon Him and trusting Him always.

Conclusion:
   Friends, we can all become distracted by the allurements of the
world.  We can get caught up in a culture which praises the individual
who can get ahead without losing his.  But Jesus tells us that if we
really want to get ahead, and if we want to lay up treasures in heaven,
then we need to change our direction and change our disposition so that
He can change our destiny.
   When Peter started asking Jesus about the role of John in the
Kingdom, Jesus said, "What is that to thee?  Follow thou me."  Do you
really want to be great in the Kingdom?  Then take up your cross and
follow Jesus with a childlike faith. 
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Mark Hardgrove (M.Div. Church of God School of Theology) is pastor of
the Suwanee Church of God in Suwanee, GA.  The home page of the Suwanee
Church can be found at www.churchnetwork.com/suwaneecog  
A brif bio. of Pastor Hardgrove can be found on the home page by
clicking on his name.  He opens his calander to preach four revivals
each year and is as happy to preach at a small church as the larger
churches. E-mail destinie@ix.netcom.com  Phone: 770-945-1821