Counsel #7 — Empire Building

Picture: Counsel #7 — Empire BuildingCSI 50.1

The disciples cherished the thought of Jerusalem becoming the seat of a global empire. Power! Control! Military Might! Prosperity! was the cry of their unrenewed hearts. They wanted to seat Messiah on a literal throne, with His disciples in positions of power and influence on His right and left hand. They wanted the Messiah of worldly power, Messiah the Prince! Instead, they got the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, the Messiah who was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities.CSI 50.2

Not until Jesus’ death and resurrection did the disciples really have a change of heart, attitude, and ambition. As they comprehended the true mission of Messiah, they longed for the kingdom of heaven, not the kingdom of earth.^{[87]https://adventistreview.org/2011-1527/2011-1527-10/}CSI 50.3

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26 NKJVCSI 50.4

“To have a change of heart is to withdraw the affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives.” Ellen White in Our High Calling, p. 159CSI 50.5

Reflect: The disciples did not get the Messiah they wanted, but they got the Messiah they needed. What or who are the “worldly messiahs” in your life and how can you replace them with the Messiah you really need? CSI 50.6