The Heaton File

For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. (Romans 16:19-20a)

Innocent Toward Evil Things

The devil is a powerful foe. He is like a roaring lion seeking all those he can devour, consume, and destroy. Satan knows he is doomed to the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented day and night forever and ever. That is certain. Evil abounds in the world. Satan tries to fill the minds of men with every evil intent of the heart. The wiles of the devil are the abomination of a cruel and merciless adversary who opposes everything that is righteous. There is little doubt about the ugliness and horrific nature of sin. As dark as sin must be viewed, one of the greatest tools to fight against the temptations of Satan is to remain innocent and pure concerning evil.

No one should be ignorant of sin, and caution should always be taken when dealing with the works of the flesh. Paul commends the saints in Rome for their faith and loyalty to the kingdom of God. Their example has become known to many of the brethren in the church as a bastion of faith and courage in the midst of a corrupt and wicked city – Rome. However, their faith was resilient enough to withstand the influence of the evil political machine that sought to discredit the nature of truth and righteousness. The apostle encourages Christians to demonstrate their faith through their actions and to be discerning in all things that are good. Truth stands on the premise of believing and holding fast to the purity of those things good in the sight of God.

Another way the Roman saints demonstrate their courage is by remaining harmless or innocent toward those things that are evil. Jesus illustrated this when He said that disciples must be like children. There is a pure innocence in a child’s heart that does not see prejudice, hatred, anger, and jealousy. A child’s heart is pure when it comes to the evils of the world. God designed the human spirit to begin with complete innocence, demonstrating the power of goodness and truth. All things are true to a young mind. Sadly, when a child becomes an adult, all the evils of the world become too clear.

Paul’s admonition to deal with evil was to have no plans to follow after wicked things. Staying as far away from evil was the best course to deal with the wiles of the devil. The Holy Spirit said of the man Job in the Old Testament that he turned away from evil, refused to allow evil things in his life, avoided evil, and stayed away from evil. The King James Version uses an interesting word: Job “eschewed evil.” The people of God need to be eschewing people! To be innocent of evil does not ignore evil but seeks to remain as far away from any form of evil as possible. Godliness is profitable in lessening the impact of sin.

If a man refuses to play with snakes, he is less likely to be bitten. Too many Christians play with the wiles of the garden serpent and are surprised when they get bitten. Sin will find its way into the lives of God’s people, but they should never invite the devil in either. Trying to live as close to the world and its evil influence and remaining pure in the eyes of God is playing a game that will end in disaster. God told Israel to stay as far away from the nations around them, and they refused. Israel was destroyed because it invited evil into its heart. Wisdom shows that when a man takes fire into his bosom, he will suffer terribly. When a man walks on hot coals, his feet will be burned. How do you crush Satan? Be simple concerning evil.

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. (Genesis 8:20)

Noah Built An Altar

One of the fundamental characteristics of the human gene is the need to worship. Man is the only creature that worships because he is made in the image of his Creator. God formed man and woman as creatures that would glorify Him, but the devil changed that. What was not lost in the fall of man was the need for man to worship God. Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, understood the importance of worship. In the process of time, the sons of Adam brought offerings to the Lord for worship. Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, and Abel sacrificed of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. Both sacrifices were prescribed by the Lord, although the text does not describe how Cain and Abel came to know the importance of sacrifice.

The evil heart of Cain shows that the first man knew the importance of true worship. God refused to accept the sacrifice of Cain because his heart was evil. Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice to God because he was righteous. The Lord accepted his offering, establishing worship as based upon doing the will of God and having a heart guided by truth and spirit. Worship has always been based upon the spirit and truth of the worshipper as he seeks the blessing of God. A man must worship God according to the will of God.

