Hey hey, Hollywood, here we come!

I sat down on the couch a few days ago during our vacation to eat a salad. The kids were watching a show called "Drake and Josh" on TV. As I chomped on my greens I began watching this show, apparently very popular among kids. It was actually the "Drake and Josh go Hollywood" movie, which was mildly entertaining considering the lethargic state I was in. Drake, who is the lead singer in a band, was fortunate enough to land a guest-spot on MTV's TRL (Total Request Live) show. As he shows up in a borrowed Ferrari at the very last minute due to a plot that I don't care to rehearse, he is ushered on stage in front of hundreds of screaming females and live TV cameras. My kids were on the edge of their seats as Drake grabbed the mic and began to rock.

In our media saturated society, nearly every child seems to dream of being famous, important, known by millions, and noticed by adoring fans. But these desires do not stop after adolescence. We learn cleaver ways to disguise our overwhelming lust to be noticed. We often are even schizophrenic when it comes to these narcissistic tendencies. On one hand we tell ourselves we don't want it or need it while other times we catch ourselves dreaming about it and craving it like a drug. The lottery, reality TV, American Idol-"normal" people can now dream of being a celebrity. We can be somebody! We can go Hollywood!

I've been reading the gospel of Matthew a lot lately, taking a fresh look at the words of Jesus. I'm really seeing that the Kingdom of Heaven and Hollywood have nothing in common. They are bipolar opposites. The path to the Kingdom of Heaven is usually down the Walk of Shame rather than the Walk of Fame.

As I heard the expression "Kingdom of Heaven" growing up in church, thoughts of some magical theme park in the sky would come to my mind. In my imagination, it was a full of green rolling hills, crystal lakes, and large mansions scattered around the hilltops. The streets were gold, of course, and the main gold street led up to the throne, where God sat. This was the Kingdom of Heaven.

Well, my thoughts have evolved a bit...but, who knows, maybe I was closer then than I am now. I think that the Kingdom of Heaven has come when whatever God desires to be done is done. It seems a bit awkward to even write that statement. God is God, right? God can get whatever He wants anytime he wants. But then again, why would Jesus pray, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?" So, it seems apparent that God would allow His will not to be done on earth.

In the gospels, the teachings of Jesus allow us to gaze through the windows of his Kingdom and gain a greater understanding of the desires of God. I'm truly amazed each time I read these passages of how different the values of God's Kingdom are in light of the kingdoms we build.

PETER'S CONFESSION (Matthew 16:13-20)
In Matthew chapter 16 we have Peter's famous confession of Christ. At this point, Jesus tells Peter, " I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Peter's understanding of Jesus as the Messiah seems to be the reason that Jesus gives Peter the keys to his kingdom. This was followed by Jesus' words, "Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” Peter (and the other apostles) were empowered by Christ to now have authority and access into this Kingdom through there confession of Christ as the Messiah.
ILLUSTRATION OF A LITTLE CHILD (Matthew 18:1-4)
Fast forward to Chapter 18. Now that Jesus has indicated that Peter has some special authority in this new Kingdom, the disciples seem to be jockeying for other positions of authority. "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'" (Mt. 18:1) As they eagerly awaited his answer, I bet the disciples were shocked as Jesus detoured around the twelve of them to find a small child . "Excuse me son" Jesus might have said as he waved a small child into the huddle of dumbfounded disciples. "Unless you change your attitude and become like this child, you'll never see my Kingdom."

Again, don't just think of the Kingdom as a geographical location up with the stars somewhere. The Kingdom comes when God's will is done. And apparently, the Kingdom can't come to those who just desire greatness and aspire for recognition and reward based upon their accomplishments. Jesus goes on to say that the greatest in this Kingdom is the one who humbles himself like the little child standing among them. The kid had no accomplishments or achievements which he could insist qualified him for greatness. He had no resources of his own to enable him to purchase a place of prominence. He was a helpless little kid. I'm sure the disciples were thinking, "A child has no say in anything, he just does as he's told. Why would I want to be like him?"

