9
The Greatest
| Bro Melusi Nalovu (Kwekwe, Zimbabwe)
W
ho is the greatest in the kingdom of God?
The saviour gathered his disciples about
him, and said to them, “If any man desires to
be first, the same shall be last of all and
servant of all.” There was in these words a
solemnity and impressiveness which the disci-
ples were far from comprehending. That
which Christ discerned, they could not see.
They did not understand the nature of Christ’s
kingdom. Even after they had received the
fullest knowledge, any question of precedence
might have renewed the trouble. So disaster
would have been brought to the ecclesia after
Christ’s departure. The strife for the highest
place was the outworking of that same spirit
in the churches and governments. Christ the
exalted made himself of no reputation and
took upon himself the form of a servant, was
made in the likeness of men and was found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross (Philippians 2:7-8).
The world has had its great teachers, men of
giant intellect and wonderful research, men
whose utterances have stimulated thought,
and opened to view vast fields of knowledge,
and these men have been honoured as guides
and benefactors of their race. But there is one
who is higher than they. As many as received
him, to them he gave power to become the
sons of God. “No man hath seen God at any
time, the only begotten son, which is in the
bosom of the Father, he hath declared Him.”
We can trace the line of the world’s great
teachers as far back as human records extend,
but the light was before them. As the moons
of the solar system shine by the reflected light
of the sun, so as far as their teaching is true,
do the world’s great thinkers reflect the rays
of the Sun of Righteousness. Every gem of
thought, every flash of the intellect, is from
the light of the world. In these days we hear
much about higher education. The true educa-
tion is that imparted by Him in whom are hid
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
“In him was life, and the life was the light
of men. ‘He that followeth me’, said Jesus,
‘shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life’” (John 1:12,18; Colossians 2:3;
John 1:4).
Among Christ’s hearers, many were drawn to
him in faith and to them he said, “If ye
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples
indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free.” These words
offended the Pharisees. They disregarded the
nation’s long subjection to a foreign yoke and
angrily exclaimed, “We be Abraham’s seed,
and were never in bondage to any man. How
sayest thou, ‘Ye shall be made free?’” Jesus
looked upon these man, the slaves of malice
whose thoughts were bent upon revenge, and
sadly answered, “Verily, verily, I say unto you,
whosoever committeth sin is the servant of
sin.” They were in the worst kind of bondage,
ruled by the spirit of evil. Every soul that
refuses to give himself to God is under the
control of another power. He may talk of
freedom, but he is in the most abject slavery.
Making Your Ecclesia What It
Should Be (Galatians 3:28)
| Bro Farai Makandeni
(Chipinge, Zimbabwe)
T
he Christian ecclesia is a fellowship of
believers who are united in a common
belief and understanding of God’s word. Love
is the binding force of fellowship and the
expression of all it believes. Without the
dynamism of love, no organisation can exist
that calls itself a church, and it cannot fulfil
its function as part of the body of Christ. An
ecclesia that lacks love is easily recognisable.
It may have trappings of feverish activity but
it no longer cares for people.
While the ecclesia of Christ is a divinely
appointed organisation, it is composed of very
ordinary men and women. Yet these people
are, according to the master, “The salt of the
earth.” The living Christ inspects those who
are, by his grace, living in him, living within
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