Noah lived in a world void of righteousness. He found grace in the eyes of the Lord because he was righteous and, along with his family, was saved in the ark. Noah obeyed the will of God when he built the ark. The ark had to be constructed according to everything required by the Lord – it was made of gopherwood, covered inside and outside with pitch, measuring 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high, with one window. Noah did according to all that God commanded him. Through his obedience, Noah was saved from the wrath of God. When the flood was over and Noah stood on dry land, Noah built an altar to the Lord. He took of every clean animal and every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

There were only eight people on Earth when Noah built an altar. Who told him to build an altar? Why did Noah build an altar after witnessing the deluge of a global flood killing every human being on the face of the planet? Noah understood the laws of worship, including offering burnt offerings to the Lord God. This event took place long before Moses received the law from God on Sinai. Noah acted as a man who knew God required worship and worship in spirit and truth. Many years later, Noah’s descendant Abraham would leave his mark throughout the world by the smoke of his altars as he obeyed the voice of the Lord.

Abraham rescued his nephew Lot from an invading army that had taken him captive. On the return home from the rescue mission, Abraham met Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who was also the priest of God Most High. Melchizedek predates Moses, yet he was a priest of the Lord. A priesthood establishes law, which includes worship. During the days of Abraham, there was “organized religion,” as Melchizedek proves that God has always required man to worship Him in spirit and truth. From righteous Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Melchizedek, God has patterned the nature of man to serve Him in accordance with His word.

The covenant God offers man today is found in worship through His Son, Jesus Christ. There is no other way to eternal life but Jesus Christ. Worship is vain if it is not founded on the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught that His Father demands worship in spirit and truth. This is not a new idea, but one as old as the earth. Does it make a difference in how we worship? Ask Cain. Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron (nephews of Moses), learned what worship meant. Jesus rebuked the Jewish leaders of His day for corrupting the worship of God. Vain worship leads to failure. True worship leads to victory.

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38)

Incredible Faith

Nazareth was a quiet town in the region of Galilee. It was a town of carpenters where a young man named Joseph learned his craft like many young men of his day. Joseph was of the house and lineage of David and betrothed to a maiden named Mary. She was also of the tribe of Judah and the lineage of David. Mary was also related to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, who was of the lineage of Aaron. Joseph and Mary were married according to Jewish custom, although they had not yet consummated their marriage. Mary was a virgin.

During the betrothal period, the angel Gabriel visited Mary to share some amazing news with her. Gabriel told Mary she would conceive in the womb and bring forth a Son. His name would be Jesus. He would be great and called the Son of the Highest. The Lord would give Jesus the throne of David, and He would reign over the house of Jacob forever. Mary, startled by the news, said to the angel that she couldn’t give birth to a son as she was a virgin. Gabriel assured her the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and the power of the Highest would overshadow her. There was nothing impossible for God to perform, and a virgin giving birth to a son was possible for the God of creation.

Mary had no warning or prophecies, pointing out that she would be the one with whom the Messiah would come. Isaiah had prophesied a virgin would bring the Messiah into the world, but no one told her she would be the one. She was the wife of a carpenter in a poor town that was nondescript in the nation of Israel. The angel Gabriel tells her that she is highly favored by God, and through her, the Son of God will enter the world. While everything seemed impossible to believe, Mary accepted the word of Gabriel by faith and implored the Lord’s word to be fulfilled through her.

Faith is necessary to please God. Strong faith is found when the testing of courage shows itself in accepting something that is incredible, impossible, unbelievable, and implausible. No matter how far science advances in the mind of man, babies are born through the act of a man and a woman. There is no other way a child is conceived in the womb. Contrary to modern science suggesting men can have babies, a child will only come into the world through the womb of a woman. Virgins cannot have babies. That is an impossibility. Mary understood this. There was no doubt in her mind about how babies are born. Yet, Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, tells her she will have a Son, and she accepts the word of God because God’s word is true – even when it is impossible.

There is little to describe the kind of faith required to accept the word of God fully without reservation. Abraham was told to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering, and he acted without hesitation. He believed God could raise his son from the dead, and in a figure that is exactly what happened. Mary had the faith of Abraham, accepting the impossible, knowing that nothing was impossible with God. His word was true, His promises sure, and whatever the Lord asked Mary to do, she was willing to obey. Her faith was that strong.

