A BUTLER IN THE HOUSE OF GOD.

Mark 10:42-45 "Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Mark 10:42-45 should be required reading for all who would aspire to any position of leadership in a church. In a democracy people elect those who will have power and authority over them. In this passage Jesus reminds us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a democracy, it is the household of the FAMILY of The Lord. And a family household works very differently to a democracy.

If you want to understand the advice of Jesus to those who would seek leadership in His Church  it helps to understand how the large manor houses of England work. In each house there is always one and only one leader, one and only one head of the house, the father. But the household itself was run by servants. But even the head of all the servants (usually the head butler) still had less standing and authority than the youngest or least member of the family. Servants did not have authority OVER  the family, they had responsibility TO the family.

Consequently should a member of the family decide to become a servant they do not gain any greater authority or privilege than the authority and privilege they already possessed as children and heirs of the Father. What they gain is .... greater responsibility TO the family and to the Father.

In  Mark 10:42-45 Jesus reminds us that even though He is the firstborn heir of the Father He chose to become the head butler in the house of His Father in order that He may serve and care for His brothers and sisters who are also joint heirs of the Father. Already having all authority over the household of the Father as the firstborn Son, Jesus took upon Himself responsibility TO the household of the Father. He became its head butler.

If we want to serve in the household of the Father we are not called to become a great leader, we are called to become ... a great servant. But not just a servant, a servant UNDER the authority of the head butler of the household of God .... The firstborn heir of the Father, Christ Jesus Himself!

D.J. Ludlow.

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