Jesus' greatest
disciple!
Have you ever looked through the "Guinness Book of Records" at
some of the very strange things people have done to become "the
greatest". Many people are not content to be the best they can be
1*. - they want to
become the greatest!
This lust to be great often leads to deceit or to the use of force
in the hope of gaining fame. You have seen this in sport, in
politics, in business, in school and even in religion!
One day "a dispute arose among the disciples of Jesus as to which
of them was to be the greatest." 2*. Jesus came along and quickly settled the
dispute. Do you know which one Jesus said was the greatest? If you
think you do then you are wrong! Jesus never named any one of the
disciples as being the greatest.
Jesus said the them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them,
.. But you are not to be like that." 3*. None of Jesus' disciples were ever to be as a
king or lord over the others! Jesus Christ holds the position of
our only Sovereign and Lord. 4*.
This is one way you can recognise the true follower of
Christ - he or she will not accept any leaders who claim to take
the place of Jesus or who claim their teachings are as important as
His. 5*.
BEWARE! Many religious teachers and priests want to be
trusted as if they were in Jesus' place! No man can take Jesus
place. 6*.
So, Jesus never appointed one of His followers to replace Him as
Leader or Head. He had told His followers, "It is for your good
that I am going away. Unless I go away the Counsellor will not come
to you; but if I go, I will l send Him to you." 7*. The only One who could and would
take the place of God the Son was to be God the
Spirit!
But Jesus had advice for them about how they could become great!
"The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one
who rules like the one who serves." 8*.
Jesus was not asking His followers to do something that He had not
been willing to do Himself. "I am among you as One who
serves", He reminded them. Jesus had come from Heaven to serve
us in an unbelievable way - to do an awful job for you and me. "He
Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree", 9*. so that He would be able to rescue
us from sin and make it possible for us to live for God.
Have you put your trust in those who claim to be able to
take Jesus' place? Or have you accepted Jesus' offer of forgiveness
by faith in Him alone as you Priest and Saviour?
10*. Make sure you
are trusting in Him alone today!
All who trust in Jesus are promised greatness in His coming
kingdom. In the mean time they are willing servants of Jesus
here on earth wanting to encourage others to turn to have faith in
Jesus, the Saviour God sent into the world.
Read in Luke's Gospel chapter 22, verses 24-30 about becoming
Jesus' greatest disciple!
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
For the next reading from Luke's Gospel go to NEXT
In order to browse further "Good News Compage" prompts and
commentary for Luke's Gospel check out the review index.
---------------oOo---------------
>
Bible quotations from N.I.V.
11st Timothy
6:6-10.
2 Luke 22:24.
3 Luke 22:25-26.
4Jude 1:4. 1st Timothy
6:15.
5 John 14:6. 12:48.
Matthew 7:24-27.
6 Matthew 24:4-5.
7 John 16:7-15.
8 Luke 22:25.
9 1st Peter 2:24.
10 Acts 4:12. John
3:16-19.
