The Peace Child ∙∙

The Peace Child ∙∙

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him, God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

This includes you, who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body.

As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. – Colossians 1:19-22

Luke 2:9-14

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior, —yes, the Messiah, the Lord, has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others, the armies of heaven, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

The Sawi People’s Unusual Customs

The Sawi people of Western New Guinea, now known as Irian Jaya, comprised about 400 tribes, each with its own distinct worldview and belief system. Many practiced headhunting and cannibalism, living according to customs that seemed utterly foreign to the Western world.

Among the most disturbing features of Sawi culture was the exaltation of treachery. Betrayal, murder, and cannibalism were not merely tolerated; they were honored as deeply rooted cultural ideals passed down through tribal tradition.

Violence and bloodshed were integral to daily life. Revenge was seen as both necessary and honorable, while treachery was considered the highest virtue. The Sawi would sometimes feign friendship only to betray, kill, and eat those they had deceived. As a result, when they first heard about the Lord Jesus Christ, they thought Judas was the hero. Within their moral code, Judas seemed admirable because betrayal was celebrated. Tragically, they were, in a sense, a tribe of Judases.

Don Richardson and the Redemptive Analogy

In 1962, Canadian missionary Don Richardson began working with the Sawi. He was a linguist and Bible translator who created an alphabet for the Sawi language and eventually translated the New Testament into Sawi. He spent fifteen years living among them and learning how to convey the gospel’s message in a way they could understand.

Explaining redemption to a culture that highly valued betrayal was especially challenging. The concept of willingly dying for someone else did not align with their worldview. During this difficult time, Richardson prayed for guidance, and God provided the perfect analogy: the Peace Child.

The Peace Child was the one individual the Sawi would never betray. In a remarkable act of reconciliation, a tribal leader would offer his own child to an enemy tribe. As long as that child was alive, peace between the tribes would be preserved. During this period, war and treachery were unthinkable, as no one dared to violate the sacred significance of the Peace Child.

This custom became a crucial link that allowed the gospel to reach the Sawi. Richardson explained that the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s Peace Child, given to remove hostility between human sinfulness and God’s righteous judgment. The Father gave His own Son, the ultimate Peace Child, to establish peace. Through this analogy, many hearts were opened to the gospel, and even cannibals became followers of Christ.

Eventually, most Sawi people confessed Christ as Lord and Savior, and many later served as missionaries to nearby tribes. The story also mentions that the Peace Child was the first Sawi to graduate from higher education and later served as a primary school principal.

REFLECT & PRAY

Paul’s approach to evangelism was marked by wisdom, adaptability, and a willingness to cross cultural and religious boundaries to make disciples. His concern was not self-protection or personal comfort, but faithfulness to Christ’s mission.

Father, I want to follow Your command to make disciples. Enable me to be wise, adaptable, discerning, and willing to become whatever is necessary, within the bounds of truth and holiness, so that others may hear and receive the gospel clearly.

INSIGHT

God’s Peace Child

The Father sent His Peace Child, His very own Son, into the world.

Colossians 1:20: “Through the Lord Jesus Christ God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

The Lord Jesus Christ commands the children of the King to carry this message throughout the whole world.

Matthew 28:19-20:

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

The Central Command of the Great Commission

While the main idea of this passage is simple, a more detailed look clarifies it further. The key verb is “make disciples.” This Greek word is matheteuo in the imperative, indicating a command. It involves not only instruction but also “cultivating followers who develop a deep connection to their teacher in both faith and actions.” Essentially, “it indicates the process of creating genuine disciples.”

The terms “go,” “baptizing,” and “teaching” relate to this core command and “show how disciple-making is carried out.”

To reach all nations and make disciples, clear and effective communication is essential. Such communication depends upon mutual understanding between the speaker and the listener. For this reason, anyone seeking to engage diverse audiences must give careful attention to differing cultures, beliefs, and value systems. When approached with wisdom and discernment, fitting redemptive analogies often emerge, helping the message come across more clearly and engage listeners more meaningfully.

Paul’s Pattern of Wise Adaptation

Paul models this approach.

1 Corinthians 9:20-23:

“When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law.

When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.

When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.”

Paul adapted to all kinds of people to save some. This presents a paradox: though he was free from all, he willingly chose to serve everyone. His freedom resulted in selfless service. Because he was free in Christ, he could set aside personal rights for others’ spiritual benefit.

2 Corinthians 4:5: “We are your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

The phrase “all things to all men” is frequently misinterpreted as Paul modifying his message to please others. However, that’s not accurate. Paul never compromised the truth of the gospel. He stayed faithful and consistent, acting not as a people-pleaser but as a faithful messenger and ambassador of Christ. Paul was given the responsibility of ministering to the Gentiles.

