(This entry is based
on a chapel message delivered to students at the Evangelical Theological Seminary
in Croatia in the mid-1990’s. A few
items have been edited or added. The reflections
should have value for leaders anytime).
But whoever would be great among you must be
your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as
the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many (Matthew 20:20-28
ESV).
I remember once, in
the second year of my first pastorate, being verbally attacked by a member of
my congregation. We were at a social
gathering which was one of the regular practices of our fellowship. We were enjoying one another’s company,
eating together and talking. Suddenly,
this church-member turned to me and began berating me for the poor state of the
music program in our church. The songs
we sang were old, our musicians were bad, and these weaknesses ruined our
church services. Besides that, the
preaching wasn’t so great either.
Actually, in some ways she was probably right. Our corporate worship left much to be
desired, but the intense anger with which she spoke to me caught me off-guard,
and I really felt as if someone had punched me.
This was the first
time in my ministry I had been “blindsided,” but it was not to be the
last. Over the years, every once in
awhile, a church member or someone else has suddenly become furious about
something which I had given little thought to, and which I had no idea was
bothering them. Once, a family was angry
with me for not vising them when the mother was sick. They had never told me anyone was sick. They said they didn’t have to, if I was a man
of God, I would have known it without being told. These things happen quickly and without
warning, and it leaves me feeling like I’ve been ambushed. Have you ever experienced that? If not, you’ve probably never been the leader
of anything, at least not for very long.
I have come to the
conclusion that every leader, and certainly every church leader must expect to
be attacked by well meaning followers or co-workers from time to time. It comes with the turf. I remember a cartoon in Leadership
Today. There is a picture of a shepherd
in the midst of his flock. One of the
sheep is on its hind legs, standing up and shaking his fist in the face of the
shepherd. This really happens sometimes.
The kind of attack I’m talking about is sudden, without
warning, and for some reason seems intensely personal -- probably because it
is. When you leave here, early in your
ministry this will happen to you. It
will be one of the hardest things for you to understand. You will ask, “Why didn’t they tell me about
this at ETS?” Well, I’m telling you
now. Later, you may understand such
events -- but you will never get used to them.
But you may develop thick enough skin so that they will not cripple you.
Of course, many
times we deserve to be criticized. No
one is perfect -- far from it. Constructive
criticism is necessary and we should learn to welcome it, to seek advice from
respected peers or fellow-workers. I’m
not talking about the truth spoken in love, or frank discussions here, but
something else -- the truth (or falsehood) spoken with the intention of
destroying or tearing down.
Now, we can all
expect to be criticized or attacked by the unbelieving world, even persecuted
or attacked with demonic fury from without the church. That is never pleasant, but it is
understandable. Jesus said, “If they
hate me they will hate you, also.” But
such occurences are especially difficult when they come from within the family
of faith. Nevertheless this does and
will happen. As David wrote, “For it is
not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it; nor is it one who hates
me who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my companion
and my familiar friend. We who had sweet
fellowship together, walked in the house of God in the throng”(Ps. 55:12-14).
My theme is Drinking
the Cup.
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came
up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.
And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two
sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your
kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to
drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to
them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not
mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus
called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it
over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be
so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and
whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man
came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:20-28 ESV).
In this passage, Jesus’
is entering the final days of his earthly
life and ministry. He is preparing to
enter Jerusalem where he will die. He had
prepared his disciples with a verbal warning.
Did they get the message?
It is on the eve of
the crucifixion that the mother of James and John approaches Jesus in search of
a position of power. The episode teaches
several things about the nature of power, spiritual authority, and leadership.
I. Leadership involves power struggle
Jesus is not
struggling for power, but his disciples are.
He is the rightful heir, he doesn’t need to struggle, he just needs to
fulfill his calling as servant of God’s nation.
But not understanding the nature
of the kingdom, the disciples seek earthly authority. Two
inappropriate routes to power are demonstrated here. Both display complete ignorance regarding the
true nature of kingdom authority. First the mother of the sons of Zebedee wants power just as much as her sons,
but she doesn’t have any way to get it -- except by manipulating the decision
maker, and the decision making process.
As influential people, others will always try to influence how you make
decisions. The temptation is to show partiality
to the most persuasive but least sympathetic to the health of the whole, the self-interested
voice. Jesus keeps in mind the mandate of the
Father.
Second is title seeking. Titles are
wonderful things. They help establish
order, duty, and clear lines of responsibility.
Titles (pastor, dean, professor, elder, general secretary) are tokens of
authority. It’s one reason that people
want them. We want authority, the power
to make decisions, and by deduction the power to make others act according to
our wishes. This is a corrupt aspect of
worldly power, no matter how necessary authority structures may be. James and John are title-hungry. We want position. There is only one problem, they don’t
understand that their position carries a heavy responsibility -- faithfulness
in the heat of trial. Can you drink of
the cup? In scripture the cup often signifies
one’s God-ordained destiny. God’s
servant must faithfully accept God’s cup.
In this case it is a cup of suffering -- the cross.
Avoid those who seek
titles for titles’ sake. They are not
gifted or sufficiently compassionate to carry out the responsibilities of
office. Notice the effect of the actions
of self-serving power seekers on the apostolic community: “and having heard this
the ten were indignant against the two brothers”(v.24) -- rivalry, disputes,
disharmony.
II. Leadership involves suffering
Jesus has challenged
them by pointing to the cross. But they
still don’t understand. Glibly they say,
yes, we can drink the cup, without knowing what is in the cup. Jesus seems to be saying that proximity to
himself in the coming age involves an experience similar to his passion. Authority is a function of obedience, and,
yes, of suffering. Those who have tasted of Christ’s cross may be entrusted in
some way with his sceptre. “He who
overcomes shall sit with me in my throne, just as I sit down with my Father in
his throne” (Rev 3:21).
Jesus suffered under
the duly constituted authorities of his time – the chief priests, the Sanhedrin,
and the Roman Governor. So did the
disciples and the early church. Perhaps
it is he who suffers under the unjust excercise of authority who understands
the nature, and the awesome responsibility of exercising authority -- who
understands that to inflict suffering on another person made in the image of
God is to become accountable before the fearsome, awesome, and Holy One. It seems that spiritual authority comes with
a price tag. This may be offensive to
you or appear to be super-spiritual, but I think it is entirely in line with
scripture and the tradition of the church.
We suffer in various
ways: for instance, the rejection of friends and other believers, or rejection
by the world and its authorities, loss of material goods or opportunities; even
loss of freedom or of life.
III.
Leadership involves service
Jesus offers a
contrast between worldly and kingdom authority.
Lordship (katakurieuousin) vs.
servanthood (diakanos). Who seeks to serve others, to consider others
more important than himself, or to develop others’ gifts, will himself be
blessed. It is the law of
reciprocity. Don’t just talk about
service, but perform. Christ himself is
an example of this.
Do not seek titles,
seek service which will fit you to fill a titled role in the proper
season. Recognize that serving Christ
involves sacrifice and risk and sometimes suffering. Serving others is the only legitimate use of
authority in God’s kingdom. Only
authority used with the best interest of others in mind is true.
I am sharing this
with you not so that you will be sorrowful, but sober. Joy, not tears, is the fruit of the Holy
Spirit and mark of the Christian life.
Joyful service and faithfulness in trial is the nature of our call.
The Son of Man came not to be served but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:20-28 ESV).