RESTORATION AND FORGIVENESS (Matthew 18:15-20)
Jesus goes on to give additional illustrations about the value system of his Kingdom. He talks of restoration and being a person who chronically forgives others. His conversation with the rich young ruler leads him to tell the disciples that good works and money are not the path to his Kingdom. At this point, the disciples are so confused they ask Jesus who in the world then can be saved? Who can be citizen of this Kingdom? Jesus' answer...it's not possible through our efforts. Entrance is only possible and granted through the humble acceptance of God's grace!

God's Kingdom is not found through pushing our way to the front of the line. It's not about keeping moral laws so we can feel better about ourselves. We don't see the Kingdom come by making a name for ourselves, by demanding our way, and by craving the spotlight in order to push our agenda. God didn't grant the keys to the Kingdom so that I can be served by other but so that I can serve others! This was radical! It still is radical. But it gets even crazier!

RICH YOUNG RULER (Matthew 19:16-30)
As the rich young ruler is walking away, Peter (I love this guy) seizes the opportunity to remind Jesus that, unlike the rich guy, he and the disciples left everything to follow him. And he wants to know what's in it for him when Jesus' Kingdom comes in it's fullness. Jesus confirms to Peter that his reward will be great. He will rule from a throne as well as gain eternal life with Jesus. Jesus adds the following statement: "But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."

Jesus is either saying that although it appears to the disciples that the rich young ruler has all the qualities necessary for leadership in Jesus Kingdom, he does not possess the Kingdom qualities of leadership. Possibly, Jesus detect some wrong motives in Peter also, so he tacks on the statement to confront his improper motives. In light of Jesus' words about childlike trust, wealth, as well as the parable that follows, it seems to me that Jesus is teaching that those who strive for and possess power, prominence and riches on earth will not occupy those positions in heaven. There are not winners and losers in his Kingdom. Everyone finishes even. Jesus uses a parable of workers in a vineyard to illustrate.

WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD (Matthew 20:1-16)
I presented this parable to my 12 year old daughter using another hypothetical situation. I ask her if she would can up the yard, a job which would take quite a while, for $20.00. With a big smile on her face, she said, "Sure." I then ask her how she would feel if her brother showed up and only worked about an hour but I paid him $20.00 as well. Her smile quickly faded. "That wouldn't be fair!" she stated. "Why would he get the same as me but for a lot less work?"

I think this is a normal response to Jesus' parable. But the point isn't about economics and wages. Jesus was showing us that God's grace and his Kingdom values are like nothing ever encountered on earth. We don't need to insist on knowing what we are going to get out of serving God. God is so incredibly generous and always gives us much more than we could ever deserve. In God's kingdom, many people will be surprised! Jesus ends the parable with, "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

JESUS PREDICTS HIS DEATH (20:17-19)
JAMES AND JOHN'S REQUEST (Matthew 20:20-28)
Jesus follows with an explicit prediction of his death. Although Jesus has went to great lengths to explain his Kingdom values and his upcoming death, his disciples are still thinking about privilege, status, and power. James and John actually have the nerve to recruit their mom to help them try and secure powerful positions in Jesus' future Kingdom. Maybe thoughts of Peter with the keys to the Kingdom are still on their mind. The other 10 get perturbed with the Zebedee brothers for asking Jesus for places of honor in the Kingdom. Jesus responds by giving them a proverbial statement. Jesus called the disciples together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over their subjects, and their high officials throw their weight around. It's not going to be that way with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus was clear, greatness among his disciples was based on serving. In the disciple's culture, humility was a vice. They couldn't imaging a slave being given leadership. Jesus' Kingdom values were revolutionary! In order for God's will to come, my will must go. I have no rights. I must trust and depend on God's grace with the simpleness of a child. I must fight the walk of fame and embrace the walk of shame.