God has not asked anyone to offer their children as burnt offerings. He will not come to anyone to declare that they will enjoy a miraculous birth. What God has done is to give the world a book which reveals His will, His word, His promises, and His Son. Too many people read the Bible and walk away, saying what God is asking is impossible. They deny His word. Their hearts are unwilling to accept what they cannot understand. They will be lost for lack of faith. Mary believed with all her heart she would bear a Son, and she did. It is wrong to worship Mary as anything more than a blessed woman given the opportunity to serve the Lord God. The early church never venerated Mary; they worshipped her Son.

What part of the Bible do you consider impossible? It is the part you refuse to obey. Mary leaves an example of incredible faith, measured by the trust and loyalty that God can do anything and that nothing is impossible for God. If God can raise the dead, what can He not do in your life? He raised Jesus from the dead two thousand years ago, and Jesus still lives. Impossible? Not with the will and power of God. Believe in the impossible.

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25)

Worry, Worry, Worry

The story has been told of Death walking toward a city. A man stopped Death and asked, “What are you going to do?” Death replied, “I’m going to kill 10,000 people.” “That’s horrible,” the man said. “That’s the way it is,” Death answered, “That’s what I do.” So, the day passed. That evening, the man met Death coming back, and he said, “You said you were going to kill 10,000 people, but I heard that 70,000 were killed.” Death said, “I only killed 10,000. Worry and fear killed the others.”

Jesus taught in the mountain sermon that worrying cannot add anything to life but fear and trepidation. The birds of the air do not worry because they know the Lord will care for them. They do not plant, harvest, or store food in barns to care for themselves and others. Birds trust that their Creator will care for them and live worry-free lives. The object lesson should be clear for those made in the image of God, but one of the greatest challenges of life is to allow our hearts to trust completely in God’s care. While God has promised to feed the birds, He never said anything about bringing the seed to the nest. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden and given responsibilities to look after the garden.

Worry and fear can and have destroyed lives because the focus is not on what is important. Life is filled with clothing, feeding, and protection. Provisions must be made to clothe a family. Food must be prepared daily to care for the body. There is a need for measures to be taken to keep a family safe. Letting the heart be overwhelmed with worry and fear destroys the blessings of life. God has provided what man needs – yet man believes he needs so much more to be happy, and in doing so, destroys his life with worry. Learning to keep life in focus on important things is where the difficulty comes.

The tragedy of worry can consume a life to the point where there is no joy. Working tirelessly will not bring happiness and fulfillment. Lost time can never be regained. Life is more than the physical things of life. The fear of disease and dying is very real, but it is a reality no one shall escape. Worry does not change reality. Trusting that God knows and understands gives the heart pause to enjoy life and treasure the most important moments. The Bible is a message from God to calm the nerves, focus the mind, and build trust in the Creator. Believing in the word of God will remove the fear and worry that consumes the world.

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

Facing Death Is Letting Go Of Life

Death has always been the uninvited guest that crushes the soul and leaves a void desperate to be filled. The consequence of sin is not only the separation of God and man but the loss of the Tree of Life. God created Adam and Eve as mortal creatures and blessed them with the gift of eternal life by placing the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden. As a result of sin, God removed them from the garden, and death came to all men. Moses records the first story of death when Cain killed his brother, Abel. It is difficult to imagine how Adam and Eve processed death.

Methuselah lived to be 969 years, but the record says, “and he died.” Long life did not negate the reality of death, and while Methuselah lived longer than any known human being, he still died. Throughout the history of the human struggle, death was the reality that changed the course of how men viewed themselves and eternity. In the days of Noah, everyone on earth died in the flood, with only eight souls saved in the ark. The world viewed life as more important than death. Noah warned of the impending doom coming by the wrath of God, but the world did not listen because they saw only what was before their eyes.

When Job lost everything he owned, including the lives of his ten children, he remained resolute in his trust that God was a merciful Father. After losing his health, his wife implored him to curse God and die. Job faced death with a deeper view of life when he remembered that he came into the world naked from his mother’s womb, and he would die the same way. He knew God had blessed him with many good things in life and that adversity was a real part of life. What guided Job’s heart was facing death, knowing that all the things he had in life mattered little. He knew he was an eternal creature that would dwell in a world without end. All that he possessed in life would be taken away in death. He saw life for what it was – a vapor. What mattered to Job was what came with death – eternity.

