Who is number one, Jesus or you?

Since the beginning of time there has been the battle over who is the greatest or who is first in influence and power.

The first biblical power play was in Genesis when the serpent rested Eve and Adam from full dependence upon God saying, “for God knows that in the day you eat from it [the tree of knowledge of good and evil] your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).

Desiring to be God and in control of their own destiny Adam and Eve become captive to the devil [also called Satan, Lucifer and Beelzebub (Revelation 12:9; 20:2; Matthew 12:24)].

The apostle Paul recognized the devil’s power and praise for the captives of his day that “God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25 – 26).

To be like God or to be your own God and in control of your life and the life of others continues to be the quest for many even up to the present time.

The drive to be first and exercise control entices political, secular and religious leaders everywhere to take advantage of those they serve and lead.

Throughout the ages God set up leaders over his people. There were prophets, judges, priests, kings, governors, apostles, pastors, elders, deacons and more. However, they all received their authority from God who appointed them and they were accountable to him. Some leaders were good and others were evil and miss use their power to control others for their own exploitation and enrichment.

God said through the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before Christ, “I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud and a base the haughtiness of the ruthless” (Isaiah 13:11 – 12).

Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the devil and those who exploit the week saying, “now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out”. But, he promises those who believe in him that he will be your godly, faithful and gracious leader. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:31 – 32).

The apostle James rebukes the power-seeking leaders of his day, “but you have dishonored the poor.” And to the exploited he says, “is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?” (James 2:6).

The apostle Peter speaks about the judgment of false teachers. “In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping” (2 Peter 2:3).

God’s godly leaders all through the Scriptures are identified metaphorically as shepherds and his people as dependent sheep.

David states, “no that the Lord himself is God; it is he who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3).

David again declares, “the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

Shepherds have only one purpose and that is to lead, protect and care for the sheep. This is his sole responsibility to his master. The better the sheep fared the greater the shepherds joy and reward.

Not all of Israel’s leaders were good shepherds. Many were evil and mistreated the people they were responsible for. God spoke to the prophet Ezekiel, “son of man, prophecy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophecy and say to those shepherds, thus says the Lord God, “well, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the will, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the loss; but with force and with severity you have dominated them” (Ezekiel 34:2 – 4).

God grieves, “therefore the people wander like sheep, they are afflicted, because there is no shepherd. My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the male goats” [metaphor for negligent shepherds] Zechariah 10:2 – 3).


God promises to provide his Shepherd to care for his people. “I will deliver my flock, and they will no longer be prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another. Then I will set over them one Shepherd, my servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them; I the Lord have spoken” (Ezekiel 34:22 – 24).

Jesus Christ is God’s promise shepherd. He is to be first and foremost among all people. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself will come to have first place in everything, for it was the father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in him” (Colossians 1:17 – 19).

Godly leaders are Jesus’s under shepherds

Jesus encouraged his followers, both shepherds and she, “in everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

The apostle Paul expands his role of godly under shepherds and their sheep, "make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:2 – 4).

The motive in goal of godly under shepherds

“for the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and he died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose again on
their behalf” (2 Corinthians 514 – 15).

Jesus Christ, the good Shepherd, promises his power and authority to his faithful under shepherds who honor him first above self and all others. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the father. Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do, so that the father may be glorified in the son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:12 – 14).

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who will become his counselor? Or who has first given to him that it might be paid back to him again? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:33 – 36).

Are you acknowledging Jesus first and is the first in your life?