Luke 22:24-26

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

From Background Notes [BN] for September 28^th & 29^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

By the time Jesus inaugurated his public ministry in the late 20's C.E., Israel seethed with revolution, with each of several groups advocating for this or that means of bringing justice back to God's chosen people. In each instance, the effective use of power played a key role, and they all wanted to be number one.

Those were times of the power brokers. Each had an agenda to advance, and each sought the means of power to accomplish it. Unfortunately, those who should have wielded legitimate power, the high priests, were under the thumb of Pilate. They could not wear their vestments unless he said so, and that was only on high holy days. To add insult to injury, Rome required a daily sacrifice in the Temple on behalf of the Emperor--this in lieu of having to worship the Emperor in some other unacceptable fashion, which would have been idolatry!  [BN,3]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am, 5:30pm