Don't Perish on Your Platform
When I lived in New Orleans, I was filled with excitement for all the new things I was experiencing. It was my first time living in a city. It was my first time to move somewhere and literally know no one. It was also my first time to ever get to truly choose my own church.
I remember visiting several churches and desiring to find the place where I really fit. When I finally found the church that would be my family and home, I remember feeling so excited. I loved everything about it and I just wanted to be a part of the movement. It was a church plant so each Sunday involved setting up and tearing down. In my zeal—after the service and still before I really knew anyone—I just started helping take down the chairs. I really didn’t care what I did, I just wanted to serve and be a part of it.
A No Name in the Kingdom
That’s the picture Jesus paints of the kingdom of God. When you find it, you’re excited. When you find it, you want to be a part of it. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44). The joy is found in being a part of the kingdom. It’s something bigger than us. The man in the parable didn’t care about the cost. He wanted to be in that kingdom. He was willing to lay down everything he had in order to obtain it.
I’m also reminded of a conversation with a friend when I was in college. We were discussing plans after college and at the time, the Passion movement (Louie Giglio) was really in it’s prime. I remember him telling me that he’d like to just offer to sweep the floors after the Passion conferences. He said he really didn’t care what he did. He just wanted to be a part of it.
I think when we have our hearts and minds focused on Christ, this is typically the attitude that follows. We want to serve him. We want to follow him. We want to do what it takes to make his name great even if no one knows ours. We’re content being a no name in the kingdom of heaven. John the Baptist knew this well when he said of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). John’s ministry was all about Jesus and not his own fame. Paul also understood this well. While he was well known, he also suffered greatly and endured much hardship to make Jesus famous.
Don’t Perish on Your Platform
When we use Jesus to make much of ourselves we start wading into very dangerous waters. When we use what is meant to glorify God to glorify ourselves we are stealing what doesn’t belong to us. When we pile up the praises of men and build a platform where we’re the ones being exalted then we look a lot like the Pharisees. When we use Jesus to build our own kingdoms then we will one day perish on our platforms.
As a student pastor, I get to be up on stage a lot. I’m in charge of a section of ministry. I even have people ask my opinion on theological issues sometimes, and believe me, I have a lot of opinions. All of this can lead—if I’m not careful—to arrogance, pride, and thinking I’m more important than I am. I feel like this is one of my biggest fears and something I have to constantly pray and guard against. I don’t want to feel more important than I am. I don’t want to be a Pharisee. Did you see what Jesus said about those guys!?
A question I continually ask myself is, “Would I be content going back to being a faithful church member who serves, disciples, and never sees the stage?” If the answer is no then I have a real problem and I better begin pleading with God to help my heart and help me kill my sin. If I’m seeking to make much of me then I’m using Jesus instead of serving him. If I’m seeking to build my own kingdom then I’ve lost sight of the real treasure worth giving everything up for.
Conclusion
It’s all about Jesus. He’s worth selling everything for. He’s worth living and dying for. He’s worth making much of. He’s worth serving even if no one ever knows our name. He deserves the platform. He deserves all the glory, honor, and praise. He must increase and we must decrease. He is far more exciting, glorious, wondrous, and magnificent than the most brilliant human words can paint him to be. He is everything.
