Look today at the role of the apostles. It isn't uncommon to hear some of the outspoken liberal fringe talk about early Christian theology being forced on people by domineering wealthy and powerful leaders who wanted to keep all the power to themselves. Yet this is a completely different scenario than we see in Scripture or in early history. The real picture as early history shows it lines up with this reading from 1 Corinthians 4. The apostles were servants. They stuck their necks out on the behalf of the people they were serving. They tried to live an exemplary life for Christ. With the exception of John, they died as martyrs at the hands of those who would persecute them. These were not power grabbers. They were saints who would lay down their lives for the body of Christ just as their Savior laid down his life for them.
What should we look for in Christian leaders? Should we be a little suspicious of those who seem to have everything together, who are widely accepted by their culture, who emerge as cultural and political elites? Should we wonder about the Christian leader who becomes very wealthy and uses it all on himself? Should we question those who stand for Christ and find no opposition anywhere? While we want to be careful - - poverty is no more a sign of God's grace than riches - - in general the biblical pattern is that the believers, including those who are leaders in the Church, are people who consider themselves as servants, not masters.
May we serve as Christ served.
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