Brown's Daily Word 8-7-13

    For my summer reading I have included one of the books by Bill Hybel titled "Descending to Greatness".  In a society where 'upward mobility' is the highest goal, Bill Hybels asks a tough question: Do Christians place God's desires first-or their own?  In "Descending into Greatness", Hybels and writer Rob Wilkins take the example of Christ's downward journey as it was meant to be, the radical and essential answer for every Christian.  The authors dwell on  the uplifting nature of true humility.  It leads to abundant life through dying to self and is, in fact an ambush of joy. 

    Moving down is never an easy matter that can be reduced to a formula.  It involves a life committed to discipleship.  "Descending into Greatness" introduces us to touching stories of modern men and women committed to advancing the kingdom of God.  They are a great range of individuals, from the pro football player, to the medical missionary, to a businessman wrestling with the priorities in the world of finance.'  Like Christ, we must descend-into self-abandonment, unconditional giving, sacrifice, and death to self. 

    In New Testament theological circles , scholars talk about the "hard sayings of Jesus"  Some of those hard sayings are found in  Mark 9:34. “He who would be the greatest among you must be the servant of all”.  “Whoever exalts himself will be abased or humbled, but whoever abases or humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).  Jesus said these words to the disciples who were already following Him. He went on to tell them, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”

    It does not take long to discover that achievement and advancement in the kingdom of God moves in a different direction from achievement and advancement in our world.  While the world in which we live is always urging us to reach higher and attain greater and greater status for ourselves, the Lord seems to pushing us in a different direction.  The Lord is challenging us to embrace the principles of humility over haughtiness, service to others over personal status, self-denial over self-gratification, and personal sacrifice over personal security.  These are the directions that Jesus prefers for His disciples.

    This is what John the Baptist was saying in both word and deed in John 1:29-37. John saw Jesus passing by and he said to his own disciples; “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Follow Him.” Later, in John 3:22-30, John used a memorable phrase that ought to come quickly to the lips of every person who enters into a relationship with Jesus Christ: “I must decrease and he must increase.”

  In Christ,

  Brown

http://youtu.be/Tkx8WAycYAc