The only way to face death is to let go of life. Jesus told the story about a rich man who was blessed with incredible bounty. He needed to build bigger barns to store his crops. Jesus called him a fool because he died that night and left all his possessions behind. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man left all his wealth. There are two ways to view death. First, it is with great fear and trepidation. Second, with a faithful resolve to embrace what death brings. The reason that most fear death is that they have attached themselves so permanently to the things of this world that they do not want to lose them. There are many blessings in life, and untold blessings God has given in this world. These blessings are intended to draw the soul to God, to worship Him. When the heart becomes so attached to the riches of this world, there is no desire to die, only fear.

Why does a man face death with joy? How can a child of God calmly embrace death with a quiet resolve? It comes from a heart that no longer looks at the frivolous things of life that will be taken away to accept an eternity that will never end. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the blessings of life, but it should never convince the soul to hold on to those things that will be lost in death. A man lies on his deathbed, and he looks forward to dying. How? Why? He has come to realize that the things of life are temporal, but the things of God are eternal. For those faithful who have sought the love of God and lived for the grace of a loving Father, death is only a step into a place that is greater, more magnificent, peaceful, and filled with the presence of the Divine.

Death is not to be feared. The process of dying can have its fears and mysteries. Embracing the reality of death is required because all men will die. No one will escape. The difference lies in looking at life and knowing that there is nothing that can be exchanged for a soul. If a man gained everything in life and died outside Christ, he dies a fool. All he gains in life, he leaves, and he finds himself with nothing in eternity. The object of life is to leave everything here and live for all that God has promised in eternity. Death is a door – that’s all. Walk through the door with hope. Find that promise in the covenant of Jesus Christ.

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. (Matthew 6:7-8)

He Knows What We Need

Prayer is the privilege of going to the Creator of the world and asking for supplications, needs, protection, and guidance. Few people can do that because this joy is afforded only to those who are children of God. When a person obeys the gospel of Jesus Christ, they become a child of God and a heir of the promises of God. The storehouse of spiritual blessings is open wide for the one who can now call upon the Creator of the world as Father. Whatever need the Christian has will be measured by a Father’s love. Children often ask for things they do not need, and God is no exception. He is not a vending machine dispensing endless bounty to spoiled children. The Father will say no to the wishes of children who ask for the wrong things. But He will bless His children with His glory, knowing what they need before they ask.

Jesus says the Heavenly Father knows what His children need before they ask. God is not an inattentive Father unaware of what is going on in the lives of His family. Earthly fathers can struggle to know and understand everything that impacts the lives of their children. A father can become so busy with life’s affairs that he fails to notice signs of trouble in his children’s lives or misses opportunities to help them. Earthly fathers are limited in the resources to care for every need of their child. This is not the case with the divine Father. God knows everything about His children, and He knows everything they need.

The care of the Heavenly Father is never ending. Out of the billions of souls that walk the face of the earth, God knows those who are His, their needs, their challenges, their hopes, their struggles – and He hears every one of their prayers. Nothing is missed. He forgets nothing. If a child of God is struggling to be faithful in China, God knows. When a Christian in Bulgaria is weeping over the death of a loved one, the Father loves and cares for His child. An aged saint is preparing to pass into eternity, and the Heavenly Father has angels waiting to carry her to the bosom of Abraham. A young man in America is struggling with addiction – the Father knows. When a family goes to worship on the first day of the week, the Heavenly Father tunes His heart to hear their voices.

God hears all the prayers of His children, and He knows what they need before they ask because, as a loving and caring Father, He watches over them. There is never a time when the Father does not see and know the needs of His children. His heart is broken when He sees one of His children drift away from His love. He is saddened for His children who return to the world and away from His grace. Like the prodigal, the Father waits patiently in the hopes the son will return; and when He does – rejoice with all the heavenly host. God knows what I need before I ask because He loves me and has given me great promises. When I fail, He will forgive me as I repent. He has promised that I can know that I will live with Him. What an incredible Father we serve.

Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)

There Is No Other God But One

Idolatry is the height of foolishness for anyone to engage in. For all the wisdom of man, he makes himself a fool to take an inanimate object and make it his totem to worship. The prophet Isaiah wrote about the foolishness of human reasoning in cutting down a tree, using some of the wood to cook his food, and then fashioning the rest into an idol. He then bows down to the idol seeking deliverance and guidance. Idols never speak. They never move on their own. The difference between the one true God and an idol is that God created man, but man creates his own god in idolatry. How does something created by the fashion of a man’s hand become a god to rely on or deliver from trouble?

The early church faced a world dominated by idolatry. In every Roman city, idols flourished and temples abounded in great numbers. Some cities, like Laodicea, were centers of imperial worship with the coveted recognition of temple-wardenship. Philadelphia was known as the “Little Athens” because it had numerous temples and festivals dedicated to pagan deities. Idolatry was woven into every fabric of society in the Roman world of the early Christian era. The Christians faced a daily barrage of idolatry, facing persecution for not being part of the worship of idols or emperors. John addressed these challenges in the Revelation. Pressure from the idol worshippers would bring a heavy price against the saints of God.

Idolatry is the reason Israel was rejected as the people of God. When Israel conquered Canaan, the Lord warned them against adopting the ways of the nations around them. They did not listen. During the days of the Judges, idolatry plagued the hearts of God’s people with a vicious cycle of rebellion, relief, and restoration. After the death of Solomon, Israel fell headlong into idolatry, leading to the destruction of the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom taken into captivity by Babylon. In principle, the captivity was meant to cure Israel of idolatry. The early church faced a pagan world filled with idolatry. One of the trials for the saints was the influence of idolatry. It was a challenge for those who once served idols to see the purity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul would write extensively, helping the young Christians learn that idols were nothing and that there was only one God and one Lord, Jesus Christ.

For those who have never lived under the influence of idolatry, the experiences of the early disciples are hard to see. Eating meat offered to idols bothered some of the saints who once worshipped idols. Paul wanted the Corinthian disciples to make the distinction that there was but one God, and He is the only true God. There is no other God but the one God. The concept of “one God” was a foreign idea to the pagan world, accustomed to the multitude of gods and lords. Jesus was the Son of God, and there was only one Father. There is only one God. He is the Father of the saved. All things consist in Him, and the Christian must live for the one true God. There is only one Lord Jesus Christ. The pagan world accepted many lords. In the church of Christ, there was only one Savior and Lord. All blessings are in Christ Jesus. Life is found only in Jesus Christ.

The radical doctrine on only one true God rattled the theocracy of the pagan world. Believing there was only one God and one Lord flew in the face of emperor worship, idolatry, where the worship of many, many gods was accepted. The first-century Christians proclaimed that there was only one God, rejecting gods like Diana, Roma, Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, and thousands more. If a man stood on the street corner and pronounced there was one God, he would be assaulted. The Roman world embraced idolatry, with its multitude of gods and lords. Paul reminded the saints that there is only one true God.

The message of monotheism (belief in one God) is not accepted in many parts of the world. Buddhists follow the god Buddha, among others. Hindu followers worship the gods Ganesha, Shiva, Krishna, and many others. In Shinto (Japanese), the gods are referred to as “kami.” Many religions and their offspring worship one form of a god or another. In Christ, there is but one God. Jesus Christ is the head of the church. No man can take the role (like the Catholic Pope). Revering the Pope as “God on earth” is idolatry at its core. The Bible teaches only one God. There is only one God. Whatever men create is false gods with no power. Eternity is not filled with the gods of this world but the one true God who made all things.

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. (Colossians 3:8-10)

Do Not Lie

A little girl came very early one morning to her mother, saying, “Which is worse, mama, to tell a lie or to steal?” The mother replied that both were so sinful she could not tell which was worse. “Well, mama,” replied the little one, “I have been thinking a good deal about it, and I think it is ever so much worse to lie than steal.” “Why, my child?” asked the mother. “Well, you see, mama, it is like this,” said the little girl: “If you steal a thing, you can take it back, unless you have eaten it, and if you have eaten it, you can pay for it; but a lie is forever.”

