Priorities in the Kingdom 8
We get to the last one of Jesus’ firsts. We have had a fun journey so far. I have been challenged and changed. How about you? Before we look at the last one, here are the first seven again.
1. First be reconciled with your brother.
2. First seek the Kingdom.
3. First take the beam from your own eye.
4. First bind the strong man.
5. Gather ye together first the tares.
6. This is the first and great commandment.
7. Clean the inside of the cup first.
Matt. 20:16 The last shall be first, and the first last:
In our day and age, there is fierce competition amongst the business people, and sad to say, the church, about whom is first. Everyone wants to be bigger and better than the next person and everyone wants the latest and greatest technology. They call it “cutting edge.” In our churches it has created competition that has cost us fellowship. We can no longer enjoy each other without having a competition to see who is doing it better or who has the best results.
In the book of John, Peter and John run to the tomb after they hear that Jesus was raised from the dead. John writes that he outran Peter and got to the tomb first. He makes one big mistake. Even though he got there first, he stands outside and looks into the tomb. When Peter got there he does not stop at the tomb, but actually goes into the tomb. Even though John was there first, Peter was the first to enter in. What Peter saw was different than what John saw. You see I don’t care if you are first; I want to know if you will be the first one to enter in. After this, John enters in and the bible says he believed. There is a lot of people that are spectators, watching from the outside in, but only a few that are participators. They are the ones that will risk it all so that others might have a greater experience of Jesus.
Matt. 9:20-22 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
In this story we have a woman that wanted to do something that was done by hundreds of people but with completely different results. People thronged Jesus as he walk on earth. Everybody touched Him. She was different. She believed that if she could touch the hem of His garment she could be healed. So she acted on her faith and touched Him. She gets healed instantly. What I want you to see is this next scripture.
Matt. 14:36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
She wasn’t the first to touch Him, but she was the first to touch him with faith in her heart. Her doing that opened a door for many to follow her example. She wasn’t the first but she was the first one. The last shall be first and first shall be last. Many others have touched God's heart, but there is a unique way you can touch Him that will cause many others to experience God in a new way. Don’t worry about the ones that get there first, be the first to find a new way.
In the kingdom there is no competition. Competition is only possible where there are people wanting to be first. Be unique in who you are and find your own connection with God.