Authority is real and a necessary part of life. It has responsibility to govern and therefore possesses the ability to rule and bring correction as needed. Every government must have structure of some sort, with people at different tiers of responsibility. Those who are on the higher tiers carry more responsibility and therefore have more authority. As long as this authority and power are used properly, things work as God intended. But because human beings are rebels at heart, we tend to corrupt everything we touch, including government. The misuse and abuse of authority is rampant in all levels of society.

Mankind’s problem with authority goes back to the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve were under God’s benevolent rule. They did not really consider that was the case because it was all they had ever known. God had only been good and kind to them, but that did not prevent them from falling for the serpent’s lie and immediately suspecting the Creator of having wrong motives. Having drunk from the devil’s cup, they decided to rebel against God’s rule and establish their own. Ever since then, authority has tended toward being misused by those who are rebels at heart.

Jesus taught his disciples that godly authority never abuses others, but always serves those under its oversight and care.

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27  and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT) 

The two words he used to describe what worldly rulers do are to “lord it over their people” and to “flaunt their authority.” This is what self-important leaders do, those who do not understand that to lead is actually to serve. Jesus contrasted that way of leading to what he modeled and expected from his followers. He used two very different words: to “servant” and to “slave.” The contrast could not be more stark. Jesus also taught that the way to the top of the hierarchical leadership pyramid, so to speak, is through humble service – a giving away of one’s life in behalf of others. In other words, the way to the top is down.

We can liken the role of kingdom authority to lifting weights. One of the most exciting Olympic lifting events is the clean and jerk, whereby the lifter picks up the barbell from the floor and lifts it overhead. Success is measured by how much a competitor can lift.

Successful kingdom leaders are measured by how well they are able to lift those whom they serve. In other words, the leader’s job is to help others to succeed.

The ultimate goal is to propel those who are under our care onward and upward in the kingdom, not to work things out so that we stay on top and they always serve us.

It is vital that we accept the radically revolutionary aspect of Jesus’ teaching on authority and not relegate it to the realm of unworkable idealism. The church is not meant to talk, look, or act like the world. Authority in the kingdom of God is real and must be used for the guidance, protection, provision, and development of God’s people, and always with a servant’s heart. Those times when we must use that authority in a strong way for the good of the flock, it must be done humbly and with loving care.