DEFINITION OF TERMS

THE CONCISE OXFORD DICTIONARY
SERVE:
SERVANT:
SERVICE:
MINISTER:

BIBLE DICTIONARIES
SERVANT OF THE LORD
MINISTER.
TRANSLATION OF 'SERVANT' FROM HEBREW TO ENGLISH
...EBED
...ABAD
...SAKIYR
...SHARATH

Internet and David challenges!

PRINCIPLE OF RULER AUTHORITY
We understand the Principle of Ruler Authority, for it is a part of our fallen human nature - the domination of one over another. To our eyes it is a logical, stable structure. And most organizations, ranging from business to the military, to church, are organised along this principle. We generally feel comfortable in this situation, as we understand how it works.

PRINCIPLE OF SERVANTHOOD
To mankind, the Principle of Servanthood, when applied to an organisation is foolhardy in the extreme! There seem to be a mass of the least skilled people at the top, who are unlikely to agree amongst themselves most of the time, dictating how the organisation is to be run.

Of course we occasionally pretend, at election time in democratic countries, to apply a human version of the servanthood principle to political government. The day after the elections are over, the government quickly reverts to the authoritarian style - until the next election! We all smile, or cry, when a politician claims to be the 'peoples servant', for we know that, through our fallen human nature, this is unlikely to be the reality. Self interest nearly always wins!

Is based upon us becoming like Jesus, the ultimate servant. For the Godly model to work well, we at all levels, from people, to pastor, to pope, need to be applying the principle of servanthood to our lives.

This is going to require a radical change in our way of thinking and an even greater change in the way we live.

While we can somewhat determine to become a servant to others, we first need to become a servant of the Father, as Jesus was. For He could not have served the people as He did without seeking out His Father's will and then doing it. It is the same for us! God's order can only be built by total obedience to the Fathers will, as shown to us through the life of Jesus. Then, and only then, will we be able to operate in the true servant role He desires of each one of us.

As we look at our diagram we can see that our unstable base is extended, made stable as we build our lives upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Lives based on godly dependence rather than worldly independence.

For, by definition, a servant must have a master. So the church and our lives are to be built upon obedience to will of God the Father as revealed through the Holy Spirit and demonstrated in the life and Word of Jesus.

Jesus is revealed in the Word, the Bible, the God inspired record of His life. We are to do what he did. To be dependent upon His example:

The Holy Spirit is our day to day communication channel, advising us of the truths of God and the direction he desires us to take in our daily lives.

Jesus provided the ultimate example of obedience when He agreed to die for you and me.

The Agony in the Garden by Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506), National Gallery, London.

Obeying God's will is shown in us through the lives we lead. If we confess to belong to Him, we are obligated to do His will, to lead servant lives. For the true servant has turned away from the wickedness of self-centred, fallen man.

Our life and faith is founded upon and centred round the person of Jesus.


Jesus ascending to heaven - by William Hole.

For in Jesus is all truth. As we become more like Him, both individually and as a church, we will get closer to restoring the mankind's servanthood role, seen in the Garden of Eden, before the 'fruit' got in the way.

Now for the real 'nitty gritty'!

Whenever I share this offering with pastors and leaders, I get a reaction! Whether we 'do church' in traditional ways, or delight in 'non-traditional traditions', the realities are much the same. There is an ungodly separation between the pastor, leadership, and the people. Maybe not intended or understood, but very real...

We are being called to new levels of understanding and faith in order to apply these 'unnatural' - to us - principles.

But as our depth of understanding and relationship grows, so we will be better able to understand and believe.

NEW ZEALAND THERMAL AREAS

In parts of New Zealand the earth's crust is very thin. In this picture of boiling mud in a pool near the Waiotapu Thermal Reserve, the crust is non-existent! This is what it is like down inside the earth. As hot as Hell?