Greatest in God’s Kingdom Luke 22:24-38

You asked Me who is the greatest. You always want to know where you stand. Look back with Me and see that you are always thinking about what  your status is. You started with your position at home from the time you began to reason. You cared whether your parents thought you were the smartest, the cutest, the sharpest, the most obedient, the most independent etc.

Then you went to school and wanted to be the best student or the most talented, the most popular, the one with the greatest fashion or the one who called the most attention to self. At times, you gave up because you thought rebellion separated you from the rest and gave you your own independent status. You also withdrew because you felt it was too hard to try gaining it. Withdrawing in itself was your way of punishment to the world; To God.

During this quest, you chose different paths/careers in your life, and at times, your choosing was not because it was what you enjoyed doing, or what you were good at. It was because it would elevate your status above the rest. Some of you even chose to work in ministry and it was not the heart that led you because of your relationship to God but the love of self because it lifted you up above the rest.

It is a human thing. You were created that way. You were put in charge of creation. You are loved and especially crafted in the image of God. You were meant for great things, you were meant to live eternally with God. More often than not, you confuse how you find your identity and your “greatness” and believe it is through your strength. This is a lie of the present ruler of this world.

The apostles were not different. They had been with Me throughout My physical time in the ministry.  They were also seeking through the lenses of this world, who was the greatest. It was the Passover meal and I had told them about the one that was going to betray Me. These sad news set them off thinking about their status, their strength and their commitment to Me.

This world’s thinking is upside down. It is upside down because it does not understand that the life-giving God is love centered. For man and creation to reach its highest potential and be what God intended, it needs to be God centered and not-self centered. This is why My father keeps steering you to remain in Him so that you do not lose yourself, your focus and your purpose. I have come to reunite the world to Him. Remain in Me and I will give you the right focus.

As you center yourself in God through Me, God the son, you are able to understand your purpose in this world. You are able to unite your strength for the benefit of your human brother, sister, creation. You are all connected and your greatness and that of others depends on each other. Your greatness is only found in your creator and not on yourself.

Therefore, under this guideline, once you understand your purposes and align your will to God’s, He will use you in whatever capacity He has prepared you to seek, serve, lead your brother into the right path. I am the Begotten son. I came to serve you; For in order to rescue you, I lowered Myself to the depths of this earth to reach you.

My love for you is what led Me to have you in mind and not Myself. Your love for God and the love He has for humanity is what needs to propel what you do. As you are willing to serve in whatever capacity for His love, you will be greatest in the Kingdom.

In this world, the leaders are those who are served. Their names are in high places so that everyone can see. They love the places of honor and the titles that lift them higher. Their position is temporary and self-centered. They will wither and die. It is not this way in God’s kingdom.

As I told My apostles that day when they were questioning their worth, since they stood with Me and remained in Me, I told them they will be sitting at My table in My kingdom and judging the tribes of Israel.

They needed to understand also that they were not exempt from the enemy’s tempting lies and schemes as Judas had succumbed. While on this earth, you must remain in Me, you must take My hand. Pray and pray. Satan had demanded permission to ruin Peter spiritually and to sift him like wheat.

He asked for Peter as he asked for Job. He doesn’t ask for those who freely choose to obey him. He leads them with lies and keeps them in slavery and away from the love of God. God hurts over this. I am here to rescue them. To rescue you.

He has to ask permission for those who choose to belong to Me. I prayed for Peter so that once he went through it, he would come out stronger and able to strengthen the others. That is also what happened to Job. He became stronger as he remained focus on his Creator. He called on Me; His redeemer.

Remember to do the same. He can’t ever hurt your soul unless you give him permission. Remain in Me. I am your redeemer if you choose My gift,  I will give you strength. REMEMBER THAT PHYSICAL DEATH IS NOT YOUR END. It is a lie Satan loves to scare you with to trap you and take you with him to his end.

Peter thought he was ready to die with Me then. He wasn’t. He denied Me three times as I told him. His path was not done yet and there was some growth he needed to go through. He overcame with My help. His purpose was to bring the news to you; To build My church.

Do you know He was put to death on the cross like Me? He chose to die upside down for he did not think he deserved to die the way I did. He is with Me now. So will you when you remain in Me! Satan DID NOT hold Peter down. It is because of his work through Me that many of you had a chance. He is great in the kingdom because he chose to be a servant and work for My and My Father’s cause; Which is out of love for you.

Also on that day, during the passover meal, they were getting anxious and so was I. I was to go through so much pain; Physical, emotional, spiritually. I was to be separated from my life in the Father. I was to receive in Me the sins of the world. As Isaiah 53:12 says I was numbered with the transgressors to pay for the sins of the world. You know I paid for yours? You are mine if you choose to.

We were also speaking about what was to come. They had been used to being with Me. I was going to leave them physically. They were going to be persecuted because of Me. They were going to be persecuted because of the gospel.

Previously as Luke told you in chapter ten, I had sent them to bring the good news of the gospel to the villages and I sent them without anything. No money belts, no food rations, no extra clotting. I did this to show them that when working for the kingdom, I will provide for their needs. I will provide for your needs.

Since I was going to be killed and separated from them for a short while, I was encouraging them to prepare for this physical danger. They were to take what they needed for this time and protect their lives.  As frequently, they misunderstood what I was saying and thought I wanted them to defend Me. I told them it was enough.