Ephesians 3:8: “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ.”

At the same time, when he entered a new region, he often began his ministry in Jewish synagogues before extending his outreach to Gentile communities.

Romans 15:20: “And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation.”

Paul skillfully navigated the cultural differences between Jews and Gentiles with careful judgment and restraint. He avoided displaying his freedom openly before Jews and refrained from forcing the Law on Gentiles. His conduct was not inconsistent but demonstrated wisdom. He adjusted his approach as needed without altering his core message.

Throughout Acts, this is clear: when speaking to Jews, Paul often started with the patriarchs and Israel’s history; when talking to Gentiles, he began with the Creator God. He tailored his presentation to his audience, but the essential truth stayed the same. His method was adaptable; his message was consistent.

Communicating Eternal Truth

The account of the Sawi vividly demonstrates the importance of communicating eternal truth in ways that people can genuinely understand. Don Richardson did not alter the gospel to make it more acceptable; rather, he discovered within Sawi culture a faithful analogy that brought its meaning into clearer focus. By using the concept of the Peace Child, he illuminated Christ’s redemptive significance in terms the Sawi could grasp.

In much the same way, the Apostle Paul adapted his approach to different audiences without ever compromising the truth entrusted to him. His method was flexible, but his message remained unchanged.

The Lesson for Evangelism

The lesson is clear: effective evangelism demands both conviction and wisdom. While the core message must stay the same, its delivery should be considerate, discerning, and suitable for the audience. God’s Peace Child has been entrusted to us, and the children of the King are called to share this message with the nations.

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© Dr. H 2026

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© Dr. H 2026

In the Face of Fear, Do Right ∙∙

In the Face of Fear, Do Right ∙∙

For such a time as this. – Esther 4:14

Esther 3:8-13

Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain.”

“If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed.”

 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children,

Esther 4:11-15

 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.”

They related Esther’s words to Mordecai.

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews.

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

God’s Purpose Will Stand

Throughout history, many individuals have overcome fear and stepped up in critical moments. They risked their safety, families, and even their lives to protect Jewish men, women, and children targeted for death. Unlike Queen Esther, these brave people were not Jewish themselves. Nevertheless, they acted decisively to save the children of Israel when threatened with extermination. Figures such as Oskar Schindler, Corrie ten Boom, and the citizens of Albania during World War II exemplify such moral courage.

At Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Israel, a garden is called The Righteous Among the Nations. Its purpose is to remember and honor those non-Jewish men and women who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jewish people.

Stanley writes, “Our faithlessness or cowardice never binds God. He desires to use us to bless His people, but if we fail to trust Him, He will use someone else. But He will always accomplish His will.”

Esther’s Courageous Decision

Esther might have reasoned that she could escape King Ahasuerus’s genocidal decree by concealing her Jewish identity. Mordecai, however, made it unmistakably clear that such a strategy would ultimately fail.

Esther confronted a difficult yet unavoidable decision. She came to understand that the Father had placed her in the Persian palace as queen for a specific and strategic purpose.

When a child of the King fully embraces this truth, a new perspective emerges. Such a person recognizes that his or her life remains under the Father’s sovereign rule until His will has been accomplished in and through them. Esther came to understand this reality. She became willing to risk her life to save her people, and her courageous surrender has stood for generations as a compelling example of faith and devotion.

Her courageous words echo down through the millennia: Esther 4:16: “If I perish, I perish.”

The Book of Esther stands alone among the Old Testament books. It is the only one that does not explicitly use the word God. Nevertheless, His presence is unmistakable throughout. He works quietly and providentially behind the scenes, accomplishing His purposes without spectacle, audible declaration, or public display.

The Responsibility to Act

Esther’s example reveals another closely related truth: when we know what is right, we have a moral obligation to act. Knowingly refusing to do so is more than hesitation. It is sin.

James 4:17: “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

REFLECT & PRAY

Doing what is right is always the right choice. The Father places each of His children in a particular place and moment in history so that His will may be done on earth as it is in heaven. For some, that moment becomes especially clear and consequential. It is truly a “for such a time as this” moment.

Father, guide me to stay receptive to Your direction so I can recognize when and how to act. Empower me to respond with full obedience, no matter the price.

