Christ as a servent

[mlqurgw]

Something that has been on my mind of late.

Luk 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

 

[chrismon]

If you take seriously that the first are last and the last are first, Christ as servant is not a deep, mystical idea to meditate on, but one that is incredibly foreign to the present age, to the powers and principalities of this world - this includes not just those who naturally capitulate to those powers and principalites, but also much of the Church. Jesus doesn't wash the disciples feet to simply show love, but to show the way things are supposed to be, that the meek, the poor, the lowliest are the inheritors of the Kingdom and are victors with God. This isn't rhetoric but reality: God in Christ lived it perfectly and is now King of kings.

Do you demand your rights? Do you rely on the powers and kingdoms to protect you? Do you believe that success is found within advantage? When the idea of giving up such securities crosses your mind do you think you have to stop thinking foolishly and get yourself back to reality? If you instead give into that "foolishness", you practice what the foot-washing, cross-bearing, risen Christ did.

 

[Proeliator]

If you take seriously that the first are last and the last are first, Christ as servant is not a deep, mystical idea to meditate on, but one that is incredibly foreign to the present age, to the powers and principalities of this world - this includes not just those who naturally capitulate to those powers and principalites, but also much of the Church. Jesus doesn't wash the disciples feet to simply show love, but to show the way things are supposed to be, that the meek, the poor, the lowliest are the inheritors of the Kingdom and are victors with God. This isn't rhetoric but reality: God in Christ lived it perfectly and is now King of kings.

Do you demand your rights? Do you rely on the powers and kingdoms to protect you? Do you believe that success is found within advantage? When the idea of giving up such securities crosses your mind do you think you have to stop thinking foolishly and get yourself back to reality? If you instead give into that "foolishness", you practice what the foot-washing, cross-bearing, risen Christ did.

So then you feel that demanding our rights is wrong?

 

[mlqurgw]

If you take seriously that the first are last and the last are first, Christ as servant is not a deep, mystical idea to meditate on, but one that is incredibly foreign to the present age, to the powers and principalities of this world - this includes not just those who naturally capitulate to those powers and principalites, but also much of the Church. Jesus doesn't wash the disciples feet to simply show love, but to show the way things are supposed to be, that the meek, the poor, the lowliest are the inheritors of the Kingdom and are victors with God. This isn't rhetoric but reality: God in Christ lived it perfectly and is now King of kings.

Do you demand your rights? Do you rely on the powers and kingdoms to protect you? Do you believe that success is found within advantage? When the idea of giving up such securities crosses your mind do you think you have to stop thinking foolishly and get yourself back to reality? If you instead give into that "foolishness", you practice what the foot-washing, cross-bearing, risen Christ did.

Perhaps you misunderstood my meaning. I didn't mean it was a deep mystical idea to meditate on but that it is something we hear very little of. It is amaing to me to think of the huge step down that Christ took when He became a man and a servent. It is a humbling thought. And yes it is deep.

 

[JJB]

The idea of serving is very counter cultural to the world most of us live in. Our culture tells us to get all we can and sacrifice whatever is necessary to take care of yourself. Our culture says ease, fame, power, money, education are the paths to desire.

It is not an easy road that Jesus asks of us. My self must be crucified, and I pray for it.

 

[mlqurgw]

That is part of our warfare. The flesh against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. We are told to reckon ourselve to be dead in Christ and alive to God in Him. Rom. 6:11

 

[chrismon]

Perhaps you misunderstood my meaning..

The "you" I was referring to was the "proverbial you", not "mlqurgw". Heh.

 

[mlqurgw]

The "you" I was referring to was the "proverbial you", not "mlqurgw". Heh.

No offense was taken I just wanted to clear it up. Thanks.

 

[Jebediah]

So then you feel that demanding our rights is wrong?

Yeah, actually. Jesus was railroaded in a kangaroo court, deprived of all the civil rights in the judicial system of Rome and Israel. He was arrested at night (illegal), put in shackles before guilt was found (illegal), there were no witnesses that corroborated each other (trumped charges, illegal), and in the end, though no guilt was found in Him, He was punished anyway, quite illegal. He said nothing. He did not defend Himself. He did not demand His rights and try to appeal to a higher court (a right that He, as a citizen of Rome, had). He could have stopped it all, anytime He wanted, not through a miracle but through simply asserting His rights.

