Real Hope: Back to Basics - ChurchSample

Who Is The Greatest?

There are three occasions in the Gospels where the arguments of the disciples of Jesus were recorded, and each time the argument was the same: ‘Which of us is the greatest?’ The question indicates a shift in thinking from, ‘Jesus did something awesome through me’ to ‘something happened because of me’. Jesus’ response to this teaches us so much about humility, ‘… the one who is the least among you… is the greatest’ (Luke 9:48).

Perhaps the problem is the same today. Instead of embracing and celebrating the differences that make up the body of Christ, some might compare who among us is the greatest (or most right). When we argue, we lose focus on Jesus, we forget to worship Him, we take pride in our own endeavors, and we compromise our witness of Jesus and His kingdom in this world. We also lose out on the fellowship with other believers that’s essential to the body of Christ.

Instead of thinking of the church as a gathering of believers in a building, or under the banner of a particular organization, maybe we could think of ‘the church’ as all believers around the world united in one body by one Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12:12–17, Paul talks more about how the body of Christ is like the human body.

We have confused being united with being the same. To be united does not mean we have to be the same, in fact, the opposite is true – it is only in our differences and our diversity that the effectiveness of the body of Christ in this world can truly be seen.

Written by LUCY WEIL