Lying is one of the most prolific sins known to men. Business deals justify the art of the lie. Relationships are destroyed when lies are revealed. Almost every part of life can find people telling small, socially acceptable, inconsequential lies and believing nothing is wrong. To tell a lie is nearly an accepted norm in society. For the most part, lying is something done once in a while, but there is a percentage of the world that are habitual liars. Someone has suggested that the majority of lies are told by a minority of liars. Some people lie because they believe they are better at creating lies than telling the truth. They will embed a lie in a body of truth, and no one knows the difference.

Lying is a sin. God detests liars. Ananias and Sapphira lied to God in the early days of the church, and God struck them dead. The reason for such swift judgment against them is only in the mind of God but it serves as a warning to the view of God against those who tell lies. God knows when men lie with their lips. No lie will go unpunished. Lying is a corrupt heart that refuses to embrace truth. Jesus never told a lie and demands that those who follow Him seek to keep their hearts filled with truth. “Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all.” (O. W. Holmes, 1858)

The little child in the above story learned a valuable lesson. God looks at lying and stealing as the same because they are both transgressions of His law. But the consequence of a lie has so many far-reaching consequences that it can become a greater tragedy than stealing. Lies break down trust, destroy faith, and create a spirit of jealousy that can be hard to mend. Sometimes lies will impact someone for as long as they live. The only solution to lying is to tell the truth. Speaking the truth makes the pillow easier to lie on at night. God is pleased when we tell the truth. Lying can jeopardize our soul because God does not take lightly those who lie. God’s grace will forgive lying but it is best not to lie.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” (Mark 10:35)

Expecting God To Do As I Ask

Zebedee was a man who had two sons who were impetuous and zealous of spirit. Jesus chose the two sons of Zebedee to be in His inner circle of disciples to take the gospel to the whole world. On one occasion, when Jesus entered a village of the Samaritans and the people did not receive Jesus, James and John implored the Lord to command fire to come down from heaven and consume the people. They cited the case of Elijah as justification for this rash act. Jesus rebuked them for their evil spirit to destroy precious lives. The Lord came to save men, not wipe them off the map with fire from heaven.

Jesus called James and John the “sons of thunder.” There is no indication why Jesus chose to label them as He did. There was a hotheaded spirit about the two brothers that caused problems within the twelve. A few weeks before Jesus was crucified, James and John (and their mother) came to Jesus asking for a special favor. They asked Jesus to grant them what they wanted. It was a bold move to demand something from Jesus. The apostles were unclear about the mission of Jesus, still hanging on to the mistaken idea that God would restore the kingdom of David, and Jesus would reign in Jerusalem. James and John asked to serve as co-rulers with Jesus, one on His right, and one on his left.

Whenever a man decides to seek a high office of importance, hungry piranhas circle around the campaign to place themselves at strategic positions of power within the government. It seems incredible that after nearly three years, James and John are still frivolously missing the purpose of the work of Jesus. They demanded that Jesus grant them what they wanted. When challenged about bearing the “cup” of responsibility that came with that request, the two brothers arrogantly affirm they can bear any challenge that comes along. Little did they know the extent of the suffering Jesus would endure. They had no idea how much their lives would change after the death of Jesus.

James and John came to Jesus demanding something they had no right to suggest. They were not asking but expecting. Even when Jesus chided them for their question, their arrogance led them to tell Jesus they could handle anything that would come. Could James have known that his death would come from Herod when the apostle was killed with a sword? He preached at Pentecost and witnessed three thousand people obey the gospel of Christ in baptism. James was instrumental in spreading the gospel of Christ throughout the world. His death would come early in the church.

John would live to be an old man who watched his fellow apostles martyred for the word of Christ. The beloved apostle cared for Mary, the mother of Jesus. His writings would show the glory of the divine nature of Jesus and the power of God’s love. The John of the gospels is not the same John who wrote the gospel and the letters of love. James and John changed from being the sons of thunder to the sons of the Most High King who bore the cup of suffering promised by Jesus. They would never again demand anything from the Lord.