INSIGHT

Understanding Fear

Fear is a normal human emotion and a natural part of life. It is a powerful emotional response to the possibility of trouble, loss, or suffering. Sometimes fear arises from real danger or a legitimate challenge. At other times, it is stirred by a perceived threat with no clear or rational foundation. Even when fear is irrational, it remains profoundly real to the person experiencing it. As Stanley observes, when something threatens our lives, we naturally feel great fear. There is no sin in this. How we respond to that fear makes the difference.

Whether it is rooted in real or imagined danger, fear need not rule the heart. We can exchange it for faith, quiet confidence, and reverence for the Father, who is holy, sovereign, and majestic.

The Origin of Fear

Fear first appears in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey the Father, they lost their innocence. Through their disobedience, sin entered the human race, and fear followed.

Genesis 3:7-10:

“At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees. Then the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ He replied, ‘I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.’”

Fear often paralyzes us, keeping us from acting with courage and conviction. Its hold grows especially strong when guilt, shame, and awareness of wrongdoing undermine our confidence and cloud the path of faithful action.

Proverbs 28:1: “The wicked flees when there is no one pursuing, but the righteous is as confident as a lion.”

Freedom From Fear In Christ

Every child of the King has a Redeemer greater than every terror. The Lord Jesus Christ entered human history to deliver His people from fear through His sinless life, redemptive death, and resurrection. He now reigns in the heavenly places at the Father’s right hand and continually intercedes for His people.

In Ephesians 1:20, the apostle Paul revealed that “God raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at his right hand in the heavenly realms.”

The author of Hebrews asserts in Hebrews 7:25 that “He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.”

Because of Christ, fear no longer holds ultimate authority over any child of the King.

1 John 4:18: “There is no fear in love, because perfect love expels all fear.  … The one who fears is not perfected in love.”

The Lord Jesus Christ delivers His people from the bondage of fear. He breaks its lifelong grip and brings them into genuine freedom. Through His saving power, fear no longer has the authority to rule the heart, dominate the mind, or shape the course of one’s life. Instead, He calls His people to live in the liberty He has secured for them.

By faith, believers learn to embrace that freedom more fully. As they grow in trust, they begin to walk with increasing confidence, not in themselves, but in His abiding presence, unfailing promises, and sovereign power. This confidence is not rooted in changing circumstances, personal strength, or human certainty, but in Christ’s steadfast character. Because He is with His people, sustains them, and remains faithful in every season, they can move forward with courage, peace, and assurance.

Living In The Present Presence of Christ

Jesus Calling November 9

“Sit quietly with Me, letting all your fears and worries bubble up to the surface of your consciousness. There, in the Light of My Presence, the bubbles pop and disappear. However, some fears surface over and over again, especially fear of the future. You tend to project yourself mentally into the next day, week, month, year, decade, and you visualize yourself coping badly in those times. What you see is a false image because it doesn’t include Me. Those gloomy times that you imagine will not come to pass since My Presence will be with you at all times.

When a future-oriented worry assails you, capture it and disarm it by suffusing the Light of My Presence into that mental image. Say to yourself, ‘Jesus will be with me then and there. With His help, I can cope!’ Then, come home to the present moment, where you can enjoy Peace in My Presence.”

Courage in the Midst of Fear

Esther and countless others throughout history remind us that courage is not the absence of fear. Instead, it is the willingness to obey the Father even in the midst of fear. Courage does not deny the reality of danger or emotional struggle; it responds to both with faith-filled obedience.

Fear is real, but it need not govern the life of any child of the King. The Father remains sovereign over every circumstance, His purposes remain certain, and the Lord Jesus Christ is still present with His people. Every child of the King can press on, trusting that the One who calls them will also sustain them. The Father who marks out the journey also supplies the grace required to walk it.

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© Dr. H 2026

Employee-Owned

Employee-Owned

The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. – John 3:35

Romans 8:17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, we are fellow heirs with Christ.

2 Timothy 1:9-10

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time – to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

The Family Business

A company is often described as employee-owned when employees hold a substantial share of its ownership, often through an employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP. In such a model, employees do not merely work for the company; they hold a stake in it. Through stock ownership, they become participants in its well-being, success, and future.

This arrangement carries clear advantages. Ownership tends to cultivate a deeper sense of responsibility, commitment, and care. People usually give greater attention to what belongs to them than to what they simply borrow or manage temporarily. When employees have a genuine stake in the organization, they often work more diligently, think more strategically, and identify more closely with the company’s mission. Ownership can also strengthen unity, encourage long-term thinking, and foster a shared sense of purpose.

Yet the kingdom of God points to something even greater. The kingdom of God is not merely employee-owned; it is family-owned. That distinction matters. Believers are not simply workers receiving benefits from a divine enterprise. Through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, they enter God’s household. They do not stand at a distance as hired servants but are welcomed as sons and daughters.

