Servant Leadership

1 Peter 5:1-11

When I initallly planned this sermon, I thought I would spend about half the time outlining leadership principles and the other half discussing "followership" (you like that word? I think I made it up!) principles. However, as I developed things,there was just too much to say about leadership to cover it adequately in one sermon. I will need to return to followership principles later.

In the sermon I discuss three biblical metaphors for leadership, One of them is a Bond-Slave.

As soon as we mention "slave" today, our mind goes back to slavery as we had experienced it here in the USA and in England, during the early days of our nation. The black slave trade involved removing people against their will from their home land, transporting them in inhuman conditions, selling them to masters who often, though not always, treated them worse than livestock and rarely, if ever, providing any opportunity to be set free. This was an evil practice that created a stain on the moral fabric of our nation.

The problem is that slavery in the Bible could often be very different. The Old Testament Law that guided the Israelites laid down very specific laws relating to slavery. In the context of the ancient Middle East, these laws were progressive, generous and aimed at recognizing the full humanity of slaves. During New Testament times in Greek society, though there were abusive owners, many treated their slaves very well. In both Jewish and Greek cultures, and opportunities to gain freedom were provided.

What I find very strange is that often in these ancient cultures, people would sell themselves into slavery. This was especially true for those who were poor. To serve as a slave for a period of years, meant a place to live with food and, often, education, or at least the opportunity to learn a trade. After a season of this, one could save up some money, be trained in a job, and then reenter society much better off than before. It was in this tone that Paul advises slaves to serve their master well, but if they have opportunity to gain their freedom, they should do so, and he admonishes masters to be kind and generous (1 Cor 7:21; Eph. 6:5-9; Col. 3:22 - 4:1; 1 Tim 6:1-2; Titus 2:9). Peter also offer advice to slaves and masters in 1 Pet. 2:13-22.

In this context of slavery the possibility of entering into a bond-slave relationship existed. This idea is introduced as part of the Old Testament Law (Ex 21:2-6 and Deut 15:12-18). What if things were really good in the household where you served as a slave. Your master cared for you and treated you well. What if the idea of living out on your own and having to make all those ends meet really was not for you. In this case the Law allowed the creation of an interesting concept. Upon your manumission, you could turn to your master and say, "Thank you very much, but I want to remain your slave and continue to serve you." That point, the master took you to the entry door to his home, took an awl and drove it through your ear lobe into the door post of the house. Ouch! The idea was that you were now permanently attached to this household. Many scholars believed that the slave then wore a special earring in that ear, marking him as a bond-slave. You might say a love-slave (though today that word has other, not very positive, connotations).

It is this word for bond-slave (Greek, doulos) that the New Testament usually uses when it calls us to view ourselves as slaves of God (1 Pet 2:16) and when Paul and others call themselves slaves of Jesus (Phip 1:1). Often in English Bibles, doulos is translated "servant" which is misleading. It means bond-slave. (The English word "servant" is used to translate other Greek words like diakonos and huperetes, both meaning more of what we understand as a servant.)

All this to say that when we find freedom in Christ from a life of slavery to sin, we really are giving ourselves to God as slaves of righteousness. We are not our own, but have been bought with a price, and are now owned by God, the best Master anyone could ever have. As slaves of God, we are not free to live where we want and do what we want, but rather are obligated by love, to do what he asks of us.

This is true of all of us; but it is especially true of those of us who are called to give leadership to God's people, the Body of Christ. We are His and are honor-bond to do his will.

Thanks for digging deeper