Hierarchy

Hierarchy (by David Peterson of The Rock Of Jesus Church)

Jesus, while in Capernaum, instructs His disciples on what to look for, and what to be careful of, when He sends them out to evangelize. Jesus states in Matthew 10:34-37 the following: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a person’s enemies will be the members of his household. The one who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and the one who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”

Jesus is telling all of His believers that He is to be worshipped and honored above any family member or friend. This royal hierarchy points to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and ultimate caregiver, not only in our earthly lives but also in our eternal life. Jesus calls for “life and death” devotion from His followers.

Pastor John MacArthur once wrote; “God’s perfections constitute His essence, or character, which far transcends all created things in greatness. God’s essence is one indivisible whole, so that each and all of His perfections actively characterize God’s entire being. God in His essential nature is truly beyond human understanding, and the only appropriate responses to studying even the fringes of His ways (cf. Job 26:14) are awe-filled reverence, worship, adoration, trust, and service.”

God is perfect and He guides us with love, compassion, and precision. God is worthy, and Jesus is worthy, of our undivided love and devotion and obedience.

A worthy hymn about God above all comes from an old Irish hymn entitled “Be Thou My Vision”. This hymn was translated in 1905 by Mary Elizabeth Byrne. The five verses point to God’s attributes of vision, wisdom, His armor, inheritance, and as promise keeper. The fifth verse is;

High King of heaven, Thou heaven's bright Sun,

O grant me its joys, after vict'ry is won;

Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

still be Thou my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Let us pray: O Father God, you are our supreme source of inspiration and hope. We praise and worship you above all others and will follow your decrees as devoted daughters and sons. Amen.