When a person receives the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, they are adopted into the Father’s Forever Family and given a new identity. This truth should fill children of the King with confidence and comfort, knowing they belong to a loving family that welcomes them as beloved children and shares in His purpose and His riches.

The Father’s Unique Work

The Father does a work unlike any other. He alone is in the business of redemption. No created being can share that role as an equal, for salvation originates in His will, is accomplished through His Son, and is applied by His grace. Redemption is not humanity reaching up to God, but God graciously reaching down to rescue sinners who could never save themselves.

A genuine and hostile enemy threatens this wonderful work. While the Father brings life, forgiveness, and reconciliation, the enemy of our souls labors for destruction, deception, and perdition. He blinds the mind, hardens the heart, and seeks to keep sinners under the power of darkness. The contrast is absolute: the Father saves, while the enemy ruins; the Father adopts, while the enemy enslaves; the Father gives life, while the enemy leads toward death.

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 stands at the center of the Father’s redemptive purpose. His saving work begins in love. He did not act out of obligation, but out of mercy, kindness, and compassion toward a fallen world. The gift of His Son reveals both the depth of human need and the greatness of His grace. Eternal life is not earned through moral effort or religious devotion but received through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ’s redemptive work is central to this redemption. His death paid the price for sin, His sacrifice ensured forgiveness, and His resurrection confirmed new life and victory for all believers. Through Him, sinners aren’t just forgiven; they are brought close, embraced as part of the Father’s Forever Family, and granted the full status of sons and daughters.

Colossians 1:13-14:

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Grace is extraordinary because it is entirely unmerited. We provided nothing to earn our salvation except the sin from which we needed deliverance. As Barclay rightly observes, God, in His amazing love and mercy, has taken the lost, helpless, and spiritually bankrupt and brought them into His own household. The debt is canceled, the outcast is welcomed, and the guilty are given an inheritance of glory.

Ephesians 1:7: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”

The Father’s work of redemption is fully complete and assured. It is abundant, effective, and gracious. He doesn’t merely improve the sinner’s condition; He transforms it completely. Those once estranged are now reconciled, and those condemned are now justified. Those who were once outsiders are now permanently adopted into His Forever Family.

Galatians 4:4-5:

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” Restore the broken, forgive the guilty, welcome the distant, and give eternal life to all who believe in His Son. Nothing on earth equals it, no human force can replicate it, and no foe can defeat it. It is God’s sovereign, merciful, and triumphant work.

REFLECT & PRAY

Each of us enters this world in complete spiritual poverty, wholly unable to enrich ourselves before God. But through Christ, we are both the current and eternal heirs of immeasurable spiritual riches.

Father, as I reflect on the wonder of my inheritance in Christ, I am overwhelmed. Your grace is gloriously real and eternally sure. Thank You for loving me with such unfathomable mercy, generosity, and steadfast love.

INSIGHT

The Riches of the Father

Our Father possesses infinite riches. He owns all that He has made, rules over all that exists, and lacks nothing. His wealth is not merely abundant; it is boundless. Yet the astonishing truth of the gospel is that we do not earn a share in these riches. We receive them entirely by grace.

When we are born again into His Forever Family, the Father freely makes us His heirs. He does not receive us as strangers on probation, but as beloved children with a real and lasting inheritance. What He gives is not temporary, uncertain, or symbolic.

Romans 8:17: “And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”

The Privilege of Adoption

Adoption is one of the most staggering privileges of salvation. Believers are not merely forgiven; they are adopted. They are not only rescued from judgment but welcomed into the Father’s Forever Family and given the full standing of sons and daughters. To be an heir of God and a fellow heir with Christ means that the spiritual blessings secured by the Son are graciously shared with all who belong to Him.

This inheritance includes forgiveness, reconciliation, peace with God, access to His presence, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the promises of the Scriptures, and the sure hope of eternal glory. Together, these blessings provide strength for the present life and lasting security for the life to come. In Christ, believers possess spiritual riches that can never be exhausted, diminished, or destroyed.

Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

How Is This Inheritance Received?

What is our part in earning this inheritance? Nothing! We simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and rest in the sufficiency of His cross. Through faith, we become children of the King and fellow heirs with His Son, receiving a treasure beyond all calculation.

2 Timothy 1:9-10

“For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time – to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.”

This is the very heart of divine grace and mercy. As Constable observes, when God sent the Lord Jesus Christ to die for us, He displayed His kindness and love for humanity with utmost clarity. Salvation began with God’s initiative, not ours. He saves not because we are righteous, but because He is merciful.

