NOBLE WORK - NOBLE AMBITION

 

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1 Tim 3.1 - "The word is true: if anyone desires a bishopric, he desires a good deed".

Jer 45.5 - "But you ask yourself great things: do not ask".

James 3.1-2 - “Do not many become teachers, knowing that we will more condemnation, for we all sin a lot".

 

   In the ministry of the spiritual leader of the Christian church, the striving for power and career CANNOT BE A PLACE. Not a person should look for a place, but a place for a person, because God Himself, who created a person, knows in the best way his abilities and talents.

   A selfish person cannot hold a responsible office in the church. The text "1 Tim 3.1" was written in the 1st century, when they persecuted the church and, above all, the bishops (that is, elders or pastors, they are one and the same); leadership, did not want to. Moreover, even being a Christian in that and in the next two centuries was dangerous from the very first day, therefore in the church immediately after the death of the apostles there were only truly believers and principled, and not random people.

   Usually, spiritual ministry does not bring honor, but, on the contrary, responsibility and problems (unlike the ministers of state churches, these churches have deviated from the truth for good relations with the authorities, this is not about them). Patience and work are the daily circumstances of the life of a church leader, a leader of a community, and especially a high-ranking official.

   It is necessary to understand that a privilege is not a position of a leader, BUT SERVICE TO GOD IN this or any other capacity!

 

   Jeremiah, speaking of “great”, warns Baruch not against ambition as such, but against “great for himself” (his motivating reasons - Jer 45.4-5).

   Jesus taught that a leader is not a master but a servant of others (Mark 10.42-44). He can also suffer for others, like Christ the Head of the Church (Mark 10.33-34).

But His disciples wanted glory instead - an honorable crown instead of a crown of thorns (v.37). Then Christ reminded them of His mission and responsibility: "Can you drink the cup that I am drinking?" (v.38). He said that the leaders are those "for whom it is prepared" (v.40), that is, THOSE WHO HAVE PREPARED THEMSELVES TO BE SERVANTS LIKE CHRIST (Mark 10.45, Luke 22.27).

   Remember that ambition is the root of all evil and the beginning of sin in the universe (Lucifer, who wished to be like God and became the devil and Satan).

 

   It was sin that demanded the death of Christ on the cross.

 

   Because we, the children of Adam, wanted to become big, He became small.

   Because we did not want to humiliate ourselves, He humiliated ourselves.

   Because we wanted to rule, He became a servant.