Christ’s Kingship: A Lesson for Our Leaders

Most mainline Christian denominations consider this Sunday (November 22, 2009) as the last Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 29) and Christ the King Sunday. As such, the appointed Scriptural readings according to the lectionary focus on different aspects of Christ’s kingship.

The Old Testament lesson, taken from the prophecy of Daniel 7:9-14, anticipates Jesus Christ’s place in heaven – that all the glory, dominion and kingdoms will be given to him, and all peoples, nations and tongues will submit to his rule. The second lesson, taken from the book of Revelation 1:1-8, emphasizes the certainty of the return of Jesus to judge the whole world. And the third lesson, taken from John 18:33-37, takes us back to the trial of Jesus when Governor Pontius Pilate asked him if he could confirm or deny being a king. Jesus’ answer is unequivocal: “My kingship is not of this world.”

The Bible makes it clear in several places that Jesus was a high priest (the perfect mediator between God and man), prophet (God’s spokesman to the people and the people’s spokesman to God) and king (who reigns and is to reign over all) and the greatest and best representative of these three offices.

This article is the first of a two-part series on the kingship of Christ and what it means for leaders and for all of us. The thrust of this article is on the nature of his kingship and what it means for who desire any leadership office. The second will consider what Christ’s kingship means for his followers.

According to the teachings of Jesus throughout the New Testament, a leader is a servant (doulos, a Greek term that means a servant or a slave). In fact Jesus links true greatness with service. The word ministry, which embodies Jesus’ entire mission, simply means service. He came to serve and all his followers (disciples) are called to engage in different forms of service (ministry) according to the gifts given them and the different circumstances in which they find themselves.

Martin Luther King, Jr. argued cogently that all of us may not be famous, possess great wealth, or occupy positions of power, but we all can be great. True greatness, according to Jesus, consists in service, and we all can serve in one form or another. Therefore we all can be great because we all can serve if we are willing.

Luke records: “A dispute also rose among them, which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.’” (Luke 22:24-26).

Speaking of his own life Jesus said, “For the Son of man came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, all italics mine).

Jesus exemplified this teaching in his own life. Perhaps the vivid example is the washing of his disciples’ feet (John 13). The washing of the feet of an important guest was a required social etiquette among the Jews. The actual washing was done by a slave of the house because it was the meanest job. And yet Jesus, at the institution of the Lord’s Supper, got up, took a bowl of water and tied an apron around his waist and bent down and washed the feet of his disciples! It shocked them all. By it Jesus teaches that no service that honors God and benefits others is too mean for any believer to do. Any true leader therefore, ought to be a servant of the people for whom he/she is called to lead.

Today, we see many Liberians vying for public offices and positions and going to any lengths to win. What is their ultimate purpose? Is it to serve the people or to exploit them for their own selfish goals? Liberia needs true servant-leaders and not wealth seekers. Of course being a servant-leader does not mean being weak in exercising authority. Sometimes the leader serves justice by restraining evil and disciplining those who go against the common good. However, the leader’s use of authority/power must be a form of service that maximizes the greatest good of all.