As well, the 1st Epistle of Clement, an Early Church Father, states that being "self-asserting" is a breach of Christian virtues. Our culture, and its obsession with success, winning, and selfish individualism, is inherently contrary to Christ's teachings. Our Lord did not say "Go forth and get ye a Range Rover and a good 401k plan", He said to deny ourselves, take up our own cross and follow Him.

 

[CCWoody]

Something that has been on my mind of late.

Luk 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Luk 12:37 GB
(37) Blessed are those seruants, whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking: verely I say vnto you, he will girde himselfe about, and make them to sit downe at table, and will come forth, and serue them.

 

[chrismon]

To echo/expand on some of Jebediah's thoughts...

So then you feel that demanding our rights is wrong?

Yes - but not as a rule unto itself. Rights are not, excuse the pun, wrong. We are, after all, given rights by God. However, these are different from the rights afforded to us by the world, in substance and intent. Rights supplied by the world offer protection from and/or advantage over our neighbor or enemy . Demanding rights in our world, more often than not, is how we achieve any sense of peace and security. This peace and security is false because it is given by the very thing which rebells against God in the first place. That's like casting out demons in the devil's name

When we give up the rights afforded to us by the world we, like Christ, become subversive to the purposes of the powers and principalities. Jesus did not defeat the powers with the rights afforded by a fair trial, or the rights afforded by arms. But, in laying down his life he showed all powers and principalities that even at their strongest they are powerless, even over a submissive Christ who instead hopes in the power of his Father. Christ who gave up his rights is now King of kings. The "formula" is not to give up rights - again, they are not intrinsically wrong - but rather to hope in God

 

[chrismon]

To echo/expand on some of Jebediah's thoughts...

So then you feel that demanding our rights is wrong?

Yes - but not as a rule unto itself. Rights are not, excuse the pun, wrong. We are, after all, given rights by God. However, these are different from the rights afforded to us by the world, in substance and intent. Rights supplied by the world offer protection from and/or advantage over our neighbor or enemy . Demanding rights in our world, more often than not, is how we achieve any sense of peace and security. This peace and security is false because it is given by the very thing which rebells against God in the first place. That's like casting out demons in the devil's name

When we give up the rights afforded to us by the world we, like Christ, become subversive to the purposes of the powers and principalities. Jesus did not defeat the powers with the rights afforded by a fair trial, or the rights afforded by arms. But, in laying down his life he showed all powers and principalities that even at their strongest they are powerless, even over a submissive Christ who instead hopes in the power of his Father. Christ who gave up his rights is now King of kings. The "formula" is not to give up rights - again, they are not intrinsically wrong - but rather to hope in God.

The poor, the meek, and the oppressed will the inherit Kingdom because they more fully than most of us understand the worthlessness of rights and advantage afforded by the powers and kingdoms of the world. They are ripe for hope in God.

 

[chrismon]

To echo/expand on some of Jebediah's thoughts...

So then you feel that demanding our rights is wrong?

Yes - but not as a rule unto itself. Rights are not, excuse the pun, wrong. We are, after all, given rights by God. However, these are different from the rights afforded to us by the world, in substance and intent. Rights supplied by the world offer protection from and/or advantage over our neighbor or enemy . Demanding rights in our world, more often than not, is how we achieve any sense of peace and security. This peace and security is false because it is given by the very thing which rebells against God in the first place. That's like casting out demons in the devil's name

When we give up the rights afforded to us by the world we, like Christ, become subversive to the purposes of the powers and principalities. Jesus did not defeat the powers with the rights afforded by a fair trial, or the rights afforded by arms. But, in laying down his life he showed all powers and principalities that even at their strongest they are powerless, even over a submissive Christ who instead hopes in the power of his Father. Christ who gave up his rights is now King of kings. The "formula" is not to give up rights - again, they are not intrinsically wrong - but rather to hope in God.

The poor, the meek, and the oppressed will the inherit Kingdom because they more fully than most of us understand the worthlessness of rights and advantage afforded by the powers and kingdoms of the world. They are ripe for hope in God.