There is a spirit among men that demands things from God. The arrogance of human pride uses God like a vending machine, expecting God to perform whatever desire the human heart has. Men have recreated God in their own image to serve them as their totem of religion. They have changed the message of salvation, rejecting the plain teaching of scripture. The reason there are so many churches today who claim to follow Jesus is that they have demanded that the Lord change His will to fit their desires. Preachers preach a gospel not found in scripture. They expect God to whimper to their demands, teaching doctrines like the sinner’s prayer, salvation by grace alone or faith alone, carnal worship, or, as some suppose, there is a new gospel, whether as a watchtower lie or message from the angel Moroni. God rejects these demands. He will not bow to man or accept the demands of the human heart. How dare a man make such a claim against the Lord.

Jesus is the only truth, and His word is sealed in Heaven. Men can boast against Him, but He remains unchanged. There is one church, one faith, one baptism, one Spirit, and only one hope. Jesus is the only Lord. God is the only Father. Man is made a little lower than the angels. Only when the hearts of men subject themselves to the will of the Father and submit totally to His will can salvation be found. Are you demanding of God, or are you subjecting your life to Him? Your answer has eternity written all over it.

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.” (Luke 9:46-48)

Arguing About Greatness

The angels smile when men are filled with pride. God made man a little lower than the angels, and the angels know their place. Pride is one of the greatest sins of men who believe themselves to be greater than what they are. How could anyone believe they are the greatest of any man when they are made in the same image as other men? There are differences in intellect, as the minds of some are extraordinary, while many are simply ordinary. Some have greater talents than others in multiple fields of accomplishment. If a man reaches the zenith of greatness in his time, to what end does he find satisfaction? Generations removed from his accomplishments will never know his name.

One of the most ironic stories in scripture is when the apostles of Jesus argue about who will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Imagine how silly that discussion would be standing in the presence of the Son of God. How can grown men argue about who will be the greatest when the greatest man who has ever lived stands before them? Jesus looks around and finds a little child and sets the child next to Him. Here is the Son of God with twelve stout men standing before Him and a child sitting next to Him, and Jesus tells them to be great in the kingdom of God: a man must have the heart of a little child. Children are not born to be proud; they learn it from adults. There is very little pride in the heart of a little child. They are fully trusting, innocent, forgiving, and pure in their thoughts. On more than one occasion, Jesus uses little children to remind the adults what the true nature of the kingdom is all about.

Disputing about greatness is a folly among men. Children are naturally innocent of ambition, pride, and arrogance. They are characteristically humble and teachable. The disciples failed to understand the nature of the work of Jesus, believing He had come to establish a physical kingdom. The attempt to throw off the shackles of the Roman government had failed for generations, but somehow, they thought the man from Nazareth was going to succeed. Jesus did not come to set up an earthly kingdom like the days of David and Solomon. Greatness in the kingdom of heaven would be found in the hearts of the people who made the spiritual kingdom of Christ a reality. Arguing about who would be greater defeated the purpose of the ministry of Jesus. Men were looking to themselves for greatness rather than finding greatness in the presence of Jesus.

True greatness is found in a man who lowers himself to a place where he can see how small he is and how great God is. When men elevate themselves above the will of the Father, they fill their hearts with arrogant pride that will destroy them. Eleven of the men who argued about greatness would find a humble spirit as they spread the gospel of Christ to the world, where ten of those men would die a martyr’s death. The Bible shows man what he is. God made man a little lower than the angels, but Jesus did not die for the angels – he died for the world. To be great in the kingdom of Heaven is to find the love and mercy of a forgiving Father who washes away all sin in the blood of Jesus Christ. When a man rises from the waters of baptism, he has become great because the grace of God has saved him.

To measure one’s greatness by another is to measure another as less than how God measures them. Pride and arrogance make a man think he is better than his neighbor, but Jesus died for everyone. Did Jesus die just for a select group? How could anyone allow pride to make them believe they are greater than another? Like the man who went to pray, saying, “God be merciful to me, a sinner,” God forgives us all because we are all sinners. Who does not need the blood of Jesus? The twelve who argued about greatness in the presence of Jesus Christ failed to appreciate the amazing blessing of standing in the presence of the greatest servant the world would ever know. Jesus became a servant to show men who is great. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.