What does it take to be #1?

 When we think of being number one, our minds will usually gravitate to academics, a sport, or some sort of athlete. We push very hard in this life to be number one at something. Notice I didn’t say “the best” because there’s a difference. You can be the best at something and still not be number one. I have this funny little thing I do around church and that is to tell people they’re my favorite. The catch is, I tell everyone that. At some point when everyone is the favorite then no one is left out. Even being the favorite is different than being number one. When we really look at it stripped and transparent, number one cannot be shared or divided. To quote an old 80s movie, “there can be only one.”

So in our lives there will be many favorites, numerous best, and even a few standouts, but the number one is at the beginning, and it’s the first number we learn as early as a toddler. So I challenge you to take a quick evaluation of your life, including all that you hold dear. One of these will be number one on the scale of importance, love, attention, and devotion. Now with that mental list firmly imbedded in your thought process, allow me to ask what came out as the number one? There’s only one person that can reside in that position, and His name is Jesus. He is the only one qualified to be first in our lives. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 explains that Jesus is first and that he cannot be second. In the 6th chapter of Joshua, God led Israel against their largest foe in the battle for Jericho. The city just happened to be the first in their conquest. God dusted the walls, sent Joshua’s army in for battle and handed them the city, but he gave them very explicit instructions to bring all the gold and silver into the treasury of the lord. This was because God is first and cannot be second.

In the book of Genesis, we find early on in man’s creation that Cain and Abel brought offerings to the lord. This is recorded in chapter 4 and concerning the two brothers, Cain’s offering was rejected by God while the offering Abel brought was accepted. It is because Abel brought his first and best before the Lord, and Cain simply offered something. Once again, God cannot be anything but first in our lives. A friend and pastor from years ago would say very often that “God will be God of all or not God at all.” The New Testament book of John begins with Jesus as first. Verse 2 tells us that he is the beginning. Verse 3 the creator, verse 4 he is life, and verse 1 he is God. Now do you see why he cannot be second? Simply put, if Jesus ain’t first in our lives, then he may as well be last.

So please back up and re-evaluate your list. When Jesus is first in our lives, then everything else will fall into order. When he’s not first, then nothing will fall into order.

Come see us at Christpoint Church this Sunday, and let us help you get this part right. We’re located on the square, in Sparta, and we’re open at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. We’re real people, living real lives, serving a real God. Welcome home.