The Security of the Believer’s Inheritance

The Father’s riches are not abstract ideas or distant theological concepts. They are real, living blessings God bestows on every child of the King. His grace brings forgiveness from guilt, strength in weakness, comfort in suffering, wisdom for obedience, and an everlasting inheritance that will never fade. What God gives through Christ is secure because it rests on divine promise, not human merit.

1 Peter 1:3-4:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”

A Family of Unmerited Grace

The kingdom of God isn’t about earning privileges; it is a family founded on unmerited grace. Through Jesus Christ, sinners are adopted into the Father’s Forever Family, receive spiritual blessings, and become fellow heirs with Christ.

What we could never deserve, the Father freely gives. He graciously gives us what we could never buy. Every gift of salvation is through grace, not human effort.

In Christ, the spiritually poor become rich, the orphaned become children, and the undeserving become heirs. This is the wonder of redemption: we are welcomed into the Father’s everlasting riches.

2 Corinthians 8:9: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

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© Dr. H 2026

Who is the Greatest? ∙∙∙

Who is the Greatest? ∙∙∙

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. – Luke 22:24

Luke 22:21-28

But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me.

For it has been determined that the Son of Man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him.

The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing.

Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them.

Jesus told them, In this world, the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called “friends of the people.”

But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.

Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

The Greatness Nobody Expects

On February 25, 1964, the world of heavyweight boxing witnessed the rise of a loud, dazzling, and supremely self-assured young fighter. He was not the tallest man in the ring, nor the most physically imposing. His punches were not necessarily the hardest. Yet he was, without question, the finest boxer of his era. His speed separated him from his opponents, and his confidence was unlike anything the sport had seen.

That fighter was Muhammad Ali, who famously declared in a 1963 poem, “I am the Greatest. I said that even before I knew I was.” A few memorable lines capture the boldness of his self-presentation:

“This brash, young boxer is something to see. And the heavyweight championship is his destiny.
This kid fights great. He’s got speed and endurance. But if you sign to fight him, increase your insurance.
This kid’s got a left. This kid’s got a right. If he hits you once, you’re asleep for the night.
And as you lie on the floor while the ref counts 10, you pray that you won’t have to fight me again.”

“For I am the man this poem is about, the next champ of the world, there isn’t a doubt.
He is the greatest. When I say two, there’s never a third. Betting against me is completely absurd.”

“I am the greatest.”

“I’ve wrestled with alligators. I’ve tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning and throw thunder in jail. You know I’m bad. Just last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I’m so mean; I make medicine sick.”

“To be a great champion, you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”

Ali’s words radiate self-belief, bravado, and the relentless pursuit of greatness. In one sense, they provide a fitting contrast to a very different scene in the Gospel of Luke.

A Solemn Night Misunderstood

In the spring of AD 33, on the night of the Last Supper, sorrow, gravity, and the shadow of sacrifice marked the atmosphere. The Lord Jesus Christ was moving steadily toward the cross, yet His disciples were painfully slow to grasp the weight of the hour.

Consumed by pride and self-interest, they missed what mattered most. Instead of dwelling on Christ’s words about His suffering, they became preoccupied with their own status. Their focus shifted from His approaching death to their personal importance, revealing how easily the human heart clings to self while overlooking eternal realities.

The scene is striking. The Lord Jesus Christ had just interpreted the Passover in light of His impending sacrifice. He spoke plainly about His coming death and even disclosed that one of them would betray Him. Instead of responding with grief, reverence, or sadness, the disciples started arguing about rank. They discussed who might be regarded as the greatest.

Luke 22:24 captures the tragedy of the moment with painful clarity. Even in the shadow of the cross, they were still thinking in terms of position, not humility; prominence, not sacrifice.

MacDonald observes, “It is a terrible indictment of the human heart that immediately after the Lord’s Supper, the disciples should argue among themselves as to which of them was the greatest!” Barclay is even more direct: “It is one of the most poignantly tragic things in the gospel story that the disciples could quarrel about precedence in the very shadow of the cross.”

Greatness Redefined

This painful episode became a decisive discipleship moment. In a surprising and deeply countercultural turn, the Lord Jesus Christ overturned the disciples’ assumptions about greatness by teaching that true greatness lies not in being served, but in serving. In the kingdom of God, the greatest are not those who wield power, but those who humble themselves to serve.

Here, the kingdom’s values stand in sharp contrast to the world’s. Christ doesn’t just refine human notions of greatness; He overturns them. The world celebrates things that Christ often condemns, and what the world neglects, Christ regards as honorable.

Luke 22:27-30 shows that greatness in God’s kingdom is inseparable from humility and service. The pattern is not self-exaltation, but self-giving love. Barclay rightly observes, “It is a law of life that service leads to greatness; and the higher a man rises, the greater the servant he must be.”

The Lord Jesus Christ exemplifies this truth perfectly. Despite being the greatest, He chose to serve others. He did not seek status or demand acknowledgment. Instead, He accepted humiliation for others’ benefit. Through Him, we learn that true greatness comes through humility, and real glory is shown through sacrificial love.

The Lord Jesus Christ as the Supreme Example

Jesus Christ not only teaches this principle but also exemplifies it flawlessly. The greatest among us became the servant of all, refusing to cling to privileges or demand recognition. Instead, He embraced the role of a servant and willingly endured humiliation.

In Him, greatness and humility go hand in hand. The one with all authority chose the humble path. The one deserving all worship lowered Himself to serve others. He, who was highest, descended to the lowest depths to save mankind.

He demonstrates with absolute clarity that in the economy of God, the way up is down.

True greatness comes through humility.

Christ’s Teaching on Greatness

Matthew 20:25-28:

“But Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you, it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”

These words reveal the striking paradox at the heart of the life of faith. While the world links greatness to prominence and power, Lord Jesus Christ sees it in humility and service. Earthly systems tend to reward self-assertion, but God’s kingdom values self-denial.

Most importantly, Christ bases this teaching on His own mission. He came to serve rather than be served, with His ultimate act of service being the sacrifice of His life as a ransom for many. His servanthood was genuine and redemptive, demonstrated by Him laying down His life.

REFLECT & PRAY

In the Father’s kingdom, illusions of grandeur give way to the strength of true character. Psalms 37:24: “When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.”

Father, if our failures made us unfit to serve, who could ever serve You? Even when we stumble, we are not abandoned, for You lift us and hold us securely, never letting us go.

INSIGHT

Failure, Frailty, and Restoration

A second lesson emerges from Luke 22:31-38. Even the most confident are vulnerable to failure and betrayal. It exposes not just Peter’s vulnerability but the universal weakness we all share.

True greatness does not stem from success or self-confidence but is often molded through testing, humiliation, and repentance. However, the Lord Jesus Christ had great plans for Peter; the journey to usefulness involved experiencing painful failure. Peter’s belief in his own loyalty was about to give way.

Although he thought he was prepared to die for Christ, Peter soon realized that confident statements made in peaceful times often falter when faced with adversity. During the crisis, he failed. The man who had promised steadfast loyalty could not admit he knew his Lord. Bravery turned to fear, and assurance turned to denial.

Yet none of this caught the Lord Jesus Christ off guard. Luke 22:31-32:

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

These words carry both sobering and hopeful undertones. Peter would experience being shaken, sifted, and humbled, yet he would not be left alone. Christ had prayed for him. Although his failure would be painful, it would not be the end.

Failure Was Not the End

Peter’s downfall was a step in God’s shaping process, not his end. Through shame, grief, and painful self-awareness, he was refined. His pride was uncovered, illusions shattered, and his character grew stronger. Untested confidence became deep conviction, and impulsive enthusiasm evolved into consistent faithfulness.

This reflects one of the Lord’s merciful patterns with His people: He does not waste our failures. In His sovereign hands, even collapse can become a means of sanctification. Peter’s humiliation stripped away self-reliance and replaced it with a deeper dependence on grace.

Consequently, the once-broken disciple was now prepared to support others. Having gone through failure and restoration, he could empathize more deeply with the weak. His wounds transformed into sources of wisdom, and his vulnerability fostered humility.

The Hand that Holds the Fallen

Peter’s story powerfully reminds us that stumbling does not place the believer beyond the reach of divine mercy. The Lord sustains His people even in their lowest moments.

Psalms 37:24: “When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.”

This promise does not lessen the seriousness of sin or excuse human failure. Instead, it highlights God’s faithfulness. A child of the King may stumble, even painfully and openly, but they will never be out of the Lord’s unending support.

In Peter, we observe both the vulnerability of human resolve and the transformative strength of Christ. His breakdown was profound, but his recovery was authentic. As a result, he became stronger, wiser, more compassionate, and far more effective than before his restoration.

True Greatness

The contrast is unmistakable. Muhammad Ali’s words showcase the world’s admiration for confidence, conquest, and visible greatness. Similarly, at the Last Supper, the disciples demonstrate a desire for status and recognition, even with the suffering Savior present.

However, Jesus Christ completely redefines what it means to be great. In His kingdom, true greatness belongs not to those who seek to elevate themselves, but to those who humbly serve others. Real greatness is not about attracting praise, but about faithfulness; not about advancing oneself, but about expressing Christ’s servant-hearted nature.

The truly greatest one proved it not by demanding service, but by sacrificing Himself.

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© Dr. H 2026

The Terminator is Coming ∙∙∙

The Terminator is Coming ∙∙∙

“I am the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come – the Almighty One.” – Revelation 1:8

Revelation 22:12-13

“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Boundary Stones and the Lord of History

In 1791, President George Washington selected a 100-square-mile tract along the Potomac River to serve as the location of the new national capital. In order to define the limits of that ten-square-mile tract, surveyors performed a series of early measurements and placed boundary stones at strategic points. Those markers still stand as the oldest federal monuments in the United States, serving as visible reminders that political order depends, in part, on clearly established boundaries.

The ancient Romans understood this principle well. They used boundary stones, called termini, to mark the edges of land, establish ownership, and protect property from dispute. These stones, however, were not viewed merely as practical surveying tools. In Roman religion and civic imagination, they possessed a quasi-sacred character. They were believed to stand under the care of a deity named Terminus, who was often depicted as a sculpted head or bust set upon a stone pillar. Notably, Terminus was frequently represented without hands or feet, a striking visual symbol of immovability, permanence, and fixed order.  

This image reveals something important about the ancient world. For centuries, land was a source of conflict, wealth, inheritance, and power. Families, neighbors, tribes, and nations regularly fought over where one claim ended and another began. In Roman thought, the termini brought stability to that chaos. Once the stones were established, the border was settled. The marker did more than identify a property line; it symbolized legal order, social peace, and territorial permanence. To tamper with such a stone was not merely an act of vandalism or theft. It was an assault on the very order the marker was meant to preserve, and therefore a serious offense.

Yet the symbolism of the boundary stone points beyond land ownership to a much larger and more profound set of questions. If a marker can define the limits of a field or a city, who defines the limits of nations? Who determines the boundaries of empires, the duration of civilizations, or the course of human events? Who settles the disputes that no earthly power can finally resolve? Who has authority over history itself?

These questions transition from geography to theology. While humans may draw borders on maps, defend territories, and set political boundaries, no nation controls its ultimate fate.

The apostle Paul explains in Acts 17:26: From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

The Lord of the Beginning and the End

Who marks the beginning and end of all things? Who created time itself? Who governs the movement of history from its first moment to its final consummation? Who will bring the human story to its appointed end? The Scriptures explicitly reveal the Lord Jesus Christ not merely as the master of nations and geographical limits, but as the sovereign over time, history, ethnic groups, and eternity itself.

Revelation 1:8: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One.”

The One who is coming is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the eternal One who is not confined by the limits of the space-time continuum. He stands at the beginning of all things, and He will stand at their end. History does not unfold independently of Him; it unfolds under His authority.

More than that, time itself is part of the created order. The Lord Jesus Christ is not merely present within time. He is its Creator. Time exists because He willed it into being, making possible sequence, movement, and human experience. Adam and Eve were placed within time, but Christ stands above it as its sovereign Lord.

REFLECT AND PRAY

The Father has chosen you and desires you. You need only come alongside Him in trust and surrender.

Father, thank You that the end of all things rests in the capable, powerful, and sovereign hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You that history is not drifting aimlessly but is moving according to Your purpose and under Your authority.

INSIGHT

The Failure of False Gods

The Romans were mistaken in placing their confidence in an imaginary god called Terminus. What they attributed to a false deity belongs in truth to the Lord Jesus Christ alone. He is the true and living ruler over every boundary, every conflict, and every age. No border is outside His jurisdiction, no dispute escapes His authority, and no era unfolds beyond His sovereign rule.

Hope in a Disordered Age

Life in the twenty-first century can feel quite unsettling. Our world often seems unstable, chaotic, and uncertain. In such times, it’s natural to wonder about how all of this will ultimately end. To whom or what do we put our confidence?

The answer of the Scriptures is clear: the Father has entrusted to the Lord Jesus Christ

the consummation of all things. History is not drifting aimlessly, nor is the world spinning beyond control. All things are moving toward the end He has been appointed to bring about.

The God Who Declares the End from the Beginning

Isaiah 46:9-10:

“Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times, things not yet done. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.”

This passage emphasizes God’s supreme authority over history. He doesn’t just watch the future; He explicitly announces it. Instead of responding to events, He governs their direction. Everything He intends will inevitably happen.

Alpha and Omega

Revelation 1:8: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.”

Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, represent the beginning and end, marking the outer boundaries of all that exists within time. When the Scriptures place two opposites together, the expression is meant to include everything between those endpoints as well.

For example, if the Scriptures speak of “the beginning and the end,” the meaning is not limited to only the first moment and the last moment. It also includes everything in between. In other words, the phrase communicates totality, fullness, or the whole range of something.

Applied to “Alpha and Omega,” the point is not merely that Christ was there at the start and will be at the end, but that His dominion covers the entire scope of human history, ruling over the whole timeline.

Christ is more than just a witness to time; He is the Lord and Master of time. All of human history, from creation to final fulfillment, unfolds under His control. Every age, every kingdom, every rise and fall of nations unfolds within the boundaries of His rule.

Referring to Him as the Alpha and the Omega underscores that the entirety of history, from its first moment to its last, lies within His authority. Nothing starts without His will, and nothing concludes outside His purpose.

The Eternal One

Revelation 1:8: “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come.”

The Lord Jesus Christ has always existed and will never cease to do so. He has no beginning and no end. Nothing came before Him, and nothing will surpass Him. He is eternal, incomprehensible, and unchanging. Unlike created beings, He is not limited by time or space. All of time, past, present, and future, is accessible to Him and under His authority. He exists outside of time while overseeing everything within it. Nothing is beyond His sight or control.

He is also the One who is to come, meaning His presence and power extend into the future. The days ahead are already under His reign. Because of this, children of the King place their trust not in the unpredictable world but in the unchanging Christ. Human leaders rise and fall, civilizations build and crumble, but Jesus remains constant.

The Almighty One

Revelation 1:8: “The Almighty One.”

The title “the Almighty One” means that He is omnipotent. No opposing power can overthrow His authority or undermine His purpose. No boundary can confine His rule. His reign is limitless, and His will cannot be hindered. Everything is under His control, and all of history progresses according to His sovereign plan.

The Greek word translated as “Almighty One is pantokrator.

Language of Power: Autocrator, Kosmokrator, and Pantokrator

The ending -crator refers to “power or rulership.” An earthly ruler may be called an autocrator, “one who rules by himself.” It carries the idea of “a ruler, holder of power, or one who exercises dominion.” Satan is described as the kosmokrator who “rules the world.” But only God is the pantokrator, “the One who rules over all.”

The Roman Emperor was known as the autocrator, or “self-ruler, the commander of his conquered territories.” The title conveyed political supremacy, personal authority, and imperial control. In the Roman world, the emperor appeared to embody unrivaled power, exercising dominion over lands, peoples, and institutions.

Yet Caesar’s authority, for all its grandeur, was always limited. The contrast with the Lord Jesus Christ therefore extends beyond politics to theology, revealing the difference between temporary, apparent power and eternal, absolute power and authority. Earthly rulers may command armies, enact laws, and shape civilizations, but their authority remains derivative, passing, and accountable. Christ alone possesses universal and everlasting dominion.

Spiritual Opposition: The Ruler of this World

The adversary is described as the “ruler of this world.” The Greek word is kosmokrator. Kosmo comes from kosmos, meaning “world” or “world-order.” The term denotes “one who exercises power within the world.” In the New Testament, kosmokrator refers to the enemy of our souls and his minions.

His authority is limited, permitted, and always subject to divine restraint. He does not rule independently, nor can he act beyond the boundaries God has established. His dominion is temporary, subordinate, and destined to end.

The Lord God, Omnipotent: Pantokrator

Revelation 19:6 Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns (KJV).

The term pantokrator literally means “the one who has his hand on everything,” hence an “omnipotent ruler over everything.” It comes from the Greek pas – “all” and krateo – “to hold or to have strength.” It is translated as “omnipotent” in the KJV.

In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, the Hebrew title Yahweh Sabaoth, “The LORD of Hosts” or “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies,” was translated with the same Greek word, pantokrator (Psalms 24:10).

Psalms 24:10: “Who is this King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, he is the King of glory.”

The Lord Jesus Christ is not merely immensely powerful; He is sovereign over all. Every force, ruler, power, and event is under His control.

The Certainty of History’s End

The Father actively guides all of history toward its inevitable, unavoidable, and foretold end. Nothing occurs randomly or escapes His purpose. The conclusion of history will not be chaotic or uncertain; it will be the fulfillment of His eternal plan.

Matthew 24:30: “And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth.

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© Dr. H 2026