Luke 9:46
An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, 48and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great."
We find in this scripture passage a clear communication regarding church government. It is interesting that I have rarely heard any sermon on this topic. Jesus' teaching on authority stands in direct contradiction to the world's and most of the church's today. Jesus claims that authority is to be directly linked to humility expressed through serving others. This is what destroys the pride of life.
Matthew 20:20-26
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.21And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.". . . And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,
Like Jesus pointed out, gentile rulers believe that authority is given to make people do their own will. Those who have carried this thought into church leadership felt that they were given authority to force people to obey God. Most of the time it was not really that they were actually forcing people to obey God but a deified form of themselves.
It seems from history more horrendous acts of evil have been done using authority in the name of God, or god..... than secularists have done. It is because the vindication of a wrathful man is easier to spot as wrong that the vindication of an angry god. When you believe that god is spurring on your acts of evil there is no limit to them.
This simple reality is why people can fearlessly fly airplanes into buildings, set of explosives in a crowded public venue, lead almost a thousand people to commit mass suicide or blow up a government building where a daycare full of toddlers were the first to die.
The last example always brings tears to my eyes as a dear friend was working in the Murrah Federal Building in my hometown of Oklahoma City the day Timothy McVeigh set off his makeshift fertilizer bomb and killed her and more that two hundred others. Years before I played on the street as they built that building. My grandfather was tending a parking lot three blocks away the day it was destroyed. I listened as their murderer declared that the babies that were crushed in the rubble were "collateral damage." I spoke to my friend's husband seeking to console him only hours after she was killed. Mr. McVeigh believed God wanted him to do what he did.
These are the extreme cases but where ever there is a thought that the primary purpose of authority is to force others to obey or to requite justice there will be a destructive force at work. I have seen it in countless marriages, working situations, governments and churches.
Mark 9:35
Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, " If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."
The primary purpose for God giving us authority is to bless others with His life.
We serve to demonstrate the Love God has for others.
We serve to destroy the deep tendency to pride resident in all our hearts.
We serve to acknowledge our debt of love to God who first served us....
James 1:17
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
We serve to be like our wonderful heavenly Father.
Matthew 5:43-48
"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
A few years ago I was listening with deep sadness to a pastor asking his congregation who was the "spiritual king" of the city I live in. If he had been referring to Jesus I would have been delighted. But he was asking what person in our city had the most spiritual authority. The obvious answer he was looking for was him. He believed that he was close if not the king.
As I thought about that question I realized that the person with the most spiritual authority would not even be asking it because it would never occur to them to do so. They would be so busy seeking to disciple others to their destiny that it would have no place in their hearts. They would not want anyone to feel a competition with them.....
The greatest spiritual giant in our city would be a person of deep prayer. They would be a person who was spending their life giving to others to see them fully discipled. They would be someone who would be taking the lowest place continually so that they would most likely be hidden.
I Corinthians 4:9
For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. . . 11To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; 12and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 13 when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
The clearest indicator of an Apostolic Church is the quality of leadership it has. Even if a man or woman bears the title of Apostle they are not unless they meet God's definition of their character.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
Those who exhibit true humility in their servant leadership will lead an Apostolic church. They may not be the pastor.... elder..... deacon or hold any position at all. They will be the servant of all. Unlike the early church who took this model seriously we don't often give esteem to servant leaders by placing them in the "positions" of leadership. when a church does it becomes a life giving church.
It is important to understand that in most cases we choose our authorities. In our hearts we always choose our true authorities. People can force us to do things but those we choose to lead us in the intimate places of our hearts are those we choose. Jesus' test of those who we should give authority in our lives is simple. They are the ones that actually care about us, invest their lives in us and want the best for us.
Luke 9:46
An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, 48and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great."
An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, 48and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great."
We find in this scripture passage a clear communication regarding church government. It is interesting that I have rarely heard any sermon on this topic. Jesus' teaching on authority stands in direct contradiction to the world's and most of the church's today. Jesus claims that authority is to be directly linked to humility expressed through serving others. This is what destroys the pride of life.
Matthew 20:20-26
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.21And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.". . . And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,
Like Jesus pointed out, gentile rulers believe that authority is given to make people do their own will. Those who have carried this thought into church leadership felt that they were given authority to force people to obey God. Most of the time it was not really that they were actually forcing people to obey God but a deified form of themselves.
It seems from history more horrendous acts of evil have been done using authority in the name of God, or god..... than secularists have done. It is because the vindication of a wrathful man is easier to spot as wrong that the vindication of an angry god. When you believe that god is spurring on your acts of evil there is no limit to them.
This simple reality is why people can fearlessly fly airplanes into buildings, set of explosives in a crowded public venue, lead almost a thousand people to commit mass suicide or blow up a government building where a daycare full of toddlers were the first to die.
The last example always brings tears to my eyes as a dear friend was working in the Murrah Federal Building in my hometown of Oklahoma City the day Timothy McVeigh set off his makeshift fertilizer bomb and killed her and more that two hundred others. Years before I played on the street as they built that building. My grandfather was tending a parking lot three blocks away the day it was destroyed. I listened as their murderer declared that the babies that were crushed in the rubble were "collateral damage." I spoke to my friend's husband seeking to console him only hours after she was killed. Mr. McVeigh believed God wanted him to do what he did.
These are the extreme cases but where ever there is a thought that the primary purpose of authority is to force others to obey or to requite justice there will be a destructive force at work. I have seen it in countless marriages, working situations, governments and churches.
Mark 9:35
Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, " If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."
The primary purpose for God giving us authority is to bless others with His life.
We serve to demonstrate the Love God has for others.
We serve to destroy the deep tendency to pride resident in all our hearts.
We serve to acknowledge our debt of love to God who first served us....
James 1:17
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
We serve to be like our wonderful heavenly Father.
Matthew 5:43-48
"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
A few years ago I was listening with deep sadness to a pastor asking his congregation who was the "spiritual king" of the city I live in. If he had been referring to Jesus I would have been delighted. But he was asking what person in our city had the most spiritual authority. The obvious answer he was looking for was him. He believed that he was close if not the king.
As I thought about that question I realized that the person with the most spiritual authority would not even be asking it because it would never occur to them to do so. They would be so busy seeking to disciple others to their destiny that it would have no place in their hearts. They would not want anyone to feel a competition with them.....
The greatest spiritual giant in our city would be a person of deep prayer. They would be a person who was spending their life giving to others to see them fully discipled. They would be someone who would be taking the lowest place continually so that they would most likely be hidden.
I Corinthians 4:9
For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. . . 11To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; 12and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 13 when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
The clearest indicator of an Apostolic Church is the quality of leadership it has. Even if a man or woman bears the title of Apostle they are not unless they meet God's definition of their character.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
Those who exhibit true humility in their servant leadership will lead an Apostolic church. They may not be the pastor.... elder..... deacon or hold any position at all. They will be the servant of all. Unlike the early church who took this model seriously we don't often give esteem to servant leaders by placing them in the "positions" of leadership. when a church does it becomes a life giving church.
It is important to understand that in most cases we choose our authorities. In our hearts we always choose our true authorities. People can force us to do things but those we choose to lead us in the intimate places of our hearts are those we choose. Jesus' test of those who we should give authority in our lives is simple. They are the ones that actually care about us, invest their lives in us and want the best for us.
Luke 9:46
An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, 48and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great."
No comments:
Post a Comment