The Least in the Kingdom of God

In my reading from the Gospel according to St Luke today, I came across a saying of our Lord that I found difficult to understand.

In Luke 7:28, the Lord told his audience that, whilst John the Baptist was the greatest among all born into this world, the "least" in the kingdom of God is greater than John.

How can this be? Who is the "least" in the kingdom of God that our Lord was referring to?

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John,
yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
Luke 7:28  New International Version

I found my answer in a verse two chapters later, in Luke 9:48.

In this verse, the Lord Iesus used an example of a little child to teach his disciples that the least among them (in the kingdom of God) is the greatest.

It is not surprising therefore, that such a person, the "least", will also be greater than a great person like John the Baptist.

Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me;
and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
For he who is least among you all — he is the greatest.”
Luke 9:48  New International Version

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us endeavour to be among the least in the kingdom of God.

Our Lord prayed alone

Today, in my reading of the Gospel of Luke, I came across two verses telling us that our Lord Iesus the Anointed made it a habit to pray alone by himself in quiet places.

The first verse I saw is Luke 5:16 which say that our Lord often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 5:16  New International Version

The second verse is Luke 6:12 which tells of a time when Iesus spent a whole night praying alone by himself in the hills.

One of those days, Jesus went out into the hills to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
Luke 6:12  New International Version

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us follow the example of our Lord Iesus who often withdrew to lonely places to pray alone. Let us find time to pray alone by ourselves too.

The Power of the Name of God

20 Behold, I send an angel before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.
21 Pay attention to him, and listen to his voice. Don’t provoke him, for he will not pardon your disobedience, for my name is in him.
Exodus 23:20–21  World English Bible

Today I learned that the Angel of the LORD, sent ahead of Moses and the Children of Israel as they sojourn in the wilderness, carried the Name of the LORD (Yehovah). This implies that the Angel carried the power and authority of the LORD Himself. In other words, wherever the Angel went, the Presence of the LORD was with him, even in him. One can say that the Angel of the LORD represented the LORD Himself.

This passage also reminds me of the words of our Lord Iesus in his High-priestly Prayer recorded in John 17:11 – 12a:

11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me.
Exodus 23:20–21  World English Bible

I can observe that just as the Name of the LORD was given to His Angel who accompanied the Children of Israel in their wandering in the wilderness, the same Name of God was also given to His Messiah. It was by the power of "that Name you gave me" (Jn 17:12a), that our Lord Iesus kept his disciples safe throughout his ministry on earth. Our Lord also prayed for his disciples, and for all who would believe in him (see John 17:20), that the Father will protect all believers by the power of His Name.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us remind ourselves — that we who have put our faith in the Lord Iesus are protected by the power of the Name of God.

Thanks be to God.