Preeminence

Dear Brethren,

A battle has raged since the beginning of time as to who is to have the preeminence. The question is, who will have the superiority in prominence, in excellence, or in distinction above all the others? We have heard of many of the great battles for preeminence. Satan challenged God for the preeminence when he said, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds." Isaiah 14:13-14 

It is wrong for men to seek the preeminence. The Scriptures are clear on the matter. Jesus is to have the preeminence: "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell." (Colossians 1:16-19) 

Today, many church leaders continue to seek the preeminence as they have since Jesus instituted His Church. He tells us that we must be like little children who never seek the preeminence. He tells us that pride comes before the fall. He tells us that we must not be like the Gentiles who exercise their dominion over their subjects as though they had the preeminence. Diotrephes is typical of church leaders who think too highly of themselves. He, too, did not understand the true nature of serving that Jesus portrayed in all that He taught and did. The apostle John recorded this example for us: "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not." (3John :9)

Before John was converted, he learned of the fallacy of seeking the preeminence, directly by Jesus. When the mother of Zebedee's boys, James and John, sought for her sons to have the highest positions, Jesus responded this way: "He called them unto Him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25)

Within the Church of God, there are those who hear these words and still decide that it is necessary to seek the preeminence. Do we not believe that God is able to rule in the realm of men? Will we all have to be brought low as Nebuchadnezzar was? His heart had become lifted up in pride, his mind was hardened in self-centered arrogance, his ego swelled, and in conceit, he believed that he was preeminent. Nebuchadnezzar boasted, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built ...by the might of my power." (Daniel 4:30) He did not give God the glory and honor, so he was stripped of all power, rule, and even his good sense, until he believed that the most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and does according to His will (Daniel 4:17, 25, 32). Daniel then:

"At the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation." (Daniel 4:34) 

Nebuchadnezzar learned the lesson that Peter so eloquently spells out for us: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." (1Peter 5:6)

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Sermon